Torn A Billionaire Bachelors Cl(51)

“Do you know why he was in San Francisco last week?” She drops her arms at her sides and strides into my room, her expression full of fierce determination. “Do you? Did your new boyfriend tell you about the meeting he had with your father?”

“Wait. What?” I blink at her, not sure I heard her right. “Daddy and Gage met?” And Gage never told me? I knew they were getting along and had discussed setting up an appointment to talk further, but Gage didn’t tell me they’d talked in San Francisco.

She nods, the satisfaction on her face painful to witness. It’s almost like she wants to hurt me with this news. “It’s happening, Marina. Gage Emerson is buying the entire strip of buildings the Molina Corp owns on Main Street. They’ll belong to him within the next sixty days as long as all the paperwork is processed in a timely manner and they hit no snags.”

Sixty days. I can’t believe he didn’t tell me. I don’t understand why he kept this from me. What was his motive? Was he afraid I’d freak out? I’m more upset he kept it a secret. I’d finally come to grips with the possibility of losing the bakery. This revelation is throwing me for a loop.

“He’ll most likely close down the bakery since it’s the only business within the strip that’s still owned by us. Unless the two of you can come up with some sort of lease agreement together? I’m sure he’d be willing to work with you,” she says snidely.

“Why do you hate him so much?” I ask, my voice quiet. Inside I’m reeling, devastated by Gage’s betrayal. When exactly was he going to tell me about this? Never? Right before he shut down my bakery? It makes no sense.

My mother trying to tear me down doesn’t make any sense either.

“I don’t hate him. I dislike what he’s done to us.”

“Mom.” I go to her, grabbing her hands and giving them a squeeze. “We had to sell. You and Dad both worry about your retirement, about everyone in the family ending up with nothing when we’ve all counted on the properties to earn us income. This way you’ll have ready cash flow and won’t have to worry so much.”

“He stole your future,” she says bitterly, jerking out of my touch. “That man you’re dating and spending the night with stole everything from you! Don’t you get it? You’re our only daughter, you have no real prospects beyond the very man who’s ruining your life, and you act like you’re making the right choice! What in the world is wrong with you?”

I blink at her, shocked by her outburst. Mom doesn’t have outbursts. She’s always calm and cool and so very, very wise. I used to go to her all the time when I was younger for advice. She’s great under pressure—the exception being when it comes to me and the choices I make.

“He’s not stealing from me,” I tell her. “Can’t you see how this will help you guys? I’ll be fine. I don’t need the bakery.” But I do. What will I do without it? Gina has a job lined up already. Archer is secretly trying to woo her. He’s totally being a dirty rat, but can I fault him for it? No. And at least he tells me to my face.

Gage just keeps his secrets to himself and pretends everything’s fine. So do I. But everything is definitely not fine. I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself when I lose the bakery. There’s no point in denying it now.

Autumn Harvest is done for.

“You needed to know,” Mom says firmly, going to sit on the edge of my bed. “I can’t stand that he’s kept you in the dark. You need to come up with another plan.”

“Like what?” I sit on the bed next to her, my mind too full trying to process everything.

“Break it off with him. Finish your time at the bakery until it closes. Then go to Italy and visit your cousins,” she suggests hopefully. “You can have a nice three-month-long vacation there. Enjoy the sights. Meet new people.”

Dread fills me. The trip to Italy is one all unmarried Italian girls make in the hope that they can find a husband. Either they end up staying there for the rest of their lives with their new husbands or they bring them home. I’ve seen a few cousins do this very thing. Only one came back, with a macho, irritating-as-hell Italian who refused to speak English and bossed her around all the time.

She eventually divorced him, not that anyone could blame her. Though her mama acted like she thought her daughter was going straight to hell.

Sometimes, I really despise being a part of such a traditional family.

“I’m not going to Italy,” I say vehemently. She needs to know that suggestion can’t even make its way onto the table.