Page 119 of Daybreak

“I missed you. I had lunch with Dad. Did you and Trudy have a good visit?”

She cupped his face and kissed him just enough to let him know she missed him, too. “We had the best time. I helped her make pie crusts to put in the freezer. She said Travis comes home from college about once a month, shops for his groceries in her pantry, and takes as many desserts as he can back to college with him. Dad thinks Travis is likely selling them for big bucks.”

Gunner laughed. “A budding entrepreneur. That’s priceless. I’ll get the grocery bags, you get the door, okay?”

“With thanks,” she said and closed the garage door as she opened the one into the house, then waited for him to pass through.

“It feels so good to be home. The wind is exhausting just to listen to, and our house really buffers that sound.”

Gunner was emptying the bags, and she was putting up the purchases when she paused and turned around.

“I heard enough about Dave Randall’s asinine behavior to know Pearl pulled the shotgun off the wall,” she said.

Gunner shrugged. “We knew the lottery thing would eventually come out, but I never thought about it happening like that.”

She pulled a barstool up to the island and sat. “Tell me.”

“He was drunk and itching for a fight. Everything he said was a challenge, trying to make me respond. And then he suggested that all this money being spent came from me digging up more stolen money that Brenda Kingston buried, and that since we built the house, and the apartment building, and Dad is adding on to his place, that the Kingstons might have held some back for their own purposes.”

Holly groaned. “Oh my God. I didn’t hear all that. Gunner… Sweetheart, I’m so sorry.”

“So is Randall, now. Between realizing what a jerk he was, and Pearl coming out with the shotgun, he was wishing he’d never opened his mouth. I also made it clear that if there’s any money being borrowed in Crossroads, I am not an ATM, and it will be happening at the bank, then I got Dad’s lunch and left.”

She frowned. “What can I do to take away your mad face?”

The corner of his mouth turned up just a little. “Do you have to ask?”

She slid off the barstool and started toward their bedroom, but Gunner caught up, swept her off her feet, and carried her the rest of the way.

They were still making love on that bed when the sun began to set. They fell asleep in each other’s arms and woke up a couple of hours later to a house in total darkness.

“Did we finish putting up the groceries?” Holly asked.

“Hell if I know, darlin’, but we can put some clothes on and find out.”

“I’m kinda hungry, too,” Holly said.

He turned on a lamp by their bed. “First one to the kitchen is first one to the kitchen,” he said.

Holly burst out laughing and rolled out of bed.

Chapter 22

A few weeks later, the designer had finished setting up all twelve apartments, and the contractor turned over the keys of the building to Gunner, who immediately handed them to Holly.

“We did it!” she said.

He shook his head. “You did it. And FYI… The deed to the property is in your name.”

“I won’t mess up,” she said. “I know how this business works.”

“I know you do. I’ve seen you in action,” he said. “Give me the tour.”

So, she did, talking about rental prices as they went.

“This is all free and clear of debt, and our intent was not to make a big profit, but rather furnish the opportunity for housing, and enough for taxes, insurance, repairs, and upkeep. I know the median monthly income around here, and this has to rent accordingly. Seven hundred a month for eight hundred and fifty square feet, we furnish all of the appliances, and they pay utilities.”

“It’s a go for me,” he said.