Chapter 19
SILVER
Lee told me the guy who delivered the dress was a loser paid by a prostitute, and that she’s likely one of the trafficking victims. They’re hoping to find her to discover who controls her, but in the meantime, I’m not working as much as I should be.
Lee insists that Justus or Landon always watch over me, either parked out in front of the diner where they can monitor me through the windows or seated at one of the tables.
It’s not that I don’t feel safe at work, but it’ll only be so long before my employees notice, and I don’t want that.
There’s been enough trouble here without adding this.
As if my thoughts summoned him, trouble walks through the door. The fire marshal strides through the diner to enter the coffee bar, but he pauses at the doorway to catch my eye with a pointed look. He isn’t only here for a coffee.
My phone beeps with a text from Justus.
Justus
Everything cool?
He must’ve noticed the way I froze to watch him. I look out the window to see Justus looking at me, and text back.
Me
All good.
I’m not sure I’m all good, but it’s nothing Justus can help with.
By the time I enter the coffee bar, Mr. Wilson is settled at a corner table with a cup and a donut.
I grab myself a quick latte before joining him, so it’ll look like I’m just chatting with him on my break, not like a meeting.
A lot of the gossip around me, about my house burning and the diner being vandalized, has finally died down.
The town doesn’t need another reason to talk about me.
“Mr. Wilson, how are you?” I ask, sitting across from him.
“I’ve been worse.” He glances around at the nearly full tables. “Looks like business is good. People like those fancy coffees, don’t they?”
“They seem to.”
He sets his cup back down. “You should think about bringing back the egg in a hole. Your mama used to have them on the menu years ago but stopped serving them. Called them something different, though. I can’t remember exactly.”
I know what he’s talking about. An egg fried in a slice of bread that’s had the center removed. I’m pretty sure she stopped offering it because no one ordered them anymore. “A bird’s nest.”
“That was it!” He slaps the table. “I used to get them on my way to work in the morning.”
“I’m sure we can still make one if you request it.”
He nods and sits back. “I’ll remember that next time I’m here. Today, I just want a quick bite and to tell you a couple of things.”
Here we go. “I’m listening.”
“The investigation has concluded and I’ve ruled the fire accidental.”
The knot that’s lived in my chest for over two months loosens.
I was really hoping that Grady would follow through, but part of me just couldn’t believe it would work.
The marshal follows that announcement with a bite of his donut while I do my best to not look as relieved as I am. “That’s good to hear.”
“The insurance company has been notified. You should hear from them shortly about your claim.”
“Thank you. It’ll be nice to get all that behind me. Am I allowed to enter now?”
“It’s not safe to go inside, and there’s nothing in there that isn’t destroyed.”
That’s not news to me. Just looking in the broken windows the day after showed me that. “I had some things on the porch that survived, planters and stuff.”
He nods at me. “The scene has been released. You’re welcome to pull the yellow tape down.”
“Thank you. I appreciate you letting me know.” I pick up my latte and start to stand, but he shakes his head.
“That isn’t all.” He leans over the table, looking me in the eye. “You got away with it, but I want you to know you didn’t fool me. Not for one single solitary second. I know you burned it down.” He doesn’t sound angry. In fact, he’s almost gleeful, as if he’s sharing a secret we both know.
“You don’t know shit.” I wonder what Grady told him. Does he know I’m blackmailing him? Did Grady even need to give a reason, or did he just give an order? It doesn’t matter. The result is the same. I have nothing to fear from this egotistical asshole.
A grin appears on his face. “I know arson when I see it, even if I can’t prove it.
You set it on fire and called Lee to play the hero, who showed up just in time.
Now, you’ll have no problem paying off that loan.
” He gets to his feet and looks around the diner.
“You sure made the place look nice with it. I’ll give you that.
Your mama would be proud. Stay out of trouble, Ms. Mills. ”
He strides out, and I stay seated, letting his news sink in.
I’m really free of the Matheson’s. If Grady did this much, he’ll surely get Austin to drop the charges.
I get to keep the diner. Not only that, I’ll have the money to pay off my loan.
I can combine what’s left over with what I make selling the lot the house is on and it should be enough to buy me a new place. Finally, some good news.
I send a quick text to Lee asking him if he’ll be home this evening or if something is planned. He gets right back to me saying he’s on his way home for the night.
I hope Justus is ready to follow me to the grocery store and liquor store because we’re celebrating tonight. After I make a call to the insurance company to see when I can expect my payment.
Lee is just getting out of his truck when Justus and I park on either side of him. “What did the fire marshal want?” Lee asks immediately.
I give Justus an exasperated look. “Are you protecting me or spying on me?”
“I didn’t know I had to choose.” He beams and starts walking toward the path to Landon’s cabin. “See you at seven.”
My phone rings with a call from my lawyer, and I stop to answer it, leaning against Lee’s truck.
“Ms. Mills. I have good news for you. Austin Matheson requested the charges be dropped and refused to cooperate any further. The prosecutor moved to dismiss this morning, and the judge just signed off. You’re in the clear.”
Fuck yes. This really is over. “That’s fantastic. Thanks so much for calling. I also found out the fire at my residence has been ruled accidental so I’m no longer an arson suspect.” Lee’s eyebrows rise as he listens to my side of the conversation.
“Well, you’re having a lucky day.”
The luck was meeting Celia. I’ll have to reach out to Molly and see how she’s doing in Florida. “It appears so. I won’t need to keep you on retainer anymore. Thank you for your help. You have the address where I’m staying to send the bill.”
As soon as I hang up, Lee says, “You’ll get your insurance settlement?”
A relieved laugh flows out of me. A cold wind cuts through my clothes, and I start pulling the bags of groceries out of my truck.
Lee steps in to take them from me, so I grab the liquor from my front seat.
“Yes, insurance is going to pay, and Austin dropped the charges against me. Let’s get inside. I have a lot to tell you.”
A package sits on the porch and Lee scoops it up.
“Did you order something?” I ask, unlocking the door.
“Yeah I did.” He sets the box on the counter as if it’s unimportant and looks at me expectantly as I start putting the groceries away. “Austin dropped the charges against you?”
“He did. Why, were you planning to threaten him again?”
Lee’s lips twitch up. He knows he’s busted and isn’t a bit sorry for it. “No, he’s lucky he got a warning.”
“I told you I was handling it and to leave him alone.” I walk to the living room and he follows me.
“No, you told me not to kick his ass and I didn’t. How did you find out I threatened him?”
“His dad mentioned it when we met so I could blackmail him.” I toss my reply casually.
Lee spins around, his intense eyes landing on mine. “You what?”
“Blackmailed the judge executive into getting the fire marshal to end the investigation of my house and make Austin drop the charges.”
He stands there staring at me for a few frozen seconds. Finally, he manages a word. “Explain.”
I’m happy to. I’m proud of the way I turned things back on those power abusing assholes, and I’m actually a little excited to tell someone. Especially Lee. He always seems to get a kick out of me fighting back, whether it’s an ex or his friend hiding in a cabin.
I take a seat on the couch, but he doesn’t move from where he stands as I tell him everything from my visit with Celia to meeting Grady at the bar. His jaw tightens as I speak, his lips thin into a line, and his gaze hardens as it locks onto me.
His tone is low but severe. “Are you out of your fucking mind?”
“Excuse me?” My face begins to heat. I expected shock, not anger.
“He could’ve killed you!” The way he raises his voice makes me blink and instantly pisses me off.
“I met him in public and I wasn’t alone. I had backup.” What part of that did he miss?
“Backup that couldn’t help you if he decided to hurt you!”
“I knew what I was doing!”
“Bullshit. Do you have any idea how many bodies the woods hide because of men like that? Are you trying to be one of them?”
Anger drives me to my feet. “Don’t fucking lecture me. I don’t need your permission to defend myself.”
“Defend yourself? You put a target on your back.”
“They put a target on me a long time ago. I took it off.” I cross my arms, glaring at him. “And it worked. The charges are gone. I’ll get my insurance payout, and they won’t come after the diner again.”
He takes a step toward me and snaps, “I don’t give a fuck! Do you understand me? I don’t care that it worked. You put yourself in the crosshairs of a man who has power, money, and nothing to lose. You had no idea how he’d react.”
Hurt bleeds into my anger. He doesn’t care that it worked?
He doesn’t care that things are finally going in my favor?
“He had plenty to lose and I reminded him of that. What was I supposed to do, Lee? Roll over and let them bleed me dry? Let them frame me for the fire, take my diner, and keep fucking with my life?”
“You should’ve told me before you did it.”
“You would’ve tried to stop me or do it yourself.”
He runs his hands through his hair. “Of course I would!”
My heartbeat thumps in my ears, rage overpowering me.
“Why? Because you’re an all powerful man and I’m just a weak little woman who needs you to protect me?
Fuck you. I’m not going to stand here and watch you act like I was stupid for fighting back.
You don’t get to be pissed at me for surviving.
I protected myself and my livelihood. I stopped them from hurting me again. I won.”
I was happy on the drive home, so excited to tell him that my half of the battle was over, even if we were still dealing with the trouble from his past. I thought he’d want to celebrate with me.
Instead, he’s being a complete asshole. “You should’ve been happy for me,” I add, disappointment lowering my voice as I start to walk away.
I’m horrified to find I’m on the edge of tears and that’s the last thing I want him to see.
“Fuck,” he says under his breath, reaching out and catching my wrist. “Wait.”
I pause, and we both stand there for a moment, the air heavy with silence. Despite our recent confessions, it feels like so much remains unsaid between us.
“I’m sorry.” He pulls me over to him, cups my face in one hand, and presses his forehead to mine. His chest rises and falls with two deep breaths. A tear slips down my cheek and I inwardly curse. “I’m sorry,” he repeats. “I just…I’m at my limit. I can’t take it if anything happens to you.”
The fracture in his voice bleeds vulnerability.
I’ve never seen him like this, and it breaks my heart.
He brushes my tear aside with his thumb, and I wrap my arms around him tightly, burying my face in his neck.
“I’m okay. Nothing’s going to happen to me.
” The constant stress has been so hard. It’s worn us down and things aren’t over, not for either of us.
“It wasn’t as big of a risk as you think.
They know if anything happens to me that I have others who’ll spill the proof of their crimes.
They bribe plenty of people in town to look the other way and all I asked for was to be left alone. They won’t retaliate.”
He holds me tighter, then moves back to look me in the eye. “You’re the opposite of weak. You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met, and I’d never think you’re stupid for fighting back.” He reaches out to tuck my hair behind my ear. “You just scare the fuck out of me.”
I know exactly what he means. “We’re even then,” I reply, dropping a quick kiss on his lips.
“I am happy for you. I’m thrilled for you. We both needed some good news.”
“Which is why I bought the stuff to make chicken fajita pasta and stopped at the liquor store. To celebrate. Justus and Landon are coming back by seven for dinner and drinks. I’m going to shower and get started on cooking.
” I wish I could invite Calli and Lacey, but things are too complicated right now.
Justus and Landon would’ve been here anyway.
“One second,” he says, already heading toward the kitchen. “Before they get here, I have something for you.”
As long as it’s not a dress.
He returns with the box that was sitting on the step. I’m not sure what to expect, a weapon for protection of some sort seems likely knowing Lee, but I notice a logo of a greenhouse is stamped on the side. He’s silent as he produces a pocketknife and cuts the tape away, then reaches inside.
A lump returns to my throat when he carefully pulls out a small bonsai tree with bright red leaves. The look he gives me is sheepish. “You wanted the tree in your room. Next best thing.”
How the hell am I supposed to resist this man? “A tiny red maple tree!”
My excitement and the way I study the little tree puts a wide smile on his face. “It’s a Bonsai Japanese Red Maple. The box should have everything you need to take care of it, and an instruction book.”
“I love it.” The beautiful gift isn’t the only thing I love, and I have to bite back the words neither of us are ready to hear.