Page 139 of Late Nights & Love Lines
“You should have,” he agrees, but there’s no anger in his tone. It’s unsettling. “There’s a very good possibility of this deal falling through, and we’re past all the safeguards that protect us. If this project doesn’t move forward, we lose everything we’ve invested.”
“I know that. I won’t allow it to happen though. We still have two weeks, and we haven’t heard back from Bryer-Blaine yet. I will fix this.” Not sure how, but I will.
Beck tucks his hands into his pockets and rocks back on his heels. “It might already be done.”
The lever for the pump clicks, and I remove it from the gas tank. “What do you mean? I’ve run the numbers a hundred times. For a project this size, we need that seventh investor, and I know I’ll find one.”
He claps me on the back. “Apparently, the shotgun meeting you had with Lochlan Blaine left quite the impression. He’s requested a meeting with all of us first thing Friday morning.”
My jaw nearly comes unhinged. The Blaine family owns some of the most exclusive resorts in the world, and their empire just keeps growing. A deal with him could literally change everything.
“Rowan must have made one hell of an impression,” Beck chuckles. “He said his wife was quite the fan. Now, let’s go get your girl so we can cram for this meeting. Who knows what the hell he’ll throw at us.”
I catch Pappy’s eye as he leans out his window. “Destiny, son. Can’t fight destiny.”
“Arewe sure this is the address?” Beck asks, staring out at the mile-long dirt driveway.
“They’re the only Fords listed in the town census, and the house was previously owned by Jason Ellis. This is it,” Alexei says, kicking at a rock in the road.
“This is it, all right,” Pappy grumbles. “I’ll never forget hauling ass up to that pecker and knocking him out.”
Beck and Alexei turn to me for an explanation.
“Pappy beat the shit out of her stepfather when she was a teenager for treating her badly. But we didn’t find that out until a few weeks ago.”
“He wasn’t just treating her badly. He emotionally and probably physically abused her. If she hadn’t run away and hid from me, I’d have taken her home with me that day, screw what the police said.” Pappy crosses his arms over his chest.
“Well, let’s remember, we’re here to support Rowan in whatever the hell she’s doing, not perform some sort of vigilante justice, okay?” I’m not overly concerned about Alexei or Beck, but Pappy is a loose cannon when it comes to Row.
“How long do you think we’ll have to wait?” Beck asks, lifting the binoculars to his face again. We used them when we first arrived to confirm that she hadn’t beaten us here. The guy literally packed for a spy mission.
“We probably should have confirmed she was actually coming to her parents’ house before we jumped in the car to drag her home.” Alexei chuckles. “You fall in love, and we go all caveman.”
I grunt, and he laughs harder.
“I tried to call her. Numerous times. Her phone is either dead or turned off.”
“We’re in the middle of nowhere.” Alexei shivers. “Who lives like this? We should’ve brought snacks. The next time we have a stakeout, someone needs to be in charge of snacks.”
“This isn’t a stakeout, Alex. We’re not kidnapping her.”
“Any idea what Mya could’ve said to spook her?” Beck asks, catching me off guard.
Rubbing a hand over my face, I scrub a few times before looking at him. “I honestly have no idea. Mya told me she wants to say goodbye to the kids, but she could have said anything to Rowan. When I asked her about it, she shrugged as though she had no idea.”
“Mya’s a real piece of shit,” Alexei grumbles.
“She is, but she’s my children’s mother. I won’t keep her from seeing them unless I have to. That doesn’t mean I won’t burn her world down though.”
“You’re a better man than me,” Beck mutters.
“Try calling her again,” Alexei calls from across the dirt road. He’s sitting under a giant maple tree in the shade, wearing a suit, and he looks ridiculous. “We’ve been out here for hours, and not a single car has gone by.”
“Welcome to the country, Alex.” Beck chucks a pinecone, and it hits Alexei in the head.
Alexei picks it up and whips it back in Beck’s direction.
“Boys,” Pappy chides, but the smiles on our faces grow.
