“I figure it will take a little while for the Blue Springs gossip machine to get the word out. Hopefully, we’ll get a lot done before I have to deal with the fallout.”
“And when Lauren tells you that you have to choose between working with me and being her brother, what will you do then?”
Aaron shook his head. “Lauren is going to come to her senses. I know she’s wreaking some havoc on your life, but if you can wait her out just a little bit longer, I know she’ll see the light.”
Bonnie felt the fire in her chest. “Wait her out? Wreaking some havoc? She has destroyed my reputation, got my father fired from the job he’s had since way before we were born and basically made it her life’s mission to run me out of town. Your sister has turned into a hateful beast. I don’t think she can see light. She has been permanently blinded by her misplaced rage.”
With a deep sigh, Aaron placed a hand on top of Bonnie’s. “I didn’t mean to downplay any of the terrible things my sister has done. I know she’s been completely unfair. That’s why I tried to stand up for you. I told her you’re the same old Bonnie she has known her whole life. She has to realize she’s done you wrong, and I believe she will do everything she can to make amends.”
Bonnie pulled her hand out from under him. She wasn’t the same old Bonnie. Not after everything Lauren had put her through. “Maybe I don’t want your sister to make amends.” She pushed her chair back and stood. “Even if Lauren does realize she’s been wrong, I don’t know that I will forgive her. Maybe it’s time Lauren learns she can’t treat people like they’re gum on the bottom of her shoe and then apologize, believing that makes everything all right. It’s not all right. It will never be all right.”
Aaron held his hands up in surrender. “Let’s agree not to talk about Lauren. I think it’s clear we will not see eye to eye when it comes to her.”
“I think that’s a great idea. My concern, however, is that once Lauren puts pressure on you to stop working with me and my dad, what’s going to stop you from giving in to her? You have to realize that the only ones taking the risk here are me and my dad. She isn’t going to come after you—she’s going to work harder to take me down. Period.”
“What do you want from me, Bonnie? You want me to sign something that says I’ll finish this project with you guys or at least pay you whatever if I back out? Is this about money?”
Only a Cole would wonder why someone else was worried about getting paid. They didn’t have a clue what it was like to survive paycheck to paycheck, to live on a budget, to save up to be able to afford something they really wanted.
“Yes, Aaron, this is about money. My dad lost his job. He needs to pay his mortgage the first of the month and his other bills that will still keep coming in even though he doesn’t have an income anymore. My dad needs to have money in the bank so he can buy his prescription heart and blood-pressure medication. If he’s working for you, he won’t be able to look for another job. So, yes. This is about the money.”
AARON TRIED NOT to let his feelings be hurt. He knew what had happened to the Windsors was wrong. He was trying to do right by them, yet he still was greeted with so much mistrust. He took a deep breath.
“I understand you two are in a difficult position. I want to believe that the house we pick today is the first of many that your dad and I flip. I hope to keep your dad busy until he’s ready to retire. I don’t know how to prove that to you other than to do what I say I’m going to do.”
Bonnie crossed her arms across her chest and chewed on her thumbnail. Her green eyes scanned his face as though she thought she could tell he was being honest with her if she looked hard enough.
“I really need you to think about the flak you’re going to get for including me. It’s not going to be easy to go up against your family. You know what a force of nature they can be. I can’t have you be flippant about how you’re going to handle it.”
Aaron knew what they could do. He couldn’t admit they had already interfered. It was embarrassing to say aloud. He wanted to prove to his father that he could handle anything his family threw at him. Lauren could pout and threaten to disown him. She wouldn’t really mean it. He needed to be prepared for his mother to cry and try to lay a guilt trip on him because how could he do this to poor Lauren? His father’s only concern was getting Aaron back on board, back under his thumb. That would be the easiest to resist.
“You’re going to have to trust me, Bonnie. Let’s go look at these properties and buy me a house.”
She still looked skeptical, but Bonnie picked up the listings on the table and began sorting them in order from closest to farthest. She found her phone and called the listing agent on the first house.
“Hello, this is Bonnie Windsor from Blue Springs Realty. I have a client interested in looking at your property on Willow Road.” She paused to listen. “Yes, Bonnie Windsor,” she repeated, looking over at Aaron. “They put me on hold.”
Aaron leaned against her kitchen counter, waiting with her for the person on the other end of the line to come back. “Do they play Muzak? Or is it an
