Bella smelled a rat. What was this guy selling?
Relax, don’t be so quick to judge.
She glanced at her sister. They both approached the man where he stood at the driver’s door.
“Good morning.” Bella stopped at the front fender. “How can we help you?”
“Hey, Dan.” Jo-Jo smiled at the guy, who shook hands with Jed, then David. “This is Dan Wentworth. He helps out with the horses sometimes. Dan, this is my sister, Bella, and her boyfriend, David. They’re visiting from Chicago.”
“Nice to meet you both.” He paused for a moment. “I’m here on semi-official business today. I know it’s Christmastime, but I wanted to talk to you now. I’d like to be up front. I’d like to buy this place and transform it.”
“You’re a real-estate agent then?” Bella asked. She could practically see dollar signs dancing in his eyes. But he had an easy smile, a bright-white one. He’d probably never had a cavity in his life.
“I’m a developer. I’d like to turn this place into a housing development, but nothing suburban or cookie-cutter. Five- to ten-acre lots, big enough for families to have a horse or two, maybe a farm. Something sustainable.” Dan scanned the yard, the stable, and the pastures beyond. “You’ve got three-hundred acres of prime real estate here.”
Bella nodded slowly. “Well, that’s interesting. It would definitely be appealing for families. Whether or not to sell is a decision that’s not up to just Jo-Jo and me. Our other two sisters are also on the deed, and they live out of town. We need to consult with them as well. If we decide to go in that direction, we’ll let you know.”
Wentworth nodded. “I understand completely. I’m always on the lookout for new projects and this one could be ideal for the right buyer. Please, speak with your sisters and let me know if this appeals to you. I can write up an offer. This is a really special place, and I’d like to leave it that way for others who might live on this land someday.”
“We’ll be in touch with our sisters before Christmas. We’ll all discuss it as a family and let you know if that’s what we’d like to do,” Jo-Jo said.
“Great. I’ll be in touch.” Wentworth opened the door of his SUV and flashed his grin before he slid into the driver’s seat.
They watched as he started the vehicle, then turned it around and left.
“Ladies, I suggest you go forward with the plan to sell this place, if that’s what you’d really like to do,” David said. “Dan Wentworth might be one of the first to eye this place as an investment, but I can assure you he won’t be the last.”
“His company is the one that turned the old mansion in town into the Bluegrass Bistro,” Jo-Jo said.
Bella nodded. “If someone buys the farm as an investment, they’ll tear down everything, so why should we put a lot of time and money into it if that might happen?”
Jo-Jo frowned. “I’m not sure I like the idea of someone coming in and tearing everything apart. ‘They paved paradise’ and all that. I don’t want to sell what Tuck gave us just for top dollar. It would have to be to the right buyer. But I did like Dan’s idea.”
“I have to agree with you.” Bella watched as the SUV turned on to the two-lane road and headed toward town.
While Bella and Jo-Jo went into town to pick up some groceries for Aunt Sarah, David stayed behind at the farmhouse. Delightful smells drifted from the kitchen, among them the aroma of warm cookies.
He tried to ignore his growling stomach as he pulled out his laptop to do a little research about Wentworth Properties. He had a hard time turning off his work switch; he loved making deals—deals that helped his clients invest wisely in property when they bought, and deals that helped his sellers reap the benefits of their investments.
Wentworth Properties was a viable, thriving company that did exactly what Dan Wentworth said it did. In the past several years, it had developed a number of properties in the greater Lexington area and beyond. Dan had a good résumé on his website, and it went far beyond renovating the antebellum mansion in Bluegrass Crossing.
Then David searched online for local properties up for sale that were similar to the Tucker place. What the ladies had in their favor was that the horse farm already had a working stable with some regular clientele. The right person could step right in and take over. He would recommend they focus on updating areas of the main house and taking care of projects that had been neglected, like putting on a new roof.
“Would you like a snack?” Aunt Sarah stood in the doorway between the living room and kitchen. She held a small plate of cookies in one hand and a glass of milk in the other.
“You bet. I presume those are fresh from the oven?”
“Sure are.”
He sat his laptop on the sofa beside him and grinned.
Sarah placed the plate and glass in front of him on the coffee table. “Here ya go.”
“Thank you very much. Oatmeal raisin is one of my favorites.” He took a bite of a warm, buttery cookie.
“I’m glad you came home with Bella. That one has more of her dad in her than the lot of ’em. Lots of grit and an itch to travel.”
“She does a lot of traveling, that’s for sure.” David dusted crumbs from his fingers.
Sarah shook her head. “Always seemed to be searchin’ for something, too—maybe a place to call home.”
“You’ve known her a long time?”
“Since she was a little thing, running around with her sisters all over this place.” The older woman sighed. “Seems a shame they might sell it. But that’s not my decision to make.”
“It’s worth a lot of money, especially if they make some repairs and upgrades.” He paused. “Since you live here, where will you go if they do sell the farm?”
“I’ll make do. I’ve been here for a long time, but I know this world isn’t my home. God will provide somewhere else for me to stay.”
David nodded. “That’s good to know. What do you think they should do with the horse farm?”
“I really wish they’d keep it in the family. Marlena loved it here. Even after their daddy left, the farm was a happy place for them to grow up. Tuck could’ve left them all a lot worse off than some absent fathers.”
David drained the glass of milk. “Bella never really talked much about her father, just that her parents separated when she was really young and that her dad was a career Marine. I guess they all lost touch with him over the years. I used to encourage her to reconnect with him, but I stopped because whenever I’d mention him, she’d change the subject.”
Sarah sat down in the worn leather club chair. “Tuck was a changed man after he came to Christ, and especially so after he got sick. He wanted to make things right with his girls. Well, as right as he could. A man can’t make up for a lifetime of missed birthdays, Christmases, and those special firsts. A pity he won’t get to walk any of them down the aisle someday.” She shook her head. “What about your family? Are y’all close?”
“Yes, we are. I’m the middle of three boys. We keep in touch, but it’s been a few years since I made it home for Christmas. I need to spend some time with my folks over in Louisville while I’m here.”
“Well, that’s a gift.” She was silent for a moment as if she didn’t know whether to say any more, then she smiled at him. “Whatever happens, David, don’t give up on Bella. Because mark my words, I truly believe this is the Christmas that will change everything for every one of the Tucker girls.”
Chapter Five
Put your laptop away, Bella, and let’s get started with the baking.” Jo-Jo’s voice held a chiding yet warm tone. “Sarah will be gone all day, so now’s our chance to bake Christmas cookies. I’m sure the cookie cutters are still in the bottom drawer.”
Reluctantly, Bella closed down the file on her desktop. She’d been making notes about upgrades and changes to the kitchen, where her mother and Sarah had made thousands of meals over the years. The appliances could use updating. They could save money by refacing the cabinets and repla
cing the hardware. She’d also written down: subway tile backsplash (?). At one point, the kitchen had received a facelift, but she wasn’t sure what might appeal to a potential buyer.
She opened their mom’s treasured Christmas cookie book that lay on the black-marble island. They should probably look for her recipe box, but this was more fun. The book that had been propped open over the years now fell open to Mom’s special sugar-cookie recipe. Small hands no longer needed to hold the pages flat.
“I wish we knew if there was any chance Amy and Sophie would change their minds about coming home. We could all make cookies together. Maybe we should wait and see if they do, Jo-Jo. You said yourself you’ve been praying, and you got me here. I bet Timothy would love to use the cookie cutters like we used to.”
Bella knew she was stalling to get out of making cookies. But the excuse sounded feeble even to her.
Jo-Jo turned around and shook her finger at her. “No way. You’re not getting out of this, even if you want to. This was Mom’s tradition. Plus, Jed and David will eat their share, along with the hands. We’ll need a steady supply of Christmas cookies.” Jo-Jo tapped the counter with her fingertips. “We can store these, and they’ll keep well. And if we run out, we can always make more.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Bella saluted as she slid off the stool and grabbed the measuring cups from the drawer. “Tell me what to scoop and how much.”
As she and Jo-Jo measured and mixed, then rolled out the dough and cut cookies into the shapes of Christmas stars and snowmen, the years melted away. She looked at the doorway into the great room almost expecting Mom to walk around the corner to exclaim over the freshly baked goodness they pulled from the oven.
Bella smiled, knowing that if heaven had windows, Mom was watching two of her daughters laugh and bake cookies in the kitchen of their childhood.
I miss you, Mom.
Aloud, she said, “You’re so good at this, Jo-Jo.”
Jo-Jo grinned. “I feel the most like myself when I’m in the kitchen. Cooking for people always makes me happy.”
“You were always the most eager to learn how to cook and bake. All I could see was the mess we’d make and the heaps of dirty dishes. You’ve definitely learned how to make all kinds of deliciousness. That lasagna you made last night? I ate some cold leftovers for breakfast this morning.”
“That means a lot, coming from you.” Jo-Jo smiled widely and wiped her hands off on a dish towel, then slid Bella a teasing sideways glance. “You looking forward to your date night with David?”
“I am. We’re doing some Christmas shopping in town this afternoon, then having dinner at Belle Noir. Who knows what else we’ll find to do? If Developer Dan is right, I should research what amenities are available in town that would appeal to buyers.”
Jo-Jo picked up a still-warm cookie and laughed. “And shopping is such good research.”
“Someone has to do it.” It dawned on Bella she had no idea what kind of gift to buy for Jo-Jo. “So, what do you want for Christmas?”
“I already have everything I want, or need, this Christmas.” She took a bite of cookie, giving a happy sigh.
“I’ll get you a candle. Or some new socks.” Bella grabbed a cookie of her own and bit the leg off a gingerbread man. Not half-bad for dough she’d mixed herself.
“Socks?”
“Everyone wears socks. Do you want wool or cashmere?”
Jo-Jo rolled her eyes much as she had when they were younger. Bella burst out laughing, something she hadn’t done in ages.
David felt like a pack mule laden with supplies as he toted half a dozen shopping bags. But he dutifully followed Bella down Main Street toward Belle Noir. He’d heard of Bluegrass Crossing before meeting Bella, but he had never visited until now. He found its charm growing on him—that and the idea of building a life with Bella in Kentucky. A small, square box nestled inside his jacket pocket. He knew it was a risk, especially given their discussion in the stable the other day. But he needed to put his heart and intentions on the line.
Tonight’s dinner would be a romantic Christmas surprise for Bella if all went as planned. Tomorrow, they would head to his parents’ house where they’d spend the next two days helping Dad get his light display up and running.
Bella paused in front of him on the street. She tucked a receipt into her wallet and turned toward him. “Oh, here. Let me take a few of those. I’m sorry. I didn’t bring you along just to carry my things.” She grinned at him.
“I don’t mind.” He handed her two of the bags, one filled with an assortment of toys meant to appeal to a young boy, the other containing a cashmere sweater (on clearance) in a pretty shade of blue for Jo-Jo.
Something in her face softened. Right there on the street, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “Thank you. For being you. I can’t imagine anyone else with me here right now, and I wouldn’t want to.” She paused, as if she were gathering her thoughts to say more.
“I’m glad.” He used his free hand to brush wayward strands of dark hair away from her face. “Because there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
An icy gust of wind swept down the street. A cold front was blowing in, reminding them that winter had descended upon Kentucky.
Bella shivered. “We should get these to the car and head into the restaurant.”
“Sounds like a great idea.” Unbeknownst to Bella, he’d arranged for a special dessert for the two of them to share—a molten-chocolate cake. He’d also ordered a dozen red roses that would be waiting for her at their table.
They headed for the downtown parking lot where he’d parked the car around the corner from Main Street. David popped the trunk, then loaded their shopping bags inside. Hand in hand, they walked toward Belle Noir.
“You know, this is a lot like our dates in Chicago,” Bella observed. “Dinner out on the town. It’s a bit quieter though. Bluegrass Crossing has a lot more to offer than I remember.”
“When was the last time you lived here?” David squeezed her gloved hand.
“After I graduated from high school. I came home during summer breaks the first two years of college, but then my junior and senior years I had internships.”
They rounded the street corner and as they did so, a fresh gust of wind made them scurry to the restaurant. “Well, it has some nice-looking storefronts.” David held the door open for her. “Another plug for you to market the farm. Minutes from downtown, with quaint and charming shops and restaurants.”
As their server led them to their table, he didn’t miss the surprise on Bella’s face when she saw the roses on their table. He helped her with her coat.
“Roses.” She leaned to sniff the blooms. “Beautiful.” She glanced at the other tables. “Oh. These are from you? Thank you, David. They smell so sweet, and they’re gorgeous.”
He smiled. “I’m glad you like them.” They settled onto their chairs and ordered their drinks and appetizers from the waiter. His folded, wool topcoat on the chair beside him still held his biggest surprise of all. That would come after the server brought their dessert.
During the meal, he kept their conversation light and full of laughter while he dug into his steak, and she cleared her plate of the grilled trout with lemon butter sauce and capers. They shared more stories of their respective childhood escapades, him growing up in an all-brothers household, her growing up with sisters only. He laid his chin on his hand and smiled at her, the light from the candles reflected in her expressive eyes.
After finishing her last bite of fish, Bella laid down her fork. “What?”
“You look especially beautiful tonight.”
“Thank you. And thank you for making tonight special for me. I’ve enjoyed spending time with Jo-Jo, but I wanted some time alone with you while we’re here. It’s like I’m seeing Bluegrass Crossing for the first time right along with you.”
The server cleared away their dinner plates and returned with a tray that held the small, molten-chocolate cake and two steaming
cups of coffee.
“Another surprise.” Bella reached for one of the two spoons on the plate, garnished with a drizzle of chocolate sauce and adorned with a raspberry. She took a nibble of the cake and the runny chocolate goodness that escaped from the center of the cake. She closed her eyes. “Amazing.”
As they both ate from the same plate, David tried to gauge when to produce the ring. If he were closing the deal on a commercial property, he’d know exactly when to time it. But judging the right moment to ask the woman he loved the most important question he’d ever ask? He had no clue.
“You’re quiet.” She wiped her mouth with the snowy-white napkin from her lap.
He reached for her hand. “Bella.”
“Yes?”
Without stumbling to the carpet like he did when he had a particularly disturbing dream of this proposal the other night, David made it onto one knee in the restaurant. The oxygen left the room, or maybe his lungs were not cooperating. Without looking around, he knew the other diners were focusing on Bella and him.
“Isabella Tucker, I love you. I can’t imagine my life without you, wherever that might be, and I know I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you spend the rest of your life with me? Will you marry me?”
The words came out smoother than he hoped, although he fumbled a bit with the black-velvet box when he removed it from his coat pocket. He opened it to reveal the diamond, the one he’d caught her looking at wistfully in a Chicago jewelry store window last summer.
Bella sat unmoving, her mouth open.
Chapter Six
It was the ring, the brilliant-cut solitaire she’d seen at Waverly & Sons back in Chicago. Bella sucked in a breath and choked, gasping for air. She grabbed her goblet of water and sipped.
David had proposed. He’d really proposed. After a beautiful dinner, and the roses and the utterly decadent dessert. He’d orchestrated everything this evening. She should have guessed, should have known something was up.
Her Old Kentucky Home Page 4