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Her chest thudded. Surely Jackson hadn’t decided to sell? There had to be another way.
“I’d appreciate that,” Jackson said.
“Mr. Ingalls, you know we haven’t agreed yet.” Ellie’s tone held a polite kind of fierceness, as if she was holding onto good manners by the skin of her teeth.
“I’m aware of that, little lady—”
Ugh. Lexi grimaced. Such condescension.
“—and like I said to your big brother here, we’ll continue this conversation.”
She heard a step creak, then before she could move from the hall, she was facing an older man. “Well, now, and who do we have here?”
“Bob, this is—”
“Lexi Franklin.” She drew closer. “And you are?”
“Bob Ingalls, at your service.”
She nodded, although she doubted he would ever be of service to her.
“And what are you doing here?” Bob asked, one brow raised quizzically.
She glanced behind him to where Ellie’s rolled eyes and Jackson’s small frown suggested they didn’t care for the man’s intrusive manner any more than she did. “I’m a friend.”
“A friend with an accent.” He glanced at Jackson and Ellie. “Am I to guess whose friend, and what kind of friend she may be?”
Ugh. Any liking she might try to have for the man faded. “Apparently.”
He stared at her, as Ellie’s attempt to muffle a chuckle failed. Jackson’s lips twitched as he glanced at her then cleared his throat. “Well, Bob, I don’t want to keep you.”
“Hmm.” Bob eyed Lexi before giving her a small nod of dismissal as he turned and followed Jackson out the door.
“Wow.” Ellie pulled her ponytail tight. “That man.”
“He seems a little nosy.”
“You should meet his wife. Rhonda Ingalls. On second thought, maybe don’t. She’s one of the notorious gossips of Trinity Lakes.” Ellie rolled her eyes. “I mean, I know we’re supposed to love all people, but man, she makes it hard to even like her.”
“People with small lives like to gossip about others.” Or so Dad used to say.
“Then her life must be tiny.”
They swapped smiles. “How did things go?”
Ellie’s sigh could’ve stripped wallpaper. “I don’t think everything is as bad as Jackson thinks, but what would I know? I’m just the annoying little sister pointing this out.”
“Whose life is affected by these decisions.”
“Right?” Another eye roll.
“Have you looked at the books?”
“Math isn’t really my thing.”
“Is there an accountant?”
“There is, actually,” Jackson’s voice came from behind her. “Mr. Thomas was the one who first pointed out that our expenditure exceeds our income.”
