Page 27 of Falling for the Grumpy Stranger

“I checked the county site,” Rhett said. “The house ownership was transferred to a man named Wallace Brimfield in January 1912. There was no purchase price or details listed, so I can only assume?—”

“That Magnum lost the house at the gaming table. Crazy. I guess that’s what happens when you don’t have to work hard to earn something. When it’s just handed to you, it doesn’t mean as much.”

“That and a true gambling addiction is devastating. I knew a guy I went to high school with who lost everything—his business, his house and subsequently, his family. Even when we were teens, he was always betting on football and baseball games. The fact that he constantly lost never deterred him. It’s an addiction, a disease.”

I picked up the pile of paper. “Well, Magnum, as they say, easy come, easy go. You certainly didn’t do your cousin proud. I wonder what happened to Magnum after he signed away the house. There was still the fortune that came with it.”

“Yes, but if he was handing off silver, horses and houses, it makes you wonder if all his liquid assets had already been lost.” Rhett walked over to the hearth and dropped another log on the fire.

“I hadn’t thought of that, but you must be right. Usually it’s cash first.” I lifted the stack of papers. “Then gamblers start dropping IOUs in the pot. He apparently kept them for—sentimental reasons?” I suggested.

“Hard to know why he kept them. Maybe it was a way to keep reminding himself that he had a gambling problem.”

“Like when people put pictures of themselves dressed in a bathing suit on the fridge. Isla and I used to do that when we were teens. Didn’t work at all. Still dove in for the ice cream and leftover fried chicken. And it obviously didn’t work for Magnum. I’ll have to see if I can find his death certificate online. Then I’ll know if his cursed fate followed him even after he left the house.”

Rhett finished poking the fire. He nodded at the flames that had kicked up with loud crackles. “I think I missed my calling. I’m getting pretty good at this.”

“Do you mean your calling as a caveman? Or a guy who goes from house to house starting people’s fires?”

Rhett laughed. “Guess that’s not really a thing, is it? But chefs are a thing, and as you may recall, I’m very skilled with a box of mac and cheese. I wish I had something better to offer, but as you might have noticed my kitchen is not exactly a chef’s dream.”

“Not exactly. How’s it going with the contractors?” I put all of Magnum’s IOUs into a pile and stood up. As I did, I managed to knock the entire pile onto the floor. Magnum’s humiliating receipts flew in every direction. I stooped down to reach for the ones that managed to slip under the desk. Rhett came over to help. We were both crouched down picking up the flyaway papers. I finished collecting ones from under the desk. I straightened and turned … right into Rhett. We were pressed against each other, lightly, and with our hands clutching the paperwork and awkwardly wedged between us. As clumsy andunexpected as the moment was, neither of us seemed inclined to step back.

I noticed Rhett’s throat move as he swallowed and gazed down at me. The giddiness I’d been experiencing in short bouts had returned … big time.

“Ella.” His deep voice circled me along with the heady scent of his soap and the general manly warmth I’d noticed more than once when we’d crossed paths.

I was the first to step back, mostly because the flurry of feelings that had suddenly rushed me were making me dizzy. “Uh, I was thinking we could go to town to the café. My treat. I’ve got a special ‘in’ with the owner. Namely, she used to hover over me when I did my math homework, so she could point out all my mistakes.”

Rhett nodded. It seemed he was having a hard time getting his bearings, too. Or maybe that was wishful thinking on my part, but our accidental crash had certainly knocked me off balance. “Are you sure? I mean that sounds great, but I’ll pay.”

“Nonsense. You’ve helped me so much on my first assignment. I owe you. Please, let me buy you lunch.”

“Sounds good. I’ll pack a few more books while we let the fire die down. I don’t think the insurance company would believe me if I told them the houseaccidentallyburned down.”

Chapter Twenty-One

RHETT

The weather was gloomy and the walk long, but the company made up for it. Ella had a story for just about every place in town. It was obvious she adored Whisper Cove. “And that little green space there used to be a miniature golf course,” she said as we passed a corner that was covered with winter brown grass and cement pathways for walking or riding a bike. There was a set of swings and a long winding slide in the middle of the corner park. “There was a big green brontosaurus right at the entrance to the golf course,” she continued. “The whole place was dinosaur-themed, and inside the kiosk where you paid for games and got your clubs and balls, you could also buy a half pound of mixed candy for three dollars. My sisters and I would pool our allowances and then walk down here, not to play golf but to buy candy.”

“What happened to the dinosaurs? Did they go extinct?” I asked.

She pointed at me. “Very clever. In a way, that’s what happened. The owners were an old couple, and they were looking for retirement. They stopped taking care of the place. The dinosaurs were made from wood, wire and plaster. First the paint started peeling. Pretty soon chunks of plaster fell off. Thestegosaurus lost a bunch of those big fin things he had on his back. One day the brontosaurus at the entrance lost his head. Boom. Just fell off in front of a group of Girl Scouts. Probably scarred them for life. Bronty losing his head was the final straw. They closed the golf course, and the town paid to have it made into a park.”

We reached Juniper Road where most of the businesses were located. We passed a shop that had cardboard covering the windows. “This is Isla’s future bakery.”

“Looking forward to her baked goods. I guess your sisters are going to be competing for breakfast business.”

Ella stopped suddenly. I took a few extra steps before I realized she’d stopped. I looked back at her. “Everything all right?”

“What you said.” Ella seemed to be processing my words. “You’re right. I hadn’t thought of that, and I’m sure Aria and Isla haven’t either. Do you think they’ll become rivals?” There was true concern in her face.

“No way. You’ve told me enough stories about you and your sisters that I think we can say, without doubt, that your relationships are solid. And they won’t be rivals. Some mornings I wake up craving a pastry or a cinnamon roll and coffee and nothing more. Other mornings the only thing that will satisfy my start to the day is a plate of eggs and bacon. The customers will just have more than one option once the bakery opens.”

Ella smiled up at me. “You are quite wise for your years, Mr. Lockwood. What you say makes perfect sense.” She hooked her arm around mine. Something about the gesture felt so right, as if she belonged there at my side. “Now prepare yourself for a delicious lunch. I’m thinking a day like this requires, at the very least, a bowl of soup. Dex makes a delicious broccoli cheddar.”

“Sounds good. I just realized learning about Magnum Grimstone’s misfortunes has made me very hungry.” Wereached Whisper Cove Café. The tables were half full. The café was cozy with a brick wall on one end—a massive hearth with a blazing fire—and strings of lights crisscrossing the beams on the ceiling.

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