He steps back, surprise overtaking his anger, then suspicion.
“What? Why the hell would you do that?”
“Woodpeckers.” I shrug nonchalantly.
“Wood—what?”
I don’t want to bust his skull any less.
But it’s almost as satisfying when I say, “I had my team dig deep through Gramps’ old records. One thing you never knew about old surveys, they shut down several earlier projects. All thanks to the neighboring fifty acres of forest populated by a heavily protected species. The long-beaked pileated woodpecker. Ever heard of it? It’s about as big as a chicken andprotected by more laws than there are ways to fry up chicken wings.”
Cooper’s face goes white.
“Woodpeckers,” he snorts, his tone dangerous. “That’s hardly a reason to forfeit—”
“Think again.” I cut him off. “Wildlife approvals for the resort will take years of studies, if it ever happens at all.” I smirk right back. “So, yeah, you can have your land. Enjoy it. Maybe you can run a few tours for birdwatchers.”
“Yeah! And if you come back and bother us again,” Margot adds from behind me, “I’ll show one of those big woodpeckers straight to your balls. You could use the attitude adjustment.”
“Margot,” I growl.
But I’m suppressing a grin as I push her back gently, urging her to back down.
As much as this animal deserves having his dick pecked off, we’ve won.
Daley knows it, too.
He’s gone from red to white to the color of old oatmeal.
Muttering, he pushes past us, stalking out, still reeking like the coffee Margot threw on him.
Damn.
I watch him bolt to his car for a second too long, the sense of victory slowly fading as I turn to the two women waiting behind me.
Margot wears a different expression now, almost like she’s ready to sic a giant woodpecker atmyballs.
Hattie’s face is nervous but closed off. Damn near unreadable, no matter how much I want to see whatever thoughts are swirling in her brain.
Shit.
“I have a lot to say, but it can wait. You guys should talk first. I’ll show myself out,” Margot says, spinning on her heel and marching to the counter for a coffee.
As she passes Hattie, I swear I hear, “make him grovel like a sea slug.”
Fucking lovely.
And frankly, I deserve it, just for the right to Hattie’s ear.
If only I could find a way to explain how much I screwed up, how much I regret hurting her.
I gesture to the door.
“The coffee here is underwhelming. Care to escape before we’re obligated to buy another one?”
She hesitates.
I can almost see her wondering if any of this is worth it.
