Page 94 of Holding Ground

He seems to relax slightly, his shoulders loosening. “Listen, I know this thing between us isn’t permanent, and you’re only here for another month, but I still feel like I owe you an explanation.” He closes his eyes briefly, then meets my gaze. “I’ve decided to let Kate see Baylor.”

I’m hit with conflicting emotions—equal parts happy for Baylor and the relationship that she might be able to develop with her mom, and anxious that she’ll be hurt by Kate. And though I’m almost ashamed to admit it, a little piece of me wonders whether Elliott has any lingering feelings for Kate now that she’s back in his life.

And that wonder shows me that this thing I’ve been pretending with Elliott could only last while I’m here has grown to be much more.

I swallow past my own concerns, wanting only what’s best for the sweet, innocent little girl I’ve come to love. “Do you want me to watch Baylor while you go talk to Kate?”

He shakes his head. “That’s okay. Gabrielle’s mom called, and some of them are getting together at the park after school, so she’s going to take her from school. Then I’ll head over to Gabrielle’s house later to pick Baylor up. I need to drive into Harvest Cove, where Kate’s staying, and talk to her there. Set some parameters for her visit with Baylor.”

I nod, feeling disappointed for some reason. “What are you going to tell Baylor?”

“The truth. Or a version of it that an almost-six-year-old can understand.”

“You’ll figure it out,” I say, knowing he will.

Elliott drags a hand through his hair, looking conflicted. “Do you think I’m doing the right thing? Would you have wanted to meet your birth mother when you were a child, if you’d been given the opportunity, even if there was a possibility that she wouldn’t stay in your life?”

I seriously consider his question before answering honestly. “Yes, I would.”

He presses his lips together and nods. “Okay, okay.” But he sounds more like he’s talking to himself than to me. “I’ve gotta get going, but I just wanted to let you know.”

“You didn’t have to do that, but I appreciate it.”

Elliott steps forward for the first time during this conversation and wraps his arms around me. “I wanted your opinion. I trust your judgment. Trust you.” He places a lingering, chaste kiss on my lips before pulling away. “Have to keep it PG, otherwise I’ll never get out of here.” He looks at me with something like sadness.

It makes me feel as though nothing has changed between us, and maybe the remainder of my time in Echo Lake will be spent in much the same way the past month has been. The amount of relief that floods my veins is unsettling, though. Because if I’m feeling like this now, how will I feel a month from now when I’m leaving for good?

I know the answer. I’m just not ready to admit it yet.

After Elliott leaves, I get to work, trying to see if my instincts are right and something more is going on with the development than I know about. The final town hall is approaching, and the week after that will be the council vote.

I comb through the transfer records to see if I notice anything out of the ordinary. At first, it’s just the usual transactions—property sold from one individual to another, a property passed down from one relative to another. Then I find three separate properties on the north shore sold to various LLCs: Lakeview Holdings LLC, Northern Corridor Properties LLC, and Birch Point Capital LLC.

There’s no obvious connection other than the fact that the three properties weren’t sold to individuals, but again, that doesn’t necessarily mean anything.

There is a very real chance I’m on a wild goose chase here, but I decide that I need to do a little more digging before I’ll be satisfied. I just have to think about what my next step is.

The next morning, I decide to do a deep dive on the LLCs and see if anything stands out. So I head to the Secretary of State’s website, where all LLCs are filed, and drill down for more information. I don’t find anything obvious or outright suspicious, other than the fact that all three were formed within a few months of each other, about four years ago.

When my boss calls to pressure me about how things are going, I have to set aside my little side project for the time being, but something still doesn’t feel right in my gut.

CHAPTER

THIRTY-NINE

Elliott

I’m not sure that I’ve been this nervous since right before I lost my virginity as a teenager.

Tonight, I have to talk to Baylor about seeing her mom for the first time.

When I went and spoke to Kate yesterday, I told her that it would be a short, supervised visit here at the house, and that I would decide from there if and how things progressed.

I’ve second-guessed myself a thousand times since making the decision Saturday night, and I’m still doing it as I rinse and dry the pan I used to make dinner.

“Daddy, Daddy!” I hear Baylor’s bare feet slap against the hardwood floor and turn to find her coming into the kitchen with a big smile on her face and a piece of paper in her hands. “I forgot to show you this.”

Drying my hands, I set the towel on the counter and walk over to her.