Page 31 of Edging Desire

“What do you mean? He couldn’t have bought it,” I tell him, confusion etched on my brow.

“Well, he did. Got a good deal, too, if I say so myself. I practically gave the place away,” he says gruffly. He looks at me out of the corner of his eye, and his lip turns up suspiciously in a slight smile. I get the feeling he’s secretly pleased with the deal he made with Brad.

Brad bought the rink? How? Why?

Sudden panic is rising in my chest at the thought of confronting him. “What am I supposed to say?”

“You don’t say anything. Just listen to what he has to say.” Hanna says. “If he really bought the rink, you have to talk to him.”

Without waiting for my agreement, Gerald walks over to the door and opens it silently. He holds it open and raises his eyebrows expectantly as though he thinks I’m going to obediently trot through the opening.

Sighing loudly, I make my way over to the door. Shooting Gerald a heated look, I push past him and into the foyer where Brad is waiting.

And there he is.

His shoulders are hanging low. The dark marks under his eyes make him look tired. His mouth turns up in a hesitant and unsure smile when he sees me.

“Hi, Winny,” he says.

“Brad.” I don’t bother to soften the coarse edge of my tone. I walk to where he stands and cross my arms over my chest in false bravado.

“Thanks for coming out to talk to me,” he says.

“What are you doing here?”

“Did Gerald tell you I bought the ice rink?” he asks instead of answering.

“He did. And I’d really like to know what kind of trick you’re pulling. Are you going to turn around and sell it to your company for more money or something?”

The shocked horror on his face has me almost taking a step back. “You think I’m that much of a bastard? That’s what you think of me? I did this for you. I bought it for you.”

Now it’s my turn to look shocked. “You told me it was a financial money pit. That it needed too many repairs. And now, suddenly, you purchase it? Why would you do that?”

His eyes catch mine in an intense stare. “Why do you think I bought it? I told you, I love you. If you can’t believe anything else, believe that.”

I feel myself thaw just the slightest bit. The sincerity shining in his eyes has me questioning everything I thought I felt. Could he really have done all of this for me? As much as I want to believe what he is telling me, I don’t trust my own feelings anymore.

“How did you come up with the money? And what about the repairs it needs?”

His face lights up in cautious excitement. “I have it all figured out. I have the money for the initial down payment from a small inheritance. As for the repairs, I have some money saved, and we can get a loan for the rest. I had an inspection done, and it turns out that most of the work that needs to be done is cosmetic and not nearly as bad as I originally thought.”

I’m still having trouble coming to terms with what he’s telling me. “So that’s it? You own it? Like, it’s a done deal?”

Brad clears his throat. “Well, yes, kind of. It’ll take a while to make everything official and close on the purchase. And there’s a tiny catch that I should mention. The price Gerald needs is still out of reach, but he never wanted to sell out to a big company. So, he and I came to an agreement. He’s going to be a silent partner until I get enough money to buy him out. We have a five-year plan.”

A small nervous laugh escapes my open mouth. “You’re going to partner with Old Man Gerald, the crankiest man on the planet?”

Brad grimaces. “Yes, but the way the contract is written, it’s temporary, and he truly wants nothing to do with the day-to-day operations. Winny, Gerald had plans written up years ago to turn it into a high-end training facility. What if we do something like that?”

“We?”

“Yes, you and me. We can do this. Together.” With his free hand, he reaches out and takes mine. “We have something special here. I knew it back then, and I know it now. Each day we’re together, my love for you gets deeper.”

The connection of our hands touching sends a thrill shooting through me. Despite what we’ve been through, I still have feelings for him. Strong feelings.

Who the hell am I kidding? I never stopped loving him. We have a bond that distance and time has never broken.

Brad is looking at me with hope shining in his eyes. Every nerve ending screams at me to say yes. Yes, to the rink, yes to us, but I can’t. It’s all too much to take in. I’m so confused by everything. I want to trust him so badly.