Page 13 of May's Bad Boy: Kody

We're heading back to the truck, bags swinging from my arm, when I spot Miss Ada sitting on her front porch. She's always out this time of day, usually sipping tea and waving at everyone who walks by like she's the town's official greeter. Since I moved to town, she has been nothing but nice to me. Whenever I come to town to grab groceries or see the doctor, she chats and greets me with a hug. But today, her tea sits untouched, and she's not smiling. There's a stillness about her, a heaviness that sets off every alarm in my gut.

Sadie waves enthusiastically. "Hi, Miss Ada!"

Ada startles, then quickly dabs at her cheeks and forces a smile. "Well, hey there, sugar!"

I slow down. Something feels off. Was she crying?

"Everything okay?" I ask gently, stopping at the edge of her porch.

"Oh, just a little mix-up with the bank. Nothing to worry about," she says, waving a hand like she's swatting a fly.

But I see the crumpled paper in her lap. The tight way her fingers twist the edge of her skirt. That kind of worry doesn't come from nowhere.

"Miss Ada," I say softly, stepping up the porch steps. "Are you sure? You don't look like someone who just had a mix-up."

She sighs, and for a second, her eyes shimmer again. "I'm sorry, hon. I didn't mean for you to see me like this. Just got myself a little worked up, that's all."

"Tell me," I urge gently, crouching beside her rocking chair.

"Miss Sadie, there are some beautiful wildflowers just over there by the tree. Will you pick me a bunch for my dining room table?" Miss Ada says.

I get it. She doesn't want little ears to hear what she’s going to say. So when Sadie looks at me, I nod and smile. Sadie runs off to pick flowers, but is still in clear view of us both.

Miss Ada presses her lips together, then leans closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "A man came by this morning. Said my loan was up for review. Told me if I didn't sign some paperwork today, I could lose the house."

My stomach twists.

"Did you sign anything?"

She shakes her head, eyes shining. "I told him I needed to think. He didn't like that. Told me it was a one time offer. But this house, Paige, it's been in my family for three generations. My daddy built it with his own two hands. My husband put that swing up for me the week after we got married. I can't just... I can't lose it."

I reach out, covering her hand with mine. "You're not going to. I promise you that."

Ada's lips tremble. "You think you can stop them?"

"I think I can try. And I won't be alone. You know the town will help, too."

Her fingers tighten around mine, a flicker of hope in her tired eyes. "I don't want to be a burden."

"You're not," I whisper. "You're the closest thing to family I have in town."

Over the next few minutes, she lets me take photos of the papers the man gave her. Then she goes over some other info that I take down on the notes app on the phone Kody got me right after we got married. She gives me her bank info and everything else she remembers from the encounter.

After making her promise not to sign anything and to call me or Kody if the man shows up again, I give her hand a quick squeeze and steer Sadie back toward the truck. But my mind is already racing. My heart is thudding so loud I can barely focus on the drive back to the ranch. This town may be quiet, but underneath, something's stirring. And I don't like the feel of it.

Back at the cabin, I find Kody and Shane still outside near the barn, sleeves rolled up, both of them sweating under the afternoon sun. I call them over, while Sadie runs to grab Bear-Bear and sits and writes in her new notebook on the porch. Once she is focused elsewhere, I tell them what happened with Miss Ada.

Before I even finish the story, Shane is swearing under his breath. "That developer's been circling people like buzzards," he mutters. "He already tried to buy her house once. She told him to go to hell. Last month, he forced Kara out of her store. He's also made a few threats to the Mustang Mountain Riders."

"The who?" I ask.

"The motorcycle club Courtney's husband belongs to. They protect the town, and last year they battled a rival MC that was trying to take over Mustang Mountain with drugs and other illegal things," Shane says.

I nod. "Now they're trying to push Ada out with paperwork."

Back inside, Kody lets me borrow his laptop. It's slow and a little dusty, but it still boots up. Kody leans against the counter, arms crossed, watching me like he doesn't know what to make of me just yet. I settle into research mode, fingers flying across the keyboard.

At the spa, I used to manage all our administrative paperwork: billing, contracts, and vendor negotiations. I got good at spotting the hidden lines, the fine print, and the traps buried in legalese.

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