Harping about how he’s ‘running folks outta town’ and ‘putting the heavy on old timers, people who built this town who don’t want to sell’, and all this within a few hours of his team arriving.

Apparently.

I know my mom’s dramatic enough to know she’s obviously blowing things out of proportion to suit herself.

Isn’t she?

I mean, I’ve been on my back moaning all afternoon. What would I know?

But in true Kyle style, he has an honest and professional answer for her.

“Nobody’s kicking anyone out of town, Adelle,” he says, speaking over her until she actually takes a breath.

I feel myself heaving with relief too, like the sound of Kyle’s voice is answering a lot of my own unasked questions too in a way.

Helping me understand him better, what he actually does for a living.

“Lundstrom towns are built on its people, and nobody’s forced to do anything they don’t want to. We’ll offer the best price for homes and land, but if people choose not to be a part of our vision? Well, it’s not good business to be nasty about it, is it?” he asks her sensibly.

She goes quiet finally.

“How much do you think your home is worth?” Kyle asks her sincerely, which I know is a low blow to my mom.

As far as I know, she doesn’t own anything, but Kyle’s most likely going to use our place as an example of just how much Lundstrom would pay for it.

Neither mom nor I own anything, except the clothes on our back and some furniture. Oh, and mom’s car of course.

That’s how dad left us anyway.

But her answer rocks me to the core, my heart freezing in my chest again.

“Where’s my daughter?” she asks Kyle bluntly, changing tactics. But he answers her with the same smoothness, and for his own reasons.

“I really don’t know, Adelle,” he says firmly.

“Now, if you both wouldn’t mind? I’d like to get dressed and get back to what I was doing,” Kyle says assertively.

I know it’s not like Kyle to lie like this, but what choice does he have?

I can’t hear what my mom says next, and maybe it’s just as well. I catch her swearing and then hear the suite door slamming as she leaves but I sense there’s still someone else here.

“That went well,” The other male voice says. Rick, I’m assuming.

“I uh, better go after her,” he says, and the suite door opens and closes swiftly again after Kyle murmurs instructions before gently rapping on the bathroom door.

I swing the door open, leap into Kyle's arms and press my face hard against his hard chest.

“It’ll be alright,” he whispers softly, helping soothe my frayed nerves by rubbing my back, surprising me with his next question.

“So, who does own your house?”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Kyle

After her mom’s sudden appearance and so much venom, I don’t have the heart to even mention to Jacinta that her dad’s contacted me as well.

How he got my details I have no idea.

I’m assuming through his connections to the Figaro Group. By now the word’s out that Lundstrom is buying up another town, so there’s bound to be some talk about it in the financial community.

Even though nothing’s been released to the press yet. We usually do all that once the majority of a town’s sold up or on board with redevelopment.

But why now? Why reach out with talk about buying back into Cherry after he went broke and left it all behind him?

And what makes him think he or anyone else should be in on my project.

I’ve never even met the guy.

These are things I was dying to ask the man. I almost did call him back but that was before Adelle burst in and stole her ex’s thunder.

His messages were lacking too many crucial details, so I can only guess what he’d really want after all these years.

And I’m not a guessing kind of guy.

I like facts, clear-cut details.

Plus I couldn’t dream of upsetting Jacinta any more than she already is right now, so no mention of her dad from me.

Not just yet.

Not tonight.

I don’t help things by asking exactly who does own her house, even though I’ll likely find out soon enough.

A simple text or phone call would tell me, but I’m determined to have quality time with Jacinta from now on, not get dragged into a project I’ve already decided to step back from once it’s signed off on.

I remind myself that this… is the last project for me.

Ever.

It’s a random, passing thought but one I figure she might have an answer for. Who even owns her mom’s house?

But no.

She’s as much in the dark as I am on that one, and my timing couldn’t be worse in bringing it up.

“I didn’t think you were that interested in buying up the whole town?” Jacinta asks, hiding her pain. But I can see the effect of my words, and I regret my damn curious mind.

Tags: Flora Ferrari Romance
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