THE GOLD - PUBLISHED ON AMAZON: ON TAPAS TOO.

Chapter 3: Bought In A Heartbeat

Bought in a heartbeat

Running out of the building's double glass doors, Janie boarded her vehicle. It was parked beside the sidewalk outside the company. She drove home, minutes later, she was packing whatever was necessary and needed for her trip in the hot summer, humid weather in Tennessee. Then Janie rushed out of her house and then drove to the airport phoning her twenty-six years old, best friend, Nian Miller, who's like a younger sister to her. She is a famous Saint Lucian fashion designer in France, Paris and the director of her famous fashion company, Shan Couture.

'Pick up! Pick up! Nian...' Janie frowned at the continuous ringing in her ear until she heard her best friend answer.

'Hey, Janie!' Nian greeted with cheerful laughter.

Janie didn't reply with a simple 'Hello' she bolted the entire mess in her ear, 'Nian, I want you to come to Tennessee for two weeks! My grandparents left an estate and farmhouse for me that was bought by another couple who got tricked by the same realtor. Unfortunately, I have to share my inheritance with the other couple's grandson who's a sexy-good-looking cowboy named Jason Applewhite....'

'Whoa, whoa, whoa...Slow down...Janie,' Nian answered. 'Did you just say a sexy-good-looking cowboy is also the owner of your property?'

'Yeah and guess what?' Janie confirmed.

'What?' Nian questioned curiously.

'I have to be on the property next week with him before the government seizes it and transforms the estate into a tourist attraction,' Janie explained. 'I'm on my way to the airport, can't you come? I don't want to be alone with a cute southern cowboy for two weeks without my best friend,' she breathed heavily.

'It might be good for you. Who knows what can happen in a short time. I hear wedding bells,' Nian teased as she laughed.

'Nian.....!' Janie whined. 'Please, please, please...come with me. What if he tries to make out with me or I fall underneath his seduction and lose everything.'

'You did lose everything with Keith, Janie,' Nian pointed out.

'That isn't helping, Nian,' Janie freaked out.

Nian's mind was spinning while she worked on both collections for New York and Paris Fashion Week, coming up in May and June. The new year had begun; they were just in the second week of February. Nian checked her schedule. She couldn't leave her work behind and, a vacation would be nice but so much to cover in a short time. Nian wanted to decline her best friend who begged. But after what happened with Keith Halls, that British hotshot bastard stamped all over Janie's heart after their break up. Nian had to be the one to pick up the pieces of Janie's heart and mended it with a woman's self-independence pep talk and a cruise on the Carnival Ship through the Caribbean.

'I can't just leave work, Janie. I have fashion shows to attend in New York and Paris. My collection isn't done yet, I'm lacking inspiration as we speak,' Nian complained.

'Nian, you'll get inspiration from this country-style life. You might even get a chill cowboy to smooth your workaholic ways,' Janie admitted.

'I'm not a workaholic, Janie, that's overrating things,' Nian frowned.

'Oh! Come on! You'll thank me when you get to Tennessee, Nian,' Janie chuckled.

Nian thought about it, 'It's only two weeks, right? I can let off steam and relax. And gain new ideas for designs to add to my collections for the fashion shows. It's not like I'm going to stay there and run a popular restaurant with my future husband' and then she agreed, 'Okay, I'll come. What's it called? The estate?'

'Angel's Rest, it's in Franklin, Tennessee,' Janie explained. 'I'll send you the details in a bit. I'm driving to the airport.'

'Okay, I'll start packing, only on one condition, Janie. I'm taking my designs with me to finish,' Nian responded.

'Oh my gosh, thank you! Do whatever you want, Nian as long as you're coming I'm happy,' Janie giggled.

'All right, Janie. I'll see you soon,' Nian laughed.

'Yeah, bye and thanks again, sis,' Janie replied and then ended the call.

Nian grabbed her laptop and booked an early flight to Tennessee. By tomorrow she would be on a plane flying to America.

On the other hand, Jason Applewhite who arrived on the property earlier on had settled in quickly. He thought about the conversation he had with his grandparents' lawyer, Mr. Cliff Red about the wanted realtor, Ron Buskins and the shared inheritance contract. It indicated that the former judge, Willis Tommy, stated that the estate and farmhouse also belong to Ms. Janie Stone, Mr. and Mrs. Stone's only granddaughter. He remembered Cliff had also mentioned in his grandparents' will, stated, that two hundred acres may be sold to a close friend who's like family. They recommended his childhood Korean-Japanese best friend, Kim Yint. He is thirty years old, a famous multi-billionaire Michelin Star Chef. He is the owner of La Belle, a three-star restaurant franchise, founded all around the world. In his spare time, he managed a winery company called Grapevine in Japan, Italy and Korea.

When Jason acquired the property, he thought of no other person, who would appreciate the vineyard and the fruit orchard than his best friend, Yint. He did exactly as his grandparents said. The two hundred acres which included the vineyard, fruit orchard and a small creek were sold to Yint who bought it in a heartbeat. Jason couldn't forget the times Yint had helped him handle all his money problems in his life. 'We've been good friends for so long I can't believe we're still single,' Jason grinned at the thought. Then he recalled Ms. Janie Stone's photos Cliff had emailed a week ago, flashing before his eyes. He thought, 'She must be some rich old-stuck up spoil kid who wants steal all Granny's and Grandpa's gold,' while riding his saddled black horse named Survival.

Jason wasn't riding alone. His thirty-two-year-old, good childhood Mexican friend, Fennell Miguel Cook was riding alongside him on his brown horse named, Heaven. Fennell is the best horse trainer and vet in town. He studied to become a doctor and graduated with honours. However, he realised he had a deep passion for riding and helping care for the horses that race in the derbies.

'Hey! Remember what I told you a week ago?' Jason asked.

'I remember,' Fennell answered. 'Next week, your bride-to-be will be here,' he chuckled teasingly while Jason frowned.

When Jason had told Fennell about his inheritance to the estate and western mansion, which had to be shared with another owner, the young Janie Stone, Fennell thought aloud, 'It doesn't sound half bad if the other inheritor is hot. It would be great if you seized the opportunity and settle down.'

Jason laughed at his suggestion, 'Yeah, right!'