Page 5 of Finding Home

Julie watched the conversation between Cole and the community unfold. Cole didn’t dismiss anyone’s concerns or offer vague reassurances. He acknowledged the problem and proposed a concrete solution.

Laurel stood, her voice carrying across the hall. “What about property values? Developments like this drive up prices. My nephew can barely afford rent as it is.”

“I understand that concern.” Cole remained open and engaged. “It’s true that resort developments can increase property values, which helps homeowners but challenges renters. We’re addressing this by including workforce housing in our project. Twenty units will be built for resort employees, with below-market rents. We’re also committing to hire locally first, which should help existing residents access higher-paying positions.”

The questions continued. Most were focused on environmental impacts, construction noise, and worries about preserving the local character of Sapphire Bay. Cole fielded each one with patience and what seemed like genuine respect. He didn’t have all the answers, and he admitted it.

When someone asked about water usage during the dry summer months, he acknowledged the concern and promised to have his environmental consultant present detailed findings at a follow-up meeting.

Julie was impressed. In her years covering development stories, she’d seen countless developers dismiss community concerns or hide behind technical jargon. Cole Morrison was doing neither.

“I want to be clear about something.” Cole’s gaze swept the room as the questions began to wind down. The presentation screen behind him showed a final rendering of the completed resort nestled into the shoreline. “I’m not here to extract value from Sapphire Bay and disappear. I’m planning to make this community my home. This resort represents my last major project before retirement, and I want it to be something I’m proud of, something the community is proud of.”

His voice caught slightly on the last words, a momentary crack in the professional veneer that revealed something raw underneath. Several residents exchanged glances, their expressions shifting from guarded to cautiously hopeful.

The meeting dissolved into smaller conversations, with residents clustering around Cole to speak to him or moving toward the potluck tables.

Beth sat beside Julie and handed her a slice of chocolate brownie. “I’m sixty-one years old, and I can still hear my mom telling me not to have dessert before my main meal. But if we eat our chocolate brownies together, it’s perfectly acceptable.”

Julie laughed. “I like the way you think.”

Beth smiled. “So did my daughter when she was younger. If mom had seen some of our back-to-front meals, she would have raised her eyebrows.”

“Was that a bad thing?”

“Sometimes,” Beth replied. “But I learned to live with it.”

Mabel Terry, from the general store, tapped Beth on the shoulder. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but Rachel told me you brought the chocolate brownies to the meeting. They’re absolutely delicious.”

“Thanks, Mabel,” Beth said. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“Would you be interested in sharing the recipe on our community Facebook page? I know a lot of people would enjoy it.”

“That’s no problem,” Beth told her.

Mabel pulled out her phone. “Wonderful. If you remember the recipe, I can post it with the photo I just took.”

“You want to do it now?” Beth asked.

Mabel pushed her glasses to the top of her nose. “Absolutely. There’s no time like the present to get things done.”

Beth sent Julie an apologetic smile. “I’ve got a copy of the recipe on my cellphone, but I left it in the car. I’ll be back soon.”

“Don’t worry about me,” Julie told her. “I wasn’t planning on staying for long anyway.”

After Beth left with Mabel, Cole Morrison stopped beside her. “Hi, I’m Cole.”

Julie stood and smiled. “Julie Harrison. I enjoyed your presentation.” Up close, the lines around Cole’s eyes deepened with what looked like exhaustion.

“That’s good. I was worried I’d included too much information.”

“No, it was perfect.” Julie had enjoyed the discussion more than she thought she would. “You knew what issues the community were the most interested in. That’s hard to do when you haven’t lived here for very long.”

“How long have you lived in Sapphire Bay,” Cole asked her.

“A couple of months,” Julie replied.

“It’s nice to meet someone who’s finding their way around Sapphire Bay, too.”