Page 17 of Pucking My Off-Limits Billionaire Boss
It feels like the ground is shifting beneath my feet. Anger bubbles up inside me, hot and fierce. "Where the hell did you get the nerve to buy my old place, Jake?" I demand, my voice rising.
He looks confused, which only fuels my frustration. "Lucy, it was for sale. Do you understand what that means? When a business is 'for sale,' anyone can buy it."
His smartass comment hits a nerve. "Oh, I understand perfectly," I snap back. "But of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, you had to walk into mine."
Jake chuckles, clearly not taking me as seriously as I'd like. "Come on, Lucy. It's just business. I'm not trying to take anything from you."
"Just business?" I echo, my voice dripping with incredulity. "I had a meeting scheduled this afternoon, Jake, thisfreakingafternoon, with the property owner. I was ready to buy back my dream."
Jake looks at me, a hint of apology in his eyes, but it's overshadowed by a shrug. "I beat you to it, Lucy. Made them an offer they couldn't resist."
I feel my blood boil at his nonchalance. "Oh, is that how it works? Billionaires like you just swoop in and do whatever they want?" The words come out sharper than I intend, a bitter edge to them. “You know what? Let me see.”
“The contract?” he asks. “Uh, sure.” He reaches into his bag, pulling out some stapled-together papers. “Here’s a copy.”
He hands them over and I snatch them out of his hands. I look them over on the spot, but it’s all legalese. I want to say something, to really tear into him.
But then I catch myself, realizing the futility of lashing out. This isn't going to change anything, and I don't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing me unravel. I take a deep breath, trying to calm the storm inside. "Never mind, Jake. It's done now. What's the point in arguing?"
He holds up his hands, trying to calm me down. "Lucy, I didn't know you were planning on buying it back. And besides, it's not like I had any idea you were planning on coming back andbuyingit. You left, remember?"
His words sting, and I feel a flush of heat rise to my cheeks. "That's not the point, Jake. You can't just buy up someone's past and expect them to be okay with it."
Jake's expression softens slightly, but there's still a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Lucy, if you're that upset about it, we can talk. Maybe there's something we can work out."
I shake my head, feeling a mix of anger and helplessness. "I don't want to 'work something out' with you, Jake. I don't want anything from you."
The tension between us is thick, a tangible thing hanging in the air. It's clear that we're at an impasse, two old flames reignited by circumstance and misunderstanding.
I take a deep breath, trying to collect myself. "You know what, forget it. I don't have time for this."
With that, I turn on my heel and storm out of the tavern, the door slamming shut behind me. I can feel Jake's eyes on my back, but I don't look back. I'm too angry, too hurt, and too damn stubborn to give him the satisfaction.
As I storm down the block, the cool Cedarwood air feels like it's slicing through me, but it's nothing compared to the turmoil inside. Jake freaking Rogers, of all people, now owns the place where my dreams were born and nurtured. It's like a cruel joke, a twist in my story that I never saw coming.
I had come back to Cedarwood, my heart full of hope and determination, ready to reclaim my old shop, to breathe life back into Mocha Memoirs. It was supposed to be my fresh start, my redemption song. And now? Now I don't even know what to do, where to go. The rug has been pulled out from under me, and I'm falling, flailing, trying to grasp onto something, anything.
Tears well up in my eyes, blurring the quaint storefronts and familiar streets. I blink them back furiously, refusing to break down here, on the sidewalk, where anyone could see. But it's hard, so damn hard. I've been pinning everything on this, on the hope of coming home and starting again. And now that hope feels like it's slipping through my fingers like sand.
I wrap my arms around myself, feeling more lost than ever. Cedarwood was supposed to be my safe haven, my return to roots. But with Jake owning my old shop, it suddenly feels like hostile territory, a place where my past and present are colliding in the worst possible way.
I find myself wandering aimlessly, the familiar sights of my hometown now looking foreign, tainted by my disappointment and frustration. The charming little cafes, the boutique stores, the old theater—they all feel like reminders of what could have been, of what should have been.
I stop in front of what used to be Mocha Memoirs, staring at the 'For Sale' sign that's no longer there. This was where I poured my heart and soul, where I turned my passion for coffee into something real. And now it's in Jake's hands, a man who probably doesn't even drink coffee, let alone understand what this place meant to me.
A part of me wants to fight, to confront Jake, to claim back what I feel is rightfully mine. But another part of me wonders if it's even worth it. Maybe this is a sign that I need to let go, to move on, to find a new dream.
But how do you find a new dream when your old one is still beating in your heart?
I wipe away a tear that's managed to escape, taking a deep breath. I need to think, to plan, to figure out my next move. But for now, all I can do is walk, putting one foot in front of the other, trying to outrun the feeling of loss that's threatening to consume me.
Cedarwood, my beloved hometown, suddenly feels like a maze, and I'm right at the center, trying to find my way out.
8
Jake
Openingthedoorofmy new home, I'm greeted by the sight of Max and his little girl, Charlotte, who's a year older than Carter. They're here for a dinner and a playdate, a tradition we've decided to start for whenever all of us are in town.
