Page 5 of Holding Ground

“All right, what do you need?” My uncle slides on his reading glasses and puts his pen to paper, and I’m thankful to push that thought out of my mind.

I go through my list as he checks his stock on the computer. “What’s this the guys are talking about?”

“Mrs. Davidson’s rooster waking up her neighbors? I heard they’re picketing outside her house.” He presses the buttons, never looking up.

“Not that.”

“Oh, you mean the budget for the rec programs being cut in half?”

“Nope.”

“I wouldn’t think you’d be into Greta’s new breasts, but hey, no judgment if you’re looking for a cougar.” He holds up his hands, smiling, a laugh ready to fall out of him.

“I’m talking about the developer sniffing around.”

His smile deepens, suggesting he knew all along but wanted to fuck with me. Sometimes I feel as if I’m the only resident in Echo Lake who cares if this town stays intact.

“Oh yeah, heard that this morning from Mrs. Klein. She wanted a snow shovel just in case we get it early this year.” He shakes his head. “I don’t ask. I just sell.” He sets the pen down and crosses his arms over his small stomach that hangs over his pants. “Didn’t hear anything more than that, though. Don’t let it keep you up all night.”

“We have to watch them. These developers are like cockroaches. The minute you stomp one out, two more take their place.”

Roy stares at me without any reaction, and I feel my annoyance notch up another level. “True enough, though maybe it’s inevitable that someday one of them will succeed.”

“Not on my watch.”

This isn’t the first time some big city company has come sniffing around, looking for a way to fill their coffers by exploiting our small town. Just ask the original residents of Juniper Point. Oh, that’s right. There aren’t any. It’s filled with tourists and people who own second homes there.

I drove through there six months ago, and it looks nothing like the town I remembered.

“What are you up to after the store closes? You want to join Baylor and me for dinner?”

“Can’t. The guys and I are heading to the pub to watch the Sox. Before that, I have to run down to the Crow & Clover. Manuel called, and they’ve got a leak coming in through the roof from last night’s rain.”

I sigh. Roy still believes he’s in his thirties. “You’re not going up on that roof, old man. I’ll do it.”

“Who are you calling old man?”

“The sixty-two-year-old man in front of me who’s always complaining about his knees and his back. Let’s save the back and forth, and you just graciously accept my help. I’ll get a tarp secured that will last them until the roofers can get out there.”

He opens his mouth to argue but relents, nodding. “Fine. Leave Baylor here. I’ll keep an eye on her.” He tosses his reading glasses on the counter.

“She’ll be happy to have some time with her granddad.” Though Uncle Roy isn’t technically Baylor’s grandfather, that’s the role he plays in her life, not that she has many other options.

“I’ve already got everything ready to go in the back of my truck. Leave yours here and take mine.” He tosses me the keys, and I turn for the door. I’m half out of it when he calls my name. “Oh, the bunkie.”

Shit, I forgot it was the main reason for coming in here.

“Yeah, I’d like a little heads-up next time,” I say.

“If memory serves, I’m doing you a favor,” he jabs, tearing the sheet of paper off the corkboard next to the register.

I drag a hand through my hair. “You said you’d handle it while camp was in session.”

“And I have. This one just kind of slipped by me.” He smiles, and I shake my head.

We couldn’t be more opposite than one another.

I’m not going to stand here and fight with him. “When did they call?”