need,â he told her. âIâll just yell if I need help.â
âHeard Liam was in town.â Macy smoothed her straight, black hair back and tucked it behind her ears. âEverything okay?â
Was anything ever okay when his oldest brother was mentioned? Not where Zach was concerned.
âJust wrapping up some legal matters from Chelseaâs estate.â
âSheâs going to be missed. I know I already feel a void.â Her brows dipped as concern filled her eyes. âIâm so sorry you guys are going through this, Zach.â
Not wanting any sympathy, Zach shrugged, refusing to discuss such a personal topic in public. âWeâll be fine. Chelsea bought that old historic property on the edge of town, and we just have to figure out what to do with it.â
âAnd you three arenât in agreement.â
Zach grunted. âYou know us all too well.â
âYou guys never change,â she told him with a sigh. âI figure at this point you never will.â
The bell chimed again and Macy greeted a customer who came in and headed toward the back where the pipe was stored.
âWhat do you want to do with it?â she asked, once the customer was out of earshot.
âKeep it,â Zach stated. âChelsea wanted the house and I think we need to hang on to it.â
âWhat do the others say?â
âLiam wants to sell and be done. Braxton hasnât said one way or another.â
Macy crossed her arms over her chest. âMust be a difficult position for Braxton.â
Zach nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets. âHe wouldnât say if this bothers him, but I know it does.â
âSo what would you do if you kept it?â she asked.
âStill thinking on that one,â he replied, rocking back on his heels. âI better get my supplies. Be right back.â
She held up a hand and grinned. âI need to ask a favor before you go, if you have the time.â
Intrigued, he tilted his head. âWhatâs that?â
âWell, itâs more of a business proposition,â she corrected, then waved him away. âGo on and get your supplies. We can talk as Iâm ringing you up.â
Nodding, he headed to the back bins holding various sizes of washers, bolts, screws, and nuts. As he sifted through the items he needed, Zach couldnât help but wonder what it would take to convince Liam that selling wasnât the right decision, at least not now.
Of all the rash decision making Zach had done in his life, for once he was going to think about this property before deciding anything. Sophie surely had to understand that. Or maybe her boyfriend had convinced her selling it to the council would be best. Zach had a hard time wrapping his mind around the fact that Sophie would go against Chelseaâs wishes. Sophie was well aware of how much Chelsea loved that house and the land.
More than once Chelsea had snuck over the property line, ignoring the NO TRESPASSING signs to go sit by the lake or wander around the grounds. Sheâd had a slight obsession with the historic place, and Zach couldnât let go. Not yet.
Of course, Martin could have convinced Sophie thatâs what Chelsea wouldâve wanted. Who knows what went on in their relationship? Zach didnât want to know, actually. Sophie had been raised so polished and pure, Zach had no doubt her parents loved that she dated a man with such upstanding social status. A man without a criminal record.
What parents wanted a convicted felon hanging around their daughter? What woman truly wanted a tarnished man in her personal life?
This whole line of thinking was ridiculous, so he didnât even answer his own questions. Zach had no place in Sophieâs life. Heâd had a narrow window to ease into her life and heâd blown it all to shit. Couldnât fault her for realizing she deserved better.
Damn it, here he was trying to find some