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Authors: Melissa Cutler
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finally brought her around to my way of thinking.”
Lisa patted Kellan’s knee. “I wouldn’t take her refusal too personally. Those Sorentino sisters have a lot on their plates, with their mom’s poor health and their money troubles.”
“Money troubles?” That caught Kellan’s attention. “I haven’t heard mention of her finances, only of the restaurant Amy’s opening at their farm.”
Chris shifted Rowen to his other arm and sat up straighter. “She and Lisa have an appointment this week at the dairy. She wants to contract with Binderman Dairy, which I think is great.”
“True, and I’m happy to do business with the Sorentinos,” Lisa said, “but word is the restaurant and inn they’re opening are a last-ditch effort to save their farm from foreclosure. My cousin Isabel, who works for the bank in Albuquerque, said Amy, Rachel, and Jenna were in a few months ago applying for loans and meeting with a foreclosure agent. I bet their mom’s care is bleeding their bank accounts something terrible.”
Dread rippled through Kellan. Sorentino Farm was on the verge of foreclosure? A terrible possibility took shape in his mind as he thought of the manila folder hidden above his refrigerator. If Amy and her sisters were the subjects of an Amarex lawsuit, a personal relationship with her would not only be unethical, but against Kellan’s moral code. And if she discovered his link to the company fighting to squeeze her family out of their home . . .
Oh, man, he couldn’t even think about how she’d react. He choked down a swig of beer, fighting the urge to rip open the file and assuage his rising anxiety.
“What about royalties from oil leasing rights?” Chris asked. “Amarex contracts keep most of the ranches and farms around here afloat. Including ours.”
Chris’s question put his mind at ease. No way could Amy and her sisters be the victims of his uncle’s latest bullying attempt. The very reason they were in financial trouble rendered the possibility of Amarex’s interest in purchasing the land unthinkable.
He shook his head and relaxed back into the sofa cushion. “The Sorentino land is as dry as mine. Both are Quay County anomalies. No crude oil underground to be had. And you can bet your bottom dollar Amarex has explored every inch of both our properties in search of a source.” Probably, he should’ve tried to sound less joyous about that. “I read the reports on Amarex’s contract negotiations with Gerald Sorentino years ago because the guy was too cheap to spring for a lawyer to look out for his interests—exactly the sort of stupid choice Amarex salivates over. Exploration crews scoured his land and came up empty. No oil, no lease money.”
Lisa sighed. “What horrible luck that family’s had. It’s a shame Amy didn’t fare better on Ultimate Chef Showdown. The winner took home three hundred grand. Did you watch it, Kellan?”
“Nah. You know me; I don’t have much use for television. But I remember hearing a lot of chatter that the competition didn’t go well for her.”
Vaughn winced. “That’s putting it mildly. A word of advice? Don’t bring up the show during your date. It wasn’t Amy’s most flattering moment. But here’s what people don’t know—her dad, Gerald, died a matter of days before Chef Showdown began filming. And the episode she lost her marbles on was after her mom’s collapse. She never allowed anyone on the show to mention it—didn’t want people’s sympathy vote—but those are the facts.”
Chris shook his head. “Man, that’s rough.”
“How do you know all that?” Lisa asked.
Vaughn peeled the label on his bottle, looking uncomfortable. “I spent a lot of time at Sorentino Farm during the investigation into Gerald’s car crash, then Bethany’s breakdown. In my job, you learn people’s secrets. Most of them aren’t of the positive variety.”
Kellan’s jaw clamped shut and refused to budge. Impotent frustration coursed
Lisa patted Kellan’s knee. “I wouldn’t take her refusal too personally. Those Sorentino sisters have a lot on their plates, with their mom’s poor health and their money troubles.”
“Money troubles?” That caught Kellan’s attention. “I haven’t heard mention of her finances, only of the restaurant Amy’s opening at their farm.”
Chris shifted Rowen to his other arm and sat up straighter. “She and Lisa have an appointment this week at the dairy. She wants to contract with Binderman Dairy, which I think is great.”
“True, and I’m happy to do business with the Sorentinos,” Lisa said, “but word is the restaurant and inn they’re opening are a last-ditch effort to save their farm from foreclosure. My cousin Isabel, who works for the bank in Albuquerque, said Amy, Rachel, and Jenna were in a few months ago applying for loans and meeting with a foreclosure agent. I bet their mom’s care is bleeding their bank accounts something terrible.”
Dread rippled through Kellan. Sorentino Farm was on the verge of foreclosure? A terrible possibility took shape in his mind as he thought of the manila folder hidden above his refrigerator. If Amy and her sisters were the subjects of an Amarex lawsuit, a personal relationship with her would not only be unethical, but against Kellan’s moral code. And if she discovered his link to the company fighting to squeeze her family out of their home . . .
Oh, man, he couldn’t even think about how she’d react. He choked down a swig of beer, fighting the urge to rip open the file and assuage his rising anxiety.
“What about royalties from oil leasing rights?” Chris asked. “Amarex contracts keep most of the ranches and farms around here afloat. Including ours.”
Chris’s question put his mind at ease. No way could Amy and her sisters be the victims of his uncle’s latest bullying attempt. The very reason they were in financial trouble rendered the possibility of Amarex’s interest in purchasing the land unthinkable.
He shook his head and relaxed back into the sofa cushion. “The Sorentino land is as dry as mine. Both are Quay County anomalies. No crude oil underground to be had. And you can bet your bottom dollar Amarex has explored every inch of both our properties in search of a source.” Probably, he should’ve tried to sound less joyous about that. “I read the reports on Amarex’s contract negotiations with Gerald Sorentino years ago because the guy was too cheap to spring for a lawyer to look out for his interests—exactly the sort of stupid choice Amarex salivates over. Exploration crews scoured his land and came up empty. No oil, no lease money.”
Lisa sighed. “What horrible luck that family’s had. It’s a shame Amy didn’t fare better on Ultimate Chef Showdown. The winner took home three hundred grand. Did you watch it, Kellan?”
“Nah. You know me; I don’t have much use for television. But I remember hearing a lot of chatter that the competition didn’t go well for her.”
Vaughn winced. “That’s putting it mildly. A word of advice? Don’t bring up the show during your date. It wasn’t Amy’s most flattering moment. But here’s what people don’t know—her dad, Gerald, died a matter of days before Chef Showdown began filming. And the episode she lost her marbles on was after her mom’s collapse. She never allowed anyone on the show to mention it—didn’t want people’s sympathy vote—but those are the facts.”
Chris shook his head. “Man, that’s rough.”
“How do you know all that?” Lisa asked.
Vaughn peeled the label on his bottle, looking uncomfortable. “I spent a lot of time at Sorentino Farm during the investigation into Gerald’s car crash, then Bethany’s breakdown. In my job, you learn people’s secrets. Most of them aren’t of the positive variety.”
Kellan’s jaw clamped shut and refused to budge. Impotent frustration coursed
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