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Authors: Nicole Edwards
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she
wouldn’t want Tessa to touch her things.
“What
can I help you with?” Luanne asked, primly lowering herself into an ugly side
chair and crossing her legs like a debutante on display. Damn, this woman was
absolutely nothing like her father, nor was she anything remotely close to how
Tessa remembered her either. They hadn’t spoken to each other in years, not
since Luanne married Jacob Matthew Rosenbough the Third about five years
prior.
“I
wanted to talk to you about your dad’s farm,” Tessa stated, figuring she might
as well get right down to business. No sense beating around the bush when Tessa
would much prefer getting the hell out of dodge as soon as possible.
“In
case you haven’t noticed, the farm belongs to me now.”
Oh
she noticed all right. Biting her tongue to keep from being sarcastic, Tessa
forced a smile. “I’m sorry, I meant your farm.”
Luanne
nodded, her perfectly coifed hair never budging an inch. She must’ve used
plaster to keep that thing in place.
Shaking
her head to regain her focus, grateful that her own hair actually moved, Tessa
continued. “I was wondering whether you received my last payment.”
After
some research, Tessa found out that her last two checks hadn’t been cashed,
which meant, either Luanne didn’t receive them, or she purposely didn’t cash
them for whatever reason. Based on the fact that Cooper Krenshaw believed he
was about to become the new owner of the Deluth land, she had to assume the
latter was the case.
“What
in heaven’s name are you talking about?” Luanne asked, her real accent coming
out in spades. That was an easy tell. When the woman was lying, she obviously
had a hard time keeping up the rich, socialite front. That and the way Luanne’s
jaw ticked, a clear sign the woman was hiding something.
Figuring
it wasn’t in her best interest to get defensive, she decided to explain the
situation. “Your father and I had an agreement,” Tessa began. “I’ve been paying
him every month for the last several years until I could come up with the
entire down payment on his land. At that point, I was going to take possession
of the house and continue paying him the agreed upon price.”
Luanne
cocked an eyebrow, but Tessa could tell that the confused look was for her
benefit. “I’m sorry, Tessa. I don’t know about any agreement that my father
made. He wasn’t very good about keeping records,” she said snidely, “and when
he passed away everything was willed to me.”
Tessa
clamped her jaw shut, breathing in through her nose and trying to rein in her
temper. This was not going to go well if she lost it. Instead of arguing, she
waited for Luanne to continue.
“And
besides the fact that my father was much too generous with you over the years,
I’ve actually sold the land to a really nice man who was willing to pay a much
more reasonable price,” Luanne smiled greedily. “I’m sure you’ve met him.”
Wait.
More reasonable than what? If Luanne didn’t know about the agreement, how would
she know what was considered more reasonable?
To
Tessa’s surprise, Luanne didn’t actually elaborate on whom she sold the land
to. Because Cooper was famous, she figured Luanne would be all about bragging
around town. But Tessa didn’t need Luanne to give her the details, she already
knew.
“I’m
confused,” Tessa said, pretending Luanne hadn’t out and out lied about the
agreement between Tessa and Luanne’s father that she initially claimed she
didn’t know about. “I’ve got an agreement.”
“And
that agreement is null and void now that my father passed away. If I’d had my
way, he never would’ve made a deal with you in the first place.”
Well,
the truth was out at least. Not that it made her feel any better. Tessa
clenched her hands at her side, but she didn’t move. “So, where’s my money?”
“Oh,
honey, don’t you worry your pretty little head. I don’t need your money. You’ll
get back every
wouldn’t want Tessa to touch her things.
“What
can I help you with?” Luanne asked, primly lowering herself into an ugly side
chair and crossing her legs like a debutante on display. Damn, this woman was
absolutely nothing like her father, nor was she anything remotely close to how
Tessa remembered her either. They hadn’t spoken to each other in years, not
since Luanne married Jacob Matthew Rosenbough the Third about five years
prior.
“I
wanted to talk to you about your dad’s farm,” Tessa stated, figuring she might
as well get right down to business. No sense beating around the bush when Tessa
would much prefer getting the hell out of dodge as soon as possible.
“In
case you haven’t noticed, the farm belongs to me now.”
Oh
she noticed all right. Biting her tongue to keep from being sarcastic, Tessa
forced a smile. “I’m sorry, I meant your farm.”
Luanne
nodded, her perfectly coifed hair never budging an inch. She must’ve used
plaster to keep that thing in place.
Shaking
her head to regain her focus, grateful that her own hair actually moved, Tessa
continued. “I was wondering whether you received my last payment.”
After
some research, Tessa found out that her last two checks hadn’t been cashed,
which meant, either Luanne didn’t receive them, or she purposely didn’t cash
them for whatever reason. Based on the fact that Cooper Krenshaw believed he
was about to become the new owner of the Deluth land, she had to assume the
latter was the case.
“What
in heaven’s name are you talking about?” Luanne asked, her real accent coming
out in spades. That was an easy tell. When the woman was lying, she obviously
had a hard time keeping up the rich, socialite front. That and the way Luanne’s
jaw ticked, a clear sign the woman was hiding something.
Figuring
it wasn’t in her best interest to get defensive, she decided to explain the
situation. “Your father and I had an agreement,” Tessa began. “I’ve been paying
him every month for the last several years until I could come up with the
entire down payment on his land. At that point, I was going to take possession
of the house and continue paying him the agreed upon price.”
Luanne
cocked an eyebrow, but Tessa could tell that the confused look was for her
benefit. “I’m sorry, Tessa. I don’t know about any agreement that my father
made. He wasn’t very good about keeping records,” she said snidely, “and when
he passed away everything was willed to me.”
Tessa
clamped her jaw shut, breathing in through her nose and trying to rein in her
temper. This was not going to go well if she lost it. Instead of arguing, she
waited for Luanne to continue.
“And
besides the fact that my father was much too generous with you over the years,
I’ve actually sold the land to a really nice man who was willing to pay a much
more reasonable price,” Luanne smiled greedily. “I’m sure you’ve met him.”
Wait.
More reasonable than what? If Luanne didn’t know about the agreement, how would
she know what was considered more reasonable?
To
Tessa’s surprise, Luanne didn’t actually elaborate on whom she sold the land
to. Because Cooper was famous, she figured Luanne would be all about bragging
around town. But Tessa didn’t need Luanne to give her the details, she already
knew.
“I’m
confused,” Tessa said, pretending Luanne hadn’t out and out lied about the
agreement between Tessa and Luanne’s father that she initially claimed she
didn’t know about. “I’ve got an agreement.”
“And
that agreement is null and void now that my father passed away. If I’d had my
way, he never would’ve made a deal with you in the first place.”
Well,
the truth was out at least. Not that it made her feel any better. Tessa
clenched her hands at her side, but she didn’t move. “So, where’s my money?”
“Oh,
honey, don’t you worry your pretty little head. I don’t need your money. You’ll
get back every
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