Final Offer (Dreamland Billionaires #3) by Lauren Asher

“Someone put an offer on the house.”

“Oh.” My stomach sinks.

“Yeah. Oh.”

“I’m going to fix this.” I’m not sure how yet, but I will find a way.

“So you say.” Sheets rustle on her side of the call.

“I’m working on it.”

“Iris and I talked.”

I swallow hard. “And?”

“You and I both know there is no other option regarding your grandfather’s will. And as much as I love that house, there is no way I’ll let you screw over everyone to keep it.”

My chest tightens. “Lana—”

“I need to go to sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a long day with back-to-school night.”

“You’re starting back up already?”

“Yup. And Cami starts at her new school next Monday.”

“Can I go with you?” The question rushes out of me.

“To take her to school?”

My racing pulse isn’t doing me any favors. “Yeah.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t want you hanging around her.”

My chest feels like she cracked it in half with a crowbar. “Okay. I understand.”

“I don’t want to hurt you—”

I stop her. “I know.”

“It’s just that—”

I don’t let her finish. “You don’t trust me.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Then I won’t stop until I give you every reason to.” This time, I’m the one to hang up the phone. Prolonging that kind of conversation won’t help either one of us, and I’d much rather spend my time finding ways to prove her wrong.

Instead of going to sleep like I had planned, I pull out my laptop and get to researching different ways to buy a house.

Turns out Leo wasn’t just spouting shit after all.

He was right. There are multiple ways to buy a house—both legal and illegal.

I trust you’ll find a way to sort all this out.

Leo wasn’t trying to fill me with false confidence, but rather offer me a clue. It turns out my grandfather wasn’t the only tricky bastard.

Leo is too.

I last one whole week before giving up on my idea to stay away from Lana. Even if she hates me for it, I can’t go another night without seeing her. Now that I have a solid plan for the house, there isn’t much else keeping me from her.

At least nothing but her.

Before I stop by the guesthouse, I make a quick detour for Wyatt and Delilah’s place.

Delilah throws the door open. “What are you doing here?”

“Is your husband around?” I try to peek over her head, but she snaps her fingers in my face.

“Why?”

“I need to speak to him about something.”

She crosses her arms against her chest. “If the reason you came back here is because you want to stir up trouble—”

“He’s not.” Wyatt pulls Delilah away from the door and tucks her underneath his arm.

His chin tips in my direction. “You’re back.”

“Yup.” I pop the p.

His left brow rises. “Permanently?”

“So long as Lana wants me to be.”

Delilah frowns. “Are you sober?”

I flash my chip in front of her. Wyatt’s eyes narrow at the chip before he looks down at Delilah. “Can you give us a minute?”

She rises on the tips of her toes and gives him a kiss on the cheek. “Fine.”

Wyatt smacks her ass as she walks away, earning himself a half-hearted glare from over her shoulder.

“Want to take a walk?” He motions outside.

“Sure.” I tuck my hands into my pockets and step off the porch.

“How was rehab?”

“About as good as I remember.”

He snorts a laugh. “Liar.”

“It was torture, but I’m glad I did it.”

He claps me on the shoulder. “Hopefully it sticks this time.”

“I was hoping…” My voice drifts off, the courage I had from earlier evaporating.

“I’d be your sponsor?”

“If the offer still stands, that is.”

He looks at me out of the corner of his eye. “Depends if you tell me why Lana is upset with you for leaving.”

My brows rise. “Did she say something?”

Not that I would blame her if she did.

“No, and Dee has been tight-lipped about it any time I ask.”

Damn. “She has?”

“Yes. And since I didn’t want to put Dee in a position to choose between me or her friends, I didn’t bug her about it.”

I suck in a breath. “It’s complicated.”

“Complicated enough to drive you to drink?”

I shake my head. “No. I’m finding other ways to cope.”

“Like?”

“Well, I wasn’t allowed to build a boat in rehab because they were afraid I would get high off the glue or something, so I read. A lot.”

He rears back. “Wait. You can read?”

I give him a shove with my shoulder, which knocks him off-balance. He laughs, which only makes me break out into a chuckle too.