He stared at his phone, watching as the message went from gray to blue. A small sign popped up at the bottom:delivered.
“Sheesh!” If Burke knew Greg, the man was likely taking today off, being the day after Thanksgiving and all, but suddenly his phone began to ring.
Greg calling,the screen read.
Burke was quick to bring it to his ear. “What’s up, man?”
“Burke,” Greg said, a bit of worry coating his voice. “The property you’re talking about sold.”
His stomach dropped. “Not the one in Piney Falls…”
“That’s the one. Ten times your purchase price—in cash.”
“Cash?” He cursed under his breath; it reallywasfinal then. Not that a buyer, at that price, would have had a choice; no bank would have lent them that asking price.
Burke groaned and plunked onto the bed. “Who bought it?”
“Some developers under the name D & L Factories Inc. They’re requesting a rush from the county to break ground before winter hits.”
Factories?Another curse fell from his lips. “Is there any way we can retract?”
“You know there isn’t, man. What’s the problem?”
“Nothing. Can you, um…send me over the details of the buyer?”
“Sure thing.”
“Thanks. I’ll catch up with you after the weekend.”
Burke ended the call and fell back onto the bed with a groan. How many times had he told himself to shoot Greg a simple text about the property? Why had he waited until he got to the cabin to do it?
He’d been too busy courting a woman he was about to, inadvertently, screw over in a big way.
He scrambled for a defense, but there was none. He should have prevented this. He should have understood that improbable did not mean impossible. The effects of his carelessness chanced hurting everyone he cared about.
Justine, with the sale of land she held dear. A muddied view of the stars she cherished. And possible contamination of the very air she breathed.
And the Bentons…here they were, putting themselves out there, all so he felt like one of them. What if this whole thing blew up somehow? The media could take it and run, exposing the jerk who purchased and sold the falls of Piney Falls. And the fake engagement too—all of it involving none other than the new Benton brother.
With what felt like a boulder in his heart, Burke forced himself to get ready for the event. On the drive there, he’d try contacting someone at D & L Factorieshimself. Though he knew firsthand that—if the owner had enough money—he could make that nearly impossible.
Still, Burke was determined that—whatever he had to do—whatever it took—he would secure the property and preserve it for the people of Piney Falls. If he didn’t, Justine would never forgive him.
* * *
“Hey, Justine.”
The sound of Lenny Foster’s voice stopped Justine in her tracks as she headed out of the city building. The last thing she wanted to do was get stuck at the office for a minute more; she had only an hour to get ready for tonight’s event as it was. Playing catch up after being gone most of the week hadn’t been as easy as she’d thought. And even still, she hadn’t even gotten to her paper filing or her mail inbox.
“Did you hear that Billy Ingles’ grandson gave the property up?”
Justine froze in place. She needed no elaboration onthe propertyhe was referring to. The Ingles family had owned a massive piece of Piney Falls since the town was established long ago, part of which contained none other than the town’s very own falls.
She winced. “No. Why?”
“Money, I guess. He held out for the waiting time stipulated in the will, but as soon as that passed…” He shrugged.
“Shoot. Can we put in a bid for the falls at least?” she asked.
