Page 48 of The Love Ambush (The Sullivans #1)

Gentry

I ’m still in my pajamas when the doorbell rings Saturday morning. My first thought is that it’s Levi. It’s been two days since I sent him the text about Dad selling the house, and I haven’t heard a word back.

If it is him, I’m not sure what I’ll do. What I want to do is throw my arms around him and hug him until I stop missing him. I’m not mad at him anymore, not really. But I don’t trust him, and I can’t let him think we’re good until I’m sure he won’t betray my trust again.

I’m halfway to the front door when Trisha hurries past me. She’s already dressed for the day in slacks and a flimsy blouse with a huge bow at the throat. “That’s probably the real estate agent. He’s taking pictures today. Can you clean up and take the girls somewhere?”

I don’t have a chance to answer before she’s swinging the door open.

Deacon Sullivan, tall and lean, in jeans that fit just right and a button-down shirt that looks a size too big, smiles.

The sun hits his red hair in such a way that it makes it look prettier than the fall leaves.

“Good morning, ladies. I’m sorry to bother you so early, but Mr. Stinson asked me to stop by to do a quick home inspection. ”

Since when does Levi’s brother do home inspections? Not that I know all that much about the family business…

“Don’t the sellers usually hire the home inspector?” Trisha asks.

Deacon smiles like he’s about to tell her she’s won one million dollars.

“Typically that’s the way things go, but with a house this age, Stinson likes to do his due diligence and get a jump on any potential problems. With all the new homes going up in the mountains near the brand-new resort, it’s getting harder to sell the older homes closer to town.

We don’t want any obstacles in the way of a sale. ”

That all sounds reasonable, and Trisha seems to agree, because she steps out of the way and gestures for Deacon to come in.

Deacon is a few years older than me, and I don’t know him well, but he did join Levi on a visit once.

It was one of the rare times that Brodie had invited me out with them to bowling and a meal.

Deacon’s a fun guy, not as good-looking as Levi, but his eyes sparkle with a very similar mischief, and it makes me miss Levi even more.

“We definitely don’t want there to be any obstacles to a sale,” Trisha says. “Where do you want to start?”

“Are you in a hurry to sell?” Deacon asks with a pointed interest. “Where are you headed?”

Trisha takes a step back, glancing my way nervously. “We’re just looking to downsize. Why do you ask?”

“Just curious,” Deacon says. “We’ve had a problem with folks trying to sell a home because it needs major work and they want it to become someone else’s problem.”

Trisha places a hand over her chest, looking shocked. “We would never.”

“What’s going on here?” Dad asks, joining us with a wary smile. “You invited a guest over at the break of dawn, Gentry?”

I watch Dad closely, sure he’s going to remember that he’s met Deacon before, but Dad continues to look at me expectantly.

“I don’t know him,” I lie. I immediately feel guilty, but I’m not going to be the one to interfere in what I’m sure is a plan orchestrated by Levi. “He’s here to inspect the house.”

Dad goes pale and his eyes widen. “You need a warrant to search my home.”

Deacon laughs a little too loudly. “I’m a home inspector, Mr. Lendew. I’m helping Mr. Stinson and you out by finding any potential issues before the house goes on the market.”

“Jamie didn’t say anything about that,” Dad says, hands on hips, his smile hardening.

“He sent you an email,” Deacon says, already wandering toward the kitchen.

Dad pulls out his phone and scans through it.

“Oh, wow,” Deacon says, hugely dramatic. “This is going to be a problem.”

Dad and Trisha hurry into the kitchen, but I don’t follow. I head out to the front porch to be sure to catch Deacon before he leaves.

I’m still there an hour later when Deacon comes out, Dad and Trisha following him, looking decidedly grim.

“We don’t have to reveal this stuff to a potential buyer,” Dad says.

“Of course not,” Deacon says cheerfully. “But they’re going to hire a home inspector and find out on their own. The smart thing is to go ahead and make the repairs now to facilitate a quick sale. Your wife said you want to sell the house as quickly as possible, right?”

Dad glances at me and winces. He doesn’t like that I heard that.

Interesting. “Getting a good price so our family will be taken care of is more important than selling quickly,” Dad says.

“But we don’t have the money to make all these fixes before the sale.

We’re just going to have to hope the buyer hires a shitty home inspector. ”

Trisha twists her hands together, frowning furiously.

Deacon shrugs. “It’s up to you, of course. Do you still want me to check your roof and gutters?”

“No,” Dad says firmly. “I don’t want to know about anything else that’s wrong with this house.”

“Okay,” Deacon says. “I’m sorry to have wasted your time, folks. Enjoy the rest of your—”

But Dad and Trisha have already stomped back into the house, slamming the door behind them.

“Wow,” Deacon says with a warm grin my way. “I guess they don’t appreciate my findings.”

“What did you find?” I ask.

He scratches his head. “There were several nail pops visible, which means they really should tear out the walls and replace the drywall. I saw a hint of a stain on the ceiling under the upstairs bathroom, definitely significant water damage. They should probably have the house inspected for black mold. The stair railing is loose. The appliances are outdated. The floors inside are tilted, which probably means there’s damage to the foundation.

And the windows are outdated. Any home buyer who knows what they’re doing would ask for all of that to be fixed. ”

“Really?” I ask.

“Yep,” he says as he shakes his head in the negative.

“Wow, that’s got to be expensive,” I say, finally letting myself smile. Worry slides off my shoulders. “Let me walk you to your truck so you can tell me more.”

Deacon links his arm through mine as we walk. “It’s good to see you again, Gentry.”

“You too.” I wait until we’re standing next to his truck and far out of earshot of the house to speak.

“Want to tell me what’s really going on here?

Jamie Stinson’s going to be by later today for photos, and there’s no way Dad’s not going to bend his ear about what you’ve said to him about the house. ”

“Not a problem,” Deacon says. “Jamie knows I’m here. Like I told your dad, I’m working for him.”

“So Jamie’s in on this whole thing?” I never imagined the Sullivans had that level of influence in Catalpa Creek.

“Jamie’s been an excellent partner to Sullivan construction and we’re looking to strengthen that partnership. I help him out whenever he asks.”

Oh, wow. So, concessions are being made. I hope the Sullivans actually want to work with Jamie Stinson more. I don’t know anything about the guy or his business. “What are you all getting yourselves into?”

He pats my shoulder. “Levi says you’re family. We do whatever we can to help family. Always.”

My chest is aching like a piece of it has been lasered out. I want Levi here now. I want him to tell me everything about the plan. I want to be able to thank him with a thousand kisses, because… The truth lands in my gut like a boulder, knocking the air from my lungs.

I’m in love with Levi Sullivan.

“Where is Levi?” I ask. “He’s not answering my calls or texts.”

Deacon winces and looks away. “Levi’s out of the state on business right now, so he’s hard to reach.”

“Out of state?” What is that panicky feeling? “What’s he doing in another state?”

Deacon opens the door of his truck. “I believe he’s looking into what sort of trouble your father got himself into back in Wyoming.

Levi asked me to tell you he’ll be in touch as soon as he has some useful information.

In the meantime, my brothers and I are going to do everything we can to make sure your dad doesn’t sell this house. ”

That can’t be good. “Why can’t Levi tell me himself?”

He shrugs. “He seemed to think the less you had to talk to him, the happier you’d be.”

“Tell him…” I pause. What do I want Deacon to tell Levi? “Just tell him to be careful.”

“Don’t worry about a thing, Gentry,” he says as he swings himself behind the wheel. “We’re going to take care of you and your sisters.”

Before I can ask anymore questions, Deacon shuts the door and starts the engine.

I’m halfway back to the house when Sophie and Emily come out onto the porch. Seeing them in their pajamas reminds me I’ve just been talking to Deacon in mismatched pajamas with my hair unbrushed.

Hopefully, when he talks to Levi, he won’t tell him about that part.

“What’s going on?” Sophie asks. “What was that man doing in the house?”

I’m not going to lie to my sisters when the real estate agent is going to be here later today. “You know how Trisha’s been so insistent on keeping the house clean?”

Sophie nods, frowning. “It’s annoying, but the house does look good.”

I’ve been amazed that neither of my sisters has complained to me about being asked to clean all the time, but I’ve also been freaking out about Dad selling the house, so it hasn’t been my top concern.

“Well, she and Dad have put the house on the market.”

“What does that mean?” Emily asks. “Like the garden show?”

Every spring, Catalpa Creek hosts a tour of fancy old homes and their fancy gardens. “No. It means that he and Trisha want to sell the house. They want the four of you to move into a smaller house, one that doesn’t require so much upkeep.”

“What the fuck?” Emily screeches. “I just got my room exactly the way I want and —” She jolts forward and tosses a glare at Sophie, who’s already glaring at her.