He wouldn’t sleep with you no matter how you asked him.
The thought was equal parts comforting and depressing.
Mr. Diallo snored loud enough that he jolted in his chair, and for a second, I tuned back in to what was happening on stage.
“…and pursuant to the agreement detailed in section 12.3, Evola agrees to replant fifty percent of the trees taken down during the clear-cutting of the Glassy Ridge area around Glassy Creek to make way for the recreation rotunda, within the time frame discussed in part B of the…”
I stood up so fast my chair ricocheted back, and Crys caught it with a startled “Jeez, boo!” that I barely heard over the roar in my brain.
“Whoa! Wait a minute. Clear-cut Glassy Ridge? Are you serious?” Everyone in the assembly room turned to stare at me again, but this time, I stared right back. Why wasn’t anyone else standing up to protest? Why wasn’teveryone? “Glassy Ridge is what makes Fogg Peak so special. You can’t just get rid of the trees because they’re in the way!”
I tried not to let all of the emotion in my heart leak out through my words or through my eyes, but it was difficult. My father had adored Glassy Ridge. We’d spent hours hiking the trails, always ending up by the banks of Glassy Creek to fish, or swim, or just sit and breathe. “It’s never the same creek twice, Hawkins,” he’d say, watching the water with a little smile on his face. “Always a fresh slate, if you’re looking for one.”
The idea of that place gone forever? Replaced by a… a… recreation rotunda? No. There were some things I couldn’t change, some dreams I might have to let go of, but not this. I refused.
The attorney cleared her throat, and the marketing person nudged her away from the microphone to take over. “Hey. Hi. Great question. Um. As I mentioned earlier, the plans to recreate the delights of Courchevel include a barrel sauna conclave, as well as an alpine lake swimming and spa experience. And that’s why we need a recreation rotunda.” He ended his nonsensible statement with a bland smile. “Thank you.”
“B-but… that doesn’t answer my question,” I stammered. I glanced to Webb for support, but he was watching me with a frown. Luke looked confused. And Jack… he gazed at me over his shoulder with concern in his blue eyes, but he didn’t say a single freaking word to help me.
Environmental Compliance Guy stood back up, shielding his eyes against the light until he could pick me out of the crowd. He smiled. “Clear-cutting sounds dramatic, I know.” He rolled his eyes in the attorney’s direction. “I promise, we’re not proposing to take away the entire forest on the ridge, just one area. And I assure you, we will do—in fact, alreadyhavedone—extensive environmental modeling in regard to the impact. In addition, the resort designers have integrated some of the existing trails into the layout of the area to preserve the history, as well as honor the original use of Glassy Ridge.”
I hesitated. All of that sounded fine, but… clear-cutting was clear-cutting. Why use that word if it wasn’t what they planned?
“Hawk,” Emma said low and insistently as she tugged on my hand. “Please sit. You’re causing a scene.”
Since when was Emma the kind of teenager who got embarrassed by people standing up for things?
“But… this is important, Em,” I reminded her.
“No, you’re right. It is important. Very,” Environmental Guy agreed from the mic. “I’d love a chance to explain our specific plans for that part of the project in more detail if you’ll stay after the meeting.”
I nodded slowly. “Yeah. Okay. But I have manyquestions,” I warned before I sat down.
“Awesome. I love questions.” Environmental Guy shot me another smile, then gestured the lawyer back to the mic to resume rambling.
Jack hadn’t taken his worried eyes off me. “Bird, keep an open mind, huh? Sounds like they’re being really thorough. There are no bad guys here, right?” He gave me a lopsided smile.
“Yes,” Webb whispered. “Listen to Jack.”
I sucked in a breath through my nose and resolutely trained my eyes on the stage.
Jack’s words, his veryreasonableness, set my teeth on edge.
How dare he lecture me on keeping an open mind when he refused to? When had “I like when people are unapologetically enthusiastic about their interests and opinions” changed to “there are no bad guys here”? And, most importantly, if our friendship was the reason he wouldn’t have sex with me… why wouldn’t he support me when I needed him?
It was pretty pathetic when Environmental Guy, a tool of the enemy, took my concerns more seriously than the man I’d given my heart to.
“I’ll stay with you afterward.” Luke nudged my knee. “If you want.”
I nodded, managing a small smile. Luke was thoughtful and smart, and his job as a schoolteacher made him good at reading people. He’d be a solid ally.
Crys’s hand squeezed my shoulder from behind. “I’ll stay, too. This is obviously important to you.”
“Thanks,” I whispered, grateful that someone had my back.
I blew out a breath and refused to meet Jack’s eyes. I had no idea what to do about him, and the person I’d normally ask for advice was Jack himself, which clearly wouldn’t work. So, instead, I was going to put him out of my mind as much as possible. I was going to focus on the fight to protect Little Pippin Hollow from the evil forces that threatened my beloved wilderness.
Thiswas a fight I could actually take on. One I could win.
