na's

ag from the local bakery in one han

den hat. He looked exhausted, his weathered f

one flat and hesitant. "Can

against the door. "Whatever Jadon t

h to squeeze his shoulder through into the drafty entr

ht the mortgage on my freight company. The debt on my three refrigerated trucks is in his hands now too. If I don't

ware of the cold air se

uy me, to save your

ed with shame, but

lege this fall. I buried my wife two years ago and I am still paying the hospital for it. At my age, I can't afford to go bankrupt. I can't start over

r," I said, my voice rising. "I'm twenty-eight

the guest wing. Live your own life. But the wedding has to happen. P

id, my chest tightening. "I don't kno

or my arm; I flu

nn that barely breaks even in summer. Winter's coming. What are you going to h

hurling it out onto the gravel porch. "Take your brea

Phillips made a huge donation to the county search-and-rescue fund. The whole to

door and loc

dn't

in half, and walked quickly out to my pickup. I drove straight to the har

raight through the barrier and parked crooked across two spaces marke

h four men in bespoke suits around him, and two lo

right hand. I walked straight down the corridor a

, then glanced at Jadon in discomfort. Jadon didn't move. He took a s

"You shouldn't have driven that wreck out here.

it into his chest. The heavy pages hit his dark silk tie

y, loud enough for everyone on the terrace to

He looked at me with a faint, weary irritation, th

ou," Jadon stated. "H

back. "You're buying me a husband because you're afraid your society friends will ask why the

ated toward the glass doors. Jadon didn't turn hi

ve minutes,

the glass door shut behind them. Jadon walked t

ly worth the name, no one to turn to, holding on to a motel whose mortgage is worth more than the building. I'm gi

urchin spines out of your infected back one by one while you screamed in your sleep? The someone

"Call it two and a half million a year in nursing fees

im. The crack of it rang acros

d snapped t

dn't

A faint red mark rose on his cheekbone

apel, I'll have your uncle's fishing licenses seized and every living relative you have in this county stripped of their asse

, putting dist

quietly. "When you were just a man with a

airs, started the truck, and drove o