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The man blinks at me. It’s clear I’ve left him speechless with my entrance. Good. That’s the affect I was aiming for. I have a foolproof plan, and I’m going to execute it to perfection. It won’t even take the full week to have him screaming as he rushes from town. He hasn’t said a word, so maybe I’ll talk so much he won’t have a chance to speak.
“You’re the talk of the town, aren’t you, Cal? Of course that’s not something to brag about as most of what I’m hearing isn’t too great, but it’s still nice to be noticed I guess.” I’m grinning as I insult him, most likely leaving him wondering what in the heck is happening. Good. Keep him guessing.
“The word in town is you think you’re gonna come on in and transform this Podunk town into something for the rich and famous. Sounds... interesting.”
Cal continues staring at me. I realize it isn’t that I’ve left him speechless, he’s calculating his next move. I don’t take him as a person to be deterred quite as easily as I planned. What he doesn’t realize is I’m more determined than he is. He’s here for the love of money. I’m fighting for my love of this place where I’ve spent my entire life. Passion will always win over greed. I’ll keep this man on his toes whether he knows it or not.
After talking for about five minutes straight, I need to give my voice a break. It’s time to let him speak. Hopefully his words will be, “I’m out of here!”
“What made you want to build here, Cal? We think this town has plenty of charm already, and a resort might actually take away from that.” I’m trying to be positive, but a bit of my irritation may have come out in this little statement. When I pause long enough for him to speak, he smiles at me as he leans back.
“You’re late.” This is all he says. I’ve talked for five minutes straight and he simply states the obvious.
“Depends on who’s counting the time,” I tell him with a shrug. I feel the slightest edge of disappointment, realizing I might lose this job before it even begins. He really is offering me a lot of money, and it’s a bummer to lose that for only one week’s work. Of course I’m very late, and I’ve been slightly rude. I deserve to not get the job. How can I convince him not to build here if he fires me before I’m hired? It is what it is. I’m not going to dance without performing the way I want to, no matter how much money’s involved.
He gazes at me for several long moments then grins. There’s most certainly calculation in the look on his face, and it scares me. I don’t know what in the heck to think about it. It’s as if we’re playing a game of chess and he’s checkmated me. I don’t like the feeling, but I also don’t call mercy no matter how bad it looks for me.
“I was going to hire someone else, but I like a challenge,” he finally says. I’m the one uncomfortable now. This isn’t supposed to happen.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” This conversation is turning a bit too quickly for me. I’m going to have to be a lot smarter dealing with this man.
“You don’t want me here. I want to be here. I guess we’ll see who wins.” Yep, he just tossed down the white glove. I decide to pick it up.
“I guess we will,” I say, once again feeling better. I’m competitive. I clearly see he is as well, but he’s never dealt with someone like me before. We’ll see who comes out the victor. I’m going to enjoy this. I’ll drive this man so absolutely crazy, smoke will be coming out of his ass as he runs away by the time I’m through with him. This poor man doesn’t know what he’s in for.
For now, I’ll sit back and enjoy my moment. He thinks he’s won our first battle, but I know I’m the clear victor. It’s not every day a small-town girl gets one up on a corporate giant. I think this is going to be pretty dang fun.
“Well, since you’re staying, let me tell you all about Seaville.” I shift in the chair. I don’t know why people like sitting this way. It’s highly uncomfortable, but I’m not going to turn now, and I’m certainly not showing him how uncomfortable I am.
“I can’t wait to hear all about it,” he tells me. The man has one hell of a poker face. I’m sure he’s unbeatable at the table.
“Well, we’ve got...” I pause and look up as if I’m deep in thought. “Well, to be honest, not that much. There’re the beaches of course, which are sort of small and can become quite windy. The kids tend to drop a bunch of garbage on them as well. We always have to pick up after them. And don’t even let me get started on the seagulls. Those birds are absolute burdens. It’s like they aim for heads. I’ve seen people run screaming as the seagulls chase them to their cars, then crap right in the middle of their windshields. Gross. When they aren’t pooping on people, they’re little thieves. You better not leave your chips unattended, because those are their favorites. They’ll dive down, fight over the bag as they carry it away, and dive in. I’ve seen them grab chips right out of people’s fingers.”
The funny part of this story is there’s some truth to it. Of course our beaches are beautiful and the kids wouldn’t dare leave garbage on them because the old ladies in town aren’t against some ear pulling. Better not disrespect the beaches here. But the seagulls can be vicious. And they really do love chips. If they’re left alone for even a few seconds those suckers will sweep in and away they go. It’s quite comical to watch them fight over their spoils. I think Doritos are their favorite.
“Yep, we have seagulls in Seattle too. My brothers and I love taking chips to the beach and throwing them in the air. I can’t blame them though, there’s something quite delicious about a crunchy potato especially if you have some dip to go with it.”
Dang it. Okay, next. Pause. Think. I give a dismissive wave of my hand. “Well, there’s also Main Street, or what’s left of it. We have quite the turnover of stores as there isn’t enough business to keep the shops open. I was quite bummed when the hot dog place closed down. It was so yummy. Nothing as good has come in since.”
“Well, I can change that,” he says without even blinking. Okay, I better not complain about wanting more businesses. Check.
“I’m not sure what to show you since there isn’t a whole lot to write home about,” I tell him with a shrug. I don’t want to talk myself out of a job. But then again, that would make me win, wouldn’t it? Might be worth it even if I do lose the money.
“I’m sure you’ll be able to show me all sorts of things,” he says, not turned off at all.
“Well, I should warn you about the weather,” I say with a dramatic sigh. “We’re either too hot or too cold. There are rare days where it’s just right, but more than a few teenagers have left with their wheels smoking behind them as they rush out of town the second they finish school. I didn’t want to leave my aunt so I’m stuck here.” I say this as if it’s a hardship.
Callan’s struggling to keep a straight face. I’m amusing him. I’m trying to horrify him, but it seems I’m not having that effect. I need to change my tactics. This effort might be a tad too obvious. But I press on since I spent hours coming up with this little spiel.
“What I’m trying to say is not all is paradise in the city by the sea. If you really look around, you might find a bit of charm. I just don’t think there’s enough for a whole resort, if you know what I mean.” I’m out of my talking points so I wait to hear what he has to say. Being quick on my feet, I can counter anything he comes up with.
Callan holds up his hand when the waitress comes by. “How can I help you, Callan?” Amelia asks.
“May I have a soda and an order of garlic fries, please? I’m hungry again,” he says with the most charming smile I’ve ever seen on a man. I’m shocked when Amelia blushes. I’ve never seen her do that before no matter who steps into this place. This man is damn good. If I were being honest, which I’m not going to be right now, I’d admit his smile gives me a little flutter in my stomach too.
“Of course.” She barely glances at me. Traitor. “May I get you anything, Sasha?”
If I’m stuck here for a while and it’s on his dime, I’m going all out. “I’ll take a large soda, a loaded cheeseburger with a side of fries and onion rings, and some cheese sticks with a big helping of ranch.”
