“Oh, c’mon,” I cajoled. “It’s all part of the reunion experience. Or so I’m told.”
His lip curled. “I didn’t want to be here in the first place. I mean, seeing you is wonderful,” he rushed to amend. “But I wouldn’t have come if it wasn’t for—” He broke off and looked away. “Something else.”
Now my curiosity was piqued. “What something else?” I inquired. “Someone you wanted to see? Or did you lose a bet?”
“Hardly,” Nash retorted. He was silent for a few seconds, a nerve ticking in his cheek. “Okay, but listen, if I tell you, promise you won’t breathe a word of this.”
“Cross my heart.” I made the literal motions of drawing an X on my chest. “My lips are sealed.”
He sighed. “I own a sustainable property development company with my business partner, Reggie. There’s a deal we need to close for a very ambitious project that would take our company to the next level while at the same time creating a new paradigm for what is possible in green development.”
“Okay,” I nodded. “I follow you so far.”
“We found the perfect property for this project, and the owners are willing to sell, but there is an adjacent parcel of land that we’d have to buy at least part of in order to have the road access we need—and as it turns out, there’s also some old agreement between the families who own the two properties that one won’t sell without the permission of the other.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Weird.”
“Right?” Nash rolled his eyes. “We were at stalemate until Reggie intercepted a reunion email and happened to see that Jared Brady was in our class and is supposed to be here at the reunion.” He paused. “Jared and his younger sister own that property outside of Burton.”
“Jared Brady? That’s crazy. Why does he have land in Georgia? He’s still living in Florida as far as I know. Emmy mentioned him because they’re both on the reunion committee.”
Nash stared at me. “You know Jared Brady?”
I shrugged. “Of course, I do. He grew up next door to me here in the Cove.”
“You’re kidding.” His eyes were wide. “Holy shit, maybe Reggie’s right about the universe.”
I cocked my head. “What does Reggie say about the universe?”
Nash waved one hand. “Doesn’t matter. The important thing is, Jared and his sister inherited that property from their grandparents, I guess. I need to talk to Jared this weekend and convince him to sell us a little bit of his land and give permission for the rest of the deal. Can you point him out to me if you see him when I’m around?”
I grinned. “I can do you better than that. I’ll introduce you, and I’ll help you close the deal.”
Nash lifted his eyebrows. “Really?”
“Really. I’d be happy to help, and if you want to know the truth, I’m a demon negotiator. You definitely want me in your corner.”
“Definitely,” Nash echoed. “Thanks, Peyton. I’d be very grateful.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Grateful enough to go to karaoke with me tonight? After all, that’s probably the best place for us to start the ball rolling with Jared.”
Nash groaned. “I can’t believe you’re going to drag me to karaoke.”
“Well, believe it.” I popped my hands on my hips. “It’ll be fun, and I’m told that’s the whole reason we’re here.”
“Maybe that’s true for you, but it’s not for me,” he replied darkly. “I’m here to get this business taken care of, and then I’m—” He broke off.
“And then . . . what?” I asked.
“I was planning to leave as soon as I talked with Jared,” Nash admitted. “But now . . . maybe I’ll go ahead and stay. For tonight at least.” He studied me, his face serious. “It isn’t every day a guy like me gets to see again the girl he loved hopelessly for so long.”
“Nash.” I was suddenly serious again, too, and a little sad. “I am so, so sorry that I couldn’t find you and explain things back in 1989. I’m sorry that I made promises that it turned out I couldn’t keep.” I took a breath, fighting a wave of tears. “I’m sorry I broke your heart. Please believe me that it wasn’t intentional.”
“I do know. I understand now. Or I understand more, I guess.” Nash lifted his hand to brush my hair away from my face, and I just barely resisted the urge to close my eyes and lean into his touch.
“Can you forgive me?” I murmured the question, but I knew he heard me.
“Of course, I forgive you,” he answered softly. “In case you didn’t know it, Peyton, back then I would’ve done anything you asked. Seems like maybe things haven’t changed that much in thirty-five years.”
