Page 2 of On One Condition

The creaking of the screen door sounds seconds before I hear, “Asher, honey?”

“Coming, Gran,” I call out with a roll of my eyes as I take a few steps toward the house, Ledger’s and my linked hands outstretched between us for as long as possible until they break. I turn and face him. “Promise you’ll be there? At the tree?”

“On one condition.”

“What’s that?”

He holds his hands out to his sides. “That you’ll love me forever,” he whisper-yells before flashing me a grin that could light up the darkened sky.

Laughing, and feeling like nothing in the world could ever ruin this feeling, I jog back to where he’s standing and press a kiss to his lips. “I promise.”

I turn and take off running through the fields toward the house, emitting a whoop as I go. When I hit the steps of the veranda, breathless but still giddy, I turn back to look at him one last time. He’s standing in a strip of moonlight. His hands are shoved in his pockets, his back is against the bed of his truck, and he’s looking straight at me with that smile still on his lips.

I blow a kiss in his direction and know that I’ll always think of him like this. My moonlight boy who said he’d love me forever.

CHAPTER ONE

Ledger

Dear Sharpe International Network,

We, the members of Cedar Falls City Council, are writing to object to certain issues pertaining to your recent purchase and current renovations of The Retreat. While we value free enterprise, we also value the citizens of our town and their livelihoods. In your quest to resort-ize, commercialize, and bastardize our town, many small businesses that have been staples in our community for generations now worry about being wiped out by your big-business mentality.

In the original application for your conditional-use permit submitted to our City Council on February 13th, Sharpe International Network proposed that your resort would create new jobs and help stimulate our economy. As of the date of this letter, you have yet to keep your promises. All contracts issued by S.I.N. thus far have been awarded to firms from Billings and beyond. Not from Cedar Falls proper.

While we understand you are a business that needs to remain profitable, we are a town that needs to protect its citizens and their way of life. The City Council has decided that it will only grant a final certificate of occupancy after the following condition has been met. A founding board member from your firm must stay in Cedar Falls for two full months to oversee the project. We feel that with boots on the ground, you will see the importance of following through with your promises and ensure that the city council of Cedar Falls can communicate promptly with said founding member as needs arise.

Until that condition is met, neither a final inspection nor a certificate of occupancy will be granted.

Until then,

Cedar Falls City Council

“They’re kidding, right?” I laugh the words out as I glance from the email on my laptop and at my brothers. “Bastardize their town? Such bullshit. When The Retreat is done, it will bring more tourism to Cedar Falls. More business. More everything to boost their economy.”

I knew buying the property, in this specific location, was a bad decision.

But the past is the past, right? What happened years ago are things my brothers don’t even know about. And I plan to keep it that way.

“Apparently they think differently,” Ford says from his seat across the conference table. His feet are on the table, his hands clasped behind his head, and his eyes narrowed as he rereads the same email on his laptop. “And why aren’t we contracting locally?”

“Because the local companies aren’t big enough to handle it? Not of the caliber we need?” I take a guess. “Ask Hillary,” I say of our on-site project manager. “She’ll have the answers.”

“We can ask her all we want,” Ford says, “but it’s not going to fix the problem.”

“Or stop them from holding our permits hostage,” Callahan adds.

I look at Ford and then at our brother, Callahan. He’s standing at the wall of windows that line our conference room, staring at me with the same expression Ford has.

There are three of us, identical in appearance, and yet so very different in every other aspect.

“Why did we agree to purchase this place again?” I groan and pinch the bridge of my nose. Headaches upon headaches upon headaches. “I thought new projects were supposed to be thrilling and exciting.”

“Nothing is thrilling and exciting when you’re as uptight as you are, Ledge,” Callahan says and smiles as only a little brother can.

I flip the fucker off.

“Dad. Dad is the reason,” Ford says to bring back our focus, knowing damn well how easy it is for Callahan and me to get distracted by our squabbling. “We were trying to do something in his honor. Remember?”