Susan Mallery - Sweet Trouble

“Would it make you feel better?” Nicole asked, obviously serious about the question.

Jesse made herself smile. “Look, this is great, but you’re making me insane. Let’s just act normal, okay? That’s best for me. Which means you shouldn’t even be here, Claire. You should be at home practicing for a concert or something. And, Nicole, you have babies waiting for you. I can totally handle this. I would prefer to lose myself in work.”

The twins glanced at each other, then at her.

“All right,” Claire said slowly. “Wyatt is looking around for the perfect lawyer to take on Matt. As soon as he has names, I’ll pass them along.”

“Thanks.”

“And I meant what I said about the money. I don’t want you to worry about it. Whatever the lawyer costs isn’t a problem.”

Jesse nodded. Claire had offered to give her what she needed to hire the best lawyer on the West Coast. Nicole had told her the resources of the bakery were hers to use. While she hated the idea of accepting money from either of them, she didn’t have a choice. She had to be able to fight Matt on his own terms.

Her sisters finally left. She sat in the small corner that was her office and tried to think about work. At the moment, it was impossible. All she could think about was how much Matt had hurt her. Last time he’d broken her heart she’d been crushed, but this time she wasn’t sure she was going to survive. She had so much more to lose. Her child was on the line.

Bill had told her about his visit to Matt. That Matt had said he’d never meant for her to be served. The problem was he’d still had the papers drawn up. He’d manipulated everything between them.

The front door opened and a woman walked in. She looked at Jesse. “Is this where the Keyes Bakery moved to?” she asked.

“Yes.” Jesse stood and approached her. “We’re not really open to retail right now. Our building burned down.”

“I know. I just went there and was horrified.” She smiled. “I’m sorry. Let me introduce myself. I’m Cathy. My in-laws are celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary this weekend. It’s going to be a huge party. Everything is taken care of, or it was. My mother-in-law just told me that when they got married, the groom’s cake was one of your famous chocolate cakes and that she would like to surprise my father-in-law with that cake again. Is there any way I can order one?”

The woman looked both frazzled and desperate. Jesse smiled. “Sure. You want to pick it up sometime Friday?”

“Yes. That would be wonderful. Thank you.”

Jesse took the information. They settled on a time, the woman paid for the cake, then left.

When she was gone, Jesse wondered what it would be like to be married to someone for that long. Fifty years seemed like a lifetime. Once, when she’d been young and foolish, she’d thought she and Matt might get that lucky, but she’d been wrong.

The front door opened again. This time Hawk, Nicole’s husband, entered. He was big and muscled, just like the football player he used to be. He was so not anyone she could imagine with her sister. Too bad she’d missed the courtship-that would have been amazing to see.

“Where’s Nicole?” Hawk asked by way of greeting.

“I sent her home. She was hovering. I can’t take that right now.”

“And she listened?” Hawk looked impressed. “You’re going to have to teach me that.”

“You do fine on your own.” Nicole was crazy about her husband. It showed in everything she did and said.

Hawk led her to her desk and motioned for her to sit. He took the visitor’s chair by her computer. “I’ll get right to the point. I’m rich.”

Despite everything, she laughed. “You’re not subtle, are you?”

“Why would I be? I made millions when I played football. I’ve tried to convince Nicole to let me pay for the new bakery, but she won’t let me. She wants to do it on her own.”

Jesse liked the combination of exasperation and love in his voice. “She’s very stubborn.”

“Tell me about it.” Hawk shook his head. “I hope you’re not like her in that respect. You’re going to need money for the lawyer you hire.”

Unexpected tears filled her eyes. First Claire, then Nicole and now Hawk, all offering her money. She was sure she would soon be hearing from Bill and maybe even Paula. They all cared about her and wanted to protect her. As far as her heart went, the damage had been done, but there was still hope for the rest of her problems.

He leaned toward her. “I’m not kidding about the millions. Say the word and whatever you need is yours. I mean it, Jesse. I want to help.”

She believed him and because she didn’t share the same past with him as she did with her sisters, she was more inclined to say yes.

“Let me get some information on retainers and estimated costs,” she said slowly. “Then I’ll know an approximate amount.”

He grinned. “You’re saying yes?”

She laughed. “Most people aren’t so happy to be loaning money.”

“You have no idea how hard it is to do something for the women in your family. They’re stubborn.”

“Nicole in particular.”

“You got that right.”

He was a good man. She was glad her sister had found him. “I’ll want this to be a loan,” she said firmly. “I will be paying you back.”

“Whatever. What we need to strategize is how you’re going to take Matt down.”

“Sure,” she said, not wanting to think about that. Despite everything, she still loved him. She didn’t trust him, she would probably never forgive him, but she loved him. Which made her the biggest fool around.

JESSE LEFT THE BAKERY close to four. She was beyond exhausted, but knew that might not translate into sleeping that night. She’d barely been able to close her eyes since she’d been served. Every time she tried to relax, she panicked and worried that she could lose Gabe.

As she headed toward her car, she saw someone standing in the parking lot. Matt.

She stopped, not sure what to do. Part of her wanted to run away. Part of her wanted to run toward him so he could hold her and tell her everything was going to be all right. Neither was possible. She wasn’t going to show weakness and she wasn’t going to wish for the impossible. Matt wasn’t a place of refuge anymore-he was the enemy and she was going to defeat him.

She squared her shoulders and walked toward him, telling herself he wasn’t the man she’d fallen in love with. Maybe that man had never existed-maybe she’d created him in her mind.

He waited without saying anything. As she got closer, she saw the shadows under his eyes. He looked bad, which probably should have made her feel better, but it didn’t. In the end, there wouldn’t be any winners in this battle. Victory would come at a price that would require payment forever.

“I’m sorry,” he said when she reached her car. “Jesse, I’m more sorry than I can say. You shouldn’t have been served. I know what you went through when you read those papers. I didn’t want that.”

“Starting when?” she asked, steeling herself against being close to him. “You obviously saw a lawyer more than once about this. You had the papers drawn up. You set everything in motion and then what? You changed your mind at the last minute? Big deal. It’s done, Matt. It can’t be undone.”

“I was pissed,” he told her. “Beyond pissed, beyond angry. I hated that you’d kept Gabe from me. You took something that can never be made right.”

“So you’re going to do the same and then we’re even? You’re right-I can’t change the past. But at least I’ve admitted I was wrong. I’ll do everything I can to make up for my mistake. Because it was a mistake. Nothing more. Not deliberate. Not a plan. Not cruel. You’re so big on not getting played, but you played the hell out of me. You thought this all through and then you watched the events unfold. How do you think that makes me feel?”