by Lois Richer
Once they were out of earshot, Andy captured his attention.
“What is it, Andy?”
“Ms. Langley wants you up at the town office, ASAP.”
“Did she say why?” Jason asked, stifling his groan. Not that seeing Piper was a hardship. But the day stretched ahead with a hundred things to do and none of them included the town office until the council meeting at seven tonight when Wainwright Inc. would address them again.
Maybe Piper’s call had something to do with Dylan’s reappearance. After last week he wasn’t sure what to expect.
“Couldn’t really understand what she was saying but I think it’s important. She came down here herself a few minutes ago. Wanted to know why you didn’t answer your cell.”
“Okay, thanks.” He finished tying off the boat. “Can I leave you to clean her up?”
“Of course.” As Jason walked away Andy muttered sotto voce, “If it were me, I’d be moving a little quicker than that to see a babe like her, but I guess when you get that old—”
“Hey!” Jason threw him a withering glare. “I’m not deaf, you know. Not yet.”
Andy didn’t look the least bit daunted.
“She’s got a good-looking guy with her. Holds her arm when she walks, smiles at her constantly. I wouldn’t waste my time talking to me if I were you.”
“You’re right. I won’t.” Jason strode up the dock and crossed the street, heading for the town office. He rapped once on Piper’s door before entering. “Piper?”
She looked flustered, totally unlike cool, competent Piper.
Jason crossed the room to stand beside her. “Anything wrong?” he asked, keeping his voice low.
“Everything’s just fine,” she said gaily, her fingers touching his in the lightest brush. “Jason, I’d like you to meet Quint Gilroy. Mr. Gilroy, this is our mayor, Jason Franklin.”
They greeted each other. Jason glanced at Piper, discerning from her carefully modulated tone that this man was important to them.
“Mr. Gilroy would like to speak to the council tonight, Jason. He’s interested in purchasing land in town to build some rather lovely condos.” Excitement glittered in her eyes.
Jason didn’t blame her. It was more than they’d ever hoped for. Immediately his mind swung into overdrive as a mental picture blossomed.
“Wonderful,” he enthused, shaking the other man’s hand. “Let’s sit in the boardroom. We’ve a wall map there that might help us. What kind of land are you looking for?”
He listened as Gilroy described his project, struggling to keep his mind from blowing everything out of proportion.
“I don’t do huge projects,” Gilroy stated. “I’d like to start with two buildings of ten units but have enough room to expand down the road by adding more complexes as the idea takes off.”
Piper waited, but when Jason didn’t offer any suggestions, she drew attention to a parcel of property that had been empty as long as Jason could remember.
“Jason has a lot more experience with the needs of your kind of development than I, Mr. Gilroy. But this particular plot does offer the benefit of a water view on three sides.”
It was enough to get the ball rolling and as ideas mushroomed Jason took over, falling back into an old pattern as he emphasized the location, the amenities and the possibilities. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed before he noticed Piper’s glare.
“I’m sorry. Was I rambling?”
Gilroy rose, grabbed his briefcase as if he couldn’t get away fast enough.
“There’s no way I can accommodate that kind of development,” he said hurriedly, edging toward the door. “I appreciate that you once worked with the big boys, Mr. Franklin, but I haven’t got that kind of money. I’m a small investor who happens to own a construction company. We could have begun immediately but your ideas are a little too rich for me.” Gilroy gulped, glanced at Piper and forced a smile. “I’m sorry to have bothered you.”
Jason tried to backpedal, caught the tiny shake of her head Piper gave him. He shut up while she did damage control. In the end Gilroy calmed down enough to go with her to the site she’d proposed to look around.
“I know you’re very busy, Jason,” she purred sweetly, “so we won’t detain you. Mr. Gilroy and I can talk at our leisure.” The look in her eyes told him not to argue.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Gilroy. I hope you find what you’re looking for.” He watched them leave, Piper soothing as she walked with him.
“What happened?” Ida asked, her head tilted to one side like a curious bird.
“I think I just blew it.” How many times had Piper warned him to slow down, not to push so hard?
“A little aggressive, were you?” Ida’s snort earned his glower. She didn’t back down. “When are you going to relax, Jason?”
“I don’t know what you mean. Developing Serenity Bay has been my first priority for quite a while now. I thought you knew that.”
“I do. But does it all have to happen this month?” Ida poked her pencil tip into the automatic sharpener on her desk and let it whir until the pencil was just a stub. “You’re grinding us down with your pushing, Jason. Piper’s lost about five pounds since she got here, from stress. When are you going to learn to trust?”
“I trust Piper!” Indignant at the accusation, he leaned his elbows on the counter and glared at her.
“I wasn’t talking about Piper, though some other time I might dispute that comment—like when you’re pressing me about her whereabouts.” She let him digest that for a moment, then sighed. “I was talking about God.”
“God?” Now that didn’t make sense at all. God was the only one he did trust.
“You act as if He’s out to wreck whatever you do,” she said. “If you trust someone, you have to have faith in them. Doesn’t the Bible say that God will give you the desires of your heart if you devote yourself to Him?”
He nodded. His Bible study this morning had been about that very verse.
“Isn’t developing the Bay your heart’s desire?”
Yes, it was. Proving himself was a deep-seated need that grew whenever he thought about the past.
“Don’t you believe that God wants this place to progress, that He’ll work all things together?”
Did he? Jason searched his inner heart and realized she’d hit on the truth. Maybe he wasn’t so sure he had God’s approval, maybe he knew, deep down, that success with the Bay had more to do with shoring up his own shaky self-esteem. It was time to examine his motives.
“Does Harold know he married such a smart woman?”
“He should. I tell him often enough.” She laughed.
“You keep telling him.” He checked his watch, then made a decision. “Ida, I’m unavailable until the council meeting tonight. If somebody needs me, send them to Piper or put them off.”
“You’ve got it, boss,” she said, then she winked.
As he walked back to the marina, Ida’s words reverberated through his mind. He gave Andy his jobs for the rest of the day, got in his truck and took off for the depths of the forest where nothing and no one could interfere with his thoughts.
Piper had tried to warn him but he wouldn’t listen. He’d wanted the Bay to flourish so badly that now he was risking losing investors by pushing them too hard for what they couldn’t or wouldn’t give.
But if he didn’t, if he just sat back and waited, what would change?
Maybe nothing. And that was his biggest fear.
So what was he trying to prove here—that the foster kid who’d never mattered to anybody was important, that the Bay couldn’t get along without him at the helm?
He delved deeper into the truth, then finally faced it head-on.
It didn’t matter what level of success he achieved for the town. He could never erase the hurt that came from knowing she’d chosen someone else above him.
He’d told Piper he’d never loved Amber, that he’d realized she wasn’t the woman for him. That much was t
rue. But the realization had only come after she’d dumped him for Trevor. And it had come on the heels of learning that Trevor had chosen money and achievement above their friendship.
Jason claimed he’d accepted God’s will in that matter. Was that true?
Not really. He saw that he’d clung to the pain of it, searched for a way to erase it. What he hadn’t done was let God wash it away.
Who was he to talk to Piper about letting the past go?
He’d thought he’d dealt with it but it’d been there, underneath, eating away at him all this time.
What about Piper?
He thought of her now, her gorgeous face surrounded by that mop of unruly curls that expressed her mood of the moment. Gorgeous, confident, accomplished. She answered to nobody and forged her own path, depending on herself to achieve her goals.
Piper was everything Amber hadn’t been. Was that why he’d found her so attractive, because she outshone his former girlfriend?
Jason hated the thought, hated what it implied about him—a shallowness he’d never imagined. But he faced the possibility because what he needed now more than ever before was to face the truth.
Was Piper important to him because of what he felt for her, because of the place she filled in his life? Or because he needed to prove that a beautiful, strong woman could care about him, that he wasn’t unlovable?
He closed his eyes and tried to imagine Serenity Bay without Piper, but a thousand images filled his brain. Piper at the helm of Shalimar, her face utterly serene as the wind whipped past. Piper struck with a fit of the giggles in the middle of a snowball fight at Spring Fling. Her melted-chocolate eyes darkening black with temper when she took him to task for interrupting her meetings. Tears plopping from those black lashes onto her silken cheeks hiding a wealth of hurt she kept tucked inside.
The Bay without Piper? It didn’t compute.
He loved her.
Jason leaned back against a tree and let that sweet knowledge flood over him. It wasn’t about comparisons. With Piper he’d found something he’d never known before—acceptance. She hadn’t flinched when he’d told her his sad little story, didn’t seem to care that he was only a glorified mechanic. When he was with Piper he felt at home.
So what was he going to do about it?
Nothing.
Oh, he’d be there, as much as she’d let him after today’s debacle. He’d make sure she knew that he cared for her. But he wasn’t going to push her, force her into something she might regret.
This time, Jason decided, he was going to sit back and let God take over.
Even if it killed every plan he’d ever made.
*
Where was he?
Piper kept her seat, forced her hands to remain still and scanned the notepad in front of her but every nerve in her body was attuned to the sounds around her and the expectant faces waiting for Jason to appear at the town council meeting.
Dylan wasn’t here, either, but she knew he’d show. Once her father decided on a project, he was like a dog with a bone. He’d keep pushing until he got his way. Rather like Jason, she mused grimly as she smiled reassuringly at Mr. Gilroy.
“I’m sure he’ll be here momentarily.”
A rush of footsteps outside the room signaled Jason’s arrival. He burst into the room, tousled, slightly dusty and meekly apologetic.
“Sorry. I was out in the forest and I got a flat tire. Shall we begin?” He picked up the agenda. “Mr. Gilroy is here to talk about his desire to build some condos in Serenity Bay. Go ahead, Mr. Gilroy.”
Piper swallowed her surprise as the condo builder rose and began a halting speech. Jason asked several questions which soon loosened the man’s tongue and his presentation became much more interesting. Asked for her opinion, Piper reinforced what Gilroy had said. At the end the council’s interest was palpable and an offer was tabled.
Satisfied with that development, she glanced around, realized Dylan had arrived while she was speaking. He smiled at her, but she could tell his focus was elsewhere. She found herself gripping her notepad a little too tightly as Jason called on him next.
“Wainwright Inc. has taken your concerns under advisement and made significant changes to our proposal. We are hopeful that what you see today will offer you greater perspective into our future plans.”
Piper studied each aspect as Dylan presented it, wishing she’d seen it first. Several things sent up immediate red flags and she scribbled notes to herself for later comment. She couldn’t help studying Jason during the presentation. He seemed remarkably calm. Perhaps too calm?
His disappearance this afternoon left a lot of questions, and the possibility that he’d met with Dylan. Jason’s aggressive stance on the hotel was no secret, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he’d sought an opportunity to meet outside of the council.
But he said he’d been in the forest. Doing what?
“We’ll now open the floor for questions. Piper, anything you want clarified?”
Surprised that Jason had called on her first, she gathered her composure and rose.
“It’s a good proposal,” she said, her focus on Dylan. “Well thought out and carefully planned. But there are still several issues that run counter to our plans for development of the beachfront and the immediate area.” She listed the problems, illustrating how they would alter plans already moving forward for other aspects of development.
As she spoke, Piper waited for Jason’s rush of argument. But he remained silent. It was Dylan who pressed her.
“We have to have some leeway to fulfill the needs of the hotel,” he argued. “We can’t build something this massive only for the town’s benefit. Wainwright has an investment to recoup, after all.”
“Naturally,” she said quietly. “But our investment is also great. In two or three years, when Serenity Bay is ready to pursue another phase of our plan, we don’t want to be in the position of having to reorient some of our projects, or perhaps even cancel them, because we didn’t plan for the contingencies I’ve noted.”
“So what you’re saying is that we’re close, but still not quite there yet,” one of the councilors muttered.
“Yes.” She met Dylan’s glare, knew he was frustrated and felt a twist of shame that she’d hurt him. But if that’s what it took to defeat Wainwright…
“Okay then.” Dylan began taking down his work. “I’ll take that as a no. I should warn you that I’m not sure Wainwright is prepared to come back with another offer. We do not usually accept such a large amount of—er, guidance when we submit a project and we have already made a number of concessions to fit your needs.”
“I’m sorry we’ve been so difficult,” Jason chimed in.
Piper could hardly believe he had said that. She’d expected him to be furious but he looked almost resigned as he thanked Dylan for his work. As Dylan left the room, Jason called the meeting back to order and suggested they go in camera—retire to privacy where the general public was not present—to deal with the rest of the issues.
Thus excused, Piper left, caught up with Dylan as he placed his briefcase inside his car.
“You’re not in a rush to get back again, are you?” she asked quickly, needing to make him understand her position.
“Why?” He paused, turning to look at her.
“I put a chicken in the slow cooker. I thought you might share a meal with me.” She widened her gaze. “You haven’t eaten, have you? You never used to before a presentation.”
His brows lifted as if he was surprised she’d remembered.
“Come on, Dyl. It’ll be just us two. I’d like a chance to catch up with you.”
After several moments he shrugged. “Sure. Why not?”
“Do you want to come with me, or follow me to Cathcart?”
“I’ll have to leave and for that I’ll need my truck. I’d better follow you. It’s been so long I’m not sure I remember how to get there.”
“You’ll remember once we get going.” She reache
d out and hugged him. “I’m across the street.” She pointed.
“You’re still driving that thing?” he asked, but a hint of softness lay underneath the words.
“I couldn’t get rid of my little roadster. Vance loved it. So do I. Besides, it runs like a dream.” She grinned, then hurried across the street, thanking God for the opportunity to reconnect with her brother outside of the business arena.
She drove quickly, eager to share what little time they had together. At the house Dylan told her he’d been up since five and asked if he could take a quick shower. By the time he returned Piper had everything ready.
“I remember this meal,” Dylan murmured as he served himself more of the golden chicken. “We’d come back here after church for Sunday dinner,” he guessed.
Piper nodded.
“Then you and I would run outside to play.”
“Yes.” She smiled at the memory of that happy time before her mother had died. “You used to tease me with garter snakes you found in Gran’s garden.”
“And you never told. Why?”
Piper shrugged, smiled. “I thought you wouldn’t play with me anymore and I loved playing with you. You were always the best big brother, Dyl. Nobody could have had more patience.”
He ignored that, concentrating on his food. But the furrow between his brows grew deeper.
“Why did you come back here, Piper? Why didn’t you sell the place and get on with your life?”
“I tried,” she told him honestly. “After Vance died I buried myself in work, took on way too much and pushed myself to keep going. But I lost my joy.” She pushed at the two peas left on her plate. “Gran and Papa were gone so I came back here, spent a weekend clearing out, dealing with stuff. When the day came to leave, I knew I’d rather stay. I felt a peace here, a certain comfort of happier times that I wanted to hang on to. So when I saw the want ad for economic development officer—” She shrugged. “That was my chance.”
“Dad tried to contact you in Calgary,” he told her.
Piper gaped. “Why?”
“He’s had some health concerns, Piper. He’s not as young as he was the day you walked out.”
The anger in his voice shocked her until she recalled those visits her father had made to Cathcart demanding she return home. Dylan had begged her to come back. Baron had made both of them miserable.
