Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Daisy
Clover:
I know you didn’t ask for help today, but can I drop by and see Maui?
Swift:
She would love to see you. Fingers crossed you don’t walk into a mess.
Clover:
No big deal if I do. Thanks.
Blondes aren’t usually my type, but when my eyes land on the blonde in the corner booth popping a tater tot in her mouth, nobody has ever looked so beautiful.
Charlie’s laptop is open in front of her, paperwork spread out across the table, a basket of tots at her fingertips and contentment dancing in her eyes.
“Well, look who’s out in the wild.”
She stretches her arms above her head. “And it feels so good.”
“Yeah?” I take the seat across from her and pop a tot in my mouth.
Her eyes go wide. “You're lucky I love you.” She pulls her basket of fried goodness out of my reach.
“So, did Cal beg you to stay or push you out the door?”
“Neither,” she huffs, pushing her hair behind her ears. “He’s infuriatingly perfect.”
“And that’s bad because...”
“It’s not.”
“Okay...”
“He gets up in the middle of the night. He changes diapers. Does the laundry. Cleans the house. Takes care of the dog. Checks in at the store. Rubs my feet and cooks dinner, smiling through it all.”
“Uh... that sounds awful?”
She throws her head back and groans in frustration.
“I know... I know... He’s perfect! And I’m irritated.
” She tosses another tot in her mouth, chews and takes a deep breath.
“I watch him juggling it all, happy as a damn clam, while I sit in a chair either feeding the baby or hooked up to a machine that’s milking me like a cow. ”
“You know, it’s normal for a new mom to be emotional. You’re allowed. Or do you think it’s more than that?”
“No, no. It’s not the baby blues or postpartum depression.
I know it doesn't sound like it, but I’ve never been happier.
” There’s a hint of madness in her giggle.
“I swear, ninety percent of the time I look at Cal and Gracie and wonder how I got so lucky. And then out of nowhere, like when I left the house, and he kissed me goodbye I got irritated for no reason. I love him so much, and he is the best partner I could ask for. Everything will be great and then, bam!” She claps her hands together.
“I want to punch him in that perfect face of his.”
“Girl, I’ve felt the same since I was five. I get it.”
“Seriously, what’s wrong with me? I’m such an asshole.”
“You are not an asshole. You’re adjusting. It hasn’t even been three weeks. Give yourself some grace.”
“I know you're right. But man. These uncontrollable emotions suck.”
“Maybe you’ve been doing too much. You didn’t even take a full week away from the business.”
“Woman, don’t you take work away from me. Working, even on the small stuff, is what keeps me sane.”
The attorney in her, who’s used to working endless hours a week, can’t stand to be idle.
Holding my hands up in surrender, I say, “Yes, ma’am. You work all you want.”
“Thank you.” She plops another tot in her mouth. “Now, speaking of work. Let’s talk about your meeting with the crew this morning.”
My phone pings with an incoming message.
Swift:
Give her a kiss for me.
I’ll be damned if my stomach doesn’t do a somersault when I read Owen’s message. And that pisses me off. No matter what my head says, my traitorous body and heart so often refuse to believe the facts of the matter.
From a distance, it’s innocent enough, but I know what he’s doing. He thinks he’s luring me into more with his proposed shared custody of Maui. That his sweet comments are going to win me over.
I start to text him back, but change my mind, setting my phone face down on the table so I don’t see any other incoming messages. It’s best to leave it alone, because with Owen any attention is good attention. At least in his delulu mind.
“Everything okay?”
“Yep. So, about the meeting at the job site this morning. Everything is on track and, believe it or not, the kitchen tile came in a week early. I think we’re going to finish right on time.”
I keep the conversation flowing so she doesn’t ask me about Mark. They're good friends, and I know she’s hoping something long-term will come of us, but he’s not my person. As long as things stay casual, it works for me, but I don’t want to talk about it, so I keep the topic on work.
“That’s great news. And the crew is working out?”
“Yes, and no. Devon is great, but some of the guys he’s brought on, not so much.”
“What happened?” she groans.
“Well, you know Dusty Armstrong? He’s always been an asshole, and today he proved how correct that assessment of him is.
I was in the primary walk-in closet taking measurements when he came in and tried to take over, telling me I wasn’t doing it right.
Like I don’t know how to measure a damn closet?
Please. He came up behind me, pretending he was helping me with the measuring tape, and pressed himself against me.
It was so gross, I could feel his erection against my butt.
I stepped away and told him to go fuck himself.
Then he called me darlin’ and told me I was overreacting.
So, you know. A typical day with a work crew. ”
I don’t tell her that being cornered in that closet brought on flashbacks from years ago. And that as easy as it is for me to handle myself, it doesn’t mean that assholes like Dusty don’t bring back memories I rarely think of. Memories that have shaped the woman I am.
“Why do most men have to be such douchebags? And so predictable?” Charlie asks with a disgusted look on her face.
“Luckily, the two of us have thick skin, and don’t mind putting them in their place. So, about this meeting I have this afternoon. I don’t know what it is, but I’m getting a bad vibe.”
“You want me to come with you?”
“No, it’s not like that. I don’t get predator vibes. It just feels like he hasn’t told us the entire story.”
“What do we know so far? Just that he’s looking for a piece of land and plans to fix up what he finds, right?”
“Yep. Says he wants to have his designer be a part of the process all the way through, including finding the property. I don’t know; something about it feels strange. But I’ll take the meeting and see what’s up.”
“Any news about those investors from the East Coast trying to buy up all the acreage outside of town?”
“Nope, they’ve gone quiet, thank goodness.”
She’s referring to the letters and emails our family and the surrounding ranches have received.
The letters implied they were going to buy our families' land. They weren’t inquiring whether our land was for sale.
They were telling us what they were doing.
Our four families got together, and all agreed we weren't for sale. The way they were trying to bulldoze their way in didn’t sit right with me or anyone else.
I’ll do whatever I can to keep them out of Oregon.
“Good. Glad to hear they’ve backed off.” She spins her laptop around to face me, and we go over the proposal we’re going to present to a potential new client next week.
For the next hour we knock out everything on our to-do list, and I have an hour to spare between now and my next meeting. Time to swing by Owen’s and give Maui that kiss from her daddy.
“You know what, Chad,” I say to the suited prick sitting across from me. “You’re ruining one of my favorite restaurants, so I’m going to end this before the damage is irreversible. The Bang Bang Shrimp is too good to never have again.”
My vibes were right. Chad is a douchebag who lured me here under false pretenses.
He had no intention of remodeling an old Bend home in the coveted Northwest Crossing area.
He’s here for a land grab. To be more precise, he’s with the East Coast group that sent those letters last month.
He’s here to bully me to get to my family’s land.
I scoot out of the booth, and he mimics my action. Once I’m on my feet, I grab my bag and throw it over my shoulder, intending to leave, but the asshole won’t quit.
“Your family may never get an offer like this again. I’m doing you a favor.”
A favor?
“The McKinnons aren’t for sale.” I turn on my heel and push out of the restaurant door. I can feel the creep following too close behind me.
“I know your mom is on her own now, and it’s likely too much for her to take care of. It’s only a matter of time.”
Aw, hell no. He was a prick before, but he’s made it personal.
Now I’m seething. Once again spinning to face him, only now on the sidewalk for the public view, I point a finger in his face.
“Don’t you speak about my mother ever again.
Do you understand? My family is off-limits. Not just our land, but the people.”
Smugly, he shoves his hands in his expensive pants pockets, a creepy smile revealing itself. He loves that he’s got me wound up. But the fact that he knows my mom is alone worries me. “All we ask is that you present the offer to your mother. Or maybe I can stop by and talk to her?”
“Leave my mother out of this. Don’t call her.
Don’t set foot on our property. And make sure you do better research.
Two of my brothers have homes on the property.
My mother is far from alone. Lose my number, and if anyone in my family gets a call from you or your people, our lawyers will be in touch. ”
Pivoting away from him, I make it two steps before he speaks. “That’s fine. We’ll start with the surrounding ranches. We’ll buy them up bit by bit and choke your family out. The best part is we’ll be paying you a lot less by the time you cave.”
My heart is thundering beneath my rib cage with the fear that what he threatens could actually come to fruition. It’s a feat to keep my feet moving and my mouth shut, but I don’t want to give him what he wants. He’s enjoying our argument a little too much.
I’m grateful when I reach my truck. Rounding the back end of it, I jump when I see Chad standing on the sidewalk, hands still in his pockets. I was so in my head I didn’t realize he continued following me.
“Put the business aside. Come have a drink with me in my hotel room.”
My only reply is to flip him the bird before I drive away.
What is wrong with the men in this town today?