Page 123 of Kick the Candle (Knight Games 2)
"Is this house not positioned over a sink hole?" he snapped.
I frowned. "Actually? No. I staged the rumble to scare your buyer away."
His mouth dropped open at my admission. "How did you do that?" He held up a hand. "Never mind. I don't want to know. What about the rat?"
"Same."
"Grateful!"
"I was desperate." I placed my hands on the counter and leaned forward. "Is there any way for me to buy it, Dad?"
"No."
Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. "Can I ask you for one tiny concession, then?"
He propped his face against his palm and gave me an exasperated sigh. "Okay. What is it? I'll do my best."
"There is no way that I can be packed and moved out of here by next Friday. Can you push back the closing?"
He pulled out his phone, looked at the screen as if he'd gotten an email, then started keying something in. I waited patiently. It was only my life in the balance. Couldn't he see how important this was to me?
"Done," he said.
"What?"
"I texted the buyer and said I had a personal emergency, could not make the closing on Friday, and we'd have to push it back. So, there you go."
I walked to his side of the counter and hugged him around the neck. "I'm sorry I acted the way I did. I should have called you back earlier."
"Darling, you have your father's temper. I should have spoken to you before I sold the house. But, in my defense, the last house I sold was also in Red Grove and over market value. This town is booming."
"You sold another house out here?"
"Yep." He pointed his thumb over his shoulder. "On the other side of the lake. Little cabin in the woods style place off Rt. 3.Used to belong to Elmer..."
"Bishop?"
"Yeah."
"I bought my desk at his estate sale."
"You bought a desk? I thought you were broke?"
"I'm recovering. I really could have bought this house."
"Huh."
"Who bought Elmer's place?"
"Some woman, all by herself."
A tingle traveled from my toes to my scalp. "A woman by herself?"
"Yeah. She said she was into nature. Loved the lake. A writer I think, an introvert. Wanted time alone."
I swallowed hard and tried to find my voice. It took me a few tries to get out a suitable question. "You know, I think I heard about someone from work that was looking for a house. What did she look like?"
"Big woman. Not fat but like a shot putter, you know, big boned. Brown, wavy hair. Not into makeup. Attractive in a natural way."
