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“Um. Wow.” Aria swept her gaze to Destiny’s long, raven curls, which were scraped back from her face and fastened into a tight chignon at the back of her head. “Where did you get that?”
“Rags to Riches. Annie helped me pick it out.” Destiny smoothed her skirt. “What do you think?”
“It’s definitely a change.”
“I’m hoping it’s more in line with what Joe is used to.” She nodded toward where the hardware store owner sat in the third row, studying the meeting agenda. “I’m going to accidentally run into him later and see if I can get him to talk to me.”
“Make sure he recognizes you first.” Aria hugged her friend. “You look beautiful.”
“You too, honey.” Destiny patted her cheek. “Good luck tonight.”
Aria headed toward the stage and ducked into the small alcove behind the curtain. Her pulse accelerated the instant before she realized Hunter was standing there, his head bent as he checked his phone.
When he glanced up, their eyes met with a sudden jolt that ricocheted through Aria’s entire body.
“Oh.” She backed up a step, unable to stop herself from drinking in the magnificence of him in a navy suit and perfectly knotted striped tie, his dark hair brushed away from his forehead. “I didn’t know you were here already.”
“I got in a couple of hours ago.” He slipped his phone into his pocket, tracking his gaze over her face. “Did you get my text?”
Her stomach twisted. “Yes.”
“I couldn’t…” He glanced behind him, his mouth tightening. He lowered his voice. “I couldn’t risk calling you. But I need to—”
“Hunter.” A woman’s voice, smooth and cool as silk, came from behind Aria before Juliette Sinclair walked backstage. “Hello, Aria.”
Managing to hide her surprise at the sight of the other woman, Aria nodded. “Juliette.”
“I believe they’re about to begin.”
“We’ll be right there.” Hunter’s tone indicated that she could leave.
Juliette gave a sharp nod and returned to the stage.
“Look.” Hunter let out his breath and dragged a hand through his hair, rumpling its glossy perfection. “I’m sorry everything got so fucked up. I didn’t know about the Venture project. Please believe me.”
“I do.” Aria swallowed past the constriction in her throat. “But that doesn’t change anything, does it? It’s not going to stop Imperial from going through with the resort, is it?”
His jaw clenched. “No.”
“This whole time, everyone has been telling me how big and powerful Imperial is, that I couldn’t possibly go up against the company’s billions of dollars.” Aria shook her head, suppressing an ache of longing. “Even you thought I couldn’t win. And deep inside, I’ve always known it was an uphill battle. So as much as Iwantto believe you could never succeed with something like the Venture Resort, I know that wishing and reality are two different things.
“When you tell Bliss Cove residents everything Bruce Sinclair said, about employment and revenue and all the benefits to the town, people will find that hard to pass up. Some will be against it. Some won’t. It will become a much bigger controversy than Mariposa Street ever was. It might even divide the town. And I…as much as I love what you and I have had, in some ways I wish you’d never come to Bliss Cove in the first place.”
Pain darkened his eyes. “I didn’t want to come here at first, but when—”
“I’d like to call the meeting to order!” Nico spoke into the microphone on the other side of the curtain.
“Aria.” Urgency threaded Hunter’s voice, and he curled his hand around her arm. “Trust me. Please.”
His gaze burned into hers for an instant before he released her. He turned and walked to the front of the stage, the curtain falling behind him. Chatter and rustling noises came from the lobby as people settled into their seats.
Aria closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She touched the red amethyst pendant. She’d trusted Hunter from the moment he helped rescue her mischievous runaway cat. She’d trusted him with her heart and her body. And in trusting him, she’d learned how to trust herself.
She tightened her fingers around the amethyst, then let it go. She pushed the curtain aside and stepped onto the stage. Folding chairs had been set up on either side of the podium, and a whiteboard was set up beside a large screen.
To the left, at Hunter’s side, sat Bruce and Juliette Sinclair, and three of the company lawyers. All five of them stared her down as she took her seat.
Aria schooled her expression into one of cool impassivity, even though anxiety clenched her nerves. Past the bright lights, she located her mother, Rory, and Destiny sitting in the third row. Brooke waved at her from the Press section, where she was the only reporter. All the seats were full, with several people standing in the back. Her nervousness intensified.
