“That’s odd. Any idea what happened?”
JT decided Violet’s poker face was improving, but he knew her well enough to pick up on the trace of amusement in her eyes.
“I don’t know if you remember but he was in the midst of a nasty divorce.”
“I seem to recall something about that.”
Now JT knew she’d been up to something because she’d been the one to point that out to him in the first place. “He let his wife have his four percent of Stone Properties stock in the settlement.”
“You don’t say.” Violet looked suitably fascinated. “But if his ex-wife had the shares, she wouldn’t be able to vote them because she was no longer family.”
“True.” JT let the rest of his explanation hang in the air, but Violet didn’t press him to continue. And why would she? JT suspected she already knew how it ended. “Without Casey’s four percent, my father and I controlled an equal number of shares.”
“So how did we win?”
“That’s an excellent question. Perhaps you’d like to explain to me.”
“Me?” She sounded innocent, but a smug smile tugged at her lips. “Why would you think I had anything to do with it?”
“Because I’ve met the ex-Mrs. Casey Stone and she’s greedy and beautiful, but not particularly bright. I don’t understand why she wanted the shares at all.”
“Well...” Violet drew out the word, reveling in the telling of her tale. “It seems that a year ago Casey had bought a big, beautiful love nest for his new amore and hadn’t declared it as part of the divorce settlement. So, I let Brittany know and suggested that she might want to ask for the Stone Property shares and let Casey have the house.”
“And he went for that? The shares had to be worth more or that was one hell of a house.”
“He was in a hurry to remarry, and he stood to lose big because he hadn’t disclosed the house.” Violet shook her head. “Brittany was thrilled to sell me the stock. After all, I’d done her a good turn. And in the end, I think she received more than Casey intended for her to have.”
“You own the four percent?”
“I do.”
“This wasn’t something you managed overnight, was it?” JT didn’t wait for her to answer. “After I told you it wasn’t worth pursuing, you went behind my back, didn’t you?”
“You refused to let me help.”
“And now I see I was wrong.” As much as he hated admitting that, Violet’s delight took the sting away.
“Good. Maybe now you’ll start listening to my advice.”
“Yes, oh wise one.”
JT put his arms around her and softly nuzzled the side of her neck. She smelled like fresh-cut grass and summer sunshine, both favorite scents from his time on the farm in Kentucky. Lulled by the steady beat of her heart against his, JT felt the door to his most guarded secrets crack open.
“I don’t know how to thank you,” he told her, strangely at peace now that he was on the verge of telling her about the worst moment of his life.
“You don’t have to thank me. I’m your wife. I’ll always have your back.”
“Then you should know what you’re letting yourself in for.”
“You don’t think I do?” Violet’s breath fell against his skin in a soothing cadence. “I didn’t read your file, but I know that you’re more troubled than the average person by mistakes you’ve made and that you carry childhood hurts that may never heal.”
“I’m more troubled because the mistakes I’ve made aren’t forgivable.”
“That’s impossible for me to believe.”
He never stopped being astonished by her faith in him, but she needed to know everything. “The day my mother died...”
“JT.” She cupped his cheek, offering comfort, and drew her thumb across his lips, silencing him. “You don’t have to tell me.”