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Franchesca nodded and stood. “Yes. I’m gonna go next door. I’ll check in with you later.”

“Sounds good. Love you, friend.”

“Love you too.”

Franchesca left as Noelle greeted the student’s mom and tried to mentally shift gears into dance teacher mode. But with the bomb Franchesca had just dropped, it was tough. Should she tell anyone? Wes, in particular. But what could he do? Her heart sank at the thought that he might already even know of Spellman’s plans.

As she attempted to listen to what the mom was saying about new ballet shoes for her daughter, Noelle pushed back her worries. She’d have to deal with Wes St. Claire and Ronald Spellman later.

*

Wes sat inhis office. He flipped a pen through his fingers back and forth as he leaned back in his chair and stared out the window.

Saying he didn’t have time for a face-to-face meeting, Ronald Spellman had agreed to a phone meeting the day before. As convenient as email, text, and phone calls could be, Wes preferred seeing the person he was talking to, especially when it came to business. Not unlike poker, a business meeting could show various gestures, tics, small tells that someone was lying or bluffing. And reading a person’s eyes was Wes’s strong suit. The eyes said everything. And with a carnival ride like Spellman, it was necessary.

Not being able to look into Spellman’s eyes as they talked yesterday rubbed Wes wrong. On paper, the deal looked fine. And sure, Spellman had said once again that nothing in the deal had changed; he was in town simply to look in person at the buildings he was buying and to make a positive appearance in Marietta. But the man was…unstable. Whether his feelings for Noelle were a factor or not, Wes didn’t have a good vibe. He hated that.

“Your mind sure is a million miles away.”

Lost in thought, he hadn’t heard his dad enter the room.

“Hi, Dad. Sorry. Please, come in.”

His dad took a seat across the desk from him. “I’ve always loved this room. You and I are alike in so many ways.”

Were they? Wes didn’t used to think so, seeing his dad as distant. Unreachable. But after things Mike had said, as well as some long-needed soul searching, he had to admit, his old man was right.

“What’s got your mind so far off?”

Wes leaned forward in his chair, rested his elbows on his desk. “This deal with Spellman.”

“You think it’s a good one.”

It wasn’t a question. He and his dad had talked over the past few days and both agreed it could be a win-win for everyone involved. “I did. Now I’m not so sure.”

Daniel St. Claire sat up straighter in his chair. The years had been good to Wes’s dad. He was a handsome man. Some had compared him to Paul Newman. But the time taking care of Marian St. Claire had taken its toll and he’d aged because of it. “What’s your concern?”

Wes leaned back again, restless. “I don’t have anything solid, but I don’t like that he just showed up here without telling anyone. Why so secretive?”

His dad rubbed his chin. “I hadn’t thought of that. We met the other day. Things seemed good. He was excited about the film.” He shrugged. “When Ron called me originally, I thought this might be good for the town. Sure, he’s quacky, but quacky is this business’s middle name.”

“I don’t know, Dad. On paper, it looks good. But something doesn’t sit right.”

“Would that something have anything to do with an elegant dancer you’re in love with?”

Hearing those words from Mike was one thing. Out of his dad’s mouth, they all but stunned him.

“I don’t know…what…?”

“Don’t even try to argue with me, son. I know you better than you think I do. Where do you think you got your talent for reading people?”

Wes had to concede to that. Daniel St. Claire was uncanny at reading people.

And what good was it to anyone to fight that man? Wesdidlove Noelle. Why fight it?

“Yeah. I love her.” He looked out the window. “But I’m afraid I may have screwed that up for good.”

His dad stood. “Nah. I wouldn’t say that. Women can be wonderful, forgiving creatures. Sometimes it just takes the right grand gesture to help them along.” He winked and turned to leave but stopped in the doorway. “I have faith in you, son. You’ll figure it all out.”

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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