Page 18 of Don't Go Faking My Heart

LOU

PHILIP IS IN SUGAR MAPLE!

PARKER

Philip? As in Philip Freaking Dumfries???

LOU

PHILIP FREAKING DUMFRIES

These all caps messages make my brain hurt, so I have my phone read them. Lou sends a screenshot from social media. It's a selfie of a tall, good-looking guy standing on Maple Street, and it's time stamped only a few minutes ago. The caption reads: "Time to rebuild this old town the Dumfries way." And he's tagged a company. I have a social media account for the fruit stands, so I look up Philip Dumfries and find the picture. He looks like a golden tool—pretty, expensive, and with no practical value. A wrench too soft for a bolt. A hammer too soft for a nail.

The guy is a golden hammer.

Pretty but worthless.

The account he's tagged is Dumfries Holding. A commercial development company.

Commercial development?

This is the 'neutral outside investor' Bill was talking about, I'd bet my life on it. They've brought in some big box, chain restaurant developer so they can make a bigger buck.

They don't care that this will kill every Mom & Pop shop in the town. They don't care that it will strip Sugar Maple of everything that makes it special.

A lot of words my pastor wouldn't approve of fill my mind, and I suppress the urge to punch a wall.

If I weren't already committed to helping Ash for Ash's sake, I'd do it for Sugar Maple. For Tia and the diner she wants so badly, for Nico and his vintage store, for the Chicks, who have all put blood, sweat, and tears into making something, not just for themselves, but for our town.

I've missed a few texts, so I go back to the thread and see rage from each and every one of them. I have my phone read them as I follow along.

MILLIE

I'll rip him limb from limb.

LOU

Get in line.

PARKER

Can anyone find Philip? He's probably live-streaming his dumb face reacting to "all the quaintness," or something. Let's run him out of town.

JANE

Y'all, keep it together! Someone needs to get to Ash fast!

LOU

I haven't seen her since I left her with Rusty.

Rusty??

I stare at the screen. I feel as apprehensive as you'd expect after a series of murderous texts from some seriously intimidating women. I voice-text them.

RUSTY

I just left her a few minutes ago by the riverwalk. Shouldn’t we include Ash on this?

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