“So,” Elmer said over coffee at the diner, “Mary and Patrick are engaged. How about them apples?”

“I like them apples,” Linc said. “He’s been alone for thirty years, and if anyone deserves a second chance at love, it’s him. And Mary…” Linc shook his head. “I love her like a sister. I’m going to miss her so much, but I couldn’t be happier for the two of them.”

“They’ll be back to visit a lot, especially now that there’s going to be a grandchild in the mix.”

“True.”

“Are you worried about Cam? Because of what happened to her mother?”

“I actually talked to Will about it, and you won’t believe it. Before they even tried for a baby, she spent two nights at Mass General to make sure there was no reason she shouldn’t have kids.”

“And?” Elmer asked.

“All clear.”

“Well, that’s a huge relief.”

“Indeed. Molly and I were so proud of them for taking such a proactive step.”

“They’re good kids, and they’ll be great parents.”

“Yes, they will. We’re in the midst of what could be the biggest baby boom in recorded history.”

“You’re the one who had ten kids,” Elmer said with a huff of laughter.

“Speaking of my ten kids, have you heard any more about the situation with Mia, the woman Wade is interested in?”

“Formal charges were filed last week against the people arrested in the drug bust.”

“Mia wasn’t charged with anything, was she?”

Elmer shook his head. “From what I can tell, she wasn’t involved, but I can’t help but wonder what she knows.”

“This whole thing makes me very nervous. I don’t want my son anywhere near this crap.”

“Understood, but I wonder… Do you suppose he knows that everyone around her was scooped up in this big bust and that she might be available?”

Linc pondered that for a long moment. “What’re you suggesting?”

“I’d like to have a conversation with him. Feel him out. See what he knows—and what he doesn’t. What do you think?”

“I don’t know. My better judgment is telling me to stay away from this. It’s got trouble written all over it.”

“If you could’ve heard the way he talked about her, you’d be singing a different tune. He’s crazy about her, and this could be the perfect opportunity for him to step up for her in a time of need.”

“What if it turns out she was involved in the same stuff her friends were?”

“Wade’s no fool. If that’s the case, he won’t go near her. He’s such a health nut that he wouldn’t have anything to do with drugs or anyone who was involved in dealing them. You know that.”

“Still… Love makes people do crazy things.”

“Our Wade Abbott will never be crazy enough to get anywhere near drug dealing, love or no love.”

“You make a good point.” Linc released a deep sigh. “Okay. You can talk to him and see what he knows.”

Elmer rubbed his hands together gleefully. “I’ll get right on that. And PS, if it works out between them, this one is all mine.”

“How did I know you were going to say that?”

* * *

Thank you for reading Can’t Buy Me Love! I’ve been so looking forward to writing Patrick and Mary’s story ever since they met in You’ll Be Mine. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I loved writing it. I like to see some of the more “mature” members of the cast get their happy ending. After you finish reading, make sure you join the to chat with other readers about Patrick and Mary’s story.

Here Comes the Sun, the next book in the Butler Series, will feature Wade Abbott’s long-awaited story. More to come on that!

As always, thank you to my behind-the-scenes team that makes it possible to keep the books coming so quickly—Julie Cupp, Lisa Cafferty, Holly Sullivan, Isabel Sullivan, Nikki Colquhoun, Cheryl Serra, Ashley Lopez and Courtney Lopes. You ladies are the best, and I appreciate you all so much.

Thanks to my editing team of Linda Ingmanson and Joyce Lamb, and my beta readers, Anne Woodall, Kara Conrad and Holly Sullivan, for helping me to produce clean, well-edited books.

Biggest thanks of all to my readers, whose support makes everything possible. I’m so grateful to every one of you!

xoxo

Marie

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