Page 111 of Fortune's Control
Her bewilderment amused me. “Yes, it’s common for wood cabins to contain wood. You want to see them? This one is vacant.”
“It’s so pretty.” Lilah grabbed my hand off the steering wheel and squeezed.
“The cabins? I should hope so, considering they’re about to be a pain in my ass.” If they were in town, or almost anywhere else, I’d sell the properties and be done with it. However, my family purchased the land a long time ago, and my parents considered the property a part of our family legacy. The cabins also formed the bulk of my income, and as much as I enjoyed woodworking and baseball, neither pursuit supported a family.
“You know I’ll help with that, right?” Lilah pulled her sunglasses up to grin at me. She’d developed a glow on her skin from her time outside, accentuating the pale freckles on her nose and cheeks.
Warmth spread through me, and not from her question. We were alone, with her mother back in Atlanta, and Sophie back at her job. Our life was ours, and selfishly, it meant more of hertime belonged to me.
“Will you help replace the A/C unit and build a third cabin?” I asked, already knowing the answer, and loving her for it.
“I’ll help with many other things. Lucky for everyone, I come armed with spreadsheets and a calculator.” Lilah flashed the calculator app on her phone to prove it. “Do we meet with Jack after this?”
“Aiden’s job is wrapping up, so he’s available, and he agreed to do it.” I worried for him and hoped this job would distract him from my sister. Her last visit dashed my hopes of the two forming even a tepid truce. After the apartment trashing, Jack appointed himself her full-time protector, which I appreciated and approved of. That led to a blowout, with Sophie calling him an untrustworthy liar, and worse, before Jack retaliated by calling her mean and ungrateful. That part bothered me. In the end, Sophie left town earlier than planned, and Jack went home to get drunk. “This all assumes you tell me it’s feasible.”
“We can do that,” she said. Lilah opened the truck door and forgot about Jack and everyone else. “Shane, this is stunning.” She leaned her head back and twirled, allowing her chestnut hair to swirl around her, catching the glints of sun that snuck through the thick trees.
She took my breath away and melted my heart. “You ready to see the creek?”
*****
“You lied, Shane Wilcott. Creeks are little trickles of water, enough to cover your feet. There’s room for boats in that.”
We stood on one of the large rocks at the water’s edge. Green roughage grew up all around us, disappearing into the crisp water below. “You see why we keep this land? Jack’s parents held a couple of acres too, once upon a time, before they sold it.”
“Why would they do that?” I enjoyed the confusion in her voice.
“I don’t know. It wasn’t my place to ask. Do you see that log over there?” I pointed towards a slim figure further down the creek.
“The giant brown stick? What of it?”
“It’s a gator.” I picked up a rock and threw it.
“Impressive arm, Mr. Wilcott.” Lilah’s brown stick moved, causing her to jump and land in my arms, screaming. “That’s an alligator. I thought you were joking. They’re not supposed to be near me. They’re supposed to be away. Far, far away.”
“If there’s water nearby, assume they are as well.”
“I’d like to go inside now.”
Smiling, I helped her down, and we went into the cabin.
*****
“You want to build a third one similar to this?” Lilah wandered through the small cabin, picking up and fondling an old quilt sitting on a wooden rocking chair.
“My mother made that, and yes, the same design.”
She set the quilt down and picked up another, draped over the small sofa. “I’ll ask Jack to give me quotes and put it all together for you.” Her phone rang, and Lilah stared down at it with a sharp frown. “I wish service didn’t reach out here.”
“Who is it?”
She showed me the screen. “Detective Davis. What should I do?”
“Whatever you want to do. Neither of them is my favorite person.”
Lilah gave me a pained expression and put the call on speakerphone. “Hello, Detective. Can I help you?”
“What are you doing talking to his lawyer?”
