Home Free - Fern Michaels [80]
He felt sad and yet almost relieved that the girls were finding happiness at last. And they so deserved happiness after all they’d been through. Myra was the one—Annie, too—who worried him the most.
He hated to admit it even to himself, but he was concerned about his own well-being. What would he do with his time? Cooking certainly wasn’t his main goal in life. He supposed he could dabble at writing a cookbook. The minute the thought popped into his head, he rejected the idea. He turned to look at the computer that had just given off a ping, signaling an incoming e-mail. He hit READ and almost gasped aloud. It was from Pappy, telling him Pappy’s father, Spiro, had passed away. Charles bowed his head and offered up a prayer for his soul. He read on:
The powers that be finally granted me and my family immunity, but it was too late for Pop. We will be going back to my homeland so my family can see where Pop and I lived for so many years. It’s time for them to meet what’s left of my family. I’d like to lease, if possible, Annie’s mountain in Spain. Tell me if that is something she would consider. And then the mindblower. The last sentence of the e-mail made the fine hairs on Charles’s neck stand on end: Do you and your people want to buy Big Pine Mountain?
Charles bit down on his lower lip. Thoughts of the years he and his chicks had spent on that mountain, perhaps the only safe place for them in the entire country, raced through his mind. He left his lair so fast that he almost tripped over his own feet. He flew up the moss-covered steps and into the living room, where the dogs, finally giving way to exhaustion, were sound asleep and Myra was seriously wrapping presents. He blurted out Pappy’s news and waited to hear her reply.
“Oh, dear, how sad. Spiro was such a lovely man.” Myra bowed her head, much the way Charles had, and offered up a prayer. “But how wonderful for Pappy and Samantha and the children. One always wants to return to their roots. Do you think Annie will want to buy the mountain?”
“Why don’t we call her and ask?” Charles said, tongue in cheek.
Myra worried her lower lip. “Did he say how much he wants for the mountain?”
“No, he didn’t, but Pappy is a fair man. And, old girl, as you know, everything in life is negotiable except death. First, we have to find out if Annie is interested. Perhaps the two of you could buy it together. You certainly have the money to do it, Myra.”
“We were so happy on that mountain, weren’t we, Charles? We were so insulated and safe. Not that we aren’t insulated and safe here on the farm. Living on the mountain was just different. Personally, I loved it. Annie did, too. Even though the girls got antsy from time to time, they loved it, too. Knowing we owned it would make it a wonderful retreat for all of us. Hurry, Charles. Call Annie and see what she says. Do you think we should ask the price first?”
Charles rolled his eyes. “Do you really think Annie is going to quibble about the price? Either she wants it or she doesn’t. If she expresses an interest, then I’ll go back to Pappy.”
“Where . . . where is Spiro buried?”
“On the mountain, but when Pappy’s immunity came through, he made arrangements to have Spiro’s body taken back to Greece. Pappy and his family are already back in Greece. I didn’t sense any urgency in Pappy’s e-mail.”
“If Annie agrees, I have a feeling she’ll jump on it. So, are you going to call Annie or not?” Myra asked, impatience ringing in her voice.
Myra’s fist shot in the air when she heard Annie’s squeal come through the phone. Charles grinned. He was still grinning when he hung up.
“Annie wants to know when we’ll have our first reunion. Dinner will be in an hour, so you can wrap some more presents, and I’ll go back to my lair and send off an e-mail.”
“Lovely, just lovely,” Myra said happily as she returned to the living room and the mound of presents still to be wrapped. The dogs looked at her to see if it was time to play, and she shook her