Grandma Val looks pale. Maybe I should stop. But dammit, I’m on a role.
“I don’t know much about the stupid land feud, but get over it. Grandpa sucked at poker. Weallknow that.”
“It’s true,” Audrey pipes up, shrugging her shoulders.
“You also have this beautiful mini mansion on top of the biggest hill in town, so I think you made out okay.”
“Best spot in town,” Audrey agrees.
“Sullivan dropped everything to help me after I found Roxi in my bakery at five thirty in the morning. He wants to see mesucceed. For reasons I still can’t quite fathom, you seem to want to watch me fail.”
Grandma Val looks close to tears, so I finally shut up.
“I can do anything I want with this recipe, right?” Audrey asks her.
She nods.
“Then I’m giving it to Lila.”
“What?” Grandma Val and I ask in unison.
“If anyone earned this, it’s Lila. She overcame something that should’ve put her out of business, and she didn’t let it break her. Isn’t that what being a Hamilton is all about?”
Much to my surprise, Grandma Val nods. “You’re right.” She looks to me, apology in her eyes. “My grievances are with your mother, not you. I’m proud of you for standing up for yourself, and I’m a humble enough woman to admit when I’m in the wrong. I’m sorry I’ve been so cruel to you. You haven’t deserved any of it. I’m going to do better.”
“What about Sull?” I might be pushing my luck here, but I can’t seem to stop myself.
“I was wrong about him,” she admits.
“Speaking of Sullivan, I have a man who needs his head pulled out of his ass.” I hold up the sealed envelope as I look at Audrey. “What would you say about a collaboration?”
“I would love that,” Audrey says, a smile spreading.
“I was wrong about you too, Lila,” Grandma Val says. “You’renothinglike your mother. From now on, I promise I’ll remember that.”
“I’ll call you out if you don’t.”
“You really are a Hamilton,” Grandma Val chuckles, swiping at a stray tear. “Now go get your man, sweetie.”
CHAPTER 13
Sullivan
“Iknew it,” a female voice calls out. “I knew you’d be out here chopping wood like a typical antisocial lumberjack.”
“What are you doing here?” I ask, keeping my focus on the piece of wood I’m about to split. It’s imperative I don’t make eye contact. One glance in Lila’s direction before the walls around my heart are firmly in place, and I’ll be fucked.
“I’m here about a claim.”
“What?”
“You claimed this pussy last night.”
My axe misses the wood completely, getting stuck in the ground. I struggle to pull it free.
“Said I couldn’t share it with anyone else, right?” Lila continues.
“I suppose I did say that.” I yank the axe from the mud, tossing it to the side in defeat.