Page 40 of Mine

Not even close.

By the time I clocked out of Fiddlers Saturday evening, I was tired, sore, and already mentally bracing for Sunday’s performance. I ended my shift early, got in my fancy SUV, and had Marshal take me to West’s house. It was somewhere near the lake, which made me irrationally angry.

The lake wasn’t far from Fiddlers, maybe thirty minutes. I was familiar with that drive because I took it several times a week when I was trying to buy Dad and me our own lake house. I may have resolved that I didn’t hate West like I thought I would.

My phone pinged with a text, and I glanced down to see a message from my dad.

Dad

Take chewing gum.

Dad had been asleep when I got home from work Friday, and I left early Saturday to make some calls and get Mandy to the bar. I had some ordering to do as well. But I’d left him a note that I was leaving town with West until Monday and he had been texting me randomly all day with tips for my first plane ride.

Blue

The window seat is bladder prison, the tray table is not for my feet, and take some chewing gum. Got it.

Dad

Love you.

Blue

Love you too!

I smiled down at my phone, already missing my dad, but knowing he was having the time of his life with Lisa taking care of his every whim. He may have been in bed when I left, but Lisa was already at the house making brunch and prepping an area for Dad’s physical therapy. She really was a godsend.

The car turned and started to slow, so I looked up from my phone and watched as we entered a small drive that was lined with a white picket fence. My mouth immediately opened in shock, my gasp loud enough that Marshal glanced in his rearview mirror at me.

The house was not what I expected. It was a modest one-story tucked between a row of trees. It had a fresh coat of paint, modern details added around the trim, and only a small amount of landscaping added along the walkway to the front door.

It was not what I expected from West, who seemed to bask in owning all the finer things. The house may have had some work done, but it was still older and humble, which was the complete opposite of West Brooks.

My blood began to boil as I stepped out of the car and looked around. Despite not hating West the way I planned, I was once again on the verge of scratching his eyes out. Because this house was the one I had wanted. The one he bought to flip and resell.The one I gave up on knowing it was going to cost too much once he had his way with it.

This house should have been mine.

Chapter Twenty-Two

WEST

"Just head backto Atlanta after you talk to Marshal," I told Marcus as I paced the living room, glancing at the clock again. Blue was on her way, staying the night so we could get to know each other a little more. Which, under normal circumstances, sounded like a decent plan. But these weren’t normal circumstances. They never were with her.

“What shall I do?” He asked, apparently unaware of how to spend his time alone.

“What do you mean what shall you do? Take a damn day off. Go fishing, drink a beer, take in a Kings game. I don’t care.”

Marcus smirked but shook his head, “That isn’t what I meant.”

"We’ve got an extra driver and Marshal can take us to the airport tomorrow morning."

Marcus, in all his ex-military glory, didn’t even blink. "Who do you want picking you up Monday?"

"Both of you. The executive airport’s halfway between Atlanta and Harmony Haven. She’ll need to head back here, and I’ll need to get back to the city."

He nodded and pulled his phone out when it chimed. Then, without a word, he held the screen toward me.

“Miss Caldwell is here,” he said, showing the gate cam feed.