Circling around back, I let her in through the French doors of the little patio area, overlooking what I assume used to be a working mill.
Now it’s mostly landscaped to look shabby chic.
Modern meets old country style.
There’s a red barn farther out, but a Jacuzzi under the porch too.
But I’ve got better things than the layout of a converted mill to look at though.
I greedily grab a hold of Jacinta as soon as she’s inside, closing the doors and locking everything.
Making sure we won’t be disturbed.
I’ve already staked my claim. But how much clearer can it be?
I want her so bad, like nothing I’ve ever wanted before. But I need her to know a few things first.
Apart from who I am and what I’m really doing in Cherry, she needs to know I’m not just some random guy fishing for a sweaty night together so I can disappear by morning.
No. I’m an all-or-nothing guy.
And with Jacinta, there’s no way it’ll ever be nothing. So there’s only one thing for it.
A loud knock at the door makes her jump, but I’m past annoyed by it.
Choosing to ignore it, I lean in to kiss her again, but between the knocking and her jangled nerves, I know I have to deal with whoever or whatever it is now.
Making herself scarce by shooting into the bathroom, I wait a moment for Jacinta to fully hide before I tear off my shirt.
Making like I’m ready for that bath.
I swing the door open, wide and fast.
“Yeah?” I ask. It’s the desk clerk.
His eyes pop out of his head, looking at my half-naked body like I’m from another planet.
“I’m sorry to disturb you, Mr. Lundstrom.” He flushes. “But I forgot to ask about breakfast… Will you be—” he asks, but I’m already closing the door after I flick the ‘do not disturb’ around on the handle.
I know what I’ll be having, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner from now on.
It starts with a ‘J’ and ends in an ‘A”.
I can hear the desk clerk on the other side of the door muttering to himself as he walks down the hall, probably telling himself that apart from being lucky enough to have even one paying guest, he probably doesn’t have to prepare my breakfast in the morning either.
“He’s gone,” I say aloud, signaling the all-clear to Jacinta, but she stays hidden in the bathroom.
I figure she’s probably using it, which is about the only time I think I don’t need to be around.
But I’m still close by, which is good enough.
It gives me a minute to go over things again.
Today is not the day I planned, which is weird for me too.
For the past twenty years, my routine has been like clockwork. So much so that I don’t even wear a wristwatch.
I’ll just tell her the truth.
I’m here to buy up as much of her town as I can. Before it’s clear I plan to redevelop the whole place for a hundred miles.
I’ll also tell her that even though we just met, I really do believe in destiny, and that fate has brought me here.
Not just to save her town, but to save her and me in the process.
We could both live happily ever after, right here in town if that’s what she wants.
But I can already tell that Jacinta’s already outgrown this place.
A few years away at college, plus her exotic choice of study topic must have given her an idea for the big world beyond.
As if on autopilot, I tap out some text messages, summoning a team from the office to get here ASAP to start with proposals.
Proposals for property that is.
I’m planning on being way too busy for any of that myself now that Jacinta’s part of the equation.
Hearing her voice, I figure she’s talking to me and I call out to her.
But she’s not talking to me. She’s on the phone.
Never one to eavesdrop, I sit on the edge of the bed, not sure how I feel about my planned confession or having her in the bathroom talking on her phone.
I never heard it ring either…
The flush is followed by the sounds of running water, and in a moment I’ve forgotten about anything that isn’t her once she reappears.
Making me feel foolish for feeling the way I did just now.
Jealous she’d even be talking to anyone else?
“Who was on the phone?” I ask. So much for not being jealous or possessive.
“Sorry,” Jacinta croaks. “My friend Mel. We talk every day but—”
“So Mel, huh?” I interrupt, feeling myself literally turning green with jealousy.
The very thought that she’d…
“Melanie. She lives in Italy now, we were roomies in college,” Jacinta explains, making me feel better but worse for acting like such a fool.
“Italy,” I parrot back, relieved when my little tantrum seems to have escaped her attention.
“Yeah, she sent me some phone credit and I was just calling her to thank her,” Jacinta says.