Read Online The Last Bride (DiCarlo Brides #6) by Heather Tullis - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Heather Tullis
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heart beating rapid-fire. “Take a deep breath and explain.”
Natalie took several calming breaths before she began to speak. “It started as a lark, really. Just a small bet that might pay off. And it did. And I reinvested it, and then bet again. I kept winning and so I celebrated, and then when I thought I had a sure thing I made a bigger bet than ever. And I lost. But I didn’t actually have the money this time. And they want it, like yesterday.” Tears tracked down her face.
“Who wants it? What were you betting on?”
“My bookie. Liam introduced me to this guy—”
Gage groaned, not even needing her to finish the sentence to know what was coming next. He’d told her Liam was bad news when she started dating him a couple of months earlier. When she started seeing someone else a few weeks after that, Gage had thought it was all behind them, but apparently she hadn’t gotten out as cleanly as he’d thought. “How much money is it?”
She looked down at their hands. “Fifty-thousand dollars.”
That catapulted him out of his chair, stunned at her declaration. “Fifty-thousand? Are you serious? How could you possibly have risked that much? I could see if it were a few thousand. It would be irresponsible, but at least you could pay it back with your next month’s income. But fifty thousand? Where are you going to get that kind of money?” His mind raced as he considered and discarded options.
“I thought maybe you could help me out,” she said, her eyes wide open. “You’re always so good to help when I really need it.”
Was she crazy? He ran his hand through his hair as he turned to stare out the window. He had to get his anger under control before he spoke again. After several seconds passed he turned back to her. “I don’t have that kind of money. I just had to go begging to friends for extra to pay for some maintenance on the lifts. The profit from the winter—which by the way was nowhere near that much cash—has all been funneled back into the lifts as well.”
“Do you have to do the upgrades? Can’t you get by for another season?” Worry filled her face and she stared at him with wet eyes.
“Yes, I have to. No upgrades means no lifts next fall.” He leaned back against the wall and shoved his hands in his pockets. “No lifts means shutting down or selling, and neither of those are options.”
“But what am I going to do?” She sobbed a little and covered her face with her hands. “They’ll probably kneecap me or something if I can’t come up with the money.”
He breathed in, making himself calm down to think clearly. Options, viable options were a must. “You could sell your Mercedes. And some of your jewelry.” He knew she wouldn’t like the suggestion, but didn’t have any other options.
“I can’t do that.” He looked at him in shock, stricken. “I need my car. And those jewels—I couldn’t get what they were worth if I sold them now, and I don’t have that many anyway. There’s no way I can scrape together enough to pay everything back that fast. You have to help me.”
Gage turned toward the window, looking out over the verdant green of his mountain. The sun would set soon, and clouds were rolling in for a promised storm, but he couldn’t enjoy it. Not with this hanging over his head. “I don’t know if I can help you. I’ll see what I can figure out, but you’re going to have to come up with most of it yourself. I’m serious about selling your car.” He turned back to her. “Until my summer events pay off, I have almost no money flowing in and I’ve already paid out for most of the expenses.”
He could see about borrowing something from the bank. Or one of the guys. But he hated to bring them in on something like this. For the business, sure, but that was different. Paying them back would be no picnic, either.
“I can’t believe you won’t help me.” She stood in righteous indignation. “They roughed me up, threatened me, and all you
Natalie took several calming breaths before she began to speak. “It started as a lark, really. Just a small bet that might pay off. And it did. And I reinvested it, and then bet again. I kept winning and so I celebrated, and then when I thought I had a sure thing I made a bigger bet than ever. And I lost. But I didn’t actually have the money this time. And they want it, like yesterday.” Tears tracked down her face.
“Who wants it? What were you betting on?”
“My bookie. Liam introduced me to this guy—”
Gage groaned, not even needing her to finish the sentence to know what was coming next. He’d told her Liam was bad news when she started dating him a couple of months earlier. When she started seeing someone else a few weeks after that, Gage had thought it was all behind them, but apparently she hadn’t gotten out as cleanly as he’d thought. “How much money is it?”
She looked down at their hands. “Fifty-thousand dollars.”
That catapulted him out of his chair, stunned at her declaration. “Fifty-thousand? Are you serious? How could you possibly have risked that much? I could see if it were a few thousand. It would be irresponsible, but at least you could pay it back with your next month’s income. But fifty thousand? Where are you going to get that kind of money?” His mind raced as he considered and discarded options.
“I thought maybe you could help me out,” she said, her eyes wide open. “You’re always so good to help when I really need it.”
Was she crazy? He ran his hand through his hair as he turned to stare out the window. He had to get his anger under control before he spoke again. After several seconds passed he turned back to her. “I don’t have that kind of money. I just had to go begging to friends for extra to pay for some maintenance on the lifts. The profit from the winter—which by the way was nowhere near that much cash—has all been funneled back into the lifts as well.”
“Do you have to do the upgrades? Can’t you get by for another season?” Worry filled her face and she stared at him with wet eyes.
“Yes, I have to. No upgrades means no lifts next fall.” He leaned back against the wall and shoved his hands in his pockets. “No lifts means shutting down or selling, and neither of those are options.”
“But what am I going to do?” She sobbed a little and covered her face with her hands. “They’ll probably kneecap me or something if I can’t come up with the money.”
He breathed in, making himself calm down to think clearly. Options, viable options were a must. “You could sell your Mercedes. And some of your jewelry.” He knew she wouldn’t like the suggestion, but didn’t have any other options.
“I can’t do that.” He looked at him in shock, stricken. “I need my car. And those jewels—I couldn’t get what they were worth if I sold them now, and I don’t have that many anyway. There’s no way I can scrape together enough to pay everything back that fast. You have to help me.”
Gage turned toward the window, looking out over the verdant green of his mountain. The sun would set soon, and clouds were rolling in for a promised storm, but he couldn’t enjoy it. Not with this hanging over his head. “I don’t know if I can help you. I’ll see what I can figure out, but you’re going to have to come up with most of it yourself. I’m serious about selling your car.” He turned back to her. “Until my summer events pay off, I have almost no money flowing in and I’ve already paid out for most of the expenses.”
He could see about borrowing something from the bank. Or one of the guys. But he hated to bring them in on something like this. For the business, sure, but that was different. Paying them back would be no picnic, either.
“I can’t believe you won’t help me.” She stood in righteous indignation. “They roughed me up, threatened me, and all you
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