Chapter 27
Chapter Twenty-Seven
The MacDonald property sat on a gentle hill that looked over the west side of town, the back surrounded by pine and cedar. A weathered two-story Victorian with peeling white paint stood sentinel over several acres of overgrown land. An old barn listing slightly to one side completed the scene.
She pulled up slowly, cutting the engine as Chase cleared his throat. "Been abandoned about five years now. Previous owner died, no family to inherit. It needs a little work, but the bones are good. Landry inspected it, and there's nothing major to replace except the roof. The roofers come two days after I sign."
Jewel's veterinary eye swept the property.
The fencing needed repair, the drainage ditches were overgrown, and several fence posts had rotted at their bases. But she could see potential—acres perfect for horses, maybe even a small animal rehabilitation center she'd always dreamed about.
"How many acres?" she asked, her voice soft with wonder.
"Twenty," Chase responded, watching her reaction carefully. "Good pasture on the east side, some timber on the west and north, but there's a nice clearing behind the barn that could be perfect for… well, whatever we might want."
She heard the hint of vulnerability in his voice. Whatever they might want, together. Her breath caught at his casual use of "we." Was he already assuming they would be doing this together? Her mind raced with possibilities and hesitations.
The unspoken possibility hung between them like morning mist.
Chase stepped out of the truck first, walking around to open her door. His gentlemanly gesture felt both old-fashioned and genuine. When her feet touched the ground, he didn't immediately release her hand.
"Want the grand tour?" he asked, his thumb tracing small circles on her palm.
Her breath caught, and she nodded, words failing her as he led her, hand-in-hand through the broken gate and up the sidewalk to the front door. The front porch creaked under their weight, paint chipping away beneath their boots. Chase pulled out an old key, its brass surface dulled by years of disuse. The lock turned with a reluctant groan.
The door swung open, revealing a dusty interior frozen in time. Sunlight filtered through grimy windows, illuminating faded wallpaper and antique furniture draped in yellowed sheets. The musty smell of abandonment hung in the air, mingling with hints of cedar and old wood.
Chase moved first, pulling back heavy curtains to let light stream in. Dust motes danced in the sudden brightness, swirling around their feet. "My grandpa would've loved this place," he murmured, more to himself than to Jewel. "I think the previous owner had owned it since the seventies, but a few of the key rooms have been updated, probably in the late nineties."
She followed him, her veterinary training making her scan the space methodically. The hardwood floors were solid oak, scarred but unbroken. Original crown molding traced the ceiling's edges, intricate and surprisingly intact. A grand staircase curved elegantly to the second floor, its wooden banister smooth despite years of neglect.
Her fingers traced a delicate path along a built-in bookshelf in the living room, leaving clean tracks in the dust. The mantle and fireplace were made of local stone, carefully fitted together generations ago. She could imagine winter nights spent here, a fire crackling, generations of families sharing stories and warmth.
"The kitchen's through here," Chase said softly, his hand still holding hers. "Might need some work, but the appliances look like they were updated maybe ten years ago."
The kitchen was spacious, with large windows overlooking the back acreage. Mint-colored cabinets hung slightly askew, but the granite countertops looked pristine. An old farmhouse sink sat beneath a window, offering a view of the barn and distant tree line.
"The previous owner was a retired chef, the original founder of the diner in town," Chase explained. "Apparently loved cooking, even in retirement. See these professional-grade ranges?"
Jewel ran her hand along the stainless-steel commercial range, her fingers tracing its clean lines. "This isn't just a range. This is professional equipment. Probably cost more than my entire truck."
Chase chuckled, his laugh low and warm. "Probably. Want to see the rest?"
They explored the ground floor methodically—a formal dining room with original hardwood, a study with built-in bookshelves, a mudroom that opened toward the barn. Each room told a story of careful maintenance interrupted by years of abandonment.
Upstairs, multiple spacious bedrooms stretched along a wide hallway, each with high ceilings and large windows. One room, clearly meant as a nursery, had faded yellow wallpaper with tiny ducks dancing along the edges. Another bedroom featured large windows overlooking the property, sunlight pooling across worn wooden floors.
"This could be Destini's room," Jewel murmured.
Chase shrugged. "I'd rather she pick her room, but it's as good as any."
She arched a brow and looked at him, hands in his pockets now as he stood in the middle of the empty room. "You said I'd get a room too? So which of us gets the master?"
He grinned. "You, of course. You're used to space and I'm not. Besides, you might need the closet. Come on, let me show you."
The casual way he'd just tossed it out that she'd get the master left her giddy with excitement and her heart melting with surprise. The main bedroom overlooked the back acreage, offering a sweeping view of pine forests and open pasture. Jewel's veterinary mind was already calculating paddock spaces, potential rehabilitation areas, ways to fix the barn's foundation.
She hadn't even seen the master bathroom or closet, but she already felt like this was home, like she and Destini could be happy here… with him. She frowned and crossed her arms, swallowing hard and just spitting out what had been bugging her since he'd mentioned it last night.
"Jade didn't show it to me, but I saw the asking price. It was way out of my budget. How were you able to afford it?" she asked softly, not turning around.
"The asking price was lower than I expected, actually," Chase said. "Property's been sitting empty. Owner wanted someone who'd restore it to its former glory but not turn it into a bed and breakfast. There's already one of those in town, and I certainly don't want to create tension with Parker by opening another and competing with his business."
She turned around and frowned, cocking a hip to the side. "How, Chase?"
He shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "Same as other people, I suppose. Good investments. Remember how I was playing the stock market and investing even that year we hooked up? I continued to study in prison—some days it was all that got me out of bed, I was so depressed. Grandpa took over my accounts until he died, then Landry stepped in. When Landry got his songwriting money, he invested it all where I suggested. Turned a tidy profit, and he set aside some of it for me."
His voice hardened as his gaze slid past her and out the window. "The bank originally didn't want to write me a mortgage, since I have no credit or debt to speak of. Lola helped me put together some portfolios, and Goldie and Landry both met with the bank owner with me to discuss my assets and plead my case. I had to put a massive down payment down just to prove myself, but it's reasonable payments now, so that's good at least."
She licked her lips and blurted, "I have two years left on my medical school payments. The payments are about two thousand a month, and that's what I've budgeted for rent or a mortgage too."
"The mortgage is just over four thousand a month." He nodded and said, "If you can pay half of that per month, it'd help a lot. Then I can set aside the rest for Destini's college."
She scowled. "I can't pay half of that when it'd be Destini and I both living here. That's two to one, so I need to pay two-thirds of the mortgage at a minimum."
He smirked an almost bitter laugh and said, "Consider this part of the back child support. I'm sure I owe you more than what this place is worth."
Her stomach twisted at his words, a reminder of how they'd gotten into this situation making her nervous to move forward. The mention of child support brought a wave of complicated emotions—guilt, defensiveness, a strange protective anger.
"I don't want this to be about back child support," she said softly. "I want this to be about what's best for Destini. I want this to be… something else."
Chase's expression softened. He took a step toward her, not touching her, but close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from his body. "What do you want it to be, my Jewel?"
Her breath caught in her throat. The vulnerability in his voice matched the uncertainty in her heart. She turned, facing him, their bodies mere inches apart as she imagined what this place could mean for them. A vision of Destini running across those fields, of herself working with rehabilitation animals in the barn, of shared meals in that expansive kitchen, flickered through her mind.
"I want it to be a chance," she whispered. "A chance for Destini to know her father. A chance for us to... figure this out. Together."
His hand reached up, fingers barely grazing her cheek. "Together," he repeated, leaning forward, making her lips tingle in anticipation of his kiss. Her heart raced, and she leaned back, placing a hand on his chest.
"I think," she said slowly, "that we should talk to Destini first."
Chase nodded, his hand dropping slowly from her face, but his hand remained connected to hers, fingers intertwined. "You're right. We need to talk to her first. I don't want to make any assumptions about her feelings."
"She's going to have a lot of questions," Jewel said, her voice a mixture of anxiety and determination. "Fifteen years is a long time to suddenly introduce a father."
"I know," Chase said softly. "I'm prepared for her to be angry, to reject me. I just want her to know that I want to be in her life, on her terms."
Jewel's eyes softened. The vulnerability in his voice, the genuine care he was showing, was unexpected. This wasn't the cocky young man she'd known so long ago. This was a man who had been shaped by time, by experiences, by loss.
"When do you want to do this?" she asked.
"As soon as you're off work for a few days," Chase said.
She hummed, then said, "I'll talk to Dad and Gemma about going this weekend. That would give us a few days to make a plan and present a united front when we approach her."
She glanced around the room, taking in the potential of the space. "This house could be good for her. A fresh start."
Chase followed her gaze. "A lot of land for her to explore. Plenty of space to breathe."
Jewel's veterinary mind was already calculating. "The barn could be perfect for her 4-H projects. She's always wanted horses, but we never had the space. She used to go with me to the ranches when she was little, like my dad did with Gemma and I…"
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, squeezing her hand gently. "Come on, let's go eat brunch at the diner. I'm starving."
She chuckled and, hand-in-hand, they went out of the room and down the stairs.