by A. L Long
“One night with you in exchange for the deed to your farm. The one that your brother took from you.”
~*~*~*~
I couldn’t think straight as I pulled away from the diner. After hearing the rest of what Aiden had to say, I didn’t know if I should be angry or happy. One night with him seemed like a small price to pay to get back the farm that I loved so much. What could he possibly want with me? I didn’t know what he thought I could offer him. I wasn’t the best conversationalist, and to be honest, there wasn’t anything special about me. I was an old-fashioned country girl and even though I lived in the city, I never lost that. What could possibly happen if I gave him his one night? But the more I thought about it, I realized I was stupid for telling him, “Yes.”
Keeping my eyes on the road ahead, I got a glimpse of Aiden pulling out of the parking lot and heading in the opposite direction. Even though he was a good distance away from me, I could see his license plate. “ELITE1. What the heck does that even mean?” I asked out loud.
There was nothing else I could think about except the proposal that Aiden offered. It would be so wonderful to have my piece of heaven back. I missed it so much, and to think I would have my dream come true was beyond anything I could have hoped for even if it did come with a small price. The more I thought about it, I wondered why Aiden was making such an exchange. Upsetting thoughts entered my mind as I contemplated the worst of scenarios. What if the farm wasn’t there anymore? What if everything was gone, the house, the barn, everything?
My heart raced as I assumed the worst. Stepping harder on the gas pedal, there was only one thing that would satisfy my mind. I had to see for myself. Taking a sharp left at the stop light, I headed south on Hwy 35. I knew it would be a good hour’s drive, and by the time I got there it would be almost dark, but I was on a mission.
I wasn’t sure what I would find once I got there. It had been a year since I left the farm, never having the courage to go back. I wasn’t certain what shape it would be in since it was purchased from the bank. Some to-do company by the name of Elite Exchange, Inc., owned it. Just then I remembered Aiden’s license plate. All this time I assumed it was a development company that purchased it, not Aiden. Maybe my guess was wrong about them being more interested in the land than what was on it. Maybe everything wasn’t gone. There was still that glimmer of hope that everything was the same as when I left.
Chapter Five
AIDEN
I wasn’t sure how I stumbled upon it, but when the banker from Midwestern Bank told me that the last owner of the small farm moved to Houston, I was intrigued to find out who it was. There wasn’t much left in the house after the auction except a couple of odds and ends that I assumed the last owner had no problem parting with. Those odds and ends proved to be quite valuable. I gained quite a bit of knowledge about the family that used to occupy this old house. And finding a picture of them was more than I could ask for.
“So, this must be the last family to live here before the bank took over the property?” I questioned the banker as I held the dusty frame in my hands that had been left behind.
“Yeah,” the old banker began. “Sad story, though. Losing both parents was hard enough, but to find out that you’ve been betrayed by the only family you have left must have been awful for Hanna. I only wished I could have done more for her.”
“Hanna?” I asked, confused, as my eyes couldn’t stop focusing on the innocent girl in the picture.
Walking over to me, he took the picture from my hand and pointed at the beautiful blond girl. “This here is Hanna Marsh, her brother Carter, and their parents.”
There was something about this beautiful woman in the picture that held me prisoner. Her eyes were the color of the ocean and her hair was a golden blond which fell perfectly down her shoulder. I had been with a lot of women and had made business deals with most of them; never once had they taken my breath away like Hanna Marsh.
Pointing at Carter Marsh, I inquired, “So this Carter character… her brother… he was the one who betrayed her?”
“Nice boy, but had no sense of business. The way she went on… she had no idea that he had used the farm as collateral to fund his newest business adventure. He ended up losing everything, even the farm.”
I didn’t know this girl from Adam, but my heart bled for her. I could only image what she must have felt like when everything she knew was taken from her. I had never been on that side of the tracks. My personal gain was my only desire and regard for others was the least of my worries. There was something to be said about her situation though, and now my only goal was to find her and make it a win-win situation for both of us.
~*~*~*~
The minute the deal was made, I was on the phone arranging renovations on my small investment. I expected that the project would take at least three months, which would give me plenty of time to get this property ready for the plans I had for Ms. Marsh. I thought for sure that convincing her to agree to my proposal would have taken a lot more effort, but when she agreed, I knew my time was limited in getting everything done before the final reveal.
By the way she reacted to my proposal, it didn’t surprise me that she headed out of Houston on the way to Danbury to see for herself what she was getting into. My only salvation was that once she got to the road leading to the farm, she wouldn’t be able to go any further. Call it a safeguard, but I couldn’t allow her to see what was being done to the place before I had my one night with her. I had no doubt that she would try to find an alternate way to get to the farm. Luckily for me, I have competent people on my payroll that would make sure that didn’t happen, at least not until I got there.
Circling around the block I headed down Hwy 222, which I knew would be the fastest route to Danbury. I knew this area like the back of my hand. Being raised as a Texan and forced to tag along with my father when I was younger so I could learn the business had its advantages. I didn’t understand then what my father actually did, but as I grew older, it wasn’t hard to figure out that some of the business he did wasn’t on the up and up. I guess that was how he became as successful as he was. He taught me everything he knew and introduced me to some of his associates, who I have had the pleasure of working with. One day Elite Exchange would be mine, according to my father, and I would be given the power to make it the greatest company in Houston.
Just like clockwork, my cell rang. Somehow my father always managed to call whenever my mind was on Elite or him. It was almost as if he had a sixth sense and knew what I was thinking. Swiping my thumb across the screen, I accepted the call and waited for the hands-free feature to kick in. “Hello, Father,” I said respectfully.
“Hello, Son,” he replied, clearing his throat before he continued. “I am having an important dinner party at my house next Saturday and request your presence.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem. What time?” I asked, wondering why my father found it necessary to be so formal when speaking with me.
“Cocktails at five and dinner at seven. I hope that you will bring a guest. Female in nature.”
“I have someone in mind but will need to check her schedule.” I lied. The only female in my life at the moment was Hanna, but unfortunately, she was only a conquest.
“Wonderful. I can’t wait to meet her.”
It never failed. Every time my father and I spoke, he always brought up the fact that I would be thirty soon and my deadline was approaching. Every deal he made was always like a game to him. I should have never agreed to his terms, but what did I know at twenty? I thought for sure that ten years would be plenty of time to find an acceptable woman that I could marry to satisfy the first half of my father’s contract for obtaining the position of President and CEO. I thought it would be simple, like taking candy from a baby. Little did I know that I couldn’t marry just any girl. If I had to spend the rest of my life with her, there needed to be love. And according to my father’s contract, an annulment was prohibited, at least if I wanted to rem
ain President and CEO of Elite Exchange. Getting married was one thing, but fulfilling the second half of the contract meant being a father by thirty-five. The only way to do that was to find a woman and forget about the love part.
Reaching my destination, it wasn’t hard to see Hanna’s car parked on the side of the road. I approached it slowly and turned my head to see if she was inside. It wasn’t a surprise to find that the car was empty. Turning down the dirt road that led to the farm, a red truck was parked sideways blocking my access. Stopping my car, I opened the door and got out. Walking toward the truck, I noticed that there was no one inside. Looking around, I spotted a rather large man up the road with a cigarette in his mouth.
The closer I got, I could see that it was Ben, who was one of the men on my payroll. Cupping my hand to the side of my mouth, I yelled, “Ben.”
Hearing his name, Ben headed my way. I wasn’t sure what he was doing in the middle of the road so far away from his truck. I kept my eyes on him until he was within a few feet of me. Watching him drop his cigarette to the ground and then put it out with his foot, I stared at the cigarette butt and asked, “What were you doing in the middle of the road?”
“I don’t quite know, Mr. Drake. I could have sworn I saw something in the trees,” Ben confessed.
“Did you see what direction Hanna Marsh went?” I questioned.
“Yeah. I watched her get in her car after I told her that this road was off limits. She turned around and headed back down the road.”
“Hate to say this, Ben, but she didn’t leave. Her car is parked on the side of the main road.”
I knew Ben couldn’t have been that stupid. Hanna must have said something to convince him that she was leaving. Turning away from him, I headed back to my car. Ben was close behind me after he got in his truck and moved out of the way. Getting in my car, I headed down the road with Ben following behind me. I was afraid that my sweet Hanna might have found a way to the farm and it might have been her that Ben saw.
Chapter Six
HANNA
There was no way that I would get past that big brute of a guy. I needed to figure out another way to the farm. Luckily for me, I remembered the trail that my brother and I used to walk along to get to the house faster when the school bus dropped us off. Heading back to my car, I left the man with his arms crossed on his chest and drove away. When I knew I was safely out of sight, I pulled my car to the side of the road and headed down the hidden trail.
About halfway down the trail, I thought for sure I had been caught. Thankfully, the man on the road was more interested in getting his cigarette lit than the noise I made moving the tree branches out of my way. As I continued walking, I realized I didn’t remember this trail being this long. Maybe it was because I was younger and in better shape then.
Reaching the end of the trail, the house that I used to live in came into view. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but it definitely wasn’t the same house I grew up in. The front porch had been completely redone and the old swing that hung on the end was gone. I will never forget the many nights that my dad and I spent on that swing after supper. Of everything, I missed that the most about my dad.
Quickly going to the porch, the closer I got, more changes to the old place became noticeable. No longer was the old screen door hanging on the outside. Instead, it had been replaced with a glass door, and the thick wooden front door had been updated to a fancy etched glass door painted a soft yellow.
Opening the screen door replacement, I turned the knob and was thankful that the door wasn’t locked. As I pushed the door open, I could smell the scent of fresh paint. Whoever bought the place had put a lot of effort in making this place look new. Even though it was beautiful, I was sad to see that all the charm of the house had been removed. Stepping further inside, I looked to the staircase and remembered as though it was yesterday how I straddled the wooden banister and slid down it when my mother called me and my brother for breakfast. There was no sliding down it now since it had been exchanged for a thinner, more modern handrail.
Placing my hand on the polished nickel railing, I ascended the steps slowly, afraid of what I would find once I reached the top. Pushing myself to climb each step, I finally reached the top. The scent of newly painted walls was stronger than when I first walked in. Placing my finger against the wall, a soft shade of gray covered my finger. I took in a deep breath, knowing that if I had arrived earlier, I might have seen who was doing the renovations to my home.
There were three bedrooms and one bathroom on the upper floor. Walking to the end of the hall, I checked out what used to be my mom and dad’s room first. Pushing open the door, it was nothing like I remembered. The large window where their bed was had been replaced with a French door. Curious to see what was on the other side, I hurried to the door to find a rather large deck that spanned the length of the house, with a staircase leading to the ground. It was strange to think how much my dad would have loved this. He always thought it would be romantic to gaze at the stars with Mom in his arms.
As I turned to examine the rest of the room, I noticed that there was another door next to where the closet was. Moving in that direction, I opened the door to be greeted with a bathroom. The counter was gleaming with gray granite and the floor was tiled to match the counter. There was a large glass shower with the same tile. It was beautiful, but not as practical as the bathroom we shared that had a tub and shower all in one.
Heading back to the hall, the door that used to lead to my brother’s room was no longer there. Scratching my head, I walked to the other end of the hall where my room was. It made little sense that the person renovating the house would do away with the main bathroom, at least I thought so until I opened the door to my old room. It was breathtaking and I could feel my eyes water. My once-small room that only had enough room for a twin-sized bed was now large enough for a king-sized bed. I only knew this because a gorgeous four-poster bed covered in an ivory comforter was situated against the wall opposite a glass door identical to the one in my mom and dad’s old room. Rounding the bed, I opened an unfamiliar door. To my surprise, another gorgeous bathroom was on the other side. The only difference was it had a tub, and the countertop was white granite with matching tile instead of gray. Quite feminine, in my opinion.
Having seen enough, I started back toward the stairs when I heard the front door open. My body stiffened. The last thing I wanted was to get caught, or worse, arrested for trespassing. Backing slowly from the steps, I headed back to my parents’ old room hoping that I wouldn’t get caught. If I could just get there, at least I would be able to make my escape through the door leading outside.
A familiar voice sounded behind me. “Hanna, I know you are here. Please don’t make me search for you.”
Aiden was below and I knew I wouldn’t make it out of the house before he came up to find me. Knowing that I had been caught, I turned to face him looking up at me from the main floor. Moving toward the railing, I looked down at him and asked hesitantly, “Are you going to have me arrested for trespassing?”
“Don’t be silly. Come down. We need to talk.” His voice was demanding and I knew he meant business.
I walked down the steps, taking my time, afraid to face what was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs. When I got close to the bottom, I was surprised to find that Aiden didn’t seem angry with me. His smile was breathtaking and almost made me miss the bottom step completely since my focus was on him instead of where I was going.
Grabbing the banister, I steadied myself to keep from falling. I didn’t know what it was about Aiden, but every time he was close, I managed to lose my footing. Clearing my voice, I adjusted my dress that had accidentally ridden up my thighs. Crossing my arms over my chest, I tapped my foot against the hardwood floor. Expecting for him to at least say something. I asked in a short demanding voice, “Well?”
His laughter filled the room, which I didn’t find very amusing. I could have slapped him, but instead he answered me. �
�So now you know. I was hoping to wait until you fulfilled your end of the deal before showing you the makeover.”
“Makeover? Are you kidding me? What you had done to this house is more than a makeover. Everything that I remember about this house is gone,” I spat.
“Not everything,” he remarked as he held out his hand. “Let me show you.”
Hesitant to take his hand, I finally placed mine in his when he gave me a sincere smile. Taking the lead, he moved to the doorway leading to the kitchen just beneath the stairs. It occurred to me that this was a room that I hadn’t seen yet. I wondered how much of it had been changed. Pushing open the swinging door that hadn’t been there before, I couldn’t help but close my eyes, afraid of what would be on the other side.
Just like the rest of the house, it had been redone. The old white appliances were replaced with stainless steel. Even though it was beautiful, it took away from the character of the old house. The counters were no longer the wood ones my father had worked so hard to make. Instead, they were replaced with granite, also gray, but made up of different hues of white, gray, and black. As I looked around the kitchen, I felt like this house no longer belonged here. It no longer had its country appeal like most of the homes in this area.