I drove over the bay bridge into town, still trying to get the image of Selena with Colin Hillson out of my head. She could do so much better than that idiot.
We pulled up in front of Jake’s Cakes, the best bakery in town. Duke scrambled out of the car and headed for the door.
“Let’s go get coffee first.” I whistled for Duke to follow me. I wasn’t the most-loved person in this town, but I was used to people stopping to talk to me because they liked my dog. We walked down the street past the tea shop and the Rusty Spoon, and no one stopped us.
“Strange.” I patted Duke’s head and turned the corner to the Hugga Mugga. The cutesy names in this town were so awful I typically couldn’t bring myself to say half of them out loud. But the tourists loved it.
“What can I get you?” The barista glowered at me.
“Large iced coffee with cream, no sugar.” I smiled at the lady behind the counter, who usually talked my ear off and stuffed Duke with her homemade peanut butter dog biscuits while the barista made my coffee. For some reason, she glared back at me and ignored Duke.
That made me mad. I didn’t care what people thought of me, but I drew the line at mistreating my dog, who didn’t understand why he wasn’t getting the A-list treatment he normally got here.
“It’s okay, buddy.” I scratched his head and tried not to let his crestfallen look affect me. “Could the big guy get a couple of those dog biscuits?” I plastered on my best smile.
“They’re a dollar a piece.” The lady refused to look at me. “Can’t be giving them away for free when all you buy is iced coffee.”
“No problem.” I let a hard edge enter my voice. “He doesn’t know the difference between free and not free, so I’ll take four if you don’t mind.”
She nodded, looking ashamed and rightfully so.
Duke swallowed the first two whole, and I gave him a third one on the way out to Jake’s Cakes. “You can have the last one tonight. We can’t spoil your supper.”
Duke rolled his eyes at me. He knew as well as I did, he’d eat until he exploded.
As we walked back down the street, I could have sworn everyone we passed gave me a dirty look. I glanced down at my fresh shirt, wondering if the dry cleaner didn’t get it clean.
“Get out of here with that crap!” Jake yelled at me, pointing for the door before we even got inside his bakery.
“What, this delicious and refreshing iced coffee beverage from the amazing Hugga Mugga?” I grinned at my cousin, who refused to serve iced coffee of any kind in his bakery. He also had a healthy rivalry with the coffee shop—bordering on ridiculous. The two shop owners hated each other, but it provided a great source of entertainment for the rest of the town.
“No outside food or drinks.” Jake pointed to the sign above the counter that expressly forbid beverages from Hugga Mugga. He was busy working on a three-tiered birthday cake with a dinosaur made of copious amounts of icing wrapped around the edge. Some kid was going to have an epic birthday cake.
I ignored him and leaned over the counter. “Duke would like a slice of your best carrot cake please. And I’ll take a caramel brownie.”
Jake shook his head, moving to the cake display case. “You know, just because it has carrots in it doesn’t make it a healthy choice for the dog. He’d be better off with a piece of fruit.”
“It’s his one vice. We come here, he expects cake, and he loves carrots.” Duke sat back on his haunches, resting his chin on the counter and laying his ears back with his best poor-me-I’m-so-hungry expression that literally no one could resist.
“Here, boy.” Jake smiled, setting a plate with a small slice of carrot cake on the floor.
“Hi, Jake dear.” Mrs. Abernathy from the library shuffled up to the counter. “I need two slices of your strawberry cassata cake to go. I can’t go home without it or my husband will have a fit. He just loves your cakes.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Abernathy.” Jake moved to pack up the order, and Mrs. Abernathy turned to give me the same dirty look everyone else had given me since I drove into town. She ignored me and turned her attention on Duke, muttering something about how the poor boy couldn’t help who his dad was.
“Here you are, Mrs. Abernathy.” Jake set the to-go bag on the counter. “You tell Mr. Abernathy I’m working on a new recipe for a pina colada cake that’s right up his alley.”
“Oh, he’ll just love that.” She shoved a quarter into the tip jar and shot me another withering look before she shuffled out the door.
“What was that about?” I asked Jake. “You saw that, right?”
“The old lady stare down? Yeah, I saw it. You’re in the dog house, cuz.”
“But why? What don’t I know?”
Just then, my phone rang, and I didn’t recognize the number. “Conner Ashford,” I answered in my professional voice, never knowing when the call would be work related.
“Mr. Ashford, I’m a representative of the city council of Superiore Bay. We are calling to request the presence of an Ashford family representative—specifically you—at five PM this evening at the Superiore Bay Historical Society and Museum.”
“Come again?” I scowled at the absurdity of this call. Why would the town council want to meet me at the historical society and not the town hall?
“Be at the historical society at five PM tonight.” The line went dead.
“She hung up on me.” I stared down at the phone.
“Who?” Jake wiped down his counter and shoved the bag with my brownie across the perfectly clean surface.
“Some weird lady from the city council. They want me to attend a meeting at five.”
“Well, you better get over there; it’s almost five now, and you do not want the town council coming after you. They take their job seriously.”
“Come on, Duke, looks like we have a meeting to get to.” The Historical Society was just down the street and around the corner from Jake’s Cakes. We walked into the old musty museum just after five PM. I heard raised voices, lots of them. And I also heard my name several times before I stepped into the small auditorium where they normally showed old documentaries about the town history. Now, I knew why they wanted to meet here. It seemed like every business owner in Superiore Bay was here, and they were angry.
“There he is.” Mrs. Patterson pointed at me, and I felt the sudden urge to run before they came at me with pitchforks and torches.
“What do you have to say for yourself, young man?” A woman I didn’t even know stood with her hand on her hips, looking for all the world like she might ground me and send me to bed without my supper.
A hundred voices echoed her demand, and I reached to give Duke a calming pat on the head before he started growling. “I think we’re in trouble, boy.” I started to take a step back, but someone closed the doors behind me.
20
Lena
I wasn’t sure what exactly was going on.
Half an hour ago, I’d received a call to get to the historical society as soon as I could. The lady on the phone had practically yelled at me. I’d just gotten home, but Enzo drove me back here in his truck. When I walked in, it had looked like the entire town was waiting for me.
The entire angry town.
They looked a bit more sympathetic toward me than they had earlier in the day, but there was still an undercurrent of angst. And suddenly, I knew what this was about.
What followed was twenty minutes of the town trying to convince me to tell them what the Hillsons were offering me to open my new business venture in Hidden Cove. The town council claimed they could match anything their rivals gave me. But I knew that wasn’t true.
I stood up to quiet the rabble, and voices faded to a soft murmur. “I’m sorry you all had to find out this way, and I know you feel betrayed, but I’m afraid I don’t have a choice. Hidden Cove isn’t only offering tax breaks and incentives. If they were, I’d have come here to give Superiore Bay the same chance. The Hillsons are willing to become silent partners, investi
ng in my plans. I can’t pass up an opportunity like that.”
Trevor Ashford, Conner and Carter’s youngest uncle, who was known to be on the outs with his family, stood to face me. “Have you signed the contract yet?”
I shook my head. “But it’s only a matter of time. I must think of my family.”
“What about the town?” I didn’t see who spoke next.
My eyes searched the crowd, taking in the familiar faces. “I love this town. You all know I do. It’s in my blood. I grew up here, my family has lived here for generations. We helped build Superiore Bay, but we can’t always let rivalries derail our futures.”
“Is that the only rivalry you’re willing to let go of?” It was Carter, the same Carter who hadn’t been answering my calls. “Superiore Bay and Hidden Cove?”
“For now, it’s the one offering me a truce.”
Carter stood. “Maybe whoever took that picture did you a favor.”
How could he say that? Whoever took that picture caused this entire mess. To my surprise, Enzo, sitting next to Carter for some strange reason I couldn’t fathom, nodded along with his words. Something was definitely up with the two of them.
There was no way I was going to get through to this crowd. With a weary sigh, I sat, and the rumbling cranked up again.
Sierra Gonzalez, the head of the council, tried to regain control, but even she failed. It wasn’t until the door at the back of the room opened everyone quieted. Conner walked through, stopping in his tracks as he took in the meeting.
He looked blindsided, just as I had been. Had Sierra called him too?
I tried to say something with my eyes, but he turned away, looking like he might try to escape out the door again. Only, Jake Ashford walked in, shutting the doors and cutting off any hope Conner had of getting out of this.
Conner turned on his heel, his confidence never wavering as he walked farther into the room with every eye on him. “What’s going on?”
Sierra pulled a folding chair to the front and pointed to it. “Conner Ashford, sit down.”
His steps slowed. “Am I on trial?”
She didn’t smile at his attempted joke. “Yes.”
“Off with his head,” someone yelled. I looked around, finding Max Ashford, sitting next to his father, a smile stretching his young face.
A few people snickered at that. Conner shot his cousin a glare.
I settled my eyes on Carter and Enzo, who were both grinning as they whispered to each other. My eyes narrowed before turning back to Conner.
Sierra circled his chair, her long arms crossed over her chest. Dark curls settled around her shoulders. She was young for a councilwoman, much less someone who led the council. Only Harrison Ashford held more power in this town as the mayor.
“Did I miss the show?” My grandmother slid into the empty chair next to me.
“What’s going on, Gram?”
She only shrugged, a sneaky grin on her face.
I thought back over this entire awful day. The stares. The harsh words. Everything that was now directed at Conner. I sucked in a breath when I realized what was happening. In my anger, I’d revealed Conner was the reason I had to look elsewhere for my business. It wasn’t even really his fault, more like his father’s, but he’d be blamed for it.
Covering my face with my hands, I let out a body-rattling sigh. A presence bumped legs as he pushed his way down the aisle to my right. I lowered my hands to find Duke staring at me. “Hey, boy,” I whispered. “I think I got your dad in trouble.”
“Conner Ashford,” Sierra started. “What do you have to say for yourself?”
“Um …” Confusion clouded his voice. “I don’t know.”
She scoffed. “You don’t know? Okay, I’ll ask you some questions.”
“Whatever you feel the need to do.”
“What town do we live in?”
His brow furrowed. “Superiore Bay.”
She nodded. “And what town do we want to see grow and expand? What town would we like to see allow its business owners to thrive?”
“Superiore Bay,” someone yelled.
Sierra pointed to them. “Exactly. We can’t do that when two of our most prominent families are feuding.”
“This can’t be happening,” I muttered.
Gram patted my knee. “Everything will work out the way it’s meant to, Mija.”
I wasn’t sure what she meant by that exactly, but she threw a look at Carter and Enzo over her shoulder that stirred my suspicion.
Duke rested his head in my lap, and I curled my fingers into his fur, drawing strength from him before shooting to my feet. “Stop this please.”
Sierra shot me a withering look. “This is none of your concern, Lena.”
“Of course it is. It’s completely my concern.”
“No,” someone else yelled. “It’s the town’s concern.”
I turned to face the crowd. “This is why you’ve all come here today? To bully one of your own?” Duke let out a low growl as if he agreed that this was ridiculous.
Sierra eyed the dog warily.
Someone pushed himself off the back wall and strode forward. When he got closer, I recognized Harrison Ashford. The crowd that was two seconds from becoming a mob quieted in the presence of the popular mayor.
Harrison stopped near Conner, looking down at him. He didn’t turn to us as he said, “Lena is right.” Finally, he looked back. “But so are we.” His eyes settled on me. “Lena, I hope you understand it’s only fear behind all of this. We believe in what you’re trying to do and think it will be a great success in driving tourism. We cannot allow you to give that advantage to Hidden Cove or the Hillson family.”
Conner’s eyes met mine, as if finally realizing what my meeting in that diner was actually about. I could have been wrong, but I thought I saw guilt in his eyes. For the first time, he realized this was all his family’s fault.
“Force them to give her the land,” Barrett Ashford, Conner’s older uncle said. “It’s time the Ashford-Contreras feud ended.”
If only it was that easy. My parents weren’t here, and neither was Conner’s father. We couldn’t put an end to anything while they continued to hate each other.
I shook my head. “Even if they sold me the land, I still don’t have the capital I need. The Hillsons offered me a way that doesn’t involve me putting my family’s entire legacy at stake.” I glanced at Enzo. “I won’t risk our future.”
Harrison pursed his lips, looking from Conner to me. “You said nothing is official with Colin Hillson, correct?”
I nodded. Nothing had been signed yet.
I ignored the rest of the crowd, zeroing in on Harrison, who was obviously deep in thought. I was sure I wouldn’t like whatever he was considering.
Harrison nodded, as if he’d come to a conclusion. “There’s only one way to solve this.”
I wasn’t the only one hanging on his every word. Conner stared at him like his gaze could burn holes right through his cousin.
I could almost guess the words that were about to come from his lips. His satisfied smile said it all.
“Conner will invest.”
A round of laughter, coming mostly from Ashfords, wound through the crowd. Max, Emery, their older brother, Grant. Harrison’s siblings. Both of Conner’s uncles. The only family member present not laughing was Carter. Instead, he looked way too pleased with himself.
Harrison waited for his family to stop laughing. “I wasn’t joking. This is the only solution. Selena needs an investor. Conner has money to invest and not enough sense to offer it himself. Tying the families together will put a lid on this impossible feud.” His stern gaze met mine. “And better yet, this is what’s good for the town.”
I caught the meaning behind his words as my stomach sank to the bottom of the bay. If I said no, I was putting myself over the town, and that wasn’t done in Superiore Bay. Bile rose in my throat at the thought of working with Conner, of letting him have a piece of what I�
�d been dreaming of for years.
Did achieving my goal have to mean giving up a part of my pride?
And was it worth it?
The answer to the second question was easy. Yes. Pride had no place in business, in dreams. It would only hold me back.
I didn’t hear what was said after, and only minutes later, the crowd dispersed, leaving me staring at Conner with Duke between us.
I wasn’t sure how this had just happened, but I hoped it didn’t ruin everything.
Neither of us moved. I barely breathed as our eyes connected and we both realized there was no getting out of this. Not in this town.
21
Conner
What was I supposed to do now?
Lena ran out of the meeting last night before talking to me. She just stared and left, as if this was all my fault. Couldn’t she see I didn’t want this any more than she did?
Except now, I couldn’t get it out of my head.
What had Colin Hillson so interested? As far as I knew, Lena just wanted to open up a store. What was so special about that? Why did Hidden Cove want this so badly?
I had to find out.
I stared at my desk, realizing how much work I had to do today. One of our suppliers received an off batch of wine, and I needed to figure out why, but heading over to the winery held no appeal.
I was standing over my desk when my grandfather walked in, curiosity in his gaze. “I just got an interesting phone call.”
“Yeah? I’d love to hear about it when I get back.” I patted my leg, calling Duke to my side.
My grandfather stopped me at the door. “It was from Valentina Contreras.”
That made me pause. “What is Valentina Contreras doing calling you?” I’d never heard him mention Lena’s grandmother.
He waved my question away. “Oh, us old coots have no use for family squabbles. We did enough squabbling when we were young enough to care.”
“Okay, so what did she say to you?”
“Apparently I missed an impromptu town meeting last night.”
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