She heaves once in a godawful reply. I wince as I help gather her braids in my hand to prevent them from falling in front of her face.
She throws up twice before being able to stand upright. “Well, that went a lot worse than I expected.”
“I have 7 Up and Alka-Seltzer inside.”
“Sounds lovely.” She wipes at her mouth with a frown.
I shuffle her into the house and find her a spare toothbrush. While she cleans her teeth, I pull out some snacks that my mom always said helped a sour stomach.
“You’re a lifesaver.” Iris drops onto the stool and pops a saltine cracker into her mouth.
“Are you feeling better?”
“Much. I wanted to drive, but Declan insisted on having me fly.”
“Why did he?”
She lifts a shoulder. “He thought it was safer.”
“More than driving?”
Her eyes roll. “I know. He’s a bit overbearing these days.”
I shoot her a look. “Hate to break it to you, but that’s how he’s always been.”
She cackles. “I see why Cal loves you.”
I tense.
Her eyes narrow. “He does love you, you know.”
I become fascinated by my manicure. “I know.”
“But you don’t trust him,” she states.
“He hasn’t given me many reasons to.”
Her soft smile reaches her eyes. “Although I was in a different position than you with the will, I can see where you’re coming from.”
“You were?”
“Did you really think Declan and I got married because we loved each other?”
My brows raise so high, I’m afraid they might be permanently stuck that way.
She snorts. “I married Declan because of the will. Falling in love with him was a convenient outcome I hadn’t anticipated happening.”
My mouth drops open. “You married him because of the inheritance?”
“Amongst other things.” She runs a hand over her stomach absentmindedly with a small smile.
Is she…
Don’t you dare ask that.
I bite down on my cheek to stop myself from blurting out the question burning in the back of my mind.
She looks up at me, as if remembering I’m still standing here. “I know it sounds crazy…”
“Because it is!”
She laughs. “Well, I married Declan because I cared about him and didn’t want to see him lose to his asshole father.”
“What does his father have to do with any of this?”
“Well, that’s where everything gets a little complicated. If the brothers don’t complete their individual tasks, their father gets their shares of the company.”
“What? Why?”
She shrugs. “Their grandfather made it that way.”
Shit. “So if Cal doesn’t sell the house…”
“His father would earn eighteen percent of the company, plus the six percent that still remains unclaimed.”
“You think his father owns six percent?”
“Not yet at least. Whatever Brady asked him to do isn’t complete yet.”
“And what about Declan?”
A small smile teases at her lips. “He’s close to getting his, but whatever happens with Cal and his task puts Declan’s shares at risk.”
My eyes screw shut. “Cal never mentioned that.”
Probably because you didn’t give him a chance to explain himself.
Guilt replaces some of the anger I’ve held on to ever since I found out about the inheritance.
“He didn’t have an option before. But now that everything is out in the open…”
“I haven’t told anyone.”
She laughs. “I didn’t expect you to. You care just as much about Cal as he does about you—no matter how angry you are at him.”
“Am I that predictable?” There is a harsh bite to my question.
She holds up her hands in mock surrender. “Love makes people do selfless things.”
I pull out a stool beside her and sit before my legs give out. “Like selling my home?”
She nudges her shoulder with mine. “Cal will figure it out.”
My hands quit their fidgeting. “How do you know?”
“Because if you want it, he will stop at nothing to make it happen.”
“Just like that?”
She snaps her fingers. “Just like that.”
“What do you think, Ms. Castillo?”
I look up from the wood floor that looks brand new after Ryder restored it. The memory of Cami taking her first steps near the stairs fades away as I’m hit with the news that the house will be ready in a couple of weeks to be shown to potential buyers.
I’m sure Cal would be impressed by how the remodel is turning out. The interior designer Ryder hired is doing a phenomenal job making the house look exactly like our Pinterest boards. Although there are still some last-minute finishes that need to be added, everything is looking just like I wanted.
“Ms. Castillo?” the real estate agent repeats while looking at me as if I have lost my mind.
Maybe I have. The lack of sleep, worrying about Cal, and the looming open house have done a splendid job of keeping me up late at night to the point of delirium.
“Yes?” I shake my head.
“Did you hear anything I said?”
Heat rushes to my cheeks. “No. Sorry about that. Do you mind repeating it?”
He huffs as he pushes his thick-rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose. “I just was mentioning that we have plenty of people interested in the property, and we haven’t even had an open house yet.”
“Wow. That’s great.” My voice could not sound more wooden if I tried.
The real estate agent lifts a fuzzy brow. “So you’re aware, when we have multiple offers, that usually drives up the price.”
“Fantastic.” I rock back on my sneakers.
He frowns. “Is everything all right?”
“Sure. Why wouldn’t it be?”
He shuts his folder. “If you’re having second thoughts about selling the house…”
“No!” I raise my hand. “I’m just overwhelmed that we have so many people interested in the property.”
Yeah, overwhelmed with nausea.
His tense smile doesn’t settle my churning stomach. “If things go according to plan, Mr. Kane and you will have the property sold to the highest bidder during the open house.”
“Great.” The hollow pit in my stomach widens at the idea.
“I thought so. No way this house will last until the end of the open house.”
I suck in a breath. “Let’s start with the open house and take it from there.”
The realtor goes over the details he has planned, all while I drift in and out of the conversation with a confirmatory nod here and there.
“Would you like to be present when the buyers come check out the property?”
I give my head a hard shake. “No.”
I’d rather jump off the dock in a pair of concrete sneakers than sit through hours of people gawking at the home I love while I idly sit by, letting my heart get shredded to pieces knowing one of them will buy it from me.
Screw that.
Just because I’m selling the house to help Cal and his family doesn’t mean I have to like it.
The shrill sound of my ringtone wakes me up. I thought sleeping in Cal’s bed might help cure my insomnia, but Rowan’s call shattered my theory before I had a chance to try it.
I lie back down and answer my phone. “Hello?”