Page 9 of Just Trouble

“I asked Jake.”

It is satisfying to see her astonishment that I spoke to my oldest half-brother at all. I dig into my portfolio again. “The structure of Cavendish Enterprises requires the entire board to agree upon the selling or disbursement of any property held by the corporation, so I went and asked the board.” I place a document on her desk and she leans forward to read it. “Here’s Jake’s signature on the proposal.”

Daph picks it up, reading it through. “Is it real?”

Of course, she remembers. “Once, Daph. Only once.”

“Seems like you have a lot of only onces.”

“Some deeds don’t bear repeating.”

“One and done,” she says under her breath, naming my mantra with an accuracy that shakes me a bit. She gives me an expectant look.

I produce the next document. “Austin. On board.”

She reads this one, too, her gaze lingering on the signature of Cavendish son number three. “He never cared about any of it.”

That’s so true that there’s no good reply. I move on. “Abbie.”

“Not a board member,” Daph notes, her voice as hard as Patrick’s heart.

“She should be.”

“But she isn’t.”

“But she still likes the plan.” I wait while Daph shrugs, then hand her another document. “Mike. On board.”

She’s really surprised this time. “But Mike runs the greenhouses. He has the most time and energy invested in Cavendish Enterprises.”

“And he wants change.”

“Did you tell him about Sylvia?”

“No! That’s for them to work out. Otherwise, I’d be meddling.”

She has to fight a smile and I’m glad to see it. She can’t keep her eyes from twinkling. “Even though you’re scheming to get Sylvia back to Empire with this whole complicatedmeddle. Youhaveinherited some tendencies from Patrick, whether you want to hear it or not.”

I really don’t like the sound of that comparison, but it just spurs me to try harder and do better. “What do you think?”

“There are three other properties.” She taps the list. “This is Margaret’s house. It’s close to my dad’s place. Pretty house.”

That’s not half of it. The house Patrick grew up in, and his mom before him, is a Regency cottage made of cut stone. It might be the oldest house in Empire, and even I remember it surrounded by perennial flowers instead of weeds. It’s a disgrace to keep it empty and let it rot, instead of having someone live there and love it.

I know who would be perfect.

“Patrick’s mother’s house, where he grew up. Sitting empty and neglected.” I can’t hide my disgust.

Daph is philosophical. “The lawn gets mowed, at least.”

“That’s not loving a house. Abbie adores that place. You know she would come back if she had a place of her own.”

Daph stares at me for a long moment. “That house would suit her,” she says finally and I have no clue what she’s concluded. Her fingertip is moving down the list and I notice that the pale pink polish matches her lipstick. Does she paint her toenails? I’m such a sucker for painted toenails. (On women.) “This is a legal description for a piece of property. Where is it?”

“It’s a small parcel between the Cavendish greenhouses and Rhodes Vineyards. Adding it to my list was Mike’s price for signing off. I started with just four properties, but am rolling with it.”

“Not the land that Augustine Rhodes and Patrick are arguing about?”

“The very same. What do you know about it?”

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