Worth Billions (Worth It 1)

“And as your assistant, I need to be kept up to date on any developments involving you that alter the way I do my job.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t pull the age card.”

“I haven’t tossed it out the window yet.”

“I’ve always enjoyed that fire in you, Maria. It’s inspiring.”

“Compliments won’t get you out of answering the question,” she said.

I leaned back into my seat and closed my eyes, preparing myself for the story.

“You know Anton’s my godfather,” I said.

“I do.”

“Well, when I got into town, I found out that he had employed someone to keep up his property. She continued after he found himself in the nursing home. A young woman by the name of Michelle.”

“And what does this young woman have to do with anything?” she asked.

“Everything,” I said with a sigh. “She’s incredible, Maria. Level-headed. Down to earth. Grieving Anton the same way I am. In a lot of ways, Anton took her in when she needed it the most. Like he did me. And there’s this draw I can’t shake. This pull towards her I can’t rid myself of. But she’s not in a good place right now. She has no job n

ow that Anton’s passed, and I get the distinct feeling that she’s homeless.”

“Oh my gosh, Grayson.”

“She meant something to Anton, and he meant something to her. And she means something to me, I just don’t know what yet. But I can’t leave her like this. It feels—wrong.”

“Then you have to pursue it,” Maria said. “Whatever becomes of it, you have to at least make sure she’s okay before you come home.”

“But I don’t even really know her, Maria. What’s going on with me?”

“It’s Anton,” she said. “You had a kindred spirit with him, and he had one with her. So, by association, you also have a kindred spirit with her.”

I finally got out of my car and started into the shop.

“You’ve always gone with your gut, Grayson. And it’s never led you astray. Don’t change that now simply because you don’t understand all the things in play right now,” Maria said. “If your gut is telling her she’s the one, then go for it.”

“Wait, what? I never said that,” I said. “We’ve only gotten to know one another a tiny bit over the past few days.”

It was Maria’s turn to laugh as I started up and down the aisles of the dusty old shop.

“If I know you, Grayson MacDonald, I know you know her in a biblical sense at this point. So if the pull is that strong and you’re actually talking about staying longer, then I think you should pursue it.”

“All right. Enough with this conversation,” I said. “Get the meeting rescheduled, check up on the vineyard, and I’ll talk to you later.”

She laughed through the phone as I hung up on her. I bit down onto the inside of my cheek as I walked around the shop. My eyes swept across a box of sweets that didn’t look as if they would suck royally. Not the waxy chocolate, but not the kind I would usually bring a woman either. But it would have to do in this decrepit town. I picked up the chocolate and paid for it, then headed back to my car.

I sped all the way back to Anton’s before I barged in through the front door.

“Michelle!”

I shut the door behind me as the darkness of the house settled onto my body.

“Michelle, are you still here?”

Panic wafted through my veins as the house stood still. At the very least, I still needed to pay her for her time. Had she already packed up and left?

“Michelle!”