“Nice to officially meet you.” She reached over to shake my hand. “Would you like to grab a coffee before we head out? Chat a bit?”
“No.” Absolutely not. I had no interest in coffee or making small talk.
There weren’t many realtors in Calamity, and when I’d asked Kerrigan for a recommendation, she’d given me Jessa’s name. She’d also warned that Jessa wasn’t always the epitome of discreet. But of my limited options, apparently Jessa was the best, so before I’d arranged this meeting, my attorney had sent her a nondisclosure agreement and stern email reinforcing my need for privacy.
“Okay, then I guess we can just head out.” She handed me a manila folder filled with property spec sheets. “We’ll start at the top and work our way down the line.”
“All right.” I nodded toward the exit. “Let’s go.”
“We’ll be going to a few places currently occupied. With the parade, it worked out well for the owners to be gone for an hour or two.”
“’Kay.” I flipped the folder and scanned the first property sheet as Jessa drove.
Maybe it was rude to ask that Jessa meet with me today, but I didn’t care that it was a holiday weekend. The sooner I had a house, the better. I needed a temporary place to live while building a permanent home. And I also needed land for that permanent home.
I’d left nearly everything in Nashville. When it was time, I’d have my house packed and my belongings shipped. But for now, I’d hired a property management company to make sure the place didn’t burn down.
The next four hours were spent traipsing across Calamity.
Every house she showed me was lacking. Either it was too close to a neighbor or it was too close to the school. I stared at the rancher we’d just toured and scrunched my nose. This one was too close to a pasture of cows.
“I’m not waking up to that smell every day.”
“Okay.” Jessa forced a tight smile. “Well, this was the last viewing. Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of inventory in Calamity.”
Kerrigan and Pierce had warned me that was the case. I walked to her SUV, climbed inside and slammed the door behind me.
Jessa scurried to catch up. “I can make some calls. See if anyone who’s been on the fence might consider a sale.”
“Sure,” I muttered. I wasn’t going to hold my breath she’d find anything appealing. “What about vacant land?”
I had a meeting with a contractor tomorrow, the same guy who’d built Pierce and Kerrigan’s place. He was a friend of Kerrigan’s from the area and came highly recommended. Maybe I could pay him an exorbitant amount and escalate the construction timeline. That was if I found some property.
Jessa stretched to the backseat and pulled out another folder, this one green. She clutched it, hesitant to pass it over. “There’s only one property for sale in the area that has the acreage you’re looking for.”
I held out my hand for the folder. “Then let’s hope I like it.”
It was nearly six by the time I returned to my hotel room. Jessa had earned her commission today.
We’d driven out to a property in the mountain foothills, and I’d known the moment my foot had hit the dirt it was mine.
There were plenty of massive evergreens to hide a house. I’d have space to install gates and security. It wasn’t on a main road, so I didn’t have to worry about traffic. Best of all? My nearest neighbor would be three miles away.
I pulled my phone from my pocket, hitting Pierce’s name.
He answered on a yawn. “Hey.”
“How’s it going?”
“Fine. Tired.”
“How’s Kerrigan and Constance?”
“Good.” There was a softness in his voice. He probably had a dreamy smile on his face, the same one he’d had yesterday when he’d taken me to the hospital to meet his daughter. “I’m glad we came up to the cabin. It’s been easier to relax here.”
“How long are you staying?”
“We’ll probably head back tomorrow. Maybe the next day. We’ve got a checkup with Constance’s doctor coming.”
“Elias doing okay?”
Pierce chuckled. “He’s pretty enamored with his baby sister.”
“As he should be. Need anything?”
“No, but thanks. Nellie’s got us covered.”
Of course, she did. Nellie always beat me to the rescue.
“What’s happening with you?” Pierce asked.
“I just put an offer in on a ranch.” A thrill raced through my veins. I was offering cash and pushing for a short close. I wanted that place in my name within a month.
“Is it that three-hundred-acre property about fifteen minutes out of town?”
“Yeah. How’d you know?”
“Kerrigan and I had a bet that you’d buy that one.”
I grinned. “Who won?”
“She did. I thought you’d pick something that was less maintenance.”
“Yeah, it’ll take some work.” I’d do what I wanted myself and hire out the rest. “But what the hell else do I have to do?”
“You could take that job at ESPN. It would keep you connected to the game.”
I sighed. “I don’t know. But I don’t want to talk about me. You sure everything is going okay?”
“It’s great.” There was that dreamy smile again. “Thanks for checking in.”
“Holler when you’re back. Or if you need anything.” As soon as my car showed up, Nellie wouldn’t be the only one to help out.
“Will do. Bye.”
I ended the call and tucked my phone away as a hunger pang struck.
Jessa had stopped by a sandwich spot today and grabbed a couple of subs to eat between showings. But that had been hours ago, and I was starved. I’d have to brave downtown for dinner again. Except before I could eat, I had another stop to make.
I left my room for the motel’s lobby, finding Marcy inside.
“Hi, Mr. Stark.” She braced as I came through the door, like she was expecting me to complain. Either that was typical at a motel—that guests only came to visit when they were checking in, checking out or bitching—or Marcy knew about my reputation. Maybe she and her husband were football fans.
I didn’t take offense. Maintaining my reputation as an asshole kept some people away. Not many, but some.
“You can call me Cal. And I’d like a room.”
She blinked. “A different room? Oh, um . . . is something wrong with yours? It’s the biggest one we have and—”
“It’s fine.” I held up a hand. “I want a room, that room, for as long as I need it.”
“Huh? I’m sorry, Mr. Stark. I’m not following.”
“Cal,” I corrected. “I’d like to stay here, live here, while my house is being built.”
“In the hotel?”
I drummed my fingers on the counter. Patience had never been my forte, especially when I was hungry. “Yes.”
“Oh.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry. We don’t do long-term stays.”
“Make an exception. It’s guaranteed income through the summer and fall.” Maybe even the winter if I couldn’t get a jump on construction.