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He nodded and turned inside the house, “Yes, Dad is in the back. I can call him if you want.”
“Good, yes, please. Maybe I can step inside while I wait,” I asked.
“Of course,” he said and stepped back, opening the door wide enough for me to enter. “Please come on in.”
I smiled at him, turned, and took another look at Philip before I got inside the house.
The inside was warm and smelled of pancakes. I turned toward the boy, who was still smiling nervously. “Please have a seat. I will go get my father and will be back in a moment.”
I nodded, and he dashed out of the sitting room. Smiling, I turned to look at the other things in the room.
On the side of the room was a showcase filled with awards and trophies. I stepped closer to them, hands in my pocket.
Most were awarded to them for their outstanding efforts in helping Tennessee, and some were personal awards. I nodded and turned towards the miniature portraits. They were pictures of the family.
The first was that of the couple, holding each other’s hand, and the next was the image of a little girl, followed by a boy. I was about to go further and view the following picture when I heard footsteps beside me.
I turned to see Paul Edwards removing his gloves as he looked at me with a frown.
“How can I help you?” He asked, putting the gloves in his back pockets.
“Mr. Paul Edwards,” I muttered, scratching my jaw, extending my hand to shake his. “It’s an honor to meet you finally.”
“Can’t say the pleasure is mine because I have no idea what you are here for or how you got to know my name,” he said, not extending his hand for the same.
“Honey, that is not the way to treat a guest.” His wife, Martha, who was beautiful and quite familiar, said as she moved into the room and tapped her husband gently on the arm. “Please do have a seat,” she said, pointing to the couch.
I smiled at her as I moved towards the couch, unbuttoned my suit, and sat. “Thank you, ma’am.”
“You are welcome,” Martha replied, holding her husband’s arm and gently helping him to the other couch while he reluctantly obeyed. “Would you like anything? Coffee, tea?”
“You might want to hand him the keys to our truck, also.” Paul groaned, but a gentle look from his way made him subside.
“I am perfectly okay, thank you for asking,” I said with a nod, even though I quickly noticed their wary looks.
I smiled and rubbed my chin.
I should have used my chopper instead. I bet it would have made things much easier, but the family looked like material things didn’t motivate them. Also, getting on their wrong side from the get-go wasn’t a way to get this business done.
“What do you want?” The man asked, folding his hands. “I am a busy man, and sitting here discussing with you is not how I envision starting my Sunday morning.”
“Is he always like this?” I asked, turning to his wife, who shrugged and folded her arms.
“Is there anything you might want to get from us? Book our services, maybe?”
“Actually.” I began, sitting up, “I am Mason Blackwood, the Chairman of the Blackwood Empire. I believe one of my employees, James, has been here to acquire the land where your farm is situated.”
Paul chuckled and shook his head. “I knew it, the fucking Blackwoods again. Don’t you guys have anything more important to do except go about people’s houses trying to steal from them?”
“That is a huge accusation, Mr. Edwards. We operate a very legal enterprise and never have or had the thought to steal from anybody, most especially those whom we want to start dealing with.”
“Well, I hope James already told you we are not selling.”
“That was then, and I guess he was less convincing of how important that site is for our company and how greatly it will help the community, the same one founded by your ancestors.”
Paul chuckled and shook his head. “Seems you did your homework well.”
“I try my best.”
