“There is a company who wants to buy your land and build a huge lodge here.”
Mabel and Roy looked at each other. “We’re not interested in selling,” Roy said. “This is my land, my home.”
“And I want to help you keep it that way. But this company is very powerful and it won’t be easy for you to hold onto it. Not if they aggressively go after it.”
“Oh Roy, what are we going to do?” Mabel asked. “We can’t fight someone like that.”
“They can’t just come and take our land. There are laws,” Roy said.
And money can buy people into turning the other way.
“A business like that has ways around such things,” Ethan said.
Roy looked at him and asked, “Is that why you’re here? To tell us we’re losing our home?”
“And to provide you with a way to save it,” he stated.
Mabel reached out and grabbed Roy’s hands. “It’s not lost. Ethan is going to save it.”
Roy peered at him and said, “Ethan, I never asked what you do. Never needed to know. To us you have always just been Ethan, the young man we care for like you were our own. But right now you’re not…carrying yourself like that young man. You’re more like…like what you’re trying to protect us from.”
In a way, Roy called it correctly. He’d never shown them the Lawson side, the one that didn’t get fucked with. They were a giant in the steel industry, just like Ralph was in the hotel business. You don’t get to the top by being walked on.
Ethan said, “There’s a difference.”
“And what it that?” Roy asked.
“I’m on your side,” he said.
“Opposed to being on Kollette’s?” Roy asked.
Ethan didn’t understand what he meant by that. “What does Kollette have to do with this?” he asked.
“I might not have a television, or a cell phone, but I know more than people give me credit for. I know who she is. More importantly, I know why she was here,” Roy stated.
“And you don’t care?” Ethan said, still surprised.
“Ethan, she was doing her job. She wasn’t out to hurt us. And when she left, I had a feeling she wished she had actually been here for any other reason. It seemed to weigh very heavy on her,” Roy said. “And you shouldn’t have been so angry with her over it either.”
“I…I didn’t want her hurting you guys,” he stated.
“She didn’t. She wouldn’t,” Mabel said softly. “Kollette is an amazing woman. The rest is just what she does for work.”
She’s more amazing than either of you know. I’m the jerk.
“You’re right. She wouldn’t hurt you. Actually she landed here by mistake; she was supposed to be at Potters Peak. But it was too late once her father learned about this place. And when she tried to convince her father to walk away and look for another property. When he said no, she quit,” he informed them.
Mabel gasped. “She did what? Because of us? She shouldn’t have.”
Roy shook his head. “No place is worth coming between a father and daughter.”
“You didn’t Roy. Mr. Sommers made his choice. He easily could’ve listened and done as she asked.” Just like I should’ve listened to her too. “But I’m here to make it so he can’t touch your land.” He pulled the contract out of his pocket and said, “This will make it so no one, not Ralph Sommers or anyone else will ever be able to take your land.”
When he went to hand it to Roy, he shook his head. “I’m not signing anything Ethan. If Mr. Sommers wants this place, let him have it. I will not fight Kollette’s father.”
“Roy, you don’t know what you’re saying. He will take it. And he won’t care,” Ethan said, his voice rose filled with concern. This was fucking nuts.
“Ethan, do you want to see Mabel and me happy?” Roy asked.