Page 33 of Pick Your Spot

“He probably insulted chefs far and wide over their delicious homemade soups.”

She laughed. “He totally did. Although Ginny at the No Fail Diner started stocking cans for when Jay visited.”

“No way.”

“She did. Manuel’s tomato soup is delicious, but he’d make up a pot of the canned stuff for Jay.”

Knox laughed and shook his head. “This place is fabulous.”

Thea nodded. “Agreed. It’s the best place I’ve ever lived.”

Her wistful tone had his heart aching. He needed to ensure she kept her job. The only way to do that was for his family to take over the farm.

“I can see why. I’m gathering ammunition to use to convince my siblings that you’re right. Not only should we keep the farm in the family, but we should all move here. I’m hoping you can help me compile even more information.

“What kind?”

That made him laugh. “All kinds. Burke will be the biggest challenge. He’s logical and cautious. Works his ass off and sees cons before he sees pros.”

She frowned. “I don’t know real facts about the financial aspects. Jay didn’t talk a lot about that. I don’t even know if the farm was in the black or if he was losing money.”

“Fox always kept his financial information to himself as well. He kept track of his money in a ledger. Pencil and paper. Didn’t trust the internet much, and figured if he put his information on there, someone might steal it.”

“That sounds like something Jay would do. I never went further than this room, so I don’t know if he has an office where he worked or if he used a computer.”

Shock rippled through him. “You’ve never seen the rest of the house?”

She shook her head. “No. I used the laundry and helped him put away his groceries in here a few times. There wasn’t a need to go further.”

“Want a tour?”

Her face lit up. “I’d love one. I’ve always loved the look of this house.”

Knox took her hand and started down the first hallway. “I’ve had meetings with the bank and Jay kept up with all the tax payments and paperwork in person. He had a monthly meeting where he worked with one of the bankers.”

He didn’t say it but Jay had one account set up for taxes. He’d included enough to cover taxes for the next decade. His other account had been for operational uses. It wasn’t as large as the tax account but it wasn’t empty either.

Burke would have ten hissy fits if they used it up indiscriminately to get the farm running. They’d have to watch every penny and make good investments. Even with his limited knowledge, Knox knew farms needed careful management to stay profitable.

In days of technology doing all the work, Thea’s old-fangled methods were revolutionary. And refreshing. Exciting.

Knox knew Thea herself was the source of some of his interest but he’d been intrigued from the moment he’d read the letter. Nothing he’d discovered since had turned him off.

At the entry to Jay’s room, Thea made a sound of grief. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and looked into the room with her. “I was only brave enough to take one step inside. One day, I’ll do more. I’m not comfortable invading his space yet.”

She rested her head against his shoulder. “He left everything to your family. He wanted you to be here. I think he’d be more than okay with you checking out his space and finding the things you need.”

He sighed. “I hope we can find some answers as to why these two spent decades apart.”

She nodded but didn’t speak. After a few minutes of looking, he turned them back to the stairs. “Enough gloomy thoughts. This is Date One. I hope you brought an appetite.”

He took her hand again as they descended the stairs and returned to the kitchen. “I didn’t think to ask what you liked, if you have allergies or preferences.”

“No allergies and I’m not fussy.”

He wondered if that was because of necessity. Thea hadn’t shared much about her years before living with Jay. He knew she’d grown up in foster care but not much else. Tonight he’d start changing that without making it an inquisition.

It had been a while since Knox had felt this flare of interest, of curiosity about someone else. After Dana had told him she was only interested in sex, he’d been reticent to get involved.Look at you, Knox, every woman is going to want to bang you.

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