The Buy-In (Graham Brothers #1)(13)

“No. He isn’t.” Lindy’s voice softens as she brushes a stray lock of Jo’s dark hair away from her face. I can hardly make out Lindy’s words, but I do, and they’re painfully raw. “Remember? Your mama didn’t know who your daddy was.”

“Okay.”

Jo nods, and my heart cracks a little at the way she simply accepts this. It makes me want to find whoever her daddy is and give him a hearty shake.

“Then, who is he?” Jo asks, pointing to me.

Without so much as another glance my way, Lindy dismisses me with a firm, cool voice. “He’s no one. Not anymore.”

Well, I need to change THAT. Now that I’ve found Lindy, and she’s here, my wheels are already turning. They’re a bit squeaky, but still.

“Then why are you upset with him?” Jo asks. “Your chest always gets splotchy and your ears get pink when you’re upset.”

Lindy’s hand rises to her collarbone, like she wants to hide the color rising there. And it’s definitely rising. “I’m not upset.”

“I think he’s nice,” Jo continues as though Lindy didn’t answer. “I gave him my favorite picture.”

Lindy’s eyes go to the paper in my hand again, and she sighs. “Pack your things, Jo.”

I lick my lips. “Lindy—”

“You can’t be here,” she says, not looking at my face.

I clear my throat, but still sound hoarse, and way too needy. “Could we just—”

“No. We can’t. I … can’t.”

“But why are you here?” I ask.

“Why are you?”

“My dad and I stopped in for lunch.” That’s not the full answer, but the whole story is a little too complicated. Based on the way she’s responding right now, I probably need to ease her into the idea of Tank buying her hometown.

Mari appears through the swinging kitchen door. She looks at me, then at Lindy.

“Everything okay out here, mija?”

“Yes,” I say, just as Lindy says, “Not even a little bit.”

Mari nods, winding up a dish towel in her hands as she approaches me. “We’re closed.”

“It’s almost lunchtime.” I plant my feet.

Mari snaps her dish towel at me. “Closed.”

“Ouch!”

I start moving toward the door as Mari shoos me on, the towel snapping on my arms, my back, my hip. She is a fierce little lion tamer with a whip. Snap!

“Lindy, please!”

I see the corner of Lindy’s lip lift when Mari’s dish towel snaps on my arm. That hint of a smile plants a seed of hope. I always did make her laugh. I could again—I know I could.

I only need a chance. I need to find out why she’s here, why she looks so sad, and how I can fix it.

I’m going to fix it for her. For her and Jo. I’m going to fix ALL the things. I just need—

Snap!

“Ow! Mari—I thought you liked me!”

“That’s before I knew who you were.” The towel connects with my thigh and I take another step back.

The door to the kitchen swings open and a man I’m guessing is Big Mo ducks through the doorway. He has bright eyes, rich umber skin, and a dark beard hanging down his chest, fitted with a hair net.

“Need a hand?” he asks, eyeing me.

“I’ve got it. Just uno necio—a little pest.” Mari practically shoves me out on the sidewalk. I hear the metallic clack of the lock turning. Then she snaps the blinds shut one by one until the view inside is obscured.

Tank stands with his arms crossed a few feet away, one brow lifted. “Took you a minute. Did you get some food to go?”

“Uh, no.” I lick my lips and rub my arm, where the worst of the towel whippings left a red mark. I’m still seeing that little twitch of a smile on Lindy’s lips. Those beautiful, kissable lips.

Tank pats me on the shoulder, and I jump. “Well?”

“What?”

“Are you going to help me convince your brothers?” Tank asks.

Oh, right—the brewery. The whole reason I’m here. Or the reason I was here.

I clap him on the shoulder before heading for the Aston, careful to keep Jo’s drawing from getting bent.

“Are you kidding? This place is coal just waiting for someone to squeeze a diamond out of it.” I relish the look of shock on his face.

“Are you serious?”

“Deadly. Now, come on, Pops.” I unlock the doors and climb behind the driver’s seat. “Let’s discuss how to convince the rest of our family. Most especially James.”

Tank’s grin is too big for his face as he climbs into the passenger seat. “I knew once you saw it, you’d see the magic.”

I did see magic—just not the kind he thinks. The enchantment is all about Lindy. I am no less under her spell than I was years ago. If anything, it has strengthened with time.

That said, I’m not sure if fixing up the town or somehow earning a second chance with Lindy is the more daunting task. I have a feeling the town is going to be a piece of cake, comparatively. No pun intended.

As I start down one of the country roads, Tank squints through the windshield. “You’re going the wrong way.”