Page 31 of Yours, Forever

"Still. Most of the people our age are excited," Ale said. "If there's potential for a good financial future in the town, young people can stay and live a good life. That's what we're all looking forward to! And then there are other advantages, like the fact Daniel barely frowns anymore."

"I'd say it's impossible, except that I have noticed it, too," Eva joked.

Daniel's eyebrows furrowed. "That's a shameless misrepresentation."

"Is it, now?" I asked. "Why is that?"

"It's bad representation because I frown only the right amount and it hasn't changed at all."

"No," I chuckled. "I'm going to assume Ale and Eva are right, and I want to know why you're frowning less."

"It's obvious." Ale leaned sideways and squeezed her boyfriend's shoulders with an arm. "It's you, Max."

I smiled. "I don’t know what he was like before I got here, pardon my ignorance… but I'll take the compliment."

Eva added, "It's the prospect of your investments and donations to the town. Remember, Daniel and I spent many a conversation dreaming about something like this."

"It's why he wanted you to agree to the deal?" I gazed in Eva's direction.

"It's why I agreed to the deal," she clarified. "Because I'm set for life, but you're also giving a lot of hope to this town."

It should have made me happy, to know people in Laguna Island garnered a mostly-favorable view of me. Instead, nerves settled in my stomach. At least, I could rest with a clearconscience, that I wasn't purposefully spending money to gain anyone's favor.

I gave them a charming smile. "Can't say I'm upset about what seems like a dinner focused on building me up."

"Understandable." Daniel served the rest of the wine to Ale, who'd just finished her glass. "The fact a billionaire landed in Laguna Island is akin to winning the lottery for a small town like ours. Lots of people are happy you're here."

"They don't know you'll leave," Eva said.

Nothing changed on her face as she said it; the statement appeared neutral to her. It should have felt impersonal to me, too, but it nested in some inconvenient nook between my lungs.

I glanced at her. "Not any time soon. Last I heard, I'm staying for two years."

She squinted at me.

"Wasn't it going to be eighteen months?" Ale asked.

Eva arched an eyebrow at me but talked to her friend. "He's talking about a joke I made. My mom called— we don't know any Rosarios in town, do we? Someone called my mom to try to get details."

"Not since I was in high school." Ale scrunched her face. "The only Rosario I can remember left after I did. Unrelated to my leaving, of course."

Daniel snorted.

"It doesn't make sense, then. How would that Rosario learn I got married? Why would she call my mom to congratulate her and get the gossip?"

"No, it doesn't make sense," Ale agreed. "And considering people have been calling the town…"

"Like I told you the other day," Daniel said to me, "I've gotten a few suspicious calls. They reached out to me as the Public Works Director and asked about our current plans. Someone else saidthey were a journalist, another a researcher. Someone else even said they were writing a book about small towns."

"None of that is completely unreasonable." I allowed myself one more sip of wine.

"But it's strange." Daniel's eyes settled serious on me. "Three people called me— two more since last week, so it's five now— out of the blue."

"That, plus the call my mom got? I think your father's team is investigating me. Us— the town."

Discomfort anchored itself in my guts. Like a small jagged rock in your shoe; I knew the pain would stay there until I dealt with the root cause.

"I'm sorry." My voice came out gravelly. Good, it fit my mood. "I really hoped things wouldn't get too weird for you all."