AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Frustration mounts as I drag my fingers through my already messed hair. I’ve been online for days, searching for everything to do with Seaville. It seems this town, though, doesn’t want to be a tourist destination. There isn’t a whole lot of information out there, no Chamber of Commerce pleading with people to come and visit. It seems this town likes to remain undiscovered.
This lack of information makes my curiosity grow. I’ve never built a resort in a place that isn’t well-known. As the owner of one of the largest real estate development companies in the state of Washington, I’m smart in choosing locations to build. I don’t want to put the time or money into a location only for it to fail.
But this is the town I’m being sent to, and the fact that it’s unknown makes me want to build there even more. Why? Maybe I want to do something that takes real effort, real thought, or maybe I want to break away from easy targets. Still, I’d like a bit more information. I’ve been there before but it’s been so long it’s all foggy.
Nestled in the middle of nowhere on the California coast, Seaville seems like a secret gem. But it might be a ramshackle town that’s falling apart, and this might all be a waste of my time and effort. I won’t know until I go there, and my curiosity refuses to be tamped down.
I lean back and stretch before moving forward, my gaze locked on the screen as my head spins while I weigh the pros and cons of the adventure before me. I shouldn’t go. I already committed, but damn it, I have countless projects right here at home demanding my attention. Each project provides jobs for hundreds if not thousands of people, and millions of dollars are on the table. They all require my time and attention.
Still, this is the journey I’m supposed to take. And I have to admit I love the mystery surrounding Seaville. There could be so much potential in this little town, and much needed challenges in my own life.
Ugh, I’ve got to quit obsessing over this. I turn away from the large monitor in front of me and do a spin in my chair as I once again run my fingers through my hair. Why am I fighting this? We all know I’m going. I must experience this town myself as an adult, not an impressionable child, see it with my own eyes. I finally smile.
It’s a work trip. If I look at this like it’s nothing more than work, it takes the magic right out of the situation. This place is simply a potential site of a new business venture. Anytime I build a new resort there’s risk. The more risk, the more satisfaction I feel at the end of a project. From what I’m finding so far on Seaville, this seems to be a hell of a lot of risk.
I turn back to my computer, and with a decisive nod, I shut it down. Leaving my home office, I move through the long hallways to my bedroom to pack a bag. If I’m going to do this, I need to stop going back and forth and get on the road. I could fly, but I like driving. Some of the best places I’ve found have been from driving to out of the way places. There’s only so much life we can live through a computer screen.
If I’m in for a penny, I’m in for a pound. I’m going to spend at least a week in Seaville. I can’t get a real feel for the place unless I see every aspect of the town. It’s easy for people to put on a front for a day, maybe even two. But if I spend a week in a place, I begin to see what it’s really all about. I’ll know for sure if it’s a right fit for one of my projects.
Now that I’ve made my decision, excitement runs through my veins as I pack a bag. I need this adventure more than I’ve realized. I do enjoy the open road, the freedom to go and do whatever I want when I’m not locked down in my office. There are so many opportunities out in the real world waiting for me to grasp them.
I refuse to dwell on being sent to this place. I’m not a puppet. This has been proven over and over again. I forge my own path, and because some mystery box is telling me to go there doesn’t mean I’m doing anything crazy like following destiny. I can walk away from all of this any time I want.
This is my decision, and if I decide to build in Seaville it’s because I see a prosperous business opportunity, not because some mystery person’s telling me I must do this. I don’t believe in fate... well, not completely. I guess I believe in it enough that I’m going to push ahead with this damn game.
I finish packing, then roll my bag toward the garage, doing a final check on my house to make sure it’s locked, the temperature’s turned down, and the alarm system’s set. Then I walk into the huge garage and load my bag into my comfortable SUV.
I smile as the garage door lifts and I begin backing out. The open road awaits me. I’m not in a hurry to arrive, which means I can take my time. For all I know I won’t even make it to Seaville. I’m going to cut right over to the coast. Maybe I’ll stop somewhere else along the way and decide to build there. You never know.
It doesn’t take me long to get to HWY 101. The Pacific Coast Highway stretches before me like a ribbon of adventure and promise, winding its way through lush forests, long stretches of oceanfront, and incredible dunes. I never get sick of embarking on a new adventure that leads to a great business opportunity. I don’t know why I fought this. That’s not true, I fought it because it wasn’t my idea. But still, exhilaration courses through me as I make my way toward Seaville... or wherever else this journey might take me.
I make a few quick stops before drawing into Newport, Oregon. I’ve been here a few times, and though the Oregon Coast is as cold as the Washington beaches, there’s something special about Newport. The food’s incredible, and the people are always friendly. It’s probably considered a large town for a coastal area, but it’s a fisherman’s paradise. I’ve taken a few charters out of this town. The thing with the Oregon Coast though, is the ocean’s unpredictable.
When I once took a halibut charter out of Newport, the ocean started out beautiful. It turned on a dime. All of the boats were hurrying back to the docks as waves built. I have to admit, I was a bit nervous as waves broke over the bow of our boat as we cautiously made our way back. What made me feel better was looking around at the other boats in the water that were even smaller than ours. None were being flipped. I was grateful I never complained about wearing a life jacket while on the water. Though, the ocean’s so cold, a person wouldn’t have a lot of time to be rescued before they froze to death.
I didn’t let the scare stop me from fishing though. I forced myself to get back out there. I don’t do it often as I have a business to run and can’t take a whole lot of time for fun, but Newport is my go-to destination. Seattle has a lot of great fishing, but there’s something about this quaint town that keeps drawing me back. I want to make it down the road a little while longer before stopping for the night, though, so I continue on the highway.
The sun’s dipping low on the horizon, casting a beautiful pink glow across the landscape as I press forward. The hum of my engine lulls me into such tranquility that I roll down my window to make sure I remain alert.
My reverie is abruptly shattered when a blue car swerves into my lane, forcing me to veer sharply to the right to avoid a collision. Adrenaline surges through my veins as I quickly gain control over my vehicle while the reckless driver has the gall to honk at me as if this was my fault. He revs his engine, then disappears, leaving me with my heart pounding in my chest as I pull over to the side of the road and take a few deep breaths.
Pausing a moment, I get back on the road and continue driving south, enjoying a gorgeous sunset with pink, purple, blue, and orange painting the sky. Growing more tired as the miles pass by, I make it to the smaller town of Florence, Oregon. I’ve drove this highway before but I can’t quite remember Florence.
The road pulls away from the coast as I pass McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and A&W. This might be my stop for the night when I see a sign to Old Town. I take a left and make my way down the road to the Siuslaw River. It’s beautiful.
I pull up at the River House Inn, a small hotel right on the river. They have open rooms, so I get one with a view then ask the clerk for dinner ideas. She sends me to the Resto Bar which is a few blocks away.
I walk down the street, looking at the quaint shops along the way and the small restaurant I’ve been sent to. It’s crowded, but I get a seat at the bar and enjoy delicious lobster ravioli and salad. Down the street at BJ’s ice-cream I order a banana split. It’s pure magic. I can barely walk when I finish, but I take a stroll down the docks to try to burn off some of the fattening dinner and dessert. There isn’t a whole lot of area to walk in this small town, and I’m pretty tired so I make my way back to my hotel, click on the television, and lie back.
Day one of my journey in this game I’m playing is complete. I should make it to Seaville tomorrow night if I get an early start, as long as I don’t stop somewhere else along the way. Who knows what will happen? I’m pretty sure I’ll wind up where I’m supposed to be, though. The tug pulling me is strong.
I fall asleep fairly quickly, feeling better than I should. I’m not sure what’s coming, but I know I’m supposed to be on this journey. I decide not to analyze this too much, though. It might scare me if I do.
Chapter Two
Callan
I didn’t make it to Seaville the next day. I didn’t want my first sight of the town to be at night when everything was closed, so I stopped two hours away, had a late dinner, took a walk on the beach, then slept.
