“Why do you think?”
“We can make it work. I’ve been looking into modifications?—”
“Stop. Please. The sanctuary needs to be making money, not spending it on me.”
“That’s not your decision to make.”
“Maybe not. But I’m telling you, I’m not going back.”
He exhales sharply through his nostrils. “How much longer are you going to keep doing this for?”
“Doing what?”
“Pushing me away?”
“That’s not what’s happening.”
“Isn’t it? Because it sure as hell feels like it is to me.”
“I don’t—I don’t want anyone making any more changes to accommodate me, okay? I need to deal with what I’m going through. Alone.”
“You’re not alone. You have your family.”
“Exactly. I don’t need anyone else.”
I want to take the words back thesecondthey spill out of my mouth. But I can’t. It’s too late. I’ve nailed the final nail in the coffin of whatever was left of our relationship.
“Jackson, get in here,” Clancy calls out from the doorway to the room. “We have crowning!”
I get up and step into the room without another word.
36
Maverick
“There’s a cold snap coming, so I’ve asked for additional heaters to be placed on the outdoor patio,” Candice says, taking me on a tour of the venue for tomorrow’s talent show fundraiser.
“Uh-huh.”
“And if they’re unable to get extra heaters, we’ll fly in a bunch of male strippers from Vegas to keep the crowd warm.”
“Sounds good.” I tilt my head toward her, stylish as ever in a cream cable-knit cashmere sweater, high-rise dark-indigo skinny jeans, and chocolate suede ankle booties. But it’s the teasing grin on her lips that stops me in my tracks. “What did you say?”
She folds my arm into hers, leading me away from the massive windows overlooking the outdoor space and all the staff scurrying around, getting the ballroom ready. “You haven’t heard a single word I’ve said all morning, have you?”
“I heard male strippers.”
We stop by a towering marble column. “Wagner mentioned in passing you’re going through a rough time.”
I didn’t realize my brother had such a big mouth. Come to think of it, I still don’t fully understand so many things about his and Candice’s friendship. Is there something in the Silverstone water supply that prevents people from having honest, uncomplicated relationships?
“Did he now?”
“Don’t be mad at him, please. He only brought it up to explain why you haven’t been as hands-on organizing this fundraiser as you wanted to be.”
I heave out a breath. “I’m sorry for asking you to help, then dumping everything on you. I really am.”
Candice smiles. “I don’t mind.”
