Page 81 of The Sweet Life

“We’re good, thanks. Aren’t we, Mom?” Sage asked, reminding Gia with a pointed stare to keep her cool.

Sage had warned her that Aaron would most likely try claiming he hadn’t intentionally abandoned her and that they’d discussed a partnership with her family before he left for LA. But Gia hadn’t believed he’d stoop so low or tell the lie with a straight face. He didn’t just do it with a straight face. He actually seemed to believe the lies coming out of his mouth.

Flynn moved his hand to her neck, giving it a familiar squeeze. She looked at him through angry, tear-filled eyes, blinking to bring his gorgeous face into focus. There waswarmth in his eyes now, concern too, and a tender smile curving his lips. “I’m here if you need me.”

She nodded, her chest tight. She hadn’t realized how much his cool, detached response to her earlier had hurt or how much she’d hoped he might give her a second chance.

“We’ll talk once you’re done here,” he said, giving her neck another comforting squeeze before walking away.

“How sweet,” Aaron said, but Gia didn’t miss the gratifying hint of anger in his eyes before he turned to his lawyer, who was frowning over several papers that Sage had handed him.

“So you can see why we’d find Mr. Abbott continuing to reference my mother as his wife confusing when he married two women in Costa Rica. I believe bigamy is still a criminal offense.”

“When you can prove intent, which you can’t. At the time, my client was unaware he was married as a result of the head injury he had sustained.”

“Except these sworn affidavits prove that, while he might have sustained a head injury, he hadn’t lost his memory as he’s claimed.” Sage handed Aaron’s lawyer the sworn affidavits from his attending physician, a nurse he’d tried to date, and the first women he’d married in Costa Rica.

“How did you get these?” Aaron asked, flicking them away. “They’re fake.”

“I’m afraid they’re very real. As to who acquired them, Jake did.” Sage bared her teeth in a semblance of a smile. “It’s too bad he had all that time to kill while you were making yourself at home on our farm. He took a little trip to Costa Rica.” She passed his lawyer two more official-looking documents, her eyes hard, her voice knife-sharp when she addressedAaron. “Alice must have recognized you that day at the Smoke Shack. She would have seen the resemblance between us, and she knew what you would try to pull. She’d planned to shut you down before you had a chance.”

“What are you talking about, honey?” Gia asked.

“When you went to Alice asking for advice about your divorce, she opened a file and began investigating Aaron. She had witness statements from people who lived in your neighborhood.”

Gia’s face got hot as she thought about what her neighbors would have told Alice. She’d never mentioned the witness statements to her. Maybe she would have if Gia had gone ahead with the divorce, but she’d been afraid to. Afraid to put them on Aaron’s radar. She’d hadn’t seen or heard from him in over a year by then.

Aaron’s lawyer passed him the papers. He paled as he read them over.

“I think we’re done here,” the lawyer said as he came to his feet, nudging Aaron to do the same.

“Not before your client signs these, we’re not,” Sage said, passing several more documents and a pen across the table.

Less than fifteen minutes later, they were done, and Aaron was on his way back to Costa Rica. “What were the last papers that you passed to Aaron’s lawyer?” Gia asked Sage.

“The divorce papers, along with the witness statements from your old neighbors and the owner of the art gallery where you had your first showing in New York,” Sage said. “Your neighbors paid attention to what was going on in your home. They didn’t like what they heard or saw Aaron saying and doing to you. The gallery owner testified that the night beforeyour second showing, your work had been destroyed, and you had to withdraw. He pointed the finger at Aaron, relaying several instances of him belittling your talent in his presence.” She rubbed Gia’s arm. “I’m sorry that he did that to you. That he stole your dream.”

Gia shook her head, reaching out her hand to Willow, who’d just joined them. “He didn’t. I got my dream right here. The two of you,” she said, and hugged her daughters.

Jake joined them. “I gather from the way Aaron and his lawyer slunk out of here that Sage notched another win.”

“The win isn’t mine alone. It’s as much yours and Alice’s,” Sage said as she came to her feet and kissed Jake’s cheek.

“We made a good team.” He smiled.

“You make a great team,” Gia said, standing up to hug him. “Thanks for everything, Jake.”

“Don’t mention it. I was happy to help.”

“After this, you two deserve a holiday,” Willow said.

“Great minds.” Sage smiled at Jake. “Now that we’ve got the Aaron problem taken care of and the Rosettis are one big happy family, I thought you and I could take a one-week vacation before I go back to work.”

Sage might have missed it, but Gia caught the subtle shift in Jake’s expression. He wasn’t a fan of her daughter going back to work this soon. Gia wasn’t happy about it either. But she knew her daughter. She just hoped the couple were able to make a go of their relationship with Sage working and living in Boston.

“Great. Where do you want to go?” Jake asked.

“Home.” She whispered something in his ear that made him smile.

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