Page 41 of Fortune’s Control (Fortune’s Creek #1)

I pulled off the dirt road, and the first cabin came into view.

“Shane.” She gripped the dashboard.

“What’s wrong?”

“When you said wood cabin, I pictured a run-down shack, with an old car up on concrete blocks. This is an actual wood cabin.”

Her bewilderment amused me. “Yes, it’s common for wood cabins to contain wood. You want to see them? This one is vacant.”

“It’s so pretty.” Lilah grabbed my hand off the steering wheel and squeezed.

“The cabins? I should hope so, considering they’re about to be a pain in my ass.

” If they were in town, or almost anywhere else, I’d sell the properties and be done with it.

However, my family purchased the land a long time ago, and my parents considered the property a part of our family legacy.

The cabins also formed the bulk of my income, and as much as I enjoyed woodworking and baseball, neither pursuit supported a family.

“You know I’ll help with that, right?” Lilah pulled her sunglasses up to grin at me. She’d developed a glow on her skin from her time outside, accentuating the pale freckles on her nose and cheeks.

Warmth spread through me, and not from her question. We were alone, with her mother back in Atlanta, and Sophie back at her job. Our life was ours, and selfishly, it meant more of her time belonged to me.

“Will you help replace the A/C unit and build a third cabin?” I asked, already knowing the answer, and loving her for it.

“I’ll help with many other things. Lucky for everyone, I come armed with spreadsheets and a calculator.” Lilah flashed the calculator app on her phone to prove it. “Do we meet with Jack after this?”

“Aiden’s job is wrapping up, so he’s available, and he agreed to do it.

” I worried for him and hoped this job would distract him from my sister.

Her last visit dashed my hopes of the two forming even a tepid truce.

After the apartment trashing, Jack appointed himself her full-time protector, which I appreciated and approved of.

That led to a blowout, with Sophie calling him an untrustworthy liar, and worse, before Jack retaliated by calling her mean and ungrateful.

That part bothered me. In the end, Sophie left town earlier than planned, and Jack went home to get drunk.

“This all assumes you tell me it’s feasible. ”

“We can do that,” she said. Lilah opened the truck door and forgot about Jack and everyone else. “Shane, this is stunning.” She leaned her head back and twirled, allowing her chestnut hair to swirl around her, catching the glints of sun that snuck through the thick trees.

She took my breath away and melted my heart. “You ready to see the creek?”

*****

“You lied, Shane Wilcott. Creeks are little trickles of water, enough to cover your feet. There’s room for boats in that.”

We stood on one of the large rocks at the water’s edge. Green roughage grew up all around us, disappearing into the crisp water below. “You see why we keep this land? Jack’ s parents held a couple of acres too, once upon a time, before they sold it.”

“Why would they do that?” I enjoyed the confusion in her voice.

“I don’t know. It wasn’t my place to ask. Do you see that log over there?” I pointed towards a slim figure further down the creek.

“The giant brown stick? What of it?”

“It’s a gator.” I picked up a rock and threw it.

“Impressive arm, Mr. Wilcott.” Lilah’s brown stick moved, causing her to jump and land in my arms, screaming. “That’s an alligator. I thought you were joking. They’re not supposed to be near me. They’re supposed to be away. Far, far away.”

“If there’s water nearby, assume they are as well.”

“I’d like to go inside now.”

Smiling, I helped her down, and we went into the cabin.

*****

“You want to build a third one similar to this?” Lilah wandered through the small cabin, picking up and fondling an old quilt sitting on a wooden rocking chair.

“My mother made that, and yes, the same design.”

She set the quilt down and picked up another, draped over the small sofa. “I’ll ask Jack to give me quotes and put it all together for you.” Her phone rang, and Lilah stared down at it with a sharp frown. “I wish service didn’t reach out here.”

“Who is it?”

She showed me the screen. “Detective Davis. What should I do? ”

“Whatever you want to do. Neither of them is my favorite person.”

Lilah gave me a pained expression and put the call on speakerphone. “Hello, Detective. Can I help you?”

“What are you doing talking to his lawyer?”

My frown matched hers. “How are you today, Detective Moore? We’re both here,” I said.

“Is that a threat?”

Huh? “I’m confused how a statement from a man more than a hundred miles away is a threat unless you’re in town. We could chat face to face if you’d prefer.”

Lilah’s mouth dropped open as she frantically swung her head. I shrugged.

“Why are you talking to his lawyer?”

“How do you know about that?” I asked.

“He sent requests to multiple departments wanting to know about unsolved crimes. Do you know what you’ve done?”

“I’m trying to save an innocent man,” Lilah said. Her stubborn chin jutted out. “I tried telling you more than once. Whoever killed Sandy Cooper wasn’t her ex-boyfriend. Where’s Detective Davis? Could I talk to him, please? Isn’t this his phone?”

“It’s his work phone, and Davis is on personal leave, which puts me in charge. In the future, inform us before you go speak to his lawyer.”

“We’re on the phone now,” Lilah protested.

I butted in. “My wife has cooperated with your investigation from the beginning. You can listen to her now, or I hang up, and we speak through our lawyer.”

Lilah struck a softer note. “We can send you a photo of the man who broke into our house. He’s the one who attacked me with his car, and he’s the one who killed Sandy Cooper.

It’s him, I’m telling you. The other girls wore glasses and looked like her.

It’s not her ex. He spoke with a soft, southern accent. ”

“Send me his picture. Not to this number.”

“What?” she asked.

“Send me the entire video to my personal phone. You got a pen ready?”

I pulled out my phone. “Send it.” Moore provided the number, and I added the contact information. “You’ll have it as soon as we’re home.”

“To that number. Not this one, you got that? You’re still in that town? Treasure River?”

Lilah glared at the phone, horrified. “Fortune’s Creek.”

“Yeah, stay there,” Moore said, and the call ended.

“The absolute disrespect from that guy. How dare he speak of our town like that?” She threw her phone onto the sofa, where it landed with a soft plop. “That man is a pain in our ass.”

I laughed at her twist on my earlier words. “A big one. It’s convenient he isn’t nearby.”

“So you can yell in his face?”

“Something like that.”

“Shane, if there’s more I should do, please tell me. I don’t want to be afraid of him.”

I didn’t ask who she referred to. “You’ve reached out to everyone with the power to find him and pushed forward despite the risk.

You felt alone, yet you kept going. That’s bravery, Lilah.

That’s all you.” She raised her hands to protest. “I love you. Following you that day was the smartest decision I’ve ever made.

You took my breath away from the beginning, and I’ve been falling deeper ever since. ”

“Shane.”

“You aren’t returning to Atlanta or finding a new home when this ends.

You’re staying here with me because this is where you belong, and I won’t give you up.

We were destined to end up here, and I know what you’re thinking.

” Lilah’s head tilted, proving me correct.

“You think we’re here because Aiden played a prank, and I pitied you?

Nope, I wanted you from the moment I saw you, so I took you.

Our ending was determined before we ever met, and all I did was manipulate the situation for my benefit. ”

The words were unplanned; hell, the entire speech was unplanned. Not because it wasn’t sincere, but because I pictured telling her in a more romantic way, perhaps after an evening out, or over a shared bottle of wine. Instead, they fell out of me in a jumble, because I couldn’t keep them in.

“I also recognize how that sounds, but I trust you know me by now. My only regret is that I didn’t see you coming when I should have.

You were out in the world, and I didn’t know it.

It took your coming to Fortune’s Creek for me to find you, but you’re here now, and I won’t let you leave. I love you.”

“Shane.” My name came out in a harsh whisper.

She wiped her eyes, and her expression changed into one I knew would stay with me for the rest of my days.

“I love you, too. It’s not sudden, nor is it because you told me.

I have for a long time. How could I not?

And if you think I’m brave, it’s because of your support. I found it with your help.”

“There won’t be an annulment or a divorce. We won’t use those words.”

“We will use one word.”

My eyes narrowed. “What’s that?”

“Three words.”

I relaxed. “ I love you.”

“Shane, will you go swimming with me now?”

“Hell, I’ll go every day, starting now.”