Page 115 of Wilde Ride

“This was taken yesterday. Logan scheduled a day off to go out of town with a couple of her friends. There’s no way she could have taken it.”

“Why do they think there’s trouble between you? You’re just talking.”

“What’s wrong, Daddy?” Rhett asked, looking up from where he was eating a piece of bacon.

I placed my hand on his little shoulder. “Nothing, buddy. Nothing at all.”

My phone buzzed in my back pocket, and I had a feeling I knew who it was going to be. Pulling it out, I met my mother’s gaze again.

“Emeline?” she asked.

Nodding, I swiped to answer. “Good morning.”

“Did you see the paper today?”

Sitting down at the table, I grabbed a couple pieces of bacon. “I did.”

“Who’s taking these pictures? And why is Janet putting us in The Daily Dirt so much?”

This was the fourth time. The other two were stupid sightings of us out on a date. “I’m not sure, but I promise you that I’ll get to the bottom of it.”

“No, you have too much going on right now. I’m going to get to the bottom of it.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “Are you free today to go house hunting with me and Rhett?”

“I’m on my way now, just making a pit stop.”

With a smile. “Let me guess, to go see Janet?”

“Yep. Do you want to meet at the first house?”

“No, why don’t you come here and we can drive together. We’re meeting Kendall at the first house.”

Kendall was my cousin, and a real estate agent for River Falls and the surrounding area.

“Okay, I’ll let you know when I’m close.”

I hit end and set my phone down. Mom piled pancakes on our plates, and I pushed away all thoughts of The Daily Dirt and stupid town gossip.

“This is it,” I said as I stepped out onto the back porch of the house. “This is the house.”

“It’s not for rent, but I thought if you liked it, we could ask the sellers if they’d be willing to consider it,” Kendall said as she came to stand next to me.

Emeline and Rhett were walking toward the barn, hand in hand.

“How many acres?”

“Eighty.”

Turning to my cousin, I smiled. “I want to buy it.”

Her eyes went wide. “I thought you wanted to rent first?”

With a shake of my head, I looked back out over the land. Pastures were divided by black, four-plank fences. A large barn was directly behind the house, set back about five-hundred yards. And the house itself was amazing. Log cabin, two stories, with a large, updated kitchen and a living room that boasted a massive fireplace. The moment I saw it all, I could picture a Christmas tree in the corner and the mantel decked out in garland and lights.

“I can really see myself in this house, Kendall. Building a new life here with Rhett.”

She smiled. “And maybe a certain insanely beautiful woman named Emeline?”