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“She did. Thanks for your help.”
“You told Addy about your plans?” I asked Knox.
“Absolutely. She was a big help,” Knox said, ruffling her hair.
Addy looked ahead and squealed. “Soldiers.”
There was a set of nutcrackers lined up. The details on the metal structures were amazing. “These are beautiful.”
But there was a woman standing in front of the last Nutcracker. Her hands were on her hips. “These—” She gestured behind her. “Whatever these things are, are on my property.”
Heath stopped in front of her, with Talon next to him, offering support. He crossed his arms over his chest. “Your property?”
The woman nodded. “I just inherited it.”
Confused, I looked at Knox, who shrugged. “She must be the granddaughter of the original property owner. I’ve never met her.”
“We thought you lived in California and would sell it,” Heath said, the uncertainty in his tone evident.
She huffed out a breath. “Well, you assumed wrong.”
“What are you planning to do with the inn?” Heath asked.
Her lips twisted. “It’s none of your business.”
“We were hoping it would reopen. It would be good for our farm.”
“I’m not doing what’s good for you, Heath Monroe.”
My eyes widened, and I lowered my voice. “Do they know each other?”
“They must,” Knox said.
Heath held his hands up. “Do you have a survey? We didn’t go on your property on purpose. It’s just no one from your family has been in these woods for years.”
I wondered what he was talking about. Did these two know each other as kids?
Knox lowered his voice and said, “She’s younger than me, probably Heath’s age. Maybe they went to school together.”
“Or they ran into each other in the woods,” I said, curious about their history.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m planning on renovating the inn and reopening before the holidays next year.”
“I, for one, would love to see the inn renovated and open again. I think it will be great for the surrounding area,” Lori said.
“There aren’t any hotels nearby, so people have to stay farther away in a hotel or rent a house if they can find one,” Knox said to me.
The woman’s shoulders lowered slightly at Lori’s words. “Grandma would have wanted me to bring it back to life.”
“I’m so sorry for your loss, dear,” Lori said.
She took a step back and seemed to deflate. “Thank you.”
“I’m going to head back. I’m tired,” Lori said to everyone, and then to the woman, “It’s good to have you back, Marley. Let us know if you need anything at all. My boys would be happy to help.”
Heath’s jaw tightened.
I wasn’t so sure he wanted to help her. I hadn’t realized acquiring the property was so important to him.
