Chapter 12
Tyler spent his day wandering from room to room in his grandparents’ cozy, well-loved house. Just as he’d told Justice, the home was sturdy and sound, built solid enough to withstand the fierce Montana winters and the relentless winds that swept down from the majestic mountains.
While Charlie had done a respectable job keeping things tidy, the absence of his grandmother’s meticulous touch was evident. The floors, once gleaming, now held scuff marks. The windows, although updated years earlier and effective at keeping out the bitter chill, had grown cloudy with neglect.
The kitchen showed signs of practical care.
Appliances were modern and efficient, but the countertops were chipped and worn.
The cabinets, lovingly handcrafted and still solid, yearned for the rejuvenating touch of fresh paint.
Strolling through each room, Tyler mentally cataloged the spaces.
Whether he stayed or sold, the walls would also benefit from a vibrant new coat of paint.
Halfway up the stairs, Tyler paused abruptly when a wave of realization washed over him. If he were to sell the property to the developer, none of these efforts would matter. The cherished home, which held generations of his family’s memories, would be razed to the ground.
His gaze shifted to the photographs lining the stairway wall, snapshots of happy times, filled with laughter and warmth.
He scrubbed a hand roughly over his face, emotion tightening his throat.
The house was a living vessel of cherished memories, moments he’d long carried close to his heart.
But the future was still uncertain, both for him and the place that had always felt like home.
The sharp knock on the front door jolted him from his introspection, and he quickly descended the remaining stairs. Pulling the door open, Tyler peered through the screen at the unfamiliar man standing on his porch.
“Can I help you?” Tyler asked cautiously.
“Good afternoon,” the man responded warmly. “I assume you’re Mr. Marconi’s grandson. My name is Anthony Milton, and I wanted to stop by and offer my condolences on your grandfather’s passing.”
If Justice had not mentioned Anthony Milton, Tyler might have taken the man at face value as just another neighbor paying respects. But with her warning fresh in his mind, curiosity sharpened his attention. Tyler pushed open the screen door and stepped aside. “Thank you. Would you like to come in?”
“I don’t mind if I do,” Anthony replied smoothly, stepping inside with an easy smile.
Tyler quickly assessed the man as Anthony entered.
Average height and soft around the middle, Anthony Milton didn’t look like someone who spent his days laboring in construction.
Instead, his neatly pressed clothes and carefully maintained appearance suggested that he spent more time entertaining potential clients over dinner than working at jobsites.
I suppose that’s precisely what a developer does.
Careful to conceal his awareness, Tyler nodded politely. “It was kind of you to stop by. Charlie had a lot of friends here, and I know he’ll be greatly missed.”
“Oh, absolutely,” Anthony replied, nodding vigorously. “Charlie was a good man, a pillar in this community. Though he could be stubborn sometimes,” he added with an awkward attempt at camaraderie, punctuated by a forced chuckle.
Tyler kept his expression neutral, his tone polite but firm. “Well, if that’s all, Mr. Milton, I need to get back to work.”
Anthony hesitated. “Work? Will you be leaving the area soon?”
Tyler raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. “Leaving? Why would I be leaving?”
Anthony blinked, clearly caught off guard. “Um… I assumed your work was elsewhere. I understood you came for Charlie’s funeral, so I figured you’d soon be heading back to your regular life.”
Deciding to let Anthony reveal his true intentions, Tyler responded casually, “No, I don’t have a job waiting for me. I have plenty of time to handle things here.”
“Oh… yes, well, I assume you want to sell as soon as possible,” Anthony ventured, his confidence wavering slightly.
“Actually, I was just making a list of improvements I want to do. Charlie kept things in good shape, but as you probably know, there’s always room for sprucing up.”
Anthony eagerly jumped in, “Of course, of course. If you’re considering selling, though, I could save you a lot of hassle.”
“How’s that?” Tyler asked calmly.
“I’m a developer, and I have a backer interested in this area. Your neighbors are already planning to sell, so you wouldn’t need to spend time or money preparing the house for the market. I could give you a great price on the land with no extra work necessary.”
Knowing Anthony’s claim about his neighbors was a lie, Tyler stayed noncommittal. “I haven’t made any final decisions yet. Some of my best memories are right here, so I might just decide to stay.”
Anthony’s eyes widened in surprise. “A man like you staying here?”
Tyler drew himself up to his full height, staring down at Anthony. “A man like me?”
Anthony chuckled nervously. “There isn’t much nightlife around here. Certainly nothing that would appeal to an active young man. And honestly, there are nicer places around town you could consider.”
“Why would I settle somewhere else when this house holds my grandparents’ legacy?”
“Memories are great,” Anthony said quickly, “but an old house is still old. Real estate agents around here could show you modern, spacious homes.”
“Then I’d have to deal with loans, mortgages, and movers,” Tyler countered smoothly. “If I stay, the only effort required is making this place mine.”
Sweat beaded on Anthony’s forehead, and he dabbed it away nervously. “The money we’re offering would allow you to buy something really nice.”
Tyler lifted a brow silently, letting Anthony feel pressured until the man blurted out a lowball offer.
“I’m afraid that amount wouldn’t even begin to interest me,” Tyler replied evenly.
“I could go slightly higher, but I’d have to speak to my backer,” Anthony blustered. “You really need to consider this offer carefully, Mr. Marconi. There’s a lot of local support for these condos. You wouldn’t want to upset people by not cooperating.”
Crossing his arms, Tyler glared openly. “I know my grandfather turned you down. So did the neighbors on both sides.”
Anthony’s face flushed a deep red. “Now look here—”
“You’ve overstayed your welcome, Mr. Milton.” Tyler interrupted firmly. “My decisions won’t be influenced by threats or pressure.”
Anthony’s pleasant demeanor vanished, replaced by a narrow-eyed glare. At the door, he looked back sharply. “Take your time grieving, Mr. Marconi. The longer you wait, the lower my offer goes.”
Tyler watched Anthony hurry to his car, sighing heavily at the bitter encounter before returning upstairs to continue assessing the home’s needed improvements.
By the time he finished checking everything in the house, the garage, and the small barn and sheds that Gramps had on the property, Tyler was hungry.
He’d stopped for lunch long enough to nuke a casserole that someone had dropped off at the house after the funeral and enjoyed another slice of Justice’s pie.
Wanting to repay the favor, he entered the kitchen, rolling his eyes. Who am I kidding? He wanted to see her, and it had nothing to do with paying her back for the pie.
In the few days he’d been around her, he was already craving to see her again and couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt that way about a woman.
He had no idea when she would get in from work, but he reached for the stack of restaurant menus Gramps always kept in a basket on the kitchen counter.
In the few years since his grandmother had passed, Tyler knew Gramps ate well, considering the number of dishes he talked about being brought by some of their church friends.
But he also knew that his grandfather had become adept at take-out menus.
Though he was glad they had traded phone numbers, he hesitated to call her. Chickening out, he typed out a text instead.
I wasn’t sure when you'd get home, but I can order dinner if you’d like.
He stared at the words for several minutes, trying to decide whether it sounded too polite, or too needy, or something in between.
Finally, realizing that the opportunity might pass if he didn’t take action, he hit Send.
For several minutes, there was nothing. Not usually a man to sit and stare at his phone, he hoped she would get the message.
Suddenly, his phone vibrated, but instead of a message, it was an incoming call. Seeing her name on the caller ID, he grinned. “Justice?”
“Hey, Tyler. I just got your message, and I’m leaving the hospital now. I’d love to have dinner, but I can pick something up since I’m already out.”
He was thrilled she wanted to share a meal. “Do you like pizza?” he asked.
“Absolutely!”
“Gramps has a take-out menu from A Slice of Italy. I remember getting pizza from them when I visited him.”
“They’re good,” Justice affirmed.
“I’ll call in the order, so all you have to do is pick it up.”
“Ooh, sounds good. Order any pizza you like, and I’ll arrive in about twenty minutes. When I get there, it should be fresh out of the oven. Then it’s just about ten more minutes to get home. You can just wait for me on the back porch if you get there before me.”
He agreed, then said goodbye and immediately called in the order.
Before long, he walked through the meadow to her house and soon heard tires on the gravel driveway.
She pulled to the back, and he walked straight to her car door.
She stepped out, and he reached over to take the pizza box from her.
He had ordered a large pizza and breadsticks, but she turned and grabbed another bag before shutting her car door.
“I wasn’t sure what else you liked or if you had been to the market. So I had them throw some salad and mozzarella sticks into the order.”
“Sounds good,” he said as he followed her into the house. It didn’t take long to plate their dinners, and each settled at the table with a cold beer in front of them.
He looked around, noting the warmth of the space, and smiled. “How was your dad?” Tyler asked.
“He’s good!” Her eyes sparkled as she answered. “When I got there, he was walking around, and I spoke to the doctor. They plan to keep him one more day for some tests tomorrow and send him home the day after.”
“I’m really glad, Justice. I know you’re eager to have him home.”
They attacked the pizza enthusiastically, chatting between bites and laughing over their shared appreciation of the meal. As Justice finished, she pushed her plate away and emitted a satisfied moan while patting her stomach. “What is it about pizza that always hits the spot?”
Finishing his last bite, Tyler mimicked her, leaning back and sipping his beer. “I don’t know why, but something as simple as take-out pizza always seems special.”
Her eyes widened in agreement. “Right? It’s so satisfying!” She smiled softly. “What did you do today?”
“I made a list after taking a look at everything.”
“Checking out the house?”
“Yeah, I went through each room to see what needed to be done.” Tyler wiped his mouth with a napkin, sighing. “I should tell you Anthony Milton came by today.”
Her eyes widened, distress flickering across her face. “Oh…”
“I sent him packing,” Tyler assured, watching relief wash over her.
Justice’s eyes softened, her smile tinged with sympathy. “I know it’s a lot for you to handle right now. I’m sorry you have to deal with all this.”
Her kindness seeped over him. “Right now, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” he admitted, meeting her gaze earnestly.
“Honestly, before the call about Gramps being in the hospital, I was uncertain about my next move beyond the plan to come here and help him out. Now, with Gramps gone, staying here and caring for this place is exactly what I want to do.”
She smiled, leaning forward to gently place her hand on his arm. “I understand. I know you’re not ready to make major decisions, and I respect that. But I have to admit that, selfishly, I’m enjoying getting to know you.”
Impressed with the unwavering honesty, he grinned. “I feel exactly the same way.”
They cleaned the dishes and then leaned against the kitchen counter, comfortably facing each other. “Besides seeing your dad, how was your day?” Tyler asked.
“Work is good,” Justice replied. “Everyone pitches in. Dad has always treated his employees like family. When we’ve needed them, they’ve always come through for us.”
Tyler sensed there was more she wasn’t sharing. He angled himself to face her directly. “But…?”
She looked at him, eyebrows knitted together. “But what?”
“It feels like you’re holding back. I like to think we’re becoming friends and that you could share.”
She chuckled lightly, nodding. “Are you sure you want to hear it?”
“One thing you’ll learn about me, Justice… I never say anything I don’t mean.”
Holding his gaze steadily, she nodded slowly, her smile genuine. “Good to know.”