Making me feel five all over again.
“I’m an adult,” I grumble to myself, staring at my phone once she hung up on me.
Puffing air out of my cheeks I turn to give Kyle an explanation.
An apology I guess.
“I’m twenty-one, Kyle. And no I didn’t know my mom would still treat me like a child now that I’m home.”
“Not until just now,” he says, not joking though.
He looks concerned.
“Look. I’ll just go home, get changed and make sure the sheriff sees me.”
“The sheriff?” Kyle asks, sitting up.
“No. You’re staying with me, Jacinta. I can run you home if you need anything. And that damned sheriff, well he can just—”
A loud knock at the door silences us both, and when it’s repeated I hear a familiar voice.
“Mister Lundstrom. Sheriff Beauford. I’d like a moment of your time if you please.”
I feel a lump in my throat that won’t go down when I swallow, but Kyle looks calm, in more control than ever as he gets up and slips on his jeans.
He points to the bathroom, and then to another empty room, reminding me I have my choice of hiding places, but I’m already on it.
I settle in the sliding closet in the next room, a second bedroom by the looks.
Kyle and I haven’t exactly been taking a tour of the suite just yet.
Only each other so far.
It’s a snug fit, but leaving the bedroom door open some, I can hear everything that’s said between the two.
I don’t think Kyle lets the sheriff in, but it sure sounds like he’s giving the lawman a serving about being roused so early.
“Have you ever heard of anti-harassment laws, Sheriff?” he says loudly. Hamming it up a little.
But I can tell the old sheriff is just as stubborn and just as grumpy and loud this early.
The end result sees the sheriff warning Kyle that he’s got, “Two eyes in ma’ head. And both are on you, sir…” He leaves and I rejoin Kyle who looks almost edgy.
“What is it?” I ask him. “He’s gone, right?”
Kyle nods somberly and says, “Yeah, he’s gone. And so will we once you’re dressed.”
“I’m not staying here. Not in Cherry,” he growls, looking back toward the door he’s just closed as if it’s the whole town itself staring back at him.
“Too many damned interruptions and interference,” he snaps, looking about as upset as I wanna see a man of his size get.
“It's okay, Kyle.” I squeak. “I just need to catch the sheriff, tell him I’m fine, then we’ll…” I trail off.
“Then we’ll do what? Stay here. Or at your mom’s?” he almost barks before he reels in his temper.
Shaking his head and smiling like someone who has more than just a plan.
“By the time I’m finished with Cherry… that Sheriff will wish he’d been a little kinder. Shown a little more respect.”
My confused expression must tell him he needs to slow down. Explain it to me so I know what on earth he’s talking about.
“What do you mean, when you’re through with Cherry?” I ask, sensing something I don’t like coming on.
“Ah. Well,” Kyle says, looking a lot more relaxed once he comes to an unseen conclusion in his mind.
“They’re all gonna find out soon enough. But what I’m gonna tell you has to stay between us. Just for now,” he tells me.
“Tell me what?” I ask, hearing my voice crack.
As if I know that somehow what I’m about to hear is the catch I’ve been waiting for.
The one thing to make everything I thought was too good to be true, different.
“I am in construction, Jacinta. But not the regular kind.” He pauses, sighing.
“I’m Kyle Lundstrom. Of Lundstrom towns?” he adds as if that should explain everything.
He’s not bothered that his name hasn’t clicked, and explains in a few minutes just what it really is he came to Cherry for.
How he plans to buy it out from the townsfolk and turn it into something it’s never been.
A working, thriving town, filled with high-end housing and weekender and investment apartments.
“Some people flip a coin, or even a property or two,” Kyle explains, swelling with pride and just a hint of macho in his voice.
“Me, I flip whole towns. Turn them into future cities,” he adds, giving a little shrug.
As if to say, it’s a tough job but hey someone’s gotta do it.
“And all for profit, I’m assuming,” I murmur, sinking into a nearby chair.
Feeling like the life’s been drained out of me.
Like I’ve been sucker punched.
The one little caveat in the whole Kyle Lundstrom fantasy…
He’s a developer who’s looking for a shoo-in to buy up his next town by the looks of it.
And guess who fits his purposes? The one who can whisper into the ears of existing property owners.
Places like the diner…
“What’s the matter?” Kyle asks, looking genuinely perplexed as I feel my eyes narrow to slits.