BooksBarbecue
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Chapters (66)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Dedication
  4. Chapter One
  5. Chapter Two
  6. Chapter Three
  7. Chapter Four
  8. Chapter Five
  9. Chapter Six
  10. Chapter Seven
  11. Chapter Eight
  12. Chapter Nine
  13. Chapter Ten
  14. Chapter Eleven
  15. Chapter Twelve
  16. Chapter Thirteen
  17. Chapter Fourteen
  18. Chapter Fifteen
  19. Chapter Sixteen
  20. Chapter Seventeen
  21. Chapter Eighteen
  22. Chapter Nineteen
  23. Chapter Twenty
  24. Chapter Twenty-One
  25. Chapter Twenty-Two
  26. Chapter Twenty-Three
  27. Chapter Twenty-Four
  28. Chapter Twenty-Five
  29. Chapter Twenty-Six
  30. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  31. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  32. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  33. Chapter Thirty
  34. Chapter Thirty-One
  35. Chapter Thirty-Two
  36. Chapter Thirty-Three
  37. Chapter Thirty-Four
  38. Chapter Thirty-Five
  39. Chapter Thirty-Six
  40. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  41. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  42. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  43. Chapter Forty
  44. Chapter Forty-One
  45. Chapter Forty-Two
  46. Chapter Forty-Three
  47. Chapter Forty-Four
  48. Chapter Forty-Five
  49. Chapter Forty-Six
  50. Chapter Forty-Seven
  51. Chapter Forty-Eight
  52. Chapter Forty-Nine
  53. Chapter Fifty
  54. Chapter Fifty-One
  55. Chapter Fifty-Two
  56. Chapter Fifty-Three
  57. Chapter Fifty-Four
  58. Chapter Fifty-Five
  59. Chapter Fifty-Six
  60. Chapter Fifty-Seven
  61. Chapter Fifty-Eight
  62. Chapter Fifty-Nine
  63. Chapter Sixty
  64. Chapter Sixty-One
  65. Chapter Sixty-Two
  66. Acknowledgments

“It wasn’t. I just need a little until I get another job. And that may be rather soon.” I always left details out. Mac Whitney might be on to something else by then. “Just for my health insurance and a couple of hundred for beautification and lunch money.”

“You need to watch your spending, Bailey. I mean it. This will come out of our profits. We’ll get this sorted out in the next few days.” He unlocked his desk drawer and wrote a check. He frowned when he handed it to me. For the first time in my life, I questioned my worth.

Leave it to Elle and Reggie to set me straight. “That man should give you anything you ask for. You saved his restaurant from going down in flames when he was sick, and you gave him the money for the new stove. He’s begrudging you money for a haircut. Please. You better get things straightened out in paradise, honey.” They both took turns serving me ample helpings of home truths.

Over the next few days, we met with Elliott’s banker. If the ceremony on New Year’s Eve didn’t make it official, that day certainly did. I received my own debit card. Elliott put me on his bank account and the restaurant’s and on all his credit cards.

“Now, love, everything I have is yours. So, if you need anything, within reason, you don’t even have to ask me. But you may want to ask Lea since she’s in charge of the books. If you need to get that long mane done to stay my beautiful Bailey, you can.”

But something in me was cautious about using my new plastic. I didn’t put Elliott on my account, and he didn’t ask. Checking with Lea seemed like the best policy.

The flower arrangements returned. The little love notes on beautiful paper beside my morning coffee returned. Little trinkets returned. My work returned. Stellar reviews returned. And then congratulatory notes from the men in my life came. All but Griffin.

One such card read: “Would you believe someone just asked me if I was Bailey Edgeworth’s brother? I am so proud of you. Henry and Hank.”

“We need to meet ASAP. I want you on retainer to make sure you will have time for my little venture. You do still have time for me, don’t you? —Mac.” This one came with flowers. I removed the card, smiled, and remembered I had a jealous Englishman for a husband.