Going Down by Ally Crew & Brynn Hale

Author:Ally Crew & Brynn Hale [Crew, Ally & Hale, Brynn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-08-05T16:00:00+00:00

7

Stella

A playground redevelopment project? My heart lurches up to my throat, but I swiftly push the flooding excitement back down. I’m not going to let myself get carried away until I can actually see proof of him sponsoring this redevelopment he’s boasting about.

With his nod, I take Cash’s phone for a closer look of the contents of the email. A few sentences in, I begin coming across evidence that backs up his claims. There are several correspondences between him and my brother, the newly elected mayor of the town. They comprise several protocols entailed in setting up a new playground system for the park, including names of suppliers, safety check protocols, and all other relevant council permits.

I scroll up to silence those final nagging voices of doubt. The first email in the thread of discussion is from months ago.

“Seems to check out,” I say with a tinge of caution. But a smidgeon of resignation that maybe he’s not all that bad is there, too.

As I hand the cellphone back to him, a layer of relief mellows my features.

“My company,” he continues with a subtle smile, “Will bring a lot of jobs to the community. These employees, and their families will benefit from it. I run a business, and I have to make profits. But my company is committed to giving back too.”

I remain silent, but my eyes stay connected to him. Connected in a truer sense than I’ve ever felt before. I’m not going to deny that I can sense several unfamiliar emotions wash over me, and they feel a lot like the first tingles of love.

No… this can’t be.

I press my palms to my flushed face. Once a dreamer, always a dreamer, my brother would tease me. Maybe I’m just dreaming now, too. This feels bizarre, too good to be true. Both, the positive turn of events, and the positive twist to his persona. Is he really this person or just this person to get more?

The emails glare as evidence, and during a discussion a few weeks ago, my brother had made an offhand remark that the owner of the new coffee shop wasn’t as bad as I was making him out to be. I do tend to be a little more jump-to-conclusions than my brother and father. To my logical side, the details all add up. My emotional side, however, is holding onto the walls and shields that linger from believing that I could do life alone. I could be that woman who didn’t need the man.

I itch to let my guard down and placing my faith in an unpredictable 38-year-old CEO who plays hardball, but at what cost? After all, I’ve lived most of my life protecting the invisible crown that my family wears. Our crazy-huge reputation to uphold in town demands I remain a veritable people-pleaser throughout. But what about me? When have I ever done anything to please myself? It’s all been in the name of the family.

And being overcautious has got me little in

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