Kate sat and almost placed her purse on the floor before remembering her mother’s superstitious words: Never put your purse on the floor or you’ll never have any money.
She snatched the bag up to her lap before it had a chance to hit the floor. Not that she was superstitious or anything, but at this point in the game, it didn’t hurt to be cautious.
She sat her purse in the chair beside her.
“Why, Miss Wolph. What a pleasant surprise.” Oliver Bigsby’s grating voice seemed to echo throughout the small bank.
Kate froze, her stomach coiling with irritation. It wasn’t enough that Bella Luna was under the threat of foreclosure, now she had the bad luck to run into Bigsby, the land developer who’d been trying to buy her bed and breakfast for the last six months.
Kate glued a polite smile on her face and faced the man. “Hello, Mr. Bigsby.”
“If I had known you were going to be in town, I would have made lunch reservations for us.”
“What for?” Her smile slipped. Was he deluded or just full of shit to think she’d ever consider having lunch with him?
“So we could talk about your little piece of land.” He smiled, his too-perfect teeth looking a little too horsey for her tastes. He ran his manicured hand through his blonde hair and moved her purse out of the chair and onto the floor before sitting.
Clenching her jaw, she jerked her purse up, placed it in her lap and crossed her arms. “I’ve told you, Mr. Bigsby, I have no intention of selling Bella Luna. To you, or to anyone else for that matter.” She turned her attention back toward the secretary, who had ended her call.
“No need to act brave, Kate. A little birdie told me you are in a bit of financial trouble.” Bigsby smirked.
“And who would this little birdie be? My ex-boyfriend?” She didn’t put it past her ex to try to kiss Bigsby’s ass for a little money.
Mr. Bigsby gave her a little nod while attempting a sympathetic smile.
He looked like Mr. Ed the horse trying to count. She glanced at his feet to see if he was going to paw the ground as well.
“I’m afraid your little vulture has no idea what he’s talking about. I’ve not talked to him in six months, so he wouldn’t know a thing about the Bella Luna.” She turned her attention back to the secretary and caught the older woman’s eye. The secretary stood and beckoned Kate forward with a wave of her hand.
“If you’ll excuse me, I have business to attend to.” She stood, slung her purse on her shoulder, and strode across the bank.
“Kate, my offer still stands. Keep that in mind.”
She cringed, her face heating with embarrassment as the stares from other patrons stung her skin. The other bed and breakfast owners hated Bigsby for driving away their customers. The last thing she needed was for her name to be linked with his.
Keeping her gaze on the secretary, she didn’t break her stride until she sat in the leather chair.
She kept her smile on her face and inhaled deeply.
“That’s the biggest jackass I’ve ever come across.” The older secretary nodded in Bigsby’s direction.
Kate snorted, surprised by the matronly secretary’s blunt response. “Actually, I was thinking he looked more like a horse’s ass.”
The secretary’s eyes lit up with amusement. “Yes, that would fit better. Especially with those teeth. The man looks like he’s got a mouth full of Chicklets gum.”
Kate laughed at the visual.
“Now what can I do for you, dear?” The secretary slid a red lollipop across her desk to Kate and smiled.
“Thank you.” Kate twirled the candy between her fingers. Leaning forward, she whispered. “I’d like to speak to Mr. Montgomery.”
The secretary’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second. “Mr. Montgomery retired some months ago. His grandson, William Weatherford, is the bank president now.”
Kate’s heart accelerated, seeming to echo in her hollow chest. “Mr. Montgomery isn’t the president anymore?” Mr. Montgomery might have helped her, might have bought her some time until she could get on her feet. How was she going to convince his grandson, whom she didn’t know, to help her?
“No, honey.” The secretary’s brow creased. “But I’m sure our new president can help you. What is it you want to see him about?”
“It’s about my bed and breakfast.” Her voice, like her heart, cracked a little in desperation.
The secretary nodded and pressed a button on her phone and spoke quietly.
“He’s got time before lunch. His office is right down that hall.” The secretary pointed and gave her an encouraging smile.
***
After pouring her heart out and pleading with the new bank president to no avail, Kate stood outside in the cold winter wind, her last hope dashed. Mr. William Weatherford had been quite different than his grandfather. The new bank president cared more about the bottom line than taking care of his customers.
Unless she paid her mortgage up to date by the end of the month, the bank would begin its foreclosure proceedings.
In order to make that kind of money, she would need to rent out all five of her bedrooms every night for a month.