Chapter 6

“You’ll regret this, Danny boy,” Ray said. “I know a good thing when I see it. And I knew I was right. This house, this property, is perfect for what I had in mind when I came out here to talk to you.”

“You knew about it?” Daniel asked in surprise. “And don’t call me Danny boy. You know I hate it.”

“You hate a lot of things, Danny boy,” Ray sneered. “And yeah, I knew about the house. Do you really think I’m stupid enough to come all the way here without doing my research first? Like I said, at first I figured it would be down in Denver, but once I found out differently, I got excited about the idea of turning it into something special. Something that would—”

“Add to your impressive résumé?” Daniel muttered. “So you didn’t really come here to see me. Not the way you tried to imply, anyway. You were hoping you could work yourself back into my good graces by saying that, so you could get your hands on my house. And it ismine, Ray. It will stay mine until the day I die because if I try to sell it, it breaks the will and the county gets it. The same thing if I move out, which sort of puts paid to your idea that I return to Cleveland to be near you.” Daniel poked him in the chest. “Like I’d do that, even if I didn’t have to live here.”

Ray scowled, backing away onto the porch. “A will can be broken, Danny boy.”

“Only by those involved. And usually not even then,” Daniel retorted angrily.

“With a good lawyer it could.”

“Get the hell out of here! If I have to say that one more time.”

“You’ll throw a hissy fit? Because for damned sure you’re not large enough to physically toss me out.”

“He probably could,” a quiet voice said from the darkness out of the range of the porch light. “And between the two of us, I’m quite certain wecould.” Griffin stepped into view. “So be a good boy and beat it.”

Even as surprised as he was to see Griffin standing there, Daniel still had to smile at the look of shock on Ray’s face. For a second, Ray’s hands fisted, then with a snarled, “This isn’t over, Danny boy,” he spun around and walked from the porch to his car. Moments later the Jag was tearing down the lane, shooting gravel up behind it.

“What are you doing here?” Daniel asked once he’d regained some of his composure.

Griffin pointed to an older motorcycle that was parked at the edge of the lane. “I went into town to pick up a few necessities and figured since I was in—”

“If you say ‘neighborhood’.” Daniel muttered.

Griffin chuckled. “I take it that’s what whoever he is gave you as an excuse.”

“My ex, and yeah. Turns out he had an ulterior motive.” He sank down on the porch steps with a look of disgust.

“He knew about the house?” Griffin asked, sitting beside him.

“Yeah. I made the mistake of telling him I’d inherited it, although I didn’t tell him more than that. He managed to find out about it and—” Daniel shook his head. “Now he wants to get his hands on it somehow to turn it into some upscale, fancy-yancy restaurant, which is what he does.”

Griffin snorted. “Out here in the middle of nowhere?”

“Apparently, according to him, that would just add to the, I guess the mystique.”

“From what little I overheard, his gaining control of the house is not possible.”

“Try telling that to the conceited, pompous ass. As far as he’s concerned, whatever Ray wants, Ray gets.”

“Except for you.”

Daniel shrugged. “He even had me for too long. Until I woke up and realized I was just another acquisition.”

“Then you walked away,” Griffin stated.

“To my shame, not until I inherited the house. Before then—I dealt with it and poured myself in to my painting as much as possible.”

“Did he at least accept that you were good at it?”

“Painting?” Daniel shook his head. “No more than my father does. They both say I’m just playing at being an artist. You’d think at my age they’d realize I’m well beyond that.”

“How old are you, if you don’t mind my asking?”

“Twenty-six and counting.”

“To look at you I’d have said, hmm.” Griffin tapped his lip.

“You better make it at least twenty-four,” Daniel grumbled.

Griffin laughed. “I can say that.”

“I know I look younger. It’s been the bane of my existence. Hell, some of the people I meet at gallery openings seem to think I’m a child prodigy. Okay, maybe not a child, but a teenaged one.”

“That has to be disturbing.”

“It is,” Daniel admitted. He studied Griffin. “You’re what, thirty give or take?”

“Give or take. Closer to thirty-five than thirty.”

“Meaning you’re thirty-three or four, if you want to be literal about it.”

Griffin chuckled. “Thirty-four.” He glanced up at the sky momentarily and then said, “I was going to ask if I could see some of your paintings, but it’s almost eleven.”

“You can tell that by looking at the moon and stars?”

Grinning, Griffin replied, “If I said yes, would you believe me?”

“Maybe? You are an outdoorsman. You’re supposed to know stuff like that.”

“Maybe, but in this case, I used my watch.” He held out his arm to show Daniel. “It’s old but reliable as long as I remember to wind it.”

“Whoa. I think the last time person I saw with one you had to wind was Gramps, only his was a pocket watch. When I was a kid I loved opening the back to see the inner workings. He said it had belonged to hisfather so it had to be an antique.”

“Mine would hardly qualify as that. I got it from a pawnshop when my old one finally died on me. That’s neither here nor there though. I should head out so you can get to bed.”

“I thought you wanted to see my paintings. Of course at the moment I’ve only got three here, but if you’re interested.”

“I am; if you’re sure I’m not keeping you up.”

“It’s not like I’m on any set schedule, so come on.”

They got up, and went inside.