Page 41 of Forsaken Trail (Runaway 4)

“Let me think about it,” she said. “Let me see what kind of work I can find.”

“You don’t—”

She held up a hand. “I have to work.”

“Then how about you run my flower shop?” The words spewed out before I could catch them. J

esus, Brody. What the hell was I thinking? The lie spun in front of my eyes, like a spider weaving a strand of silk, its legs moving faster and faster. The idea formed like a web, ready to trap Aria. For her own good.

“What flower shop?” Her eyebrows creased together.

“I just bought the local flower shop when the owners retired.” Lie. “I often buy businesses in Welcome.” That was true at least. If she talked to Clara, her sister would confirm it.

When a local store was getting ready to close or the owners retire, as long as the finances made sense, I bought it. Not only were they usually good investments, but it ensured my town, my safe haven, thrived.

I employed a business manager to oversee them all and gladly stayed silent. I owned three restaurants, two bars, an insurance agency, a salon and a gym.

And now Welcome Floral.

Not that the owners of Welcome Floral knew this. Hopefully they’d be willing to sell it to me on short notice for a ridiculous price. If they didn’t go for it, well . . . I’d think of something. As long as I got Aria to Welcome, the rest didn’t matter.

“A year. Give me a year,” I begged. “After my birthday and after the baby is born, we can come up with a new plan.”

“I won’t have this baby for months. Seven of them, I think. I haven’t been to the doctor yet. By the time that’s over and we get through a maternity leave, that should be close to your birthday. Why move? Why not just wait?”

“Because I’d miss the pregnancy.”

She blinked. “I didn’t think men cared about that.”

“Devan didn’t care about that.” I spat the name. “I’m nothing like Devan.”

“I guess not.”

“Think about it. That’s all I ask. Consider it.” Please.

She nodded. “Okay.”

“Thanks,” I breathed and stood, pulling on my jacket. “I’ll leave you to it.”

“What about pizza?”

“I’ll get dinner at the hotel.” My stomach was in too much of a knot to eat, even though pizza sounded delicious. But if I stayed, chances were Aria and I would find something to fight about. Best I get out and end this conversation on a good note.

“You’re staying?”

“Aren’t you going to Arizona tomorrow for Christmas?”

“That was the plan.”

“Might as well cancel your flight. There’s no point in flying commercial when I’m going to the same place.”

She frowned, like she wanted to argue, but she’d been on my plane. It was nothing like flying commercial. “What time are we leaving?”

“I’ll pick you up at ten.”

“No, don’t. I’ll come to the hotel.”

“All right.” I walked for the door, but before I touched the knob, I stopped and turned. “I know this probably seems strange, the urgency. Why I want to be there. I didn’t have a good father. And I vowed a long time ago not to make the same mistakes that he made.”