Playing with Words (Boggy Creek Valley 2)

“That’s not fair.”

“For whom? Because from the way I see it, I’m the one being played.”

He looked away. “I came here to tell you myself so you wouldn’t hear it from someone else.”

I let out a bitter laugh. “Well, you’re too late for that.”

His eyes met mine, and for once I saw a bit of regret. “I can give you until Friday. If you think you can match his offer, I’ll have it put in writing that the building is yours. But the sale has to go through within the next thirty days—that’s when the buyer is offering to close.”

This time my legs did go out, and I fell back in my seat. “You’re giving me a month?”

He nodded. “I’m afraid that’s all I can give you.”

And without another word, he opened my office door and walked out.

Once the door clicked shut, I finally let the tears fall. How could a person go from blissful happiness to utter devastation in mere minutes?

I dropped my head to my desk and started to cry. It wasn’t long before I heard Candace come in.

“Greer? My God, what’s wrong? What happened?”

When she forced me to look up at her, I could barely manage to speak. “I’ve lost it. I’ve lost it all.”

I sat on my sofa and stared out the large picture window that looked out onto Main Street. Every so often, Mother Nature allowed a leaf to float down on its journey to the ground, and I would watch until it was out of sight.

I pulled my gaze from the window at the sound of Candace making her way over to me. She sat down on the coffee table and handed me a mug.

“I made you some tea.”

Taking it, I replied, “Thank you. You really don’t have to stay with me; I’m sure you want to get home or get to Will.”

“Nonsense. This is where I want to be. How are you feeling? You’ve been walking around all day like a damn zombie, Greer.”

I sighed. “I feel like one.”

“Hudson called again. And he texted. Don’t you think you should reply to him?”

My entire body felt so numb. It was almost as if I couldn’t process a single thing. Candace was right—I had walked around all day in a trance. I had spent most of the morning and afternoon in my office, trying to see if there was any way I could come up with the money needed to buy this building. I couldn’t. I was going to lose it.

“We’ll find another place,” Candace said. “You’re not going to lose Turning Pages—I swear to you, I won’t let it happen.”

Tears burned at the back of my eyes as I looked up from the tea and met her soft brown gaze. All I could do was nod.

She leaned closer. “Tomorrow, we can call Boggy Creek Real Estate and see if they have any leads. Maybe give Aiden a call as well. With all the construction that’s going on, he might know of a good place.”

I nodded again, even though I knew I would never be able to find a location as perfect as the one I was currently at.

Candace smiled. “It’ll be okay.”

Before I had a chance to reply, my doorbell rang. “Whoever it is, I don’t want to talk to them.”

Candace stood and made her way over to the intercom. I heard Hudson’s voice and then the buzz of the door downstairs unlocking. He must have taken the steps two at a time, because within seconds I heard him asking Candace what was going on.

Hudson came over and sat down on the coffee table, exactly where Candace had been only moments ago. I could feel his gaze on me as I stared out the window again. The sun was just about to dip below the horizon, making the buildings across the street almost look like they were on fire.

“Greer?”

At the sound of Hudson’s soft voice, I looked up at him.

“I got worried when you weren’t answering my calls or texts,” he said, “so I decided to head this way and check on you.”

When my eyes met his, the internal dam I had been able to maintain all day broke. Tears streamed down my cheeks, and I buried my face in my hands.

Hudson immediately moved to the sofa and pulled me into his arms. “Candace, what’s wrong?” he asked as he held me.

The worry in his voice made me want to cry even more. I hated being weak. This wasn’t who I was. I was a fighter. But at that moment, I was so tired. Unable to even lift my head and explain what was going on. Thank God Candace did it for me.

“Tom Brooks stopped by Turning Pages today,” she said. “He told Greer someone offered him a deal to purchase the building, and it was too good to pass up. He’s giving her until the end of the week to meet the offer and only a month to pay it in full.”