He also had some really new information. Macie Jackson had dreamed that he married Cami? It had been such a reality to her she’d painted a picture of their future.
Now for the million-dollar question. Did Ben tell Cami?
15
Two days later, Ben climbed the ladder for the last time. The shutters were repaired, painted, and rehung.
As he stored the ladder in the barn, Aunt Myrtle May yoohooed for him again. She stood on the porch with a glass of tea. He’d just downed the entire thing when a white Ford F-150 rumbled toward the inn.
Two men exited the truck, talking and laughing, stopping at the truck bed to grab tool belts and tools.
“Those boys look to be far from home.” Myrtle May gestured at the men and called for Bart to follow her. “I’m going inside, but you holler for me or Walt if you need backup.”
Ben handed Myrtle May his empty glass as she passed, then went to meet the men. “How can I help you today?”
The older man lifted his clipboard and glanced over the paper. “I’m Dean Wicker. Akron Development hired us to do an environmental study. Need to see how many buildings they can put on here.”
“Excuse me?” The ground shifted beneath Ben, a personal earthquake. “Akron hired you? To do an environmental study?”
“Test the soil and water so when they knock this place down?—”
“Dean, I’m Ben Carter, the owner. Akron does not own this place.” Not yet anyway.
“Says here they do.”
“We haven’t closed yet.”
“Don’t know about that, but we got our orders.”
“Look, can you just give me a minute?” Ben pulled out his phone. “Let me make a call.”
Had he been a complete fool? All that mushy sentiment from Brant and how Macie had dreamed about him and Cami. And where was Cami on this? She’d promised she would protect the inn from her father. They’d not even closed, and Brant had sent an environmental crew.
Cami’s phone rang without an answer. So he left her a message. “Cami, it’s me, Ben. Call me. It’s important.” He hit End and turned back to the men. “Listen, you’ll just have to come back later.”
“Not until we get a call from someone at Akron.”
Ben started for the barn. He’d sort of liked Brant Jackson the other day as he’d waxed about the past. He’d given him Cami’s painting. But Brant had just been on a scouting mission. Seeing what he could put over on Ben. Cami would be powerless to stop him.
Ben felt like the kid his parents had dropped off in Hearts Bend, promising they’d return for him in the summer. But he’d never lived in Papua New Guinea again. Not until after college.
His phone buzzed with a call from Cami. “Hey, sorry I missed your call. What’s wrong? You sounded upset.”
“You promised.” He didn’t bother to moderate his voice. “You promised to protect the inn. You weren’t going to let your dad destroy this place.”
“He’s not going to destroy the inn. Ben, what’s going on?”
“Two environmental surveyors showed up to take soil samples. Akron hired them. Said that Akron was going to tear down the inn.” Ben paced in frustration. Did he have a big L on his forehead?
“Ben, slow down. What are you talking about? Dad hired an environmental team?”
“Dean Wicker.”
“Dean? Oh, Ben, I’m sure this is a misunderstanding.”
“The misunderstanding is that you thought you could control your father. Cami, he can do whatever he wants without telling you, especially if you’re in another state. And here I thought he was kind of nice when he showed up here the other day.”
“He showed up at the inn?”
