That’s my grandparents’ house, and though I want to say yes because I need the money, I can’t accept it. Leasing the house to him means moving everything they owned out and letting a new family fill the place with new memories. All I have left of them, and my childhood, will disappear.
The guy gives me a business card. “Think about it, call me on Monday with your price.”
“If I say twenty thousand a month with a deposit and two months in advance?”
He laughs. “Everything within reason.”
“You want it.”
He winks at me. “Yes, but even I have a limit.”
I take the card. “I’ll think about it.”
He looks at Ethan. “You owe me big. Convince her to rent me the place.”
Ethan rolls his eyes. “I’ll try my best.”
“Do you know him?” I ask after Mr. Arrogant-Suit leaves.
Zeke and Ethan nod simultaneously.
“Listen, I do owe him. All I can say is that if you rent him the house, he’ll take good care of it. You’ll be able to charge even more than the twenty thousand you’re asking. Tell him I said yes, for thirty.”
I was joking when I said that number. “That’s a lot of money.”
“He can afford that and more.”
I’d have to check the asking price with Dori. I could add a couple of hundred to whatever amount she says, but do I want to lease the house?
Maybe?
That money wouldn’t get me out of all my debt, but it might push me a little into the black zone. I’m tired of being in the red. It’s time that the farm gets the laughter of children again. Isn’t it?
Think about this later. You have customers.
“How can I help you?”
“Lollipops,” Zeke answers.
“I just made some last night. How many do you want?”
“All of them,” he answers with a hopeful smile.
“Sorry, I promised a couple to the good old doctor. How about two dozen?”
He nods. “I’ll take them. You should hire a few people to help you make more.”
“That might be my next project,” I say, instead of telling him I’d need to have enough money to pay their salaries first.
“If you need someone to invest in your company, let me know,” Zeke offers as if he’s reading my mind. “I like to help small businesses, and yours is my favorite. Do you have some of that magical lavender sleepy tea? My man is traveling next week, and he needs to take some with him.”
“It’s in the back room. What else do you need?”
He shakes his head. “That’s all for today.”
I go to the back to grab two bags of tea. Since he needs Ethan to sleep, I also take one of the small bags of tulle with dried lavender and chamomile inside. When I put them in the shopping bag, I show it to Ethan and say, “Put this under your pillow. It should help you fall asleep.”
“Thank you,” Ethan says, and before I can tell him the total, he hands me three one-hundred-dollar bills. “We’re staying this week. Make more lollipops for Monday, please.”
“You’re overpaying me.”
He winks. “Maybe it’s a bribe so you’ll let Langdon rent the place.”
“I’ll think about it.”
They both smile and leave. I read the card.
Byron A. Langdon.
There’s no title or company name. It has an email address and a phone number. The number is from the Seattle area.
Why is he moving here? Is he one of those corporations that move into a town and destroy everything? Are they going to urbanize the place?
I should throw his card into the trash, but what if this is the answer to my prayers?
What do I do with this?
Chapter Six
Nydia
I spend the weekend thinking about Byron Langdon’s offer. On Monday morning, I visit Dad. I tell him about my predicament without telling him that we need the money, of course. He doesn’t need to know we’re broke. He doesn’t offer any suggestions. I’m not surprised, but I think a part of him would say this is the opportunity I was waiting for. That’d be the response if he knew we had money problems. But would we have money problems if he were awake?
Now I’m digressing.
His answer would probably be no, followed by a long lecture. My grandparents wanted us to keep the farm within the family. That’s one of the reasons Grandma left it to me because she knew her other children would sell it.
But this isn’t selling. It’s just leasing.
On my way back to Luna Harbor, I call Dori and ask her how much I can charge to rent it. She says, “Fifty-five hundred dollars a month, and if you want, I can manage that for you.”
Though I’d love to say yes, I don’t like the idea of giving her fifteen percent of what I receive. I can manage it myself. In fact, if I agree, I’d up it to six thousand. The first and last month, and the deposit could cover one of Dad’s medical bills. As I drive onto my property, I spot no other than Mr. Arrogant-Never-Give-Up-Suit sitting on the old fountain.
I park my car in front of him and climb out. “You’re trespassing. I’m going to call the police,” I warn him, showing him my phone.
He raises his hands. “I would’ve waited outside by the gate, but you don’t have one.”
I look toward the arch where it says welcome to Lavender Moon Farms and smile at him. He got me there.
“You should fence the area and put up a gate.”
“It’s fenced,” I argue. He arches an eyebrow and crosses his arms. “Well, kind of. There’s wire here and there. That’s enough. I can’t afford to have a better fence.”
“I’ll do it for you,” he offers.
I chuckle. “Sure, you’ll fence my lot instead of paying me rent. That’s my business model, trade. Who needs money?”
“We’re playing the sarcasm a little thick, Ms.—”
“Vega-Knapp,” I finish his sentence.
“If you lease me the big house”—he pauses, pointing toward the left—“I’ll be happy to fence your entire property and add a gate. We need a secure place. Anyone could enter this property.”
“Like you did?” I snap.
He tips his head, his eyes crinkle with humor. “Exactly.”
I tap my chin. “Interesting. How much will that cost me?”
“It’s free. Any changes we make to this property are free of charge.”
“What changes?”
“I’m sure we’ll have to paint the walls, change the carpet, maybe update some appliances,” he states. “My family has certain standards. This fountain needs to be repaired. I guarantee this place will look like new within a month.”
I shake my finger. “I haven’t said yes.”
He looks around the area and whistles. “This is a big area. You should have at least one or two people helping you with the harvest. How many people work in your lab? It doesn’t seem like there’s space to have many workers inside.”
“Did you enter my lab without permission?”
“I wouldn’t dare,” he says innocently, but a glint in those blue eyes tells me he already went through my house, my lab, the storage place, and God knows what else.