Chapter Fifteen #3
“What’s changed is you taking advantage of my daughter! And stealing my grandson to boot!”
Linc’s eyes widened. “I haven’t stolen Kash from you, and I’m certainly not taking advantage of Harper.
” He ran a hand through his hair. This was going nowhere.
He needed to say what he came to say and get the hell out of here before he said something he’d regret.
“Look, I’m here as a courtesy to let you know my intentions when it comes to Harper.
I love her, and I’m going to marry her. I don’t know when, but it’s gonna happen. ”
“Fucking hell,” Victor said, pressing his lips together in anger after he spat the words out.
“Harper loves you, as does Kash, and it would mean the world to them if you were supportive of our relationship. But the truth is, it’s going to happen whether you approve or not. I prefer to have you as an ally instead of an enemy, but nothing is going to stop me from making Harper my wife.”
“You’ll take ownership of my property over my dead body,” Victor growled. “And not even then!”
Linc blinked. “What?”
“You think I don’t know the Youngs want my property?
Want to expand Lobster Cove? I’m not an idiot!
I’ve known for years. And what better way to get your greedy hands on it than to marry my daughter?
Well, I’m here to tell you that I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure it never falls into your family’s hands. ”
Linc was truly shocked. It was Victor who’d always wanted their land, not the other way around. Why he was making such a crazy claim now, he had no idea, but Linc wasn’t going to let the man turn his greed around on the Youngs.
“I don’t want your property,” Linc said honestly. “The thought never crossed my mind. Or my mom’s, for that matter. She has her hands full with Lobster Cove. She doesn’t want to expand. Never has.”
“Bullshit. This is prime waterfront property, of course you all want it. Your brother and his wife could move in over here and get out of your mother’s hair.”
“First of all, they aren’t in her hair, as you say. Secondly, I’m telling you, we don’t want your land, Rogers.”
“Well, you aren’t getting it no matter how low you stoop, including convincing Harper to marry you.”
The man was delusional. “I love your daughter,” Linc said, irritated beyond belief.
He hadn’t exactly thought this meeting would go well, but he’d never thought it would go this bad.
“And Kash too. I have no ulterior motives. I simply want to be with them. Love them. I would think that’s what you’d want too. ”
“I want her to be with anyone other than a Young.”
And that was the crux of the issue. Victor hated the Young family so much, he’d deny his only daughter happiness, simply to hang on to the bitterness he for some reason held in his heart toward his neighbors.
“I came over today to let you know my intentions. Let you know that you’ve got an amazing daughter and grandson.
And to make sure you know that I will take care of them and love them.
To reassure you that Harper will never have to live in her car again.
Will never go hungry. Will never have to worry about if she has enough money for rent.
They’ve had a difficult life, and it’ll be my honor to make sure they’re happy, healthy, and loved for the rest of their days.
I’m not here to ask your permission, and I don’t give a damn if you approve of me and my family or not.
“But think about this, Rogers . . . if you continue to be an ass, you’re going to lose them.
You’ll die in this house a lonely old man.
I’m offering another olive branch. But if you’re an asshole to them, if you continually bad-mouth me and my family, they’re going to pull away.
Stop calling. Stop coming to visit. Not because I told them to—but because they won’t like being around you. Enjoy the beer.”
Linc turned around and walked away without looking back.
“We aren’t done here!” Victor called out.
But Linc ignored him. He’d said what he had to say. If the old man didn’t like it, the ball was in his court. He could either accept the inevitable or not. For his sake, and Harper and Kash’s, Linc hoped like hell he’d accept the fact that his daughter was in love with a Young.
He walked back through the trees, stopping at Fort Bad Assery.
It was looking a little forlorn, now that it was winter.
And because Kash hadn’t been there in months.
He had no need to get away from Victor’s place anymore.
No need to escape a household full of tension.
No need to be alone, because he didn’t have to face the disappointment of a grandfather who felt he should be into more “manly” hobbies.
Kash was flourishing, and Linc was proud of that.
He had no doubt the boy would grow into his frame way sooner than he had.
Linc was bullied throughout high school because he’d been such a late bloomer, but Kash was already growing.
Filling out. Like he said, Donny and Ginger would graduate and move on, and hopefully his high school years would be easier as a result.
Linc stared at the ground, his hands in his pockets. He wished things with Rogers had gone differently. For Harper. Though, he didn’t have to tell her that her dad wasn’t thrilled with them being together. She already knew.
Talking to Victor one-on-one hadn’t even put a dent in the man’s resentment and disapproval of their relationship, as he’d hoped. It wouldn’t stop them from being together, but it would stress out Harper and Kash. Which Linc hated.
Sighing, he headed for the house. He hadn’t told Harper why he wanted to come to Lobster Cove today, and he wasn’t looking forward to letting her know about the outcome of his talk with her dad.
But he wouldn’t keep it from her. He wanted her to promise to tell him if Victor got too vocal about his displeasure when she and Kash visited.
Or if he started trying to turn Kash against him.
Time would tell how this played out, but Linc was determined that nothing and no one was going to come between him and Harper.
He’d make sure she and her son knew they were loved and appreciated every day of their lives.
Because the truth was, he was one lucky son of a bitch.
Harper loved him for some reason he couldn’t fathom.
He was moody, had some mental baggage from what happened to him, and would probably have medical issues with his injured shoulder in the future.
His house needed a shit ton of work, and his family was big, loud, and had no problem sticking their noses in each other’s business.
But she’d never find another man who would love her like he did. He needed Harper way more than she needed him. And he vowed to never let her regret loving him. From this moment on, she was his number one focus.
With renewed determination to make sure the woman he loved never went one day without hearing the words from his lips, Linc made his way back to the house.
“Are you okay?” Harper asked, when she and Linc were driving to his place.
He’d been . . . off . . . since he’d returned to the house.
He’d shared a donut with them, then asked if she was ready to head out.
After hugs all around, they left, and now she was wondering what had put him in such a pensive mood.
He wasn’t upset, not really. But whatever he’d done while he was at Lobster Cove seemed to have unsettled him.
“Yeah. I went to talk to your dad,” Linc said without preamble.
“Oh. Okay.”
“I told him that we were getting married.”
Harper wasn’t sure how to feel about that.
She got tingles every time she thought about marrying Linc, but she wasn’t quite ready to take that step.
She supposed she was still worried he’d change his mind.
That he’d wonder what the hell he was doing, tying himself to a woman who worked at Walmart, had no college degree, and had an almost-teenage son with his own share of drama.
“No comment?” Linc asked, glancing over at her.
Harper could see the worry in his eyes.
“I’m guessing it didn’t go well.”
“It didn’t go as well as I’d hoped,” Linc admitted.
“And that’s who the beer was for?” Harper asked. She’d noticed the six-pack he’d put in the car, but figured he was bringing it to Chad or something.
“Yup.”
“That was a nice gesture.”
Linc shrugged.