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“Other than the fact that you asked me?” She stared out of the passenger window.
He grinned. “Yeah, besides that.”
“Partly because you didn’t expect me to say yes. Partly because you were right. We can’t beat the Miami or LA tourneys at their own game. We must focus on what sets Pleasure Cove apart. I need a better understanding of the location in order to do that.”
“Is that why you haven’t gone home between the meetings?”
She didn’t reply right away, and he nearly regretted asking. What business was it of his if she hadn’t returned home? Yet, when Liam mentioned it, in passing, he couldn’t help wondering why she’d stayed.
“Sorry, it’s none of my business.”
“No, it’s fine. I just wondered how you… Ahh, Liam.”
Shit.
Should’ve kept his mouth shut. Now she’d think they were a couple of gossiping men. “We talked while I was in London. He mentioned he saw you at lunch.”
She nodded thoughtfully, though he wasn’t sure if she accepted his explanation or was simply acknowledging that she heard it. “I was able to conduct all of my meetings via phone or email. Since I had no pressing issues back home, I stayed put. It gave me a chance to familiarize myself with the venue and some spots around town.”
“And what do you think of Pleasure Cove?” He was glad to sway the conversation from the fact that he’d been keeping tabs on her.
“The town or the resort?”
“Both.”
“The town is idyllic. Charming. There’s an eclectic mix of locally owned shops and eateries along the beach and downtown. I admire the fact that they’ve kept the big-box stores and chains at bay. A lot of those small, quaint shops couldn’t stay afloat if they had to compete with them.”
“You have been getting to know the locals. And what you say is true. But their reluctance to change also left the town outdated, almost losing its relevance except with the handful of tourists who’ve been coming here for years, many of them since they were kids. A lot of the old guard fear the evils of commercialization, but the town and its economy needed the shot in the arm that infusion of cash brought.”
“I’ve heard a few debates about it in town. So I understand the careful balancing act we have to do. We have to find a way to bring in the masses without pissing off the locals. That’s why I thought a family-friendly event would work best. It’s something everyone in town could enjoy.”
It was too early in the trip to get into a heated debate about the format of the tournament again. Bree took the hint and changed direction.
“That reminds me, I think we should source goods and services for the event locally. It won’t be feasible in every instance, but it may buy us some goodwill with the locals. Besides, it’s just the decent thing to do.”
“Great idea. My go-to vendors are all in the UK. I need to build a database of stateside vendors anyway. I’d love to patronize local shops.”
“Good to know you don’t disagree with all of my ideas.”
Don’t take the bait, man.
An uncomfortable silence settled over the car. Wes turned on the radio and focused on the road.
Maybe their trip wasn’t off to a stellar start, but he had seven days to convince Bree they were on the same side.
CHAPTER 8
By the time they arrived in Raleigh, Bree was restless. Their conversation had been cordial, but thankfully there hadn’t been much of it during the two-hour drive up I-40W. She’d taken a series of business calls.
Wes probably thought she was being rude. If he did, she couldn’t blame him. Under normal circumstances, she would’ve waited until she arrived to take the calls in private. However, the creative department for her biggest sponsor—a major athletic-wear line—was in a panic.
Already three weeks behind schedule getting to production, her latest sportswear line hit another snag. The team was in crisis mode.
“We’re here.” Wes pulled into a recently vacated parking space on the street.
“Perfect timing.” Bree hit Send on the follow-up email to the call that had lasted nearly an hour. She shoved her tablet in her bag. “I’m done with work and I’m starving.”
