The past two weeks have been a whirlwind of emotions. FLAG has been selling like crazy. My plan to use the money the ladies bring in as rent is working well, maybe a little too well. Zoe and I have been thinking about opening another shop, PNS2, as she calls it. We could put some of the money from FLAG into it, and still not raise any suspicion.

As far as the Michaelson brothers go, we’ve been very busy. After our night at the Escape Room, we’ve all gone out together a few times. Bowling, a concert down by the river, and dinner at each other’s homes. I have a date scheduled with Cash for this weekend, and Ridge next Tuesday. I haven’t been with either of them, and since my night with Oren, it’s been pretty simple. I’ve kissed them all, but it’s almost like they’re holding back until our one-on-one dates. Or maybe they’re just taking things slow, and I’m a horny slut that needs all four of them right this moment. If I could smack myself in the face without fear of knocking myself out, I swear I would. My mind is in the gutter all the time now and I blame it on those brothers. Damn Michaelson sandwich dreams.

Speaking of the brothers, I haven’t heard from any of them since yesterday. I have a meeting with Oren at their office after lunch to go over what the investigator’s report says. Oren told me he’s done, and that all we need to do now is look over everything, then hand one copy over to the police, and another to the rest of the board members. It looks like dear old Uncle Richie won’t be seeing this side of prison walls for a very long time.

I finish working on the reports for the shop and checking up on Hudson, our new baker. The decision to hire him was the best thing I could have done. He’s baking up a storm, and his creations are amazing, and flying off the shelves. The other morning, he presented me with our house blend coffee, but in an ice cream cone! It was a waffle cone with chocolate and caramel drizzle hardened on the inside, and powdered sugar around the rim. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I wish I could have one right now, but there’s no way I could drink it without spilling it while driving, and I need to get going if I’m going to be at the Michaelson’s office on time.

Once I make it into their office, I bypass their secretary with a wave. She knows by now that I don’t need to be announced. I see all of the brothers in their small conference room. I assumed I would just be meeting Oren in his office, but maybe all the guys decided to be there since we’ll be going over everything my uncle has been up to.

I open the door and the smile I had instantly falls. All four of them are looking at me in various degrees of anger, sadness, and confusion. My hand falls off of the door knob and I take a small step back, unsure of why I’m receiving the looks I am.

North clears his throat. “Alice, please come in and have a seat.”

I slowly make my way to the only open place left and sit. My purse is in my lap and my hands are holding onto the straps so tight my knuckles are turning white.

Before I can ask what the hell is going on here, Ridge speaks up first. “We need to ask you a few questions, Alice. Do you think you could answer these honestly?”

“Ridge,” Oren whispers harshly under his breath.

“What?” Ridge shrugs his massive shoulders. “We all know that honesty isn’t exactly something Alice here is used to it. Is it, Alice?” I wince at Ridge’s use of my name and not his nickname for me.

“What are you trying to say, Ridge? I’m honest with you all.” I look around the room. Oren looks like I just sold his favorite toy, Cash is currently staring out of a window, Ridge is looking at me like I’m gum on his shoes, and North, the man I thought I was growing closer to, forming a beautiful relationship with, is watching me with eyes full of hatred.

“Well, since that is a lie, let’s just get this over with. The quicker this meeting is over with, the quicker she can leave.” North’s words are like a knife to my chest.

“I don’t understand,” I say, pleading with them for some sort of explanation.

“It’s quite easy to understand, Alice. My brothers and I run a legal business. Everything we do reflects on us and who we are. We don’t do business with those who break the law, who sell illegal drugs, and we definitely don’t have relationships with liars.”

“North! That’s enough.” Cash turns from the window and the tears in his eyes are enough to take me to my knees. “We’ve already talked about this. Oren, give her the folder from the investigator.” Cash stares at me for a moment before speaking again. “Pretty,” he coughs into his hand, “I mean, Alice, this is everything he found. It’s enough to put your Uncle Richie away and take complete control over Du-Kane, Inc.” He pushes himself off the wall and walks around the table toward me. Bending down, he brushes his lips across my forehead. “I’m sorry, Alice. We have to protect ourselves, and we can’t do that and be with someone like you.”

I watch Cash walk out of the conference room and head straight for the elevator. I whip my head back around, glaring at the remaining brothers. “Are you serious right now? No questions, just instant condemnation on your parts? You bring me here and inform me that I’m a liar and not worthy of the great Michaelson brothers.” I stand up, pushing the chair back in my haste. “Let me tell you assholes something, I am not a liar. I did what I had to do to save my company, something you would understand if you took a second to ask, instead of pointing fingers and writing me off so easily. I guess it’s a good thing this did happen. At least now I know that I never meant anything to you.”

“Alice, it isn’t…”

“Shut up, Oren. I can’t even look at you right now. For your information,” I look at Oren, Ridge, and then North directly in the eye, “I started FLAG before I even knew you. It was something that would keep Du-Kane, Inc. from going bankrupt. It was the only thing I could do to save my daddy’s company and his name. If you had bothered to ask, I would have told you that as of next week, FLAG will only be sold in our shops, and that the ladies are all signed up for school.” I lower my gaze, damning the treacherous tears that are falling down my face. “I would have told you everything because I trusted you. Because I was falling in love with all of you.”

I grab my purse and the file Oren placed on the table for me, turn on my heels, and storm out of the conference room. I make it out of the front door before the grief takes me over. Leaning up against the side of their office, I allow the sobs to come. I allow myself one minute to fall apart before I stand back up and try to catch my breath. I wipe off the remaining tears, stand tall, and give my head a good shake. I can fall apart later. Now, I need to pull up my big girl panties and go put an uncle in jail. Later, I can sit on the couch and eat ice cream by the carton with Dobey, the only man I will ever need.