Chapter 11
Fiona
The antique store is still closed. And I haven’t heard from Monroe. Obviously his father was right and now that his plan is out there, he doesn’t have to keep up the front.
He doesn’t have to pretend that he cares for me.
My heart hurts. I didn’t sleep last night until I finally cried myself out.
All I could think about was the other night. The smile on his face. The look in his dark eyes. He looked happy. He looked like he really wanted to be there.
He must be a hell of an actor. That’s all I have to say. I would have sworn that he had the same feelings for me that I had for him.
Unfortunately for me, I love him.
And he toyed with me. Toyed with my heart.
Harper glares over at the other side of the store, at the clear wall. It’s still dark and she huffs, “I guess neither one of those assholes is going to come in today.”
“Maybe. We’ll see. But whatever happens, I don’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he hurt me. So let’s just stay calm if he does come in here. Either one of them.”
Like I called for him, the elderly man slams his way inside my shop. Gritting my teeth, I get to my feet and wait, watching him warily. “What are you doing in my shop? You’re not allowed over here anymore.”
“It’s a public place. You can’t tell me that I can’t come in.”
Harper growls. “Oh, I beg to differ, old man. We can refuse to wait on anybody that we want to. It’s actually private property.
I don’t know where you got your information but you’re so damn wrong that it’s not funny.
I bet anything that if you didn’t want somebody in your store, you’d tell them to get out. Same goes.”
“Well, I’m not leaving until we talk about this. I want this property. All of it. So if you don’t want a very uncomfortable life from this point on, I’d suggest that you get on board with my thinking.”
“Go to hell,” Harper growls.
He smirks. “I’ve been there for years.”
“Humph!”
“I’m not giving up this store. It’s been in my family for years..the major portion of this property belongs to my family. Your family was given this small portion as a sop to your wounded pride when my grandmother couldn’t marry your grandfather.”
“Wouldn’t! Wouldn’t marry him!” He snaps, his voice rising.
“Whatever! The point is…this property is mine. You own that small portion and that’s all you’ll ever own.”
“It’s mine!” He raises the cane over his head and the next thing I know he’s smashing it down on a display of beautiful crystal vases we’ve got in for Valentine’s orders.
The cane slams into one of the most beautiful ones and it shatters into two large pieces.
Screaming, I rush forward and try and grab his cane and he wrestles with me, panting, wild with anger.
He pushes me aside and the cane comes down again on another vase and the delicate crystal shatters.
Covering my ears, I scream as he rages and breaks more of them, then his cane slams into one of my floral arrangements for the day and he swings the cane, knocking it on the floor.
“That’s enough!” A roar brings my head up and I groan when I see Monroe in the door, his chest heaving, his dark eyes bright with anger. “What the hell are you doing, Dad?”
He whips around and glares at his son. “I’m finishing this. I will get what I want.”
“You will not. I’ve already called the sheriff and he’ll be here soon to pick you up. And I’m going to insist that Fee files a restraining order on you. Which is gonna make it hella hard for you to run your shop. You fucked up, Dad. You gave them exactly what they needed.”
The old man’s mouth falls open and he grips the cane tightly. Then his shoulders sink and he sighs.
“I’ll buy the damn property from you, Dad.
Because you will never be this close to Fee and Harper again.
I will not let that happen. I’ll buy it at a decent price with cash and then…
I think you better get the hell out of town.
Retire and go get your head on straight.
Maybe have some sessions with a psychiatrist.”
“I don’t need that.”
“You need something, Dad.” His voice gets softer. “I hope that you find what you need, Dad. But you can’t go around acting like this and expect to get away with it.”
He turns to me and there’s a soft look in his dark eyes. A sweet look that makes my stupid, stupid heart flutter wildly. “If he leaves town, will you agree not to charge him with vandalism. Or whatever they would charge him with in this case?”
I pause and he sighs. “Please, Fee. He’s an old man. An old, bitter, stupid man. Give him a chance to get out of here and away from what’s driving him nuts.”
Glancing over at Harper, she nods and I sigh and then nod my head. “I don’t know what his problem is. But I hope that if he gets away from this property that he’ll get his head on straight and function normally. Cause right now he’s acting crazy.”
“I’ll make sure that he leaves.”
“Fine. I’m agreeable to that. As long as he’s definitely leaving.”
Mr. Stephens nods his head. “Fine.” He turns and walks out the door.
Harper grins at me. “Well, that was exciting.” But then her smiles fades as I stand, crossing my arms and looking away from Monroe.
She looks back and forth between the two of us and then hums. “Okay. Well, I guess that I’m gonna go get us some coffees since we’re gonna have to get this cleaned up before we let anybody else in.
” She shuffles her way to the door and leans over to whisper, “You better not fuck this up, buddy. Because if you’re who your dad says you are and you were playing my cousin, I’m gonna squash you like a bug. ”
He grins at her. “Noted. Trust me, Harper. I’m not planning on doing anything to hurt her.”
“Good,” she growls. And then she grins at me behind his back and gives me a thumbs up.
As soon as the bell over the door stops jingling and she disappears from view, Monroe turns to me and sighs. “I’m so sorry, Fee. I don’t know how many ways I can say that to you. I’m just so sorry.”
My stomach sinks. Is he, in fact, sorry that he tried to scam me? Or is there some other reason?
What if he doesn’t feel about me the same way I feel about him?