“Nuh-uh.” His father didn’t look up from the papers.
“Looks like some light afternoon reading.” Dane scooped roast onto a plate, put the container back in the refrigerator and closed the door.
His father cleared his throat. “Something like that.”
He grabbed some bread and deposited everything on the long kitchen table, earning a sigh from his father. He pulled out a chair and glanced at the pages his father was poring over.
“Where is Leif?” His father glanced at Dane’s plate. “Looks good. Where’d you order that from?”
“I made it.” Dane started stacking the slices of roast onto the bread. “Leif ate earlier. He’s out in the willow apiary with Birmingham.”
His father looked up at him then. “Leifisworking?”
Dane nodded, grinning broadly.
“Huh.” His father glanced at the door, not smiling. “That’s a surprise.” He set the page he’d been reading on top of the stack and leaned back in his chair.
Dane took a swig of water. “I figure Birmingham can handle it.”
His father’s brows arched. “Leif is... Well, this doesn’t change a thing. Tomorrow he could up and take off again, get into more trouble.” He sighed. “I’ve been pondering options.”
What the hell does “options” mean?Dane set his sandwich down, his stomach twisting. “Like?”
“What Leif needs—what we can’t give him.” His father frowned. “We’ve done everything that damn school wants, but it hasn’t made a bit of difference.”
We?His father probably couldn’t name a single one of Leif’s teachers. Dane stared down at his plate and took a slow, deep breath. “He is passing all of his classes now.”
“Humph. Not by much.” His father shook his head. “That fight destroyed school property. We don’t know if or when it could happen again. At this point, there’s only one option left for the boy.” His father folded his hands on top of the papers, grimly determined.
Dane waited, the finality of his father’s words had dread seeping into the marrow of his bones.
“There’s a good military school in Virginia. You heard the principal. Mrs. Lopez said he needed structure, routine and discipline.” His father shrugged. “I can’t imagine a better place for all three.”
Dane was staring, he couldn’t help it. Was his father so out of touch with Leif that he honestly thought sending Leif away—spending less time with him—was for the best?
“Patrick says it’s a decent place. He’s not going to steer me wrong.” He nodded.
Dane’s skin went tight, flushing hot and brittle. His father had talked to his drinking buddy, Patrick Coffey, aboutthis. The man was ancient and mean and had a terrible relationship with both of his children.You’ll listen to him, but not me?He placed his hands on his lap, shaking with anger. He had to be smart about this. Fuming or getting defensive with his father was the surest way to have Leif packed off by the end of the week. He took a deep breath and did his best to keep his emotions in check. “Dad, I’m asking you, please, to reconsider.”
“It’s not like I haven’t thought this through.” His father blustered, scowling Dane’s way. “He’ll go to summer school there, first. We’ll see how that goes.”
Thewehis father kept throwing out was rubbing his nerves the wrong way.What we? There’s nowehere.“Sending Leif away is the surest way to make him hate you and me. He’s acting out because he wants attention.” Dane swallowed against the tightening of his throat. “Besides, Leif needs to workherethis summer. We’re so shorthanded now, he has to.” It was a dig and he knew it but this was all bullshit, plain and simple. “We’re down two full-time employees and three part-time people and honey flow is coming soon.” He waited for his father to confirm or deny this. When his father stayed silent, Dane continued. “Unless you’ve lined up temporary workers—”
“I’m not asking you, Dane. I’m telling you.” His father straightened the papers. “Some things have to change around here.” He picked up a manila envelope and placed it on top of the papers—a business card slipped free and skidded across the tabletop to Dane.
Dane was searching for a way to ask what kind of changes, exactly, his father was referring to, but the business card caught his eye and the apprehension gnawing at his gut intensified. “Silas Baldwin?” Dane picked up the card, reading the neatly printed block print. It took him a minute to steady himself. “From the bank?”
“Do you know another Silas Baldwin?” His father frowned at him. “I don’t appreciate the tone, either.”
Dane ignored his father’s last comment, zeroing in on the stack of papers instead. “What’s this about, Dad?” He nodded at the papers, bracing himself for what was to come.
“He’s bringing a friend out to appraise that piece of property on the other side of the creek.” His father stood and walked to the counter. He poured himself a steaming cup of coffee, added three scoops of sugar and carried the mug back to the table to sit.
Where was all this coming from? Dane’s chest was squeezed so tight it was hard to get the words out. “Once everything is up and running with the expansion, we will see a nice uptick in revenue.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. It’ll take time.” His father paused, his gaze falling to the pages. Seconds later his jaw tightened and he straightened the stack. “I’ve been thinking about selling that property for a while. It’s a seller’s market.” He stiffened, his chin thrust forward in defiance as he met Dane’s gaze. “Now seems a good time.”
Growing up, his father had waxed eloquent about family and holding on to one’s heritage. This land, his father had said, was knitted into the very fiber of their being. In the three years since Dane had come home, he’d never once heard his father mention selling offanyproperty. Why would he? Now an appraiser was coming out and Dane was supposed to be okay with it? He knew he should keep his mouth shut until he’d had time to calm down, but all the anger and frustration and shock bubbled up and out into the silence of the kitchen. “This is our home. You, me and Leif. We are a family, Dad. Thethreeof us. Families talk about things, together—”
