Playing with Words (Boggy Creek Valley #2) - Kelly Elliott Page 0,94

you be writing?”

“I got some words down today. After everyone left, I got a good four thousand in. I couldn’t really concentrate when I couldn’t reach you. I had a feeling something was wrong.”

“I’m so sorry, Hudson. After Tom left, all hell broke loose. Between calling the bank, my parents, and my stockbroker, my head is pounding.”

He drew me back against him and held me. “Shh, don’t even worry about it.”

I wasn’t sure how long we sat there in silence, but the doorbell broke through the peace of the evening when the pizza guy showed up. After we ate and I had two glasses of wine, I found myself back in Hudson’s arms on the sofa with Pride and Prejudice playing on the TV. When I started to drift off, Hudson turned off the TV, carried me into my bedroom, and slowly undressed me. I crawled onto the bed and slipped under the covers.

I turned to see Hudson slipping in behind me, and I sighed. For a moment, I had panicked, thinking he might leave after assuming I’d want to be alone. That was the last thing I wanted.

He drew me close, and the warmth of his body allowed me to totally relax against him.

Hudson buried his face in my hair and kissed me. “Try to get some sleep, Greer. We’ll figure it all out. I promise you.”

As I lay in the darkness, I focused on Hudson’s rhythmic breathing. The feel of his heartbeat against my back relaxed my own. My eyes grew heavy, and I soon found myself drifting off into a dreamless night.

Greer

I stood in the middle of my parents’ kitchen and watched my father pace around the island while my mother sat at the table, her coffee in her hand. I had woken up this morning to Hudson’s soft kisses all over my body, which led to us making love. I practically begged the day to pause in that moment, so I wouldn’t ever have to get out of bed.

But it continued, and we both had to get up and get on with the day. That meant heading to the bookstore while Hudson went back out to the cabin to work. I had gone to my parents’ house for lunch to get their advice on what I should do, even though I knew it was hopeless. I wouldn’t be able to come up with that kind of money in such a short amount of time.

My father cursed, and I snapped out of my thoughts.

“I would love to march up to Tom’s house and ask him what in the hell is the matter with him. When did the folks around here start letting money control their judgment? First Mayor Apthorp sells the gristmill, now Brooks is thinking of selling as well!”

“He’s not thinking, Dad. He is.”

The front door opened and closed. Kyle walked in with Aiden O’Hara.

I didn’t know why Aiden was here, but from the look on his face, it wasn’t to deliver good news.

“Aiden, what are you doing here?” I asked, twisting my hands together as I tried to tamp down the fresh wave of anxiety that hit me.

Kyle cleared his throat. “Aiden stopped by the station to talk to me.”

I looked between the two of them. “What about?”

Turning to his friend, Kyle motioned for him to talk.

“I was in The Coffee Pot having lunch. There were two gentlemen in there talking—and they weren’t happy at all. Apparently, one was the guy who put the offer down on your building. He said Tom called this morning and told him another party offered more, and he was going with that buyer. The building’s no longer available for sale.”

I frowned. “Wait, what? There’s another buyer? Maybe he had second thoughts and just told the first guy that?” Reaching for my phone, I looked to see if Tom had called. He hadn’t, and I shook my head in confusion.

“Do you think Tom changed his mind?” my mother asked.

Aiden and Kyle looked at each other—though neither would look at me.

I nearly screamed in frustration. “What are you not telling me, Kyle? Aiden!”

Kyle cleared his throat. “Aiden and I went and talked to Tom. He sold the building this morning to someone from New York. They met at the title company, and the buyer wired the entire amount right there on the spot.”

It felt like someone had kicked me in the stomach. “What? But he gave me until Friday!”

Aiden sighed. “Greer, there was no way you were going to be able