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  It was much too soon to say those three words, but she felt them. More so than she ever had before. Everything about Leah felt right. The moment was broken when her stomach protested its lack of food.

  “What would you like?” Leah turned, and ran her fingers through Briley’s hair.

  “How about a grilled cheese?”

  “And tomato soup?”

  Briley made a face. “Chicken and stars.”

  “That’s Evan’s favorite also. Madison prefers vegetable.” Briley grumbled, but eventually they both got up and headed to the kitchen. As soon as the food was on the table, Leah’s phone rang and she went to answer it. After ten minutes and still no Leah, Briley went looking for her. She found her sitting on the couch with her head bent, and the phone to her ear.

  “Evan, calm down, sweetheart. Please…okay. Take a deep breath. Good. I’ll be there as soon as possible, but it’ll still take me at least four hours. Who’s there with you?”

  Briley sat down beside her and Leah grasped her forearm with her free hand. Whatever had happened was bad, judging by the haunted look on Leah’s face.

  “Okay. Put her on the phone.” Leah wiped her eyes. “Helen, can you stay with him? Thank you. I’m going to leave in a few minutes. Thank you.”

  Briley pulled her into her arms.

  “Evan, please, baby, you have to calm down. Your sister needs you right now. I know.” She closed her eyes and a sob broke lose. “I know. You don’t have to talk to your grandmother if you don’t want to.” A pause. “I’ll be there before you know it. Okay. I love you, too. If you need me, call me.”

  Briley didn’t ask any questions when the phone call ended, only held Leah tighter when she sobbed into her chest. Leah grasped Briley’s shirt.

  “Kathy and Lilith are dead.”

  “What?” Oh, dear God. Poor Evan.

  Leah accepted the Kleenex Briley handed her, but didn’t back away from her embrace. “There was a pile up on the interstate. A semi lost control. They died on impact.”

  She didn’t know what to say to that. ‘I’m sorry’ always felt like a slap in the face when her dad died.

  “My poor baby. I’ve got to leave in a few minutes. He’s scared and heartbroken.”

  “I can imagine. How are you feeling?”

  “Numb. We haven’t been a couple for years, but I loved her with everything I was at one point.” She grabbed her phone from the coffee table and dialed a number. The conversation was short. “Madison and Bryan are headed there now. They’ll make it an hour before me. Kathy wasn’t her mother, but they got along and she’ll be able to help her brother through this in a way I can’t.”

  It hit Briley then that Madison had also lost her dad at a young age.

  “Is anyone staying with Evan until Madison gets there?”

  “Yes. Helen, she’s Kathy’s neighbor.”

  Briley pushed the hair out of Leah’s eyes. “Do you want me to go with you?”

  “No.” Leah shook her head. “I know you’re in the final stages of your flips. You have to be here.”

  “I do, but I would drop everything for you.”

  Leah traced Briley’s jaw. “I’ll be fine. I lost an ex, but Evan lost his mother. He’s the one we should be worried about. Griffin is too young to realize what’s happened.” She scrubbed her hands down her face. “You’d really come with me?”

  “In a heartbeat.” Briley scooped Leah up and held her close. “If you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to call me. Anytime. I don’t care. You’ve hooked me, now you’re stuck with me.” Her joke had its intended affect when Leah gave a weak laugh.

  “I need to go pack.”

  “I’ll come with you.”

  “Okay.”

  An hour later, Briley watched a resigned Leah pull out of her driveway and drive off. She wanted to go with her, but, for the time being, would abide by Leah’s wishes. If Leah had been too distraught, she wouldn’t have had a say, Briley would have gone no matter what, but she wasn’t. She didn’t know what it was like for an ex to die, let alone two, but she did know what it was like to lose a parent, and Evan was going to need all his loved ones around him. Right now, that didn’t include her. In time, she hoped it would.

  Chapter Twenty-five

  For the last ten days, Briley and Leah had talked every day, sometimes with Briley telling Leah a story to help her fall asleep. The funeral had been three days after they died. Now, Leah was having to deal with Kathy’s irate mother, after the will was read two days ago, and Kathy left everything to Evan and Griffin. The house and property was to be sold, with all the proceeds being split between Evan and Griffin, and all their possessions put in storage until Evan, along with Griffin, could decide what he wanted to keep and get rid of.

  Lilith had been an orphan and had no one to contest the will. On the other hand, Barbara, Kathy’s mom, was not a happy camper. One, because Leah was named as executor of Kathy and Lilith’s estate, and two, because they had left Leah as sole guardian of Griffin. To top it off, the only thing Barbara was given in the will was her own mother’s jewelry that she’d given to Kathy when she turned twenty-one.

  Leah had told Briley she’d agreed to be Griffin’s guardian if anything had happened to Kathy and Lilith when Griffin was born, but she never expected it to come to fruition. To say Leah was overwhelmed was an understatement and Briley had to talk her down twice. Just from talking to Leah on the phone, Briley knew she was worn out, and fighting with Barbara was only making matters worse. On more than one occasion, she was ready to drive out there, but Leah insisted everything was fine.

  She was brought out of her thoughts when Kat dropped a take-out bag on the table in front of her.

  “Moping time is over. We’re going to eat, then talk about our new business venture.” A few days ago, Kat was approved for the business loan she’d been working non-stop to get. “She’ll be home before you know it.”

  Briley drew her plate toward her. “I don’t want to be selfish. I know things are going to change, but I’ve enjoyed our time together.”

  “And now you’re not only going to have to share her with Evan but with Griffin as well.”

  “I’m such a shit.”

  “Bri, no.” Kat grasped her hand. “It’s going to be okay. She’s going through a lot right now. She had to bury two people, deal with her son’s grief, her ex-mother-in-law stirring shit, plus...” she squeezed her hand, “she’s been granted custody of a toddler. Her ex’s daughter. That’s a lot to take in. On top of that, the selling of the house and cars and putting everything in storage. Things are changing, but they don’t have to be bad.”

  “When you put it that way.” Briley lifted her taco and took a big bite of it. Kat was right. It was a lot to take in. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, she needed to buck up and act like a grown up. The next time Leah called, Briley would be as supportive as possible. “What’s on the agenda today?”

  “Seeing as you don’t have to work, I wanted to get your input on which building I should purchase and help me pick through the resumes that have been sent.”

  “Sure thing.” Briley and Brandon both had decided to be a silent partner in Kat’s business, but Briley would help Kat in any way possible. They all wanted this to be a successful venture. So far, Kat only wanted to hire one, maybe two carpenters to help her in the construction of the tiny houses. Kat planned to sub-contract the plumbing and wiring until she received her certification in those trades.

  “Here.” Kat slid over the folder with the properties when they were done eating.

  Briley flipped through them and discarded two right off the bat. “That’s too far away from the main roadways, and that one is too close to downtown. It would be a bitch to get a tiny house out of that property.” She took three pieces of paper out. “These are good choices, but it would be better to see them in person. Two of these are with the same agency. Call them and see if you can set up appointments for today. Maybe they can fit us in.”


  “You didn’t say anything about the price.”

  “Nope. They’re all within your budget.”

  “But, this one is significantly lower than the other two.” Kat pointed to one of the listings.

  “True, but it might need a lot more work than the other two.”

  “You’ve already picked one out, haven’t you?” Kat slipped everything back in the folder except for Briley’s three choices.

  “I have my favorite, but we need to look at them, and ultimately it’s your choice.”

  Kat rolled her eyes. “I wanted you in on this for a reason. I trust you and you’ve already built a successful business.”

  “That’s a good point. After you make your phone calls, we’ll go across the street and check on the progress of your house.” The roof and siding had already been replaced, as well as the front porch and back deck. The electrical had been updated a few years ago, but the plumbing had to be completely replaced. The cost was extensive, but worth it in the end. It also allowed Kat to move her kitchen around the way she wanted it. Not to mention she wanted the small office beside the master bedroom knocked out to enlarge the master bath.

  The scope of the project and the cost surprised Briley, but Kat got a fantastic deal on the house, and she’d padded her savings account quite nicely over the years. She joined Kat in the living room and sat down across from her in the recliner.

  “The agent for the two properties can meet us at the first one in an hour and the other agent can’t meet with us until three.”

  “Let’s head over to your house, then drive to the first property.”

  “After you.”

  Forty-five minutes later, they pulled into the first property. A large metal building was situated on three acres of property right off downtown. The location wasn’t ideal, but it was a nice plot of land. After the agent arrived and they walked the property, they both concluded this wasn’t the one.

  They both took a liking to the second property. From Kat’s house, it would be a thirty-minute drive, but the land was ideal. A metal building was located on the edge of the four-acre property and two smaller buildings were adjacent to it. One of the buildings was a small bunkhouse, complete with a standard bathroom, and kitchenette. A twin bed was pushed up against the wall.

  She pulled Kat off to the side. “You know, you can work this into the work offer.”

  “What? This place?”

  “The craftsmanship of the building is on point. Invest a few hundred dollars and it will look good as new. Fresh paint, redo the flooring. Offer this place along with a salary. The other outbuilding you can turn into an office. It’ll probably take closer to a thousand to get it the way you want it, but in the end, it will be worth it. Let’s look at the main building.”

  Briley’s eyes lit up when the large doors were opened and she got her first look inside. She had expected a dirt floor, but was pleasantly surprise to find concrete and concrete that was in good shape. Large beams ran across the ceiling and down the sides.

  “Is the electrical up to date?”

  “The building is only a few years old, and the entire building is wired along with being insulated. Instead of the standard sheetrock, the owner wanted plywood walls as an extra barrier. The building is also equipped with a heating and cooling system as well as a state-of-the-art ventilation system.”

  It was impressive and the price showed that. The ceiling was at least twenty feet tall. Kat grabbed her arm and dragged her away to a corner of the room.

  “What do you think, Briley? It’s perfect, right?”

  “Yes, it is. You don’t even need the other building for an office, since there’s one in here, plus a bathroom. Whatever the owner wanted this building for, it was a serious venture. Do you have the paper for the other property with you?” Kat handed it over and they compared the specs. It was clear who the winner was, and it hadn’t been Briley’s choice. “I like it. With the size of the building, you could build two tiny houses at a time, and the land is large enough you could set four or five house out there comfortably.”

  “Me too.” Kat looked as excited as Briley felt.

  They walked back to talk to the agent. Kat allowed Briley to do the talking. “The property is amazing. The price on the other hand…”

  The agent nodded her head and sighed. “You’re not the first to be interested in the property, but the price has deterred people.”

  “Is there anything that can be done to get the price down? It’s overpriced and I’m not just saying that. I’ve bought enough properties to know. It’s overpriced by a lot.”

  The agent smiled. “What would be your ideal price?”

  “Are you asking for a commitment right now?” Briley asked.

  “Yes.”

  “I would feel comfortable and we’re approved with a price at least thirty-five thousand off the asking price.”

  “Let me call my clients and see what they have to say. Do you mind if I ask what you want the property for? I know, Briley, you own Jacob Anderson.”

  Kat spoke up. “I’m starting a tiny home building business.”

  “I’ll be right back,” the agent said.

  Briley and Kat leaned back against the wall, waiting.

  “Do you think they’ll come down?” Kat asked. “You were asking for a lot off.”

  “Are you nervous?”

  “Yes.”

  Briley laughed. “It’s hard to tell. Besides, I don’t expect them to come down that much. Fifteen off asking is a realistic price.”

  “That’s still a lot.” Kat ran her fingers through her hair.

  “I thought you wanted this one.”

  “I do. It’s just a lot. What if I fail?”

  Briley cupped Kat’s shoulders. “You won’t fail. I won’t let you. We’ve got this. There are plenty of people in your corner.”

  “I know.”

  They both looked up when the agent returned. “He wouldn’t come down thirty-five, but he came down twenty.”

  Briley bumped Kat’s shoulder. “I’ll take it.”

  “Excellent. Let’s go down to the office and I’ll get your information.”

  While Kat filled out her papers, Briley called the other agent to cancel their appointment and had just ended the call when her cell phone rang. Leah.

  “Hello, tiny.”

  “Darling, it’s good to hear your voice. It’s been a long day.”

  Briley sat down on the bench outside the real estate office. Be supportive. “It sounds like it. The last time we talked, you almost had the house cleared out. How’s that going?”

  “Good. The last of their things were put on the truck and it left for Garriety an hour ago. The only things left belong to Evan and Griffin and Evan has already loaded most of that in the Escalade. We’re staying at a hotel for the next few nights and are leaving early Saturday morning to come home. Madison and Bryan left this morning, also.”

  “How are you?”

  “Tired and sad. I didn’t realize how much Kathy affected me until I had to say goodbye and pack up all her things. It was hard. Griffin doesn’t understand. Barbara left this morning, also. We talked and even though she doesn’t agree, she is going to abide by Kathy’s will.”

  “How do you feel about that? You haven’t said much about being Griffin’s guardian.”

  “It’s surreal, darling. Before the accident, I hadn’t spent that much time alone with her. Now, my lap is the first one she crawls into. I don’t know that I can do this, Briley. I’ll be fifty-one this year. Evan will be seventeen and Madison twenty-five. My grandbabies are three and two, and now I have what amounts to another daughter. A toddler a little younger than Henry. I thought those years were over for me. I had planned on traveling after Evan went to college. Is being in my life really something you want? Because I’m quite the package.”

  “Don’t be so hard on yourself. Do you remember me saying I wasn’t running? Well, I’m not running. Granted, this isn’t what I expected when
I said it, but I’m here. Griffin is coming home with you and well, they made the internet for a reason. If I need to know something, I can just Google it.”

  “Briley, I can’t ask you to put your life on hold for me. Not now. This is a huge undertaking. It won’t be just you and me anymore.”

  Briley’s heart beat fast in her chest. “No, it won’t, but I’m here, Leah. I’m here waiting for all of you to come home.”

  “Maybe we should put a hold on the dating part of our relationship, and stick to being friends.”

  “That’s…God.” That’s not what she wanted. She buried her head in her hands, aware that she was starting to draw looks from people passing on the sidewalk. “Is that really what you want? Because if it is, I’ll take a step back. But, if you’re only saying this to give me an out, I don’t want it. I want you and whatever comes along with that. Leah, I…I lo…like you. A lot. Like a lot lot.” She wouldn’t say those three words until they were face-to-face. “Evan is great, and I look forward to getting to know Madison and her family. Griffin is just icing on the cake.”

  Leah chuckled. “You’ve a way with words. Hold on, Evan just walked in. Stay with Griffin, I’m going out on the balcony to talk with Briley.”

  “Sure thing, Mom,” Briley heard over the phone.

  “Sorry about that,” Leah said after a few minutes. “Evan dug through the car for the Finding Nemo dvd that he and Griffin are going to watch. He’s doing better than I expected. It helped having Madison here with him. For three days straight, they went off together, and every time they came back, he seemed lighter. Madison made it clear to me that he still had a long way to go and for me to just keep an eye on him.”

  “I’ll be here, too. I’ve been through what he’s going through, as has Kat. If he doesn’t feel comfortable talking with me, he can talk to her.”

  “You’re a saint.”

  “Hardly.” Briley nibbled her bottom lip for a moment. “Are you sure you don’t need me to do anything for you before you get home on Saturday?”