Page 194 of Love in Riverbend
Devan giggles.
That gets me thinking.
I’m thirty-two years old. It’s time I get a place of my own.
Walking Devan to her door, to the Dunns’ back door, I kiss her again. “Thank you for an amazing weekend.”
She nods. “I think I need a nap.”
“Call me tonight?”
Her cheeks rise. “You are clingy.”
“Only in a good way.”
Her nap sounds like a great idea until I drive up to my house and see Jack Dunn’s truck parked outside.
Clenching my jaw, I walk into the house, listening for voices. They’re coming from Dad’s office. For a moment, I stand outside the closed door. The voices are muffled. Without a knock, I open the door and am met by Dad and Jack.
“What’s happening?” I ask, assessing the mood.
It’s not jovial.
“Come in, Justin,” Dad says. He looks to Jack. “You can fill him in.”
Jack sighs. “Janet has carpal tunnel.”
“Is that bad?” I ask.
“It can be treated with surgery. Thing is, she is ready to retire. I am too.”
I nod. This isn’t new news.
“The developer, he came by yesterday with his best offer yet. He’ll pay us now and let us live on the property through the winter. We can even harvest. We just need to be out by the end of March.”
“Where will you go? What about Devan and Ricky?”
“Janet and I have been talking. We can buy a house in town. We’re wanting to go someplace warm, but the kids can live there, and we’ll have a place to stay when we visit.”
“Have you told them?” I ask, knowing I’ve been with Devan all weekend.
“Ricky knows,” Jack says.
I pace back and forth, a million thoughts in my head. The biggest is that I don’t want Devan to have a reason to leave Riverbend. If her family is gone, will she want to move away?
“Is it a set deal?” I ask.
Jack shakes his head. “I gave you my word, Justin, that I’d talk to you and Randy first. That’s why I’m here.”
My gaze moves to my dad. There are so many things I want to say. At the same time, with Jack and Janet getting their freedom, I can’t ask my parents to mortgage the farm. They deserve to travel, to live outside of Riverbend.
“Jack,” Dad says, “can Justin and I have a little while to talk? I promise you an answer by the end of the day.”
Jack nods. “I’ll be waiting.”
Dad walks with Jack out to his truck as I go to the kitchen and drain a water bottle. When Dad comes back in, I say, “I can’t ask you to go into debt for my dream.”
“You didn’t ask me. Your mom and I have talked about it. We hate that damn developer. We don’t want all the traffic and water issues. The Dunn farm isn’t huge, but if we can save it for another generation, we want to do it.”
