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Cameron shot her a quizzical look as she settled in a few rows behind him rather than joining him. She nodded in his direction, then looked away. It was better this way, she realized. She needed to keep her eyes on the prize and concentrate on the reason she was here tonight. Her feelings for him had never done anything but lead her astray.
Paige sat through the meeting and waited for the perfect opening to say her piece.
Just as Jasper began to talk about voting, she stood up. She cleared her throat. “Jasper. I’d like to share a few thoughts before we get started tonight. I’ll try to be brief.”
Jasper peered at her over his spectacles. His expression reflected his impatience. “Go ahead and say your piece, but we’ve got a long agenda to get through. Keep it short and sweet, just like my baby granddaughter.”
For once Dwight didn’t seem to have an objection to her taking the floor and addressing the townsfolk. He eyed her with simple curiosity.
Her walk to the front of the room felt like an endless march. With a steadying breath, she faced the crowded-to-capacity room, twiddling her fingers in front of her to relieve some tension.
Please, Lord, let the words flow easily from my lips so that I can present this in the best way possible. I love this town so dearly, and I want to help them prosper.
“Good evening, everyone. I wasn’t expecting to be up here tonight, but my conscience won’t allow me to stay silent. Yesterday Dwight shared some information with me that changes my position on the cannery project.”
Shocked gasps rang out along with a host of groans. People began grumbling and she could hear Dwight’s name being murmured. They seemed upset. She held up her hand. “Please don’t be upset with Dwight. He was acting as a dedicated steward of this town.” She sent him a nod of acknowledgment. She wasn’t sure if she was imagining it, but she was almost certain he smiled at her. Paige turned back toward the audience, making an effort not to lock gazes with Cameron. She could only imagine he was probably confused and hurt that she hadn’t discussed this with him prior to tonight’s meeting. But up until a few hours ago she hadn’t been exactly sure of what she was going to say or do this evening. It had all come together at the last moment.
“There have been three canneries in the southeastern part of Alaska that have opened their doors in the last two years. I’ll admit that I wasn’t aware of that figure until yesterday. The last one that opened isn’t doing very well, no doubt because of steep competition from the other two.” She swung her gaze around the room. “Why does that matter to us, you might ask? Because if the town decides to put a considerable amount of money into this project, it’s important to consider the existing market. Knowing what I know at this moment, I think it’s too risky. Could it be a success? Very possibly. But it’s also likely that the cannery could go under. A few hours ago everything became crystal clear.
“For me the cannery project has always represented a lost opportunity. Its failure was a symbol of my father’s sins and my own banishment from Love.” She inhaled a deep breath. “I truly love this community and it’s imperative that I do right by it. The success of this town can’t be about my father’s redemption. And it shouldn’t be about things that have been lost. I tossed and turned last night trying to figure out what’s in the best interest for Love. And it’s not the cannery. I know that now. Jasper was right when he said it’s about moving forward, not backward.”
She looked straight at Cameron. His eyes glinted with disappointment before he turned his gaze away from her. In that single moment she feared she might have lost him forever. She paused for a second to steady herself against the pain ricocheting through her.
“So it sounds like we’re right back where we started from,” someone in the audience called out.
“No, actually, we’re not,” Paige responded in a firm voice. “Far from it, in fact. Hazel’s boots are a far better investment than a cannery, considering the unique marketing slant and the freshness of the idea. There are no other shoes on the market that can claim to be authentic Alaskan-made boots. And the unfinished cannery building could easily be converted into a production facility for the boots. If we scale back the scope of the building, it could be finished in a matter of months—weeks, even, since we have extended hours of sunlight now.”
She glance
d over at Grace, who had promised to sit near the front row so she could be available to speak. “Grace, could you help me out with this part?” Her call to Grace last night had led to hours of discussion, during which Boone’s wife had acted as a sounding board and helped her analyze the benefits of a cannery versus a shoemaking enterprise. In the end, her assistance had been invaluable.
Grace came up and stood next to her. “The money Paige returned to the town could easily be used to jump-start this new business. We’ve already been working on a cost analysis for the launch, and these additional funds could really assist in establishing Hazel’s boots. It’s an amazing opportunity to truly put our resources behind what could be a huge revenue stream for this town.”
“I love it!” Hazel cried out, thumping her palm down on the dais. She paused to swipe away a few tears. “It’s a brilliant plan, as far as I’m concerned.”
“Wow,” Boone said, scratching his jaw. “Put the two of you together and you could achieve world peace.” Grace blew her husband a kiss.
“We’re going to need a name for this enterprise. We can’t keep calling it ‘Hazel’s boots,’ unless that’s really the name for it,” Declan said.
Hazel vehemently shook her head. “Nope. I don’t need ’em named after me. Let’s think of something else. Something that makes ’em stand up and take notice.”
Suddenly everyone started calling out suggestions. Operation Love. Nothing but Love. Made in Love. Alaska’s Own. Love’s Boots.
“Hush, everyone. Plenty of time to figure that out later on,” Jasper said in a cranky tone. “If we’re not voting next week on the cannery project, I need to make a motion to that effect. I hereby move that we scrap the proposed vote for the cannery project.”
“I second it,” Dwight said.
“Motion carries,” Jasper said with a bang of his gavel.
“I hereby move that at next month’s meeting we vote on making the cannery building the new site for production and operations of Hazel’s boots,” Boone said.
“Second!” Hazel shouted gleefully.
“Motion carries,” Jasper said with another pounding of his gavel.
Paige felt a warm, settled feeling in her chest. All was well within her heart and mind. She hadn’t done the easy thing, but in the end, it had been the right thing. For so long she had been focused on the goal of having a cannery open up its doors in Love. It had seemed to be the perfect way to erase the pain of the past few years. She had wanted desperately to restore what her father tore down. But now, by truly putting the past behind them, the town could soar with this new idea.
By the time Jasper adjourned the meeting forty-five minutes later, Paige was desperate to smooth things over with Cameron. The expression he’d had on his face during her speech worried her. If nothing else, she didn’t want to lose the friendship they had been fostering over the past few weeks. It was crucial for Emma’s well-being.
