I shrugged. “Too early to tell. They’re against outsiders. That’s what I’m doing here, becoming an insider.”
Meredith didn’t hide her amusement. She laughed the kind of soul-crushing laugh that only women from New York can deliver.
I said, “Well, it might be funny, but it’s true. It’s how Braithway told me to handle it, and he said if I can’t get it done this way, then I might not be the right person for the job.”
The mention of Braithway’s name stopped Meredith’s laughing. “You tried threatening to build godawful things around their property to scare them into selling?” This was a common tactic of developers dealing with stubborn landowners who wouldn’t sell: buy all the property around them, and just build terrible shit like strip malls filled with liquor stores and check-cashing places—driving down the property value—so that, eventually, they have to leave.
“No,” I said. “Braithway doesn’t want it done that way.”
Meredith rolled her eyes. “You tried offering them so much money they can’t say no?” Meredith waited for me. When I didn’t answer right away, she said, “I can call our bankers to see what we can pull together and what makes sense for a town like this.” Meredith scowled as she looked around as if just remembering she wasn’t talking about a corner of the Upper East Side.
Part of me believed Kit would never sell. Kit had made it perfectly clear that she wasn’t interested in talking about selling land with an outsider, but maybe, eventually, she would at least consider it. And if not, maybe I’d have to use Meredith’s strategy.
I nodded as if conceding something and said, “Yeah, call the bankers. Give me some more time to see if they’re even willing to sell, and if they are, we should be ready to make this deal work for the seller.”
Meredith checked her watch. “I have to head back to Atlanta. I left Addison with my credit card and told her to treat herself to whatever she wanted.”
“Ouch.” I winced as we turned and headed back for the car. “That might be the craziest thing you’ve ever done.”
Meredith shook her head and admitted, “People do crazy things when they’re in love.”
Chapter 11: Kit
I was on cloud nine when I woke up. Everything that happened last night was unexpected, but it was something I’d been dreaming about since Christmas Eve. That first kiss with William was absolutely amazing. I had never felt that much heat from a kiss. Even though we got interrupted and things couldn’t go much further than kissing, I felt a warm sensation every time I thought about it. I could still feel where his hands had been around my waist and on my thighs. I wondered what would have happened if we hadn't been interrupted.
I immediately reached for my phone and texted Veronica. “Made out with William.”
I didn’t wait for Veronica’s reply. I knew I really needed to get up and get dressed. I had promised Aunt Rita I would make a ham, black eyed peas, greens, and cornbread. It had been our New Year’s Day meal every year since I could remember.
I stood up and walked to the window. I looked down at the street and my heart skipped a little when I saw William walking down the front steps, but then I noticed that William was walking down the front path to meet a woman. I blinked. Was I seeing this correctly? Was William talking to a beautiful,supermodel-tall woman? Before I could fully process what I was seeing, the woman threw her arms around William. They hugged, he got in the car, and they drove off.
I turned around. My face felt hot. I felt dizzy. Was I really so off about what had happened with William last night? I thought it was something special, but clearly, I had misread everything. Not just last night, but all the time we had spent together over the last week. I had been vulnerable with William. I had opened up about my mom and my past relationship with Matt. And to be fair, William had been open and honest with me when he told me that he doesn’t get attached. I just didn’t listen.
I covered my face with my hands and collapsed back onto my bed. As if I had sent a best friend bat signal into the air, my phone rang. It was Veronica.
“Sorry it took me a minute to call you. I had to put Preston in his playpen. Tell me everything!” Veronica said excitedly. I sighed.
“Well, it was pretty hot. We danced all night, and then we kissed when the ball dropped at midnight. It was completely electric, so we left together and made out as we walked home. It was so hot, and we came home fully intending to take it further, but then Aunt Rita was here from her trip and in the kitchen with her travel boyfriend. So I just called it a night and went to sleep. Probably for the best.”
“Aunt Rita totally cock-blocked you by accident!” Veronica cried. “Do you think you’ll hook up next time?”
“I don’t know.” I hesitated. Maybe she had a point. I told Veronica about how I had just seen William drive off with a supermodel in a Mercedes.
“Oh, well, fuck him.” Veronica declared.
Buoyed by Veronica’s support, I let a puff of air pass through my nostrils and said, “It’s no big deal. It’s been fun hanging out with William, but time to get back to the real world.”
“This isn’t about William. This is about you. Plenty of fish in the sea! New year, new Kit. Time to make a new year’s resolution to embrace fun and spontaneity and to get laid.”
“Was your advice always this full of cliches?” I asked.
“Yes, absolutely. And sometimes it even rhymes if I’ve had some drinks.” Veronica bragged.
“I don’t know…” My voice trailed off. I heard Preston cry in the background of the call.
“Girl, I have to go, but I want some updates about how you’ve reactivated that dating account and you are getting out there! Send me screenshots. I need proof you’re not going to hide in your protective shell!”
I fell backwards onto the bed. I blew air between my lips. I knew that I had glossed over my disappointment about seeing William with another woman this morning. I wasn’t ready to be honest with myself about how I was feeling, so explaining it to Veronica would have been impossible.
