“Solana, we have to talk about this. You can’t just walk away. We can fix this easily. I can get people on board with your new look,” he said, the last word landing with just enough hesitation to sting.
I chuckled and walked back around the counter to stand in front of my register.
“Just because you know where I am now doesn’t mean I’m going back. You might as well not waste your time.”
He looked away, then back at me.
“Give it some thought. Even if you just come back to end that chapter of your life the right way. I can get you that interview. I’m not saying this as your manager but as a friend. This place can’t be all you want. If you wanted to own a bakery, you could have done this in LA. You could have owned a few of these.”
I laughed and shook my head. On one hand he was trying to sound like he was helping, but on the other he was looking down on my new life. He needed to get his story straight. This was about him and nothing more.
Henderson reached into his pocket and held out his business card.
“You need to get in front of this. If I found you, don’t you realize anyone else can too? Your bodyguard isn’t going to be able to help you all the time. End this the right way.”
Duke chuckled behind him.
Henderson’s brows drew together and his lips formed a tight line. He was an asshole who believed his views were law. It made him a great agent when it came to getting me the money I deserved, but as a person I could only stomach him for so long.
He held the card out until he realized I wasn’t going to take it, then set it on the countertop. The bell dinged as a few morecustomers walked in. Henderson glanced over his shoulder, then back at me.
“I’ll be at that bed and breakfast in town. The Blooming, I think it’s called. I’m here until tomorrow. I’ve got the jet ready and a seat with your name on it. Let me know your decision by tomorrow morning.”
He cleared his throat and turned to leave. Duke watched him until he got into his car, then turned to face me. I knew he wanted to talk about it, but now wasn’t the time. He stood from where he had been sitting and walked behind the counter to whisper in my ear.
“I’m going to have a few of the guys posted outside in case ol’ boy comes back. But we gone talk later.”
He kissed my cheek and left the shop. A few moments later, a few of the Thorns took their positions out front. I thanked God for how busy it got after that, because I needed anything to clear my mind.
I couldn’t functionall damn day thinking about everything that happened with Solana. There was something about ol’ boy that rubbed me raw. I didn’t like to think about what would have happened had one of my boys not seen it.
I hadn’t even made it to my office at the bar before I was told some dude in a nice car had pulled up. I knew it had to be something from her past. Folks around here could tell when someone was new. I turned around and came back to the shop until she closed.
We had plans to grab food tonight, but I needed to know what was going on and why he was here, at least outside of the obvious. I sat on the bed while Solana moved back and forth in front of her closet. She couldn’t pick a damn thing to wear, but I knew it was because of what happened earlier.
“Solana.”
She stopped in place and waited a few moments before turning to face me.
“You never call me that.”
I released a breath, closed my eyes for a brief moment, then brought my attention back to her.
“It got your attention, didn’t it?”
She nodded and walked toward me to sit beside me on the bed, but I stopped her and pulled her into my lap instead.
“What happened today, before I walked in?”
“I wish I could tell you everything. But he found me and wants me to come back to Cali. I just don’t know what to do,” she responded, then laid her head against my shoulder.
“You actually thinking about going back?”
“Maybe. I don’t know what’s right. I don’t want to be there. I want to be here with you. But part of me feels like he might have been right about a few things.”
I closed my eyes and released a sigh. I didn’t want to make her feel like she had to choose between me and this town. For the first time, I needed someone to pick me. I heard what she was saying about wanting to stay, but the fact that she couldn’t decide was the loudest thing in the room.
“Are you going to say something?” she asked.