Page 103 of Holding Ground

I wasn’t going to be that figure in her life because Elliott and I were never going the distance. I just wish someone could have told my heart.

It takes me a minute to realize that the old feeling of not quite fitting, of being the puzzle piece that almost slides into place but doesn’t, is edging back in.

I shake my head and continue to my car. It doesn’t matter. I’m leaving soon anyway, and I always was. I was never meant to fit.

After I grab what I need, I hurry back to the bunkie, forcing myself not to look back at the main house over my shoulder. When I’m inside, I bring the documents over to my bed and go over them, forcing myself to put my feelings from moments ago aside for now.

I look back over the spreadsheet—the project costs, projected revenue, and return on investments. I’ve seen this all before. This is the same information I presented at the first town hall. These are all the community-facing numbers. I need to look at the underlying assumptions.

Sliding my computer onto my lap, I log onto the company system so that I can see the underlying assumptions these figures are based on. It takes a lot of digging, but an hour and a half later, I find it. The revenue projections are based on a footprint that’s much bigger than the parcel the town controls. And when I add it all together, that total number is pretty damn close to the town parcel and the size of the three LLC parcels.

My suspicion is correct. My company had already bought up a bunch of parcels surrounding the town land before I even arrived in town. And they’ve been lying about it. Why, I don’t know. Maybe my boss knew I wouldn’t go along with it, or maybe he wanted to send me in here none the wiser so I’d come off as sincere, and then he could pull a bait and switch, assembling the parcels once the deal on the town parcel closed.

But whatever the reason, the result is the same. I’ve been lying to these people.

These people who invited me in for coffee and told me their family history that went back generations in Echo Lake. These people I’ve come to care about. People like Elliott and his daughter.

Guilt runs like a steady stream through my veins.

There’s still time to correct what’s been done. But the cost will be steep.

It’s either my job or saving Echo Lake.

And it doesn’t matter which I choose. I’ll be left with nothing in the end.

Elliott texted me last night after Kate left to ask if I wanted to meet up, but I was still reeling from my discovery and the ramifications, so I put him off, telling him I was exhausted and going to bed early. In fact, I was up half the night, unable to sleep.

He texted me this morning, asking if I would meet him at the Whispering Pines Pub for a drink, and I agreed. I need to confess to him what I found.

When I arrive, he’s already there, seated at one of the round bar-top tables inside, near the back of the bar. He raises a hand and waves me over.

I say a quick hello to Fowler as I walk past the bar.

“You want a drink?” he asks.

“Maybe just a glass of white wine if you have it. Whatever is fine.”

He nods. “I’ll be right over with it.”

After thanking him, I continue on to the table where Elliott waits. He stands when I reach him, leaning in to place a chaste kiss on my lips. I force myself not to pull back at his touch because I don’t deserve it anymore.

“Hey, where’s Baylor?” I ask as I slide onto the high stool.

“Hollis agreed to watch her for a bit. He’s going to put her to work and let her help sand a new piece he’s working on.”

“Free labor in exchange for babysitting. I like it.”

Fowler appears at the side of the table and slides a glass of wine in front of me. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.” I waste no time bringing it to my lips and taking a long sip. I’m going to need it with what I have to tell Elliott.

Fowler returns to the bar, and Elliott tilts his head at me, so I set down the glass.

“How did things go with Kate last night?”

Elliott presses his lips together and reaches for his beer, peeling back the edges of the label. “All right, I guess. I can tell that Baylor is already getting more attached. Kate is adjusting well, I suppose. She seemed more comfortable than she did the first time she came around.”

“That all sounds positive.”