Page 59 of Building What's Meant to Be

“Sure. Nothing wrong with that.”

We go around to the rear of the building where a slight hill leads down to a broad field that stretches to the woods, er, swamp. I let out a breath and a sigh follows, unbidden.

Aiden’s voice is low when he says, “Not a bad view.”

“It is peaceful. Serene.”

We turn to face each other and his eyes dance over my face as if not sure where to land. He brushes a hair from my cheek, likely plastered there from when I struggled to keep up at Sweethearts. My throat bobs with a swallow. His lips part slightly and I’m not sure if he’s going to say something or—

A telephone rings from somewhere inside, startling us both.

I press my hand to my chest. “I didn’t know they still had those things.”

Aiden’s smirk is mischievous like he got caught about to do something other than talking.

We go inside where Bubba is on the phone talking about a broken ice maker.

Aiden moves to peek in the bathroom then waves his hand as if thinking better of it. “New bathrooms.”

Bubba gets off the phone and Aiden gives him the scope of work, adding a new ice maker to his immense list.

“I’m awfully thankful for your help, but is all of this really in the town budget?” he asks.

“Stoll’s pockets are deep.” Aiden winks.

Bubba’s eyes widen. “You sure the mayor wants to invest? I thought he was intending to sell Butterbury.”

Aiden balks. “Sell Butterbury?”

“You can’t sell a town, can you?” I ask.

“Not if you don’t own it.” Aiden’s brows creep together. “What makes you think Stoll intends to sell the town?”

“He said so.” Bubba wipes his hands on a rag and then leans on the counter.

“When? To who?” Aiden asks.

Bubba rubs his hand through his beard. “Probably about two weeks ago now, he was in here with two men. Dark suits, sunglasses. They looked like characters from the movies.”

“Like Men in Black or—” I ask to clarify.

“All I know is he called them both Kraven. Kinda weird that they had the same name, right?”

Aiden’s eyebrows couldn’t inch any closer. “Kraven as in the Kraven Corporation? As in Kraven Casinos? Kraven Cash?”

“I’ve been there. Puma performed at their Las Vegas property several times. I got my room and everything else comped.” I smile.

“Oh, those Kravens. I think they were involved in some alien stuff,” Bubba says straight-faced.

“Men in Black for real?”

Bubba goes on to outline some crackpot conspiracy theories about aliens and data harvesting.

Aiden’s nostrils flair and the muscle in his jaw ticks. “Interesting.”

I whisper. “I’m not sure any of that is real.” Though I can now verify that Sasquatch are.

“Maybe. Maybe not. But the Kravens are real, and they are bad, bad guys.” Aiden stares into the distance for a long moment.

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