“I started getting carried away at the races. I owe a lot of money. People will be after me soon. Part of why I was so eager to get out of the city.”
“Oh, Geoff.” She sighed. “You should go to your mom. She might think I’m worthless, but you’re her precious boy. She’ll help you.”
Geoff leapt to his feet. “Yeah, and she’ll have it over me forever. I’ll always answer to her.” He rubbed his palms on his jeans. “That’s not your problem. You’re right. I’m going to go to Mom.” He met her gaze again. “You open the store tomorrow. Who knows, maybe you’ll hear from some of those Vegas buyers and be able to afford to get Penny on your own.”
Getting Penny would take more than a handful of sales, and they both knew it. But she forced a smile. “You’re letting me keep the store even though I reneged?”
“I think I owe you that much.”
Claire stood slowly and embraced her cousin. “Thanks Geoff, you’re doing the right thing.” She stepped back and froze. “What about Liam, the divorce?”
“Don’t worry. I got him married without him knowing, I can manage an annulment. It’ll be as though it never happened.”
She absorbed his reassuring smile but her heart sunk. More sneaking. But this time they were righting a wrong. This way Liam wouldn’t be hurt again—and no one needed to go to jail.
“Okay. Do that.”
He smiled and walked to the door. He paused at the handle and turned towards her. “You know, if you really like Liam, you should go for it. We all make mistakes. You haven’t let what he did stop you from coming to care for him. I can see it all over you. Don’t let a mistake you’re fixing stop you from being happy.”
Her smile cracked and leaked away. “You’re right, I care about him, but I’m not sure I forgive him. Then there’s what I’ve done…it went too far.”
Geoff’s expression darkened before it softened again. “Just think about it, Claire. I want you to be happy.”
He stepped out and the door shut behind him.
Happiness? Something that only slid further from her grasp—and seemed to have Liam at its core.
Chapter Nine
Liam crouched in front of the reception desk and tightened the laces of his sneakers. His office shut an hour and a half ago but he hadn’t gone home. He couldn’t. Not in this mood. Lexi didn’t need to see him like this—a rabid bull that was god-damn ready to skewer someone with his horns.
He needed a run, a hard run. All freaking day, half the town had traipsed in and out of Claire’s store. As if the majority of them visited for the bridal wear. More men than women casually wandered in, most of whom were usually to be found at Hopetown Bar. They weren’t going for the free opening day champagne.
No doubt Claire knew he could see her, see just how many options she obviously had. Not that she would give a damn how he felt, she’d made that clear. Maybe she was trying to make him jealous? Liam tied a tight knot and pumped up the volume on his iPod, then turned to his other sneaker. The thumping beat pulsed through his earphones but he still heard her words.
“I’m the one who’s only after sex, and now I’ve had enough.”
Part of him couldn’t believe she’d meant it. How could he after that rocking lovemaking? Yeah, lovemaking not screwing because that’s what it was. But damn her excuses, the result was the same. She rejected him. And yet, even still all he wanted to do was march across the street and set this town straight, Claire Jones was his.
Liam rose to his feet. A blunt force connected with the back of his skull. Pain slammed through his head.
Darkness descended in a sickening swirl.
Claire glanced out from behind the curtains. The light still shone in the windows opposite. The store opening went fabulously. Well, fabulously, considering she’d had a steady stream of visitors—even if the majority appeared to be busy-bodies and sweet-talkers. But
“Oh, Geoff.” She sighed. “You should go to your mom. She might think I’m worthless, but you’re her precious boy. She’ll help you.”
Geoff leapt to his feet. “Yeah, and she’ll have it over me forever. I’ll always answer to her.” He rubbed his palms on his jeans. “That’s not your problem. You’re right. I’m going to go to Mom.” He met her gaze again. “You open the store tomorrow. Who knows, maybe you’ll hear from some of those Vegas buyers and be able to afford to get Penny on your own.”
Getting Penny would take more than a handful of sales, and they both knew it. But she forced a smile. “You’re letting me keep the store even though I reneged?”
“I think I owe you that much.”
Claire stood slowly and embraced her cousin. “Thanks Geoff, you’re doing the right thing.” She stepped back and froze. “What about Liam, the divorce?”
“Don’t worry. I got him married without him knowing, I can manage an annulment. It’ll be as though it never happened.”
She absorbed his reassuring smile but her heart sunk. More sneaking. But this time they were righting a wrong. This way Liam wouldn’t be hurt again—and no one needed to go to jail.
“Okay. Do that.”
He smiled and walked to the door. He paused at the handle and turned towards her. “You know, if you really like Liam, you should go for it. We all make mistakes. You haven’t let what he did stop you from coming to care for him. I can see it all over you. Don’t let a mistake you’re fixing stop you from being happy.”
Her smile cracked and leaked away. “You’re right, I care about him, but I’m not sure I forgive him. Then there’s what I’ve done…it went too far.”
Geoff’s expression darkened before it softened again. “Just think about it, Claire. I want you to be happy.”
He stepped out and the door shut behind him.
Happiness? Something that only slid further from her grasp—and seemed to have Liam at its core.
Chapter Nine
Liam crouched in front of the reception desk and tightened the laces of his sneakers. His office shut an hour and a half ago but he hadn’t gone home. He couldn’t. Not in this mood. Lexi didn’t need to see him like this—a rabid bull that was god-damn ready to skewer someone with his horns.
He needed a run, a hard run. All freaking day, half the town had traipsed in and out of Claire’s store. As if the majority of them visited for the bridal wear. More men than women casually wandered in, most of whom were usually to be found at Hopetown Bar. They weren’t going for the free opening day champagne.
No doubt Claire knew he could see her, see just how many options she obviously had. Not that she would give a damn how he felt, she’d made that clear. Maybe she was trying to make him jealous? Liam tied a tight knot and pumped up the volume on his iPod, then turned to his other sneaker. The thumping beat pulsed through his earphones but he still heard her words.
“I’m the one who’s only after sex, and now I’ve had enough.”
Part of him couldn’t believe she’d meant it. How could he after that rocking lovemaking? Yeah, lovemaking not screwing because that’s what it was. But damn her excuses, the result was the same. She rejected him. And yet, even still all he wanted to do was march across the street and set this town straight, Claire Jones was his.
Liam rose to his feet. A blunt force connected with the back of his skull. Pain slammed through his head.
Darkness descended in a sickening swirl.
Claire glanced out from behind the curtains. The light still shone in the windows opposite. The store opening went fabulously. Well, fabulously, considering she’d had a steady stream of visitors—even if the majority appeared to be busy-bodies and sweet-talkers. But
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