Chapter 22 #2
The door creaks open, and a just woken up Baylee stands with the door half open, “Bohdi.” She says my name like it tastes like shit.
“Good morning to you, Bay. Is Kai here?”
Baylee raises one eyebrow, “Oh, now you come? Where the hell were you last night, Bohdi? I should slam the door in your face. But, I won’t.”
I force my smile back because Baylee is literally the sweetest person, and I know she’s just trying to protect my brother and her best friend.
She pushes the door the rest of the way open, stepping to the side, “He’s in the kitchen.”
I walk in but stop, not knowing where the kitchen is. “Lead the way.” I sweep out my hand.
“Oh, that’s right, you’ve never been here.” She tightens her robe around herself, padding the way to the kitchen. Innuendos in those words.
I take in the details of the house, marveling at every one I see when I walk by.
An archway leads into the kitchen. “Guess who the cat dragged in,” Baylee calls to Kai.
When I walk in, his eyes get big before he sets his coffee cup on the counter. “Bohdi.” His face is confused, his eyes searing into me.
“Morning. I’m sorry to burst in here, but I need to talk to you,” I spit out.
His eyes narrow at me. “I don’t want an apology about last night. I’ve tried to give you chances, but at the end of the day, I’m the one who gets hurt by my big brother.” He moves to the small, round kitchen table, sitting and watching me.
Kai looks at Baylee, who gives him a look that makes him sigh loudly. “Grab a cup of coffee and sit. I have to be at August’s in forty minutes; you’re messing up my morning with my wife.”
Nodding, I walk to the half-full coffee pot, pouring a cup of black coffee before sitting across from my brother, who’s sitting just watching me.
“First, I want to say I’m sorry.” Kai opens his mouth.
“Let me talk, please.” I raise my hand to shush him.
“This apology is for things you don’t know about, for the reason why I’ve been distant since I’ve come back to Driftwood Bay.
For not coming to you, to my family, to help hold the burden with me. ”
Kai’s eyes shoot at Baylee, who sits there looking as confused as Kai.
Breathing deeply, blowing the words out, I say, “When Dad had his stroke, they went to the Williams for their help.”
Kai takes a sip of his coffee. “I know,” he replies before putting it down.
“I should have been there when they signed the contract for the four hundred thousand, but Molly talked me into going out of town with her, and I thought our parents were safe with these people I trusted. I was wrong.” I spit the words out. Because this is my fault and I should never have left.
Baylee’s breathing is loud. “What?” she mutters to me. Her attention is fully on me now. I look at Kai, his nostrils flaring.
“Mom and Dad thought they were signing a loan contract for four hundred thousand, when really, they switched out the papers right before, for a contract stating they were to pay back one point-five million dollars.”
“What the fuck?” Kai’s voice booms before he’s out of his seat, looming down at me. Anger wafting from him, his eyes crazy now.
“Please let me finish. The contract states they have 10 years to pay it back, or the land and marina are due to the Williams for breach of contract…or,” I pause, looking at both of them, their mouths hang open, disbelief written on their face, “when I marry Molly, it will be put on me, that I have to pay by working for them, for free, and being under their guises and their wants. And they’d leave the Marina alone, but I don’t think they would have. ”
“Bohdi.” Kai’s voice hints at disbelief. “And why are you coming here now to tell me… Us?” His gaze briefly goes to Baylee, then back to me.
“I found out about them sabotaging the cottage, their plans for it, and how far back this all has gone, not too long ago. That is why I’m at the bed-and-breakfast; I left Molly and have been trying to figure out how to pay them off.
I didn’t want you, Mom, or Dad to have to worry about this.
This is my fault for bringing these kinds of people around us.
Because of me, a multi-generation business and land will be taken.
I couldn’t put this burden on any of you.
” I look to Baylee to let her know I’m meaning her as well.
Baylee holds up her finger. “Wait, the cottage?”
Pursing my lips, I say, “She didn’t tell you? The Williams have been the ones that wanted it so long ago, fighting Craig for it. They wanted to bulldoze it and put in a spa.”
“These people. But, Bohdi, that is a lot of money. I don’t know how that is possible.” Baylee looks to Kai, worry etched on her face.
“Don’t even think about it.” Kai sees what she isn’t saying, and I’m confused until he speaks, “This is your home; this will be our child's home in a few months. This is our home.”
My eyes shoot between the both of them, understanding what he just said: Baylee is pregnant. “Oh.” I laugh, which feels weird in a moment like this.
Kai smiles at me, “You’re going to be an uncle. Congratulations. That is also the announcement you missed last night,” he snips out.
“Wow.” I feel my eyes watering, but I shake my head. Knowing this really needs to be done so it doesn’t get taken from another generation that’s soon to come.
“I have found out some information, and I plan to use that to get what we need. I’ll sell my soul for my family, and I plan to do that.”
“Bohdi.” Baylee jerks her head to me, her red hair making it look like she’s on fire at the moment, flames following her with her movement. “Absolutely not; we can all figure something out.”
“This is more than us; this is the whole town at stake. They’ve been trying to buy everyone out, wanting to make Driftwood Bay the new popular destination for rich people, and that will not happen if I have anything to do with it.” I tell them both truthfully.
Kai’s face morphs from concern to rage. “What does that mean?”
“They’ve been trying to buy the candy store since forever, along with August Cove, now the marina.
There is no telling who all they’ve tried to strong-arm.
But with one little secret I now hold that will implode Todd's world, I'm going to ensure they leave us alone and hopefully run them out of town.”
I can see Kai’s mind spinning, wanting to ask what I know, so I just let it out, “The new bar owner of Pirate's Hideaway is Todd’s illegitimate son from his own maid.”
“What the hell?” Kai and Baylee say at the same time, and we all laugh, the tension breaking a bit.
“Driftwood Bay is small; you have to watch where you talk.” I wink at Kai. I’m armed with what I need to make this all stop. To get my life back, to get my family back… and maybe to get August back. I stand up. “I love you both, and I’m fixing to make everything right once again.”
I don’t give them time to stop or talk me out of it, and just head out of the house. My adrenaline is rushing, my heart pounding, and I’m sweating by the time I get to the bed and breakfast, jumping on my motorcycle with one destination in mind: the Williams estate.