Page 86 of Heart Strings & Hotlines
“I’ll come down to the library later in the week. If you’d like to show me your financials and any proposals you may have, I’ll get you straightened out.”
Sharky and Mrs. Perez both gasp, and Sharky jerks as though she’s going to ram him with another giant hug, but he’s faster and escapes behind the island with his hands up.
“It’s not a big deal.” He grunts, then turns to me for help.
“It is though,” I say. “Do you know how many people this will help?”
His green gaze studies me for a long moment, before he finally nods.
“I’ll be in on Wednesday. No more hugging.” He points his finger at Sharky.
For once, she doesn’t have a smart comeback. “Deal.” She holds up the check. “I’m going to get this into the bank before you change your mind.” She practically runs from the room as though she stole the check, and Mrs. Perez follows her out with a wave.
“I’m not going to change my mind.” He shakes his head and then sits at the island, studying their movements as though he’s afraid they’ll turn around at any moment.
When the front door clicks shut behind them, I join Thane in the kitchen.
“That was a really nice thing you did.”
He attempts not to acknowledge me.
“And what you’re offering me is also very generous. I appreciate it more than you’ll ever know. No one has ever tried to help me without wanting something in return before, unless you count my brother, and he’s so deep in his own company right now, he wouldn’t even know what to do with me.”
“He’s supposed to protect you.” He sounds petulant now, and my heart softens a little more for him.
“He did. For a long time, he did. Then I realized that if I couldn’t save myself, no one else ever truly could either.”
“I can.”
My heart uses my lungs as punching bags because I know he means it.
“I know you want to try, but you also understand that while I appreciate and acknowledge that I need your help, I also need to find a way to do this where my boyfriend isn’t bailing me out.”
“What the hell good is being your boyfriend if I can’t fix all your problems?”
Heat radiates from my soul for this complicated man.
“What I want in a boyfriend is someone who supports me, encourages me, and holds me when I fail. Because the truth is, you can’t have success without failure. You know that as well as, if not better than, me. I’m not afraid to fail. But I am afraid to fail alone.”
He moves lightning-fast, dragging me from my stool and depositing me in his lap as he sits on the sofa.
“You’re not alone. We’re ninety-nine point seven percent perfection.” He says it so earnestly, and with so much devotion, I actually believe him.
“Yeah, we are.”
“We still need to go to this event. It will show your father that you’re not afraid of him, and it will show anyone else who tries to penetrate your security that you aren’t going to be pushed around. It’s time for you to take center stage, sweetheart, and burn the competition to the ground. I’ll hold your hand as you take the stairs, then hand you the matches, if that’s what you need.”
In his own, complicated way, Thane Wilder just gave me everything I’ve ever wanted—and a person to call my own, but something about his declaration isn’t sitting right with me.
My stomach plummets when I realize what it is.
How did he know someone is actively hacking into my company?
I stare into his eyes, searching for any sign of betrayal, but can’t find a single trace of anything but devotion—to me.
Perhaps he found something else when he went through my mail—a sticky note I left on my desk—or an email I left open. For all I know I spilled my guts to him while out of my mind with fever.
No.
