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“All right then… Continuing,” he clears his throat. “Keywinds is a property in the Florida Keys that I acquired with plans to make a five-star resort that is both hurricane-proof and ocean-rise-proof. Obviously these aspects create some technical hurdles, but I have a world-class engineering team as well as technology, as you know…”
“Mytechnology,” I mutter under my breath.
“I just need to get a few pieces of the puzzle together.”
“A few pieces ofmypuzzle.”
“You know, maybe it would just be better if I showed you. There’s nothing like seeing it in person.”
“Yes! Perfect!” Veronica immediately answers.
“Excuse me?” I say, standing before I know what I’m doing.
Veronica cuts me off, literally positioning herself between me and the image of Cal on the wall.
“He’s in the Keys! It’s only, what, two hours away? We could be there by lunch time.”
I feel my jaw muscles practically lock into place. I don’t like being backed into a corner. Especially in front of my people. I don’t like it at all.
Out of the corner of my eye, I survey the team. They are noticeably uncomfortable, some on the edge of actual concern. This is not fair to them. They don’t need to be inserted into what amounts to a family dispute. I need to cool this down.
“All right, a tour does sound like a reasonable way to look into this further,” I concede. “Opal? Can you make the arrangements?”
“Me?” she chirps from the back of the room.
“Opal?” Veronica scoffs.
I sense her displeasure and it makes me think I’ve finally gotten back on top of the situation.
“She’s underutilized,” I answer simply. “She’s got the bandwidth, so…”
“Oh, but we don’t need her!” Veronica answers breezily. “Don’t worry about it, Opal, I already took care of it. Thanks, though.”
I want to reply, but Veronica knows I won’t make a scene. She already took care of it? She knew this is what we would be doing?
Opal settles back into her chair uncertainly. Veronica digs her nails into her upper arms as she holds them across her chest. A brittle smile splits her mouth open.
“We will see you soon, Cal.” Veronica announces it without breaking eye contact with me. “It will be great to reconnect at the very least.”
I barely hold back a gasp of awareness. This is the game? To pivot from a relationship with me to a relationship with my twin brother? This is the action-plan Veronica came to?
I knew when we broke things off that it wasn’t going to be a simple, clean exercise. Veronica has very clear ideas about her life. She is behind schedule on her agenda to find a billionaire husband. Three and a half years behind schedule, as a matter of fact. The strain is beginning to show on her face.
Looks like Cal isn’t the only one running out of options.
Chapter 7
OPAL
“Okay, I have a new plan,” Tabby announces as she hands me the plastic container of mixed salad greens and soft cheeses, my favorite.
My mouth instantly begins to water. Wheatgrass doesn’t really satisfy the stomach long-term, go figure.
“Tell me all about this plan,” I answer as we take a seat in the shaded area nestled in a crook of the building.
There are tables out here, even a tiny stage. The shade trees rustle softly and filter the glare from the ever-present Miami sun. It’s really a nice place to eat lunch, and I remember what Tabby said, about how I am lucky. I should be more appreciative of small things.
“Okay, how about this?” she starts excitedly, one cheek full of bread. “I’m going to get one of those jobs, you know, with arrows? Like where you dress up?”
