Billionaires Runaway Bride

"I was too mad at you for making assumptions about things you knew nothing about," she said. "You were arrogant and kind of a jerk, and I didn't feel it necessary to tell you my entire life history."

"But what about when you took me in?" I asked as shock of discovery began to wear off and the realization that she wasn't a simple, country girl set in. I was embarrassed to admit that she was right, but I was also mad that she'd kept the information from me.

"I didn't take you in," she said. She stared at me with a stubborn look on her face as she said, "My family did. I just went along with what they felt was the right thing to do. If I'd had my way that day, I'd have shipped you off to the nearest hospital and washed my hands of you."

"But you didn't," I said as the image of her soft, warm body under mine flashed in my memory.

"No, you were pretty bad off," she said then added, "And rather charming."

"I am that," I grinned as I moved toward her.

"Don't," she said as she held up a hand and stopped me. "I'm trying to figure out a way out of this mess, and the only way I see this working is if you and I clear out of Corner Grove and leave this situation alone."

"You can't leave your family!" I said.

"Adam, you heard my uncle. He's going to shun my family if I stay," she said. "Do you have any idea what shunning means?"

"They just kind of ignore them, right?" I said. I based my understanding on nothing more than the definition of the word, but was fairly sure that it was, as usual, woefully inadequate.

"You have no idea what it means," Grace said shaking her head. "He will cut them off from everything. Honor and Danny will not be allowed to attend services or be baptized, and Verity won't be allowed to marry Levi this fall or settle in the community. It'll be as if they don't exist."

"Okay, so what if they just keep going to service and Verity and Levi still get married," I asked. "I mean, your uncle can regulate lots of things, but he can't stop people from caring about one another, can he?"

"You have no idea," she repeated. "It's also that everyone will stop shopping at the grocery store and buying our produce, eggs, and milk. It will be as if our family no longer exists."

"So, what if they move?" I asked realizing the implausibility of that as soon as the idea left my mouth.

"This is not an apartment complex where you can just pick up and relocate at the drop of a hat, Adam," she shouted. I could feel her frustration.

"I know that," I said. "I'm just trying to help."

"Well, try harder," she snapped before slapping her hand across her mouth and turning away. I could see her shoulders trembling as she fought to maintain control.

"What do you want to do, Grace?" I asked as I crossed the room and touched her shoulder. She shrugged my hand off and moved just out of reach.

"I don't know," she whispered. "Adam, I have to go back to the city."

"You're leaving?"

"I have to or I'm going to lose my job," she choked out as the tears began to fall. "And I can't lose my job. I just can't!"

I reached out and took her arm pulling her to me. She resisted only for a moment and then let herself sink into my arms. Her tears fell hot and heavy, soaking the front of my shirt as I held her tightly and tried to reassure her that everything would be all right.

Meanwhile, in the pit of my stomach the knot of fear tightened. I had a week to secure the twenty turbine leases and so far, I had leased exactly zero. I had no idea how I was going to pull this off, and more than anything, I wanted to get back to Chicago, but I couldn't let Bugsy down and I didn't want to lose face in front of my father.

"Grace? How can I help you?" I asked not quite believing the words I heard leaving my mouth.

"You can't," she whispered. "There's no way to win. I have to leave in order for them to stay in the community, but if I do leave, my uncle is most likely going to try to take over the store and the farm before we can sign the turbine lease."

"But what about Verity and Levi? I thought they’d be here.”

“They will be, but they’re part of the community,” I explained. “If they go against my uncle’s Ordung, they’ll be shunned, but if I got against him, there’s nothing he can do to me. I’m the legal guardian of the farm, but if I leave…”

“What if I stay?"

"Why would you want to stay here?" she asked looking up at me with teary, blue eyes.

"I don't know, I kind of like it here," I shrugged. "Besides, I have nowhere else to go, really."