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She set her hands on her hips. “This house is not for sale. Jack and I are fixing it up.”
Craig’s eyebrows shot up. “There’s no way Charlie has the funds to fix this entire house. Even if she can fix it up, how will she maintain it? She’s one person, and this house has twelve rooms.”
“I have savings, and I’m helping her.”
“Me too,” Jack chimed in. “Well, labor at least.”
Her ex’s gaze left Jo and settled on Jack. “Jack Turner. I’m a little surprised to see you. Although, with your football career ending before it started, I shouldn’t be.”
Jo held her arm out, holding Jack back. “Craig, you need to go. This house isn’t for sale. Not now, not ever. You can tell your client to look for other properties.”
“I’ll go, but I’m not leaving town until I talk to Charlie. I have an offer that she’ll find very hard to refuse.” He turned and then stopped. “I knew the place was in bad shape, but I had no idea it was this bad. Do you think it’s even safe for your grandmother to even live here?”
The insinuation wasn’t lost on Jo. She pinched her lips together. “Get off my property. Now.” Once Craig was out of sight, she turned to Jack. “We need to talk to my grandma. Now.”
Craig had something up his sleeve. Jo knew it, and he’d play dirty to get what he wanted.
CHAPTER 8
Jo
“You think he’d stoop low enough to use the city to take my home?” Her grandma wrung her hands as she sat on the edge of the floral couch she’d had since Jo was a kid.
Jo nodded. “Yes, he would. He’ll do what it takes to get a deal done.”
“Even kick an old woman out of her house?”
“You’re not old,” Jack said.
Her grandma smiled. “Thank you, even though we both know that I am.” She returned her attention to Jo. “What do I do? I don’t have?—”
“I’ve got some money in savings. I’ll pitch in with finances, and I’ll help Jack work on the house while I’m here.”
“You have an article to write.”
Jack crossed his arms over his expansive chest. “Charlie’s got a point.”
Taking a seat on one of the high-back chairs across from the couch, Jo replied, “I’m on hold since Serenity has flown back to Los Angeles, and she won’t be back for three weeks. So I can devote the entire time to helping. After the wedding, I can give it my entire focus. You’re not losing your house. Our house.”
Her grandma smiled. “Our house?”
“I just mean… it’s been in our family for this long, and it’s going to stay in our family.” The good memories from her childhood were mixed with the bad from being abandoned by her mom. She didn’t mind pitching in to help fix the place up, but there was no way she could stay.
Jack dropped his arms to his sides. “I guess that means I need to get back to work and step up the pace.”
“I need to call my boss and let her know I need to take a little more time once the article is complete, but I can help after that.”
“I can help too,” her grandma said. I can’t climb ladders. I should say won’t, but I can do other things.”
Nodding, Jo smiled. “All right. Let’s get to work.” She looked at Jack. “I’ll be out there as soon as I finish talking to my boss.”
“Okay,” Jack said and trotted out the front door.
“I’ll get lunch going. Something that’s quick and easy.” Her grandma stood, pulled Jo to her feet, and hugged her. “Thank you. I’m sorry I let it get so bad.”
Shaking her head, Jo replied, “Things happen. We’ll get it worked out.”
Her grandma patted her cheek and left the room.
