Page 60 of Resisting His Charm
“But to the city? Can’t you just move closer into town, off the ranch?”
“Everywhere I look in this town, I’m reminded of them. I see my parents everywhere. It’s keeping me locked in. I didn’t realize until the few days I spent in Vegas with Sammie. It was refreshing not having the memories haunt me everywhere I went.”
“I get it. I don’t love it, but I get it. I will always support you in whatever you do.” Alice grips my hand.
“I love you and I’m not leaving you, just this town,” I assure her.
“Oh, you couldn’t leave me if you tried. I would hunt you down and kidnap you. I’d have my husband build me a cage to keep you in.” She smiles.
I honestly thought Sammie would be the one tohunt me down. I guess I was into him a little more than he was into me.But that’s not fair of me. I left. He was going through something tough. He told me he needed me, and I left.
“Okay, eat up. You need food if we’re going to figure out how to get you off this ranch without your cousins barricading you in,” Alice says.
“Thank you.” I pick up a crispy piece of bacon and bring it to my mouth.
I knew deciding to leave town was going to impact people, especially Kellie, my business partner. “I’m sorry. I know it’s spur of the moment, but I need to do this,” I explain.
“LA? Seriously? Okay, can you not sell your half of the business until I figure out how to buy it,” she insists.
After breakfast this morning, I pulled out a map, closed my eyes, and pointed. My finger landed on LA, which isn’t a bad city to move to. Especially for an esthetician. That place is filled with beautiful people—people who will spend a lot of money tostaybeautiful. It’s also not that far from Las Vegas. Not that that had anything to do with my decision.
“I’m not selling, Kellie. I’m signing it all over to you,” I tell her.
“What? You can’t do that.” She shakes her head. “I’ll buy you out. I just need a bit of time to work out how.”
“No, I’ve already had my lawyer start the paperwork. I don’t need the money and I don’t want you to have to worry or be put out because of me.”
“Are you sure?”
“I am. I need to do this.”
“Okay, thank you. I’m really going to miss you,” Kellie says.
“I’ll no doubt be coming back to visit every time I get a little homesick. Don’t worry, you’ll be seeing me.”
“I hope so. I have a client in ten I need to get ready for, but let me know if you need anything.”
“I’m just going to clean out my office. There’s not much I need to take,” I tell her. “I’ll have the paperwork sent over to you.”
Kellie walks towards me. Her arms wrap around my neck, and she pulls me tight against her. “Thank you, so much. I don’t know how I’ll pay you back for this, but I’ll figure out a way.”
“It’s a gift, Kellie. I don’t need or want you to pay me back.”
After my parents died, I inherited my dad’s share of the ranch. Then there was my mother’s life insurance that went to me. I have enough money to not have to worry about working for a while. I’ve never really had a need to touch that money. But now I’m going to buy myself an apartment in LA, set up a new clinic, and start fresh.
“No,” Jaxson says.
“What do you meanno?” I ask him.
“Exactly that. You’re not moving and especially not to fucking LA!” he yells.
“Yes, I am.”
“Why? Because some asshole broke your heart? Come on, Poppy. He’s not worth uprooting your life for.”
“That’s not why. I’m moving because I can’t stay here. They’re everywhere, Jaxson. They never leave my mind. I want a break,” I tell him.
A look of concern crosses my cousin’s face. I didn’t come here to ask permission to move away from town. I came to tell him. Why he thinks he has the option to veto that decision is amusing.
