“Are you telling me you believe in magic?” Darius asked, raising his eyebrows.
“No,” Penny answered with a roll of her eyes. “I think it’s more the charm of the place and the warmth and kindness of the people who live here.”
“That I will agree with,” Darius admitted. “My sister and I felt it on every vacation when our parents brought us here as kids.”
“So tell me again why we are about to destroy that community charm, Darius?” Penny asked, watching him closely.
“We aren’t destroying anything, Penny,” Darius answered, and he was not entirely sure whether he was saying it to convince her or to convince himself. “We are ensuring this town hasa sustainable future. Small coastal communities die without a steady stream of tourism. The development would bring jobs. It would expand the marina. It would double the summer trade for every business on Shell Street.”
“Is that what you’re telling yourself?” Penny pressed.
“It happens to be true, Penny,” Darius stated.
“Want to know what I see when I think about your important project?” Penny asked.
“I get the feeling you are going to tell me whether I say yes or no,” Darius drawled.
Penny ignored the sarcasm and pressed on.
“I see you’re about to put a luxury resort on one of the most untouched coastlines in Florida, Darius,” Penny said quietly. “And I see you about to disrupt a tight, generous community that you simply do not find anymore. You’re walking into a place that has stayed the same for generations. The only reason this town has stayed the way it is is that nobody came in with a big development plan to ruin it.”
Darius said nothing. What could he say? He knew what she said was true, but things were too far along now to change them.Weren’t they?Darius quickly pushed the doubt away once again.
“And the reserve, Darius,” Penny continued. “That stretch of protected wetland you are planning to clear to connect the two halves of the development. I am not just talking about the mangroves. I am talking about the birds that nest there. The species count. The natural filtration that keeps the bay water clean. What about that? There is a whole ecosystem that your project team had a botanist write a sanitized report aboutmonths ago, which you filed and have not opened since.” Her eyes narrowed. “Is that because you don’t have any doubts and feel absolutely no guilt over it?” She pressed. “Well, even if you don’t open it and read the reports again, in your heart you know what’s written in them.”
Darius felt something move in his chest that he refused to let show on his face.
“The mitigation plan is solid, Penny,” Darius answered evenly.
“You have a mitigation plan on paper, Darius,” Penny challenged.
“I have a plan, Penny.” Darius’s eyes narrowed stubbornly. “Just let it be.”
“Sure. But can you just let it be?” Penny countered softly. “I’ve known you for forty years. I have watched you walk into hundreds of properties. I’ve never seen you walk into one and look at it the way you have been looking at this house. I’ve never seen you reluctant to send a second letter. And I’ve never seen you not jump at a chance to put pressure on when you know the exact pressure points to buckle your opponent.”
“You heard me talking to Baxter!” Darius accused.
“And so what if I did?” Penny shrugged. “I’ve overheard many of your phone conversations.”
Darius let out a humorless, small laugh.
“Just because I’m not using strong-arm tactics and have been playing the long game with this project, doesn’t mean I’m changing my mind on this project, Penny,” Darius warned.
“Okay,” Penny said evenly. “But, I’m asking you to be honest with yourself, Darius. There is something about this place that doesn’t want to be changed.”
Darius drew a slow breath and turned his head toward the window.
The bay glittered beyond the glass. A small fishing boat was making its way back toward the marina. Two pelicans glided low across the water.
He thought, without meaning to, of the woman he had met that morning on the beach. Of the warm smile she’d given him at the pizza place the night before. Of the easy welcome she’d offered before she had known a thing about him. Then there was the way just the mention or thought of her name made his heart jolt and pulse race.
“Oh,” Penny said, drawing his attention to her. “I met Linda at the bakery this afternoon.”
“You did?” Darius asked, with more interest than he meant to.
“Emma and I went in for cupcakes and bread,” Penny explained. “Linda came in with her family while we were paying. We chatted. She is lovely. I like her.”
“Then you should go with Isabel and Emma to the festival with her tomorrow,” Darius suggested. “You can keep an eye on my sister and great-niece to ensure Linda is a really nice person.”
