The words came out like hornets, stinging with each syllable.
“What are you talking about?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know. Corporate left a very detailed message for me to give to you.” She shoved three pink message-pad sheets across the table.
Vanessa read them. “There’s some mistake.”
“He seemed pretty clear to me.”
“No. They have the warehouse. That’s what they needed. Did he not get my reports?”
Lilene reached over and flipped the second pink note over to the back. “Indeed. He did.” She glared at Vanessa. “How could you pretend to be our friend? You’re a wolf in sheep’s clothing. That’s what you are, or worse, like the wolf that pretended tobe Red Riding Hood’s grandmother. Mean, just downright mean.”
“Lilene, I promise—”
“Do not give me your empty lines,” Lilene said. “I’ve delivered the message. I’m sick about it. I need the rest of the day off.” She got up and swept out of the diner like Jack Frost on a tailwind.
Vanessa stared at the messages. There was no reason to return Edward’s call. Everything was pretty clear. Edward knew what he’d done. He left those details with Lilene on purpose, so there was no way anyone in this town would ever trust her again.
She stood up, did a half turn, and saw Buck sitting there behind her. “Buck. Can I sit?”
“Sure.”
“You heard?”
“Every word.”
“You don’t believe that about me, do you?”
“Two sides to every story. Always is,” he said.
“What’s your story?” she asked. “Why are you and Mike estranged?”
“That’s a long story.”
“How about the log-line version?”
“I’m the one who owned Porter’s. All of it. The store, the factory and warehouses. Even Fraser Hills Percherons.”
“Why didn’t you say something sooner?” Vanessa couldn’t believe no one had told her.
“I was the mayor of this town for a long time. My family ran businesses in this town from the time it had a population of less than a hundred.”
“You used to do all that stuff with the horses too? Like Mike?”
“Not nearly as good as him, but yes. My family initially built carriages for draft horses. We dabbled, but it wasn’t until recent years that Mike really made something big out of that. I carved out that part of the business, and all the land it sits on, and gave it to Mike before I sold to AGC.”
“That sounds like a pretty sweet deal. Why was he mad?”
“It’s not just business, Vanessa. It’s family.” Buck looked tired. “I had my reasons for selling, but all Mike noticed was that the legacy he thought would always be there had been torn apart.”
“I guess I can see his point. You got a good deal on it.”
“I had to. I sold for a reason.”
“I know it’s none of my business, but why did you sell?”
He looked her straight in the eye. “I used the money from the sale of Porter’s to fund the hospital. I tried for years as mayor to get a good hospital to come to this town, or even to the county, but I couldn’t make it happen. Then Olivia died. Mike believed if we’d had a hospital closer maybe she could have been saved. I guess we’ll never know.”
