Chapter 23

23

Brandt was a man on a mission. Early the next afternoon, once his doctors—Rhea and Shane Lowell—gave him an official all-clear, he made his way back to the house that would be where he and Meyra would live. If she didn't send him packing, anyway, for making demands of her that she wasn't ready for yet.

He hadn't seen her in almost a full day. Since that last kiss in the lobby. She had been remarkably hard to find. He suspected her family was behind that. They were conspiring to hide her from him. He was sure of it.

Even Marin had been giving him smirking little looks like she knew a secret.

He was still formulating the logistics of his plan, but first—he and Mac had been to his house two days ago. He'd spoken with the Preston girls—they were staying in a two-story farmhouse that had once been the foreman's place on his ranch. He hadn't had the heart to charge them rent. The larger property next door had been where they had grown up. After their father's arrest, they hadn't wanted to stay there any longer. Not with the threat of losing the house hanging over their heads. They'd wanted some sort of stability for their little brother.

Brandt had purchased the entire Preston property at thirty-five percent below appraisal value.

It had been one hell of a deal. But when he'd gotten the keys from the oldest girl, she had had tears in her eyes. The girls had been staying at the inn. He hadn't been able to stand it.

Now they lived together in that house an eighth of a mile away. He made a point of checking on them when he could—he'd want someone to keep an eye on Powell if she was in that kind of situation. It was how his parents had raised him, after all.

Now, he had questions for the girls. Those three assholes who had attacked him could have hurt Fallon, Molly, or Karyann. Or little Myles could have stumbled right into them. He was eight years old and liked to show Brandt his rather impressive fossil collection whenever he could. Brandt had a fossil from a dig in Brazil he wanted to give that boy—his cousin Trevor was an archeologist and had sent it to him on request.

He just needed to make certain they were doing okay and then check the property more thoroughly. He wasn't doing it alone—he'd grabbed Fletcher Tyler for a ride. The man lived close to town and was often in and out of the inn. Especially when Charlotte was around.

Fletcher had agreed to drop him off at the local car dealership as well. Mac had told him his truck was going to cost more to repair than he had anticipated, and it would be a while. Brandt needed transportation. Fast.

He had plans, damn it.

An hour later and it was done. He drove the truck right off the lot. A brand-new truck, a year newer than his current model. Dark blue this time instead of the cherry red from before.

Now, he felt more in control of his life again. At least a little.

The house was locked up good and tight. He'd have to get the best contracting company in town—Martin Tyler and his brothers, cousins of Fletcher—to fix the things that needed fixed. He was redoing the interior to be modern and less heavy and ornate. Too fussy.

Morris Preston had lived there—and the man's son had almost killed Meyra's cousins Dusty, Devaney, and Dylan. He didn't want anything in that house to remind Meyra of that at all. A total remodel was the answer—but it was an eight-bedroom, three-story property. Plenty of room for a man like Brandt to spread out. With several possible guest rooms for when his family visited. And rooms for any children he and Meyra had, plus any nieces and nephews who eventually wanted to visit.

He was also doubling the size of the kitchen. She would want plenty of space in the kitchen. And he wanted to give her the best.

He would give that woman the entire world.

When he made it back to the inn, she was right there.

In dark blue jeans and a hoodie with Talley Catering written on the front. Her hair was pulled up in a ponytail and his fingers itched to touch. "Hello, little one. Off somewhere?"

"Some of us are going to the courthouse. They've put in a catering order. A case that is being sequestered or something. Marin said everyone who can has to go. It'll only take a few hours, though. She said."

Marin had expanded the diner and inn into a small mobile catering business. It was doing rather well. "I can go with you. Be an extra set of hands."

"You are still healing."

"I am sore, but…not an invalid. Any longer, anyway." He looked at the woman coming up behind her. Marin was smirking at him again. "Need grunt labor?"

"You, sir, can come if you want. I gave Dylan a pass. She has plans with Wonkus McBubbles once her shift ends. Apparently, her date last night went rather well. Dusty has drafted us a Ben and a Fletcher to help. This was a rather last-minute gig."

"I had stuff in the freezer that could be thawed quickly," Meyra said. "Just in case this kind of stuff happens. I was prepared."

It took them three hours. But he got to spend it with her. He loved watching her work. She was very confident when it came to her kitchen. That extended to the catering side, as well.

When they made it back to the inn…he was going to lure her to the game room to sit in front of the fireplace down there and snuggle.

Miranda met him at the door. "Brandt. You're here. I was just about to call you."

"What's wrong?" he asked, just as his phone rang.

With his mother's number.

He answered. And listened in utter horror.

"I'll be there as soon as I can."

Brandt fought impotent fury. He had never felt more useless in his life. Powell…was his closest friend on the planet, his sister—his twin. She was out there, practically helpless. And he couldn't get there to her like he almost always had before. This was like his heart was being ripped out. Just ripped right from him.

No matter what he did, he couldn't breathe.

"Brandt? What is it?" Meyra asked. Her small hand wrapped around his.

Then he could breathe again. At least enough to get out the words. "That was my mother. My sister…she's missing. No one knows where she is. She's just gone. I need to get back to Finley Creek. I need to go home. As fast as I can. I need to get there."

Meyra's arms slipped around him. Held him. Brandt wrapped his around her and just clung. Just for a moment.

He needed to get home. Powell…his sister needed him now.

Marin stepped around the counter. "I'll book you a flight. We'll get you home, Brandt. I promise."

What in the hell had happened to his sister?