Never again would I be on the wrong side, no matter how legally right. Never again would I let myself get put into that kind of situation. Never again would I let Dad wake up in absolute terror and restraints.

I grabbed my duffel and headed out to the hallway, where Walt waited with tears in his eyes.

“You saw?” I asked.

He nodded.

“I’m going to need Simon’s help.”

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

Willow

“You know, you could always move back to civilization and come into the office,” Matt Wilson cajoled over FaceTime as I walked down Gold Creek Drive, headed for Charity’s.

“Yeah, I think not,” I declined with a smile. “Remember when we were at Rutgers and I told you I was going back to Alba and staying there?”

He adjusted his tie and laughed. “I remember. You know Vaughn Holdings loved the graphics for the new campaign, right?”

“I do remember hearing that. Good morning, Mrs. Dawson,” I said to Genevieve as she came down the sidewalk toward me.

“Willow,” she replied, more venom than sugar. “We’re all just so excited to see the plans this week. Would be a shame if all that hoopla with Art got in the way, wouldn’t it?”

I stilled, looking past Matt’s face to Genevieve’s… Wait, was she glowering at me? “I’m sorry, you mean his whole just-got-off-life-support hoopla?”

She rolled her eyes. “You’d better talk to your boyfriend, and that’s all I’m going to say. But if you think this town is going to sit around and watch poor Art get exploited by that boy, well, that’s not going to happen. I’ve said my piece.”

“My boyfriend? Cam?” I guessed. “Because we’re not—”

“Oh, don’t you play coy. You always were more loyal to those Daniels boys than your own family. But that’s all I’m going to say.” She disappeared into her jewelry store, leaving my mouth wide open.

“So, was that really all she was going to say, or is she coming back for an encore?” Matt asked.

“I have no idea. That’s Genevieve Dawson for you.” I noted several glares as I made my way down the street. What the hell was going on?

“And that’s the town you want to live in? Seriously. Come to Denver. You don’t get views like this.” He turned the phone, showing the skyline of downtown Denver. “Come on, you deserve to sit through the meetings where clients rave about your work.”

“This is home, Matt. Where I have my family and friends and views like this.” I turned my own camera, shooting him the snowcapped peaks against a crisp blue sky. “You take the credit. It’s never been about the applause for me.”

“Or is it about the boyfriend?”