Page 164 of Love in Riverbend
Dad nods. “All of it.”
I sit forward. “I didn’t know Jack and Janet wanted to sell the whole thing. What about Ricky and Devan?”
“I know this is awkward,” Dad says.
Pushing the chair back, I run my hand through my hair. “It’s not awkward, Dad. I just…” I sigh. “I don’t want that developer tearing their property into pieces. We don’t need the traffic. Hell, the development itself—building the infrastructure—will take a few years at least. And I was talking to Mick Reynolds the other day. His construction firm was hired to do repairs on some of those new houses south of town. The damn surveyors didn’t take into consideration the increase in impervious surfaces and runoff. The heavy rains last spring. A shit-ton of those houses had flooded basements.”
“The Dunns?”
“I want them to get the most they can for their property.” I meet my dad’s gaze. “Not by mortgaging our land.”
“It’s the smartest move, son. With their land, our acreage doubles. Our crops double.”
“So do our expenses. So do our possibilities for failure. A damn seed-corn maggot infestation and we’re fucked.”
“Have you talked to Ricky about it?”
“Not recently.”
“Devan?”
I smirk. “You know?”
“Your mom and I don’t keep secrets. That’s my advice for you and Devan.”
“Right. Tonight, at dinner I’ll compliment how great she looks and segue into what she wants to happen to her family’s land. I know, I’ll bring it up right before asking how her meeting went with the science department.”
“There are some big decisions that will need to be made. I’m sorry if the timing doesn’t work for the two of you. That’s life.”
“I’d rather keep life out of our bubble at the moment.”
“No one can fault you for that.” Dad stands. “You know, your grandfather put his faith in me to keep this farm going. I was a little older than you when he passed away. It was a scary time. Do you know who kept me sane through it all?”
“Me,” I say with a grin.
“Hell no. You were into everything, and Kandace was only a baby.”
“You’re going to say Mom.”
Dad nods. “Mr. Murphy thinks we need to make a counteroffer.”
“Dax?”
“He agrees.”
“Where the hell have I been in all these discussions?”
“I’d say where you were, but you know.”
Chapter 24
Devan
“I like the dress,” Marilyn says, lying on my bed.
I stand before my full-length mirror and pitch right and left. The long skirt flows near my ankles where I’m wearing gold sandals with rhinestones. This dress is light green and unlike the one the other night, it has a more complete bodice, allowing me to wear a bra. “He didn’t say how to dress.”
Jill’s eyebrows dance. “Because he wants you undressed.”
