Mrs. Robin's Sons by Kori Roberts (free children's online books .TXT) 📗

leaned down and kissed her on the cheek, a huge grin on his face. “You look wonderful, as usual.”

“Thank you,” Rylee murmured and smiled slightly.

Ethan moved his chair so that it was close to hers before he sat down and took her hand in his.

“I have to tell you how surprised and absolutely thrilled I was when you called and asked me to have dinner with you.” He smirked at her. “Especially after our last…encounter.” Rylee wanted to slap the look off his face as she eased her hand from his grip.

“Listen, Ethan. Let’s just get something straight. This isn’t a reconciliation dinner. I’m not trying to pick our relationship up where we left off.”

The smile slid from Ethan’s face. “Okay…since I was so obviously mistaken, why don’t you tell me what this is about?”

Rylee took a deep breath. “Your law firm is handling the Weisman estate in

Wisconsin.”

Ethan frowned. “Yes, we are. What about it?”

“The estate includes an old ranch that’s attached to a substantial piece of land,” she continued.

Ethan nodded slowly. “Yes, it does. Shortly after Mrs. Weisman passed away a few weeks ago, we started receiving offers on that property, and we haven’t even had it appraised to determine its full value.”

“Yes, I know,” Rylee told him. “I’ve already spoken to the Weisman family, and they directed me to their attorney. So…here I am.”

Ethan’s frown deepened. “I still don’t get it. What does my firm’s representation of this estate have to do with you?”

“Oh, come on, Ethan,” Rylee said. “I thought it would be obvious to you by now.”

When he didn’t respond, she sighed. “I want to buy the Weisman ranch, including the surrounding property, and I need your help to do it.”

Ethan stared at her for a long moment, before his head fell back, and he roared with laughter. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Do I sound like I’m kidding, Ethan?” Rylee tried to remain calm, in spite of her increased irritation.

“Why in the hell would you want that place?” He questioned in between laughter.

“I have my reasons,” she said vaguely. than’s laughter stopped abruptly, and he stared at her through narrowed eyes.

“This has to do with that punk kid, doesn’t it?” His voice sounded hard. He didn’t wait for her to respond before he continued.

“Monica told me that she saw the two of you together. You’ve got a hell of a lot of nerve, you know that? You dump me, and then when you need something, you turn around and ask me to help you. Why should I? Give me one good reason why I should make it easy for you to be with another man?”

Rylee was so angry, she could barely speak. She clenched her hands into fists under the table as she fought the urge to claw his eyes out. Ethan had cheated on her during their relationship more times than she cared to remember, and now the son of a bitch had the audacity to try and act like he was the one being victimized.

“I knew this would be a mistake.” Rylee stood up from the table. As desperate as she was for his help, she knew she’d kill him if she had to sit there with him a moment longer and watch him play the jilted lover routine.

“I don’t know why I ever thought I could come to you for help.” She glared down at him. “Everything has always been about you — what you want, what you need — and to hell with anybody else.” Rylee’s voice raised, and she struggled to keep the tears at bay as several people in the restaurant looked in their direction.

I will not cry in front of this bastard. She clenched her teeth and took a deep breath before she spoke again.

“You and I both know that we weren’t meant to be together, Ethan,” she spoke quietly.

“We were just using each other. You wanted an arm piece, and I wanted…to be wanted.”

She chuckled humorlessly, shaking her head. “But that’s not enough for me, not anymore. I need to be in love, and I need to be loved. And we both know there was never any love between us.” Rylee removed her jacket from the back of her chair and grabbed her purse off the table. “So, if you’re refusing to help me because you want to hurt me for ending our engagement, you’re wasting your time. And if you think it will stop me, you’re wrong.

Regardless of whether you help me or not, I will find a way to get this property.”

She walked away with her head held high, leaving a speechless Ethan still sitting at the table. Once outside, she hailed a cab. She’d just gotten in and was about to close the door when she heard her name.

“Rylee! Wait!” She saw Ethan running toward the cab.

“Fuck off, Ethan!” Rylee said angrily. “We don’t have anything else to say to each other.”

Ethan grabbed the door to stop her from closing it. “Just hear me out.”

Rylee glared at him for a moment, before she sighed in irritation. She released the door and slid across the seat to make room for him. Ethan got into the cab and closed the door.

“Make it fast,” she snapped as the cab pulled away from the curb. “We’re only ten minutes from the hotel.”

“You’re really serious about this property, aren’t you?” Ethan asked.

Rylee snorted and stared out the window. “Obviously I am, or I wouldn’t be sitting here subjecting myself to your bullshit,” she muttered.

Ethan chuckled briefly, and then he became quiet for a long moment. When he finally spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper. “What does it feel like?” he asked.

“What are you talking about, Ethan?” Rylee asked in annoyance.

“What does it feel like to be so in love with someone that you’re willing to do anything, to risk everything, just to be with them?”

Rylee’s head whipped around, expecting to see the patented smirk on Ethan’s face, feeling certain that he was patronizing her and preparing to