No Vacancy (The Aveline Series Book 2)

Chapter 17

PENN

The discoverythat the hardware store owner was Darcy’s dad was a new development that made things a little more difficult. I wasn’t sure how I would be able to talk the man into selling me his store when his daughter was in his ear telling him not to trust me. It wasn’t going to stop me from trying, though. I wondered if she underestimated the power of money.

“Your dad, huh? Why is he selling?” I grabbed the other butter knife from the counter and placed the pan on the stove. Darcy began spreading mayonnaise on the bread.

“He wants to retire.” Her answers were short and direct.

I opened one of the cheese slices. “And he wouldn’t give it to you?”

She looked up quickly, as though my words had cut her. “Of course he would. I’m just not really a business mogul. I don’t know the first thing about running a business, and my brother lives in California, so he isn’t going to take over.”

“You don’t want to learn?” I placed the sandwiches in the skillet, listening to the sizzle.

She huffed. “No, okay? And it’s really none of your business. But since you’re prying into my life, why don’t you tell me what you do? Do you just go around seeking small towns you can capitalize on?”

Kind of.

“No, I work in sales, but it’s not my dream job. I really wanted to go into business with my best friend. It’s not that complicated of a concept. Haven’t you ever wanted to do something else, or has working at the vet clinic been your dream?”

I swore I saw a flicker of something in her face that told me I was on to something, but it faded quickly. “No. And you aren’t going to get your dream by buying the hardware store, so if I were you, I would just give up and go home.”

“And what if I don’t want to?” I asked.

What if I wanted to make her dad an offer he couldn’t refuse? Money talks, and I had a lot of it to offer. Well, Max Prescott had a lot to offer. “What if I want to at least give it a shot?”

We stared at each other for a moment, and she handed me one of the grilled cheeses on a paper plate. “Well then, I say, let the best man win.” She took a bite, chewing slowly and swallowing, staring at me the whole time. “And it will be me.”