4. Chapter Four
Chapter Four
Ryan
I should have known that scumbag Vance wasn’t to be trusted.
I slam my laptop shut and push it away as rage bubbles in my chest. One, two, three, four…
It’s not working.
Vance’s email this morning is the cherry on top of a miserable week. He didn’t even have the decency to call. All I got was a blunt, condescending message saying the land wasn’t worth the price and that he’d rather spend the money on a decade’s worth of beer. Beer !
Am I a joke to him?
The plan had been simple: sell the land, leave Cedar Ridge, and move on with my life. But now, thanks to Vance and his sudden change of heart, I’m stuck here longer than I ever intended to be.
I glance at the bed where Alice is still fast asleep. Her face is pale and her breathing is uneven. She caught a cold last night because of the faulty windows in this cheap hotel room, and I spent most of the night at her side to make sure she was warm and comfortable.
It wasn’t enough.
This room won’t do. Staying here isn’t an option. Alice needs a proper place to recover, not a drafty hotel room with peeling wallpaper and broken windows.
I briefly consider Aunt Linda’s place, but the memory of last night’s dinner stops me cold. She spent the entire evening pestering me about finding a wife, and her not-so-subtle remarks grated on my nerves. Staying with her would only add to my frustration, and I can’t afford that right now.
No, I need to find an apartment. Somewhere decent and quiet, and I need to do it fast.
Dragging myself out of bed, I hop into the shower and let the hot water wash away the tension in my shoulders. When I’m dressed and ready, I’ve formed a plan: I’ll find a property agency and start looking for a place today.
After grabbing my jacket and wallet, I head downstairs. The hotel’s receptionist, the same young woman who helped me check in on my first day, is still behind the counter. She’s flipping through a magazine, her nametag still conveniently covered by her sweater. I realize I never asked for her name—not that I care enough to remember it if I had.
“Excuse me,” I say as I walk up to her. “Can I ask for a favor?”
She looks up, and her lips curl into a slow, almost playful smile. “Lucky you, I’m just about to finish my shift. What do you need?”
I glance at my watch. “Alice is still upstairs, and she’s not feeling well. I need someone to watch her while I run an errand.”
She arches a brow, clearly intrigued. “You’re asking me to babysit again?”
“I’m asking you to check on her. I won’t be long.”
“And her mom?”
“What about her?”
“I’d feel a certain way if a stranger was babysitting my daughter for free. Wouldn’t she?”
“This will be the last time,” I answer, ignoring her attempts to pry.
The receptionist leans forward slightly and rests her elbows on the counter. “You really are lucky. I’m off in about seven minutes. I can swing by before I head home.”
Her flirtatious tone doesn’t escape me, but I don’t have the energy to entertain it. “Thank you,” I say simply. “I’ll pay you for your time.”
She waves a hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about it. You owe me for saving your butt the first day, though. Remember that.”
I nod and head for the door, making a mental note to tip her generously later.
The drive to the property agency is short, but it feels like a lifetime. My mind races with thoughts of everything I need to do, the frustration of being stuck here weighing heavily on me. I park the car in front of the small brick building, the sign above the door reading “Cedar Ridge Realty.”
As I step inside, I’m not paying much attention to my surroundings, too preoccupied with my thoughts. That’s why I don’t notice someone walking out of the office until we collide.
“Watch it!” a familiar voice snaps.
I look up, startled, and find myself face-to-face with Bella, of all people.
Her expression darkens when she recognizes me, and her jaw tightens as she steps back.
“Bella,” I say, more out of surprise than anything else.
“What are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same thing.”
She crosses her arms. “It’s none of your business.”
I raise an eyebrow at her tone, unsure what I’ve done to deserve this hostility.
“Look, I’m not trying to pry,” I say carefully. “It’s just…surprising to see you here, that’s all.”
Bella’s eyes narrow as she takes a small step back, as if trying to put more distance between us. “I don’t owe you or anyone else any explanation,” she snaps.
I glance around and notice a group of people across the street watching us with curious eyes. Cedar Ridge might be a big town, but gossip travels fast. The last thing either of us needs is to be the center of attention.
“Fine,” I say, raising my hands in surrender. “Let’s not make a scene.”
Without waiting for her response, I step past her and head into the building, leaving her fuming. Whatever her reasons for being here, they’re her business. I have enough on my plate without adding Bella’s mood swings.
The inside of the property agency is small but tidy, with a row of desks and a bulletin board covered in flyers advertising available rentals. A middle-aged woman behind the counter greets me with a polite smile.
“Good morning. I’m Renee. How can I help you?”
“I’m looking for an apartment,” I say. “Something available immediately.”
She nods and gestures for me to take a seat. “We can definitely help with that. Do you have any specific requirements?”
“Two bedrooms,” I say without hesitation. “Somewhere quiet, and no major repairs needed.”
She scribbles down my requests and starts flipping through a binder. “We have a few properties that might fit your needs. Let me pull up the details for you.”
As she works, I glance toward the window and glimpse Bella outside. She’s still standing there, arms crossed and glaring at nothing. For a moment, I consider going back out to apologize—if only to smooth things over—but I quickly dismiss the idea. Bella’s mood is her problem, not mine.
The agent clears her throat, drawing my attention back to her. “Here are a few options,” she says as she slides a printout across the desk. “This one is in a quiet neighborhood, and it’s move-in ready.”
I scan the details, nodding as she explains the features. It’s not perfect, but it’s a start.
“I’d like to see this one,” I say, tapping the page.
“Of course,” she replies. “I’ll set up a viewing for later today.”
“Thank you.”
Back outside, Bella is gone. It’s funny how I don’t care about her, yet she manages to seize my attention for much longer than she should. Like now, I’m raising my head over all the cars in the parking lot to see if she’s lurking around somewhere. When I don’t see her, I get into my car and drive off, though something tells me I won’t be seeing the last of her anytime soon.
***
I park my car in the lot and go to the hotel room. When I unlock the door and step inside, the first thing I see is Alice, wide awake and perched on the bed with the receptionist, who’s sitting cross-legged beside her. They’re playing a card game, and Alice is giggling—a rare sound lately, considering the circumstances.
“You’re back!” Alice looks up, her face lighting up briefly before her expression becomes neutral again.
“Yep, I’m back,” I say, shutting the door behind me. “How are you feeling?”
Alice shrugs. “Okay, I guess. We’ve been playing Go Fish. She’s not very good.”
The receptionist laughs, shuffling the deck of cards. “She’s won three times in a row. She’s ruthless!”
“Good. I hope she stays that way.” I smirk and take out my wallet. I pull out the cash I withdrew on my way back—a bit more than I planned to spend, but well worth it for Alice’s care.
I walk over to the receptionist and hand her the money. “Here. For your time.”
She glances at the cash and frowns. “What? No, no, I don’t need this. I said I’d help, didn’t I?”
“And I appreciate it,” I say firmly, pushing the money toward her. “But I don’t expect anyone to watch Alice for free.”
She tries to push it back toward me. “Really, it’s no big deal. She’s sweet, and it was just a couple hours.”
“Take it,” I insist, my tone leaving no room for argument. “Use it for coffee, groceries, whatever you need. You’ve earned it.”
She hesitates, her eyes flickering between the cash and me, but she eventually sighs. “Fine. But only because you’re so stubborn.”
“Glad we agree on that,” I say with a nod.
She gathers her things and ruffles Alice’s hair as she stands. “Bye, kiddo. Don’t be too hard on your dad, okay?”
Alice giggles. “I’ll think about it.”
“Aren’t you adorable? He’s lucky to have you.” She winks at Alice, waves at me, and leaves the room.
As soon as the door clicks shut, Alice’s mood shifts. She’s not smiling anymore, and the energy she had during the card game seems to have evaporated.
“What’s wrong, kiddo?” I ask, sitting on the edge of the bed.
She doesn’t answer as she fiddles with the deck of cards in her lap. Finally, she says, “Why don’t I have a mom?”
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I’m not prepared for such a direct question. I stare at her, noticing how she avoids my eyes as I struggle to find the right response.
“You’ve got me,” I say gently.
“That’s not the same,” she whispers, her voice trembling. “I don’t have anyone to play with, and you’re always leaving me behind. You don’t have time for me.”
I rub the back of my neck, guilt settling heavily on my shoulders. “Alice, I know things have been tough lately. I’ve been busy trying to sort everything out, but I promise you, I’m doing all of this for us. For you .”
She looks up at me with wide and watery eyes. “When are we going back home?”
I hesitate, knowing this conversation is about to get even harder. “We might not be returning home anytime soon,” I admit. “There’s been a problem with selling the land, and I need to stay here a bit longer to figure it out.”
Her shoulders slump. “So we’re stuck here?”
“Just for now,” I say quickly. “But I promise, once everything is sorted out, we’ll go somewhere better. Somewhere you’ll love.”
“Okay,” she says softly, though she doesn’t look convinced.
I reach out and ruffle her hair. “How about we go for a walk later? Get some fresh air, maybe grab some ice cream?”
Her eyes light up just a little. “Can I get chocolate?”
“Of course,” I say, smiling.
She nods, a small smile breaking through her moody exterior.
I stand and grab my laptop, determined to make some progress on the mess with the land. After rebooting it, I open my email and immediately spot a new message in my inbox. The subject line alone makes my stomach drop.
Re: Ownership of Blackwood Land.
Clicking it open, I skim the contents, my eyes widening with every sentence.
Apparently, someone else has claimed ownership of the land— my land. The email is from my assistant, Jake, who says he stumbled upon the information while doing unrelated research. He’s worried because he knows how important the sale is to me.
I read the email twice, my anger growing with every pass. How is this even possible? The land was my father’s, and I have the documents to prove it.
Without wasting another second, I grab my phone and call Jake.
“Hey, it’s me,” I say as soon as he picks up.
“Man, I’m glad you called,” Jake says, his voice laced with concern. “I didn’t want to freak you out, but I thought you needed to know.”
“How did you find out?” I demand.
“I was running some searches for a client and came across the records. The database says you’re not the owner anymore.”
“What?” I snap as I start to pace the room. “That’s impossible. I’ve got the original documents. This land has been in my family for generations!”
“I don’t know what to tell you, but the database doesn’t lie,” he says. “It lists a different owner. I sent you the details in the email.”
I clench my fists, barely able to contain my frustration. “This has to be a mistake. Can you dig into it more? Find out who filed the change?”
“Already on it,” he says. “But you might want to be careful. This kind of thing doesn’t just happen for no reason.”
“Thanks,” I mutter, and end the call.
I sit heavily on the bed, running a hand through my hair. This situation is spiraling out of control, and I have no idea how to fix it.
Alice’s small voice breaks through my thoughts. “Are we still going for ice cream?”
I look up at her and force a smile. “Yeah, let’s go.”
The walk is a welcome distraction. The crisp air does its best to clear my head. Alice holds my hand as we stroll through town. At least her earlier moodiness has now disappeared.
When we reach the ice cream stand, she immediately chooses chocolate, and I get vanilla. Sitting on a nearby bench, I notice people glancing our way. Their whispers are barely hidden behind their cupped hands.
At first, I ignore them and chalk it up to small-town gossip. But then I overhear two women standing a few feet away.
“Did you hear?” one of them whispers. “He’s back because of his brother’s ex. And the boy.”
“Luke, right?” the other replies. “I heard he’s trying to take him. And marry her, too.”
My blood runs cold.
Alice looks up at me, oblivious. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I say quickly as I try to mask my growing anger. But inside, my blood is boiling.
This town has always thrived on rumors, but this? This is low, even by Cedar Ridge standards. The last thing I hear before the women walk away is,
“Thinking about it, wouldn’t marrying her save them all some trouble? His daughter would have a mother, and her son would have a father. They could take care of each other.” And honestly, that doesn’t sound like such a bad idea.