Page 29 of On One Condition

“We’re still working on it. Danny went to the hardware store to grab some couplings and pipe, but . . .”

“But what?”

He looks at his ball cap that he’s holding in his hands and then back up. “The card on file was declined.”

“Crap. Sorry.” I suck in a quick breath. “It’s . . . I’m behind on everything. Pop’s filing system is a little hard to figure out.” I stammer out the excuse, pointing to the stacks I’m going through because I don’t even know if I had the credit card bill that I’d be able to pay it. “I’ll get you some cash.” Within seconds, I’ve rifled through my purse and handed him fifty dollars. “That should cover it.”

“Thanks,” George says, but he’s still standing there staring at me after I return to my seat.

“Is there something else?” I ask.

He twists his lips and shifts on his feet. “There are rumors you’re going to sell The Fields.”

“Sell?” I ask and he nods. “Who exactly would I sell it to?”

He shrugs and I can tell he’s more than uncomfortable. “It’s been a rough couple of years. Some of the guys figured with Pop gone that you’d sell off what you could. That way you might break even from . . . everything. Move on.”

The fire that wiped out our crops and shed full of equipment and tools a few years back. The added land we had to purchase to cultivate to add quantity while the new crops came to fruition. Gran’s care expenses kept adding to it. The barn Pop had built, the one he’d planned to use as a workshop, which now sits empty. The ridiculous expense of his funeral that added to it.

“This place, this land, has been in my family for generations. It will be passed to me when Gran is no longer here. As much as this life wasn’t my dream for myself, George, it was theirs. I have every intention of keeping it going.”

He nods. “But it’s yours now and technically that means you can do whatever you want with it, right? I mean, there’s nothing preventing you from selling it. That’s what everyone’s saying, at least.”

What the actual fuck? That’s the rumor going around? This town thinks so little of me they assume I’d sell out?

Then again, I shouldn’t be surprised considering this is the same town that has always judged me for my mom’s lack of discretion before I was born.

“My word is what’s preventing me. I made a promise to my grandparents. To the people who have given me everything. What kind of person am I if I go back on that?” I say the words but wonder how I’m going to manage this. A farm to run. An office to manage. A life I’m not living. And bills that are inches thick.

The easy way out would be to sell.

He knows that. I know that. And as tempting as it is, I promised.

“And what about the resort people? Is it true they wanted to buy it?”

“What?” I cough the word out.

“Pop mentioned something about them trying to buy up everything and screw everyone over like usual.” He shakes his head. “It had been a long time since I’d seen him that hot under the collar.”

“When was this?”

“It was after he found out who bought the old hotel.” He pushes his hair off his forehead. “He just kept going on about no matter how good their resort might be for this town, he’d never give them business after what they did.”

I’m right. I know I am.

Pop still held a grudge over the man who looked down on the Wells family.

I nod absently because it makes sense. Pop knew who owned S.I.N. and he never forgot the man who insulted him, his pride, and most importantly, me.

“I’m sure he had his reasons,” I say softly. “But I assure you, I have no intention of selling.”

“Okay.” Our eyes hold. “I’ll tell the guys. It’s just that we all have families and if we need to look for other jobs, then . . .”

“I get it.” I nod, hating that my throat feels like it’s closing up. “No one needs to worry. I know Pop considered you guys family, as do I. I don’t want you worrying.” I offer a strained smile and hope it reaches my eyes. Our gazes meet, and I can see he still has doubts. “What else is there? What other rumors are floating out there that I can squash?”

He looks at me with trepidation, almost as if even if I did disprove them, he wouldn’t quite believe me.

And it kills me, because they trusted Pop without question. That just means I’ll have to prove my words and my ability to run the business even harder.