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Oliver shifted in the seat next to her and took another swig of his margarita before answering, “You know what? Sure. Can’t hurt, right?” he said, surprising her.
He glanced at her and squeezed her hand again.
“Right,” she said, offering the best version of a supportive, encouraging smile she could with her own conflict about the subject simmering below the surface.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
THENEXTDAY,Carly drove to the mayor’s office for a meeting with Sebastian. He hadn’t suggested a restaurant this time, so that made her feel infinitely better. This was all business, and as she entered his office just before noon, he was definitely in business mode. He’d redecorated the space with more modern furniture, and paintings of the town’s landscape were new additions to the walls. He’d added a bookshelf that boasted a lot of marketing and business books and he seemed to really have settled in.
Dressed in a suit and tie, he looked more professional than she’d ever seen him and he definitely had a different air around him as he greeted her. “Hey, Carly, come on in. Thanks for meeting with me.”
So formal. A little too formal given their previous interactions, but she sensed he needed to make the very clear distinction now that they were colleagues only. That was fine with her.
“No problem at all. I’m excited to see this new proposal,” she said, but her chest was tight. If it was what she thought it was, she had no idea how she was going to feel about it.
“Have a seat,” he said, gesturing to the one across from him. As she did, her heart raced. She could see the designs on his desk for the new lighthouse tourism site that she’d heard rumored throughout town.
So that really was the man’s plan.
She sat and folded her legs at the ankles as she prepared to keep an open mind. And five minutes into the meeting, she found herself in the toughest position she’d ever faced.
In those five minutes, he’d already presented a strong case for the development and he’d only scratched the surface. Truth was, it was hard not to get excited about the idea. Not only had he successfully implemented the same structure in another city, but his plans for the Port Serenity lighthouse were actually really well-thought-out and carefully constructed for the betterment of the town, not just some quick marketing ploy from a city guy who didn’t care about the community.
He may have arrived in town with a slight ego and edge, but in recent weeks, he’d really proved why the mayor had hired him. He’d put in real effort getting to know the town’s history and the people. He’d learned about the Wakefields and Beaumonts and their generation-long feud, he’d studied the mythology of Sealena, and he’d even taken some boating lessons, planning to take up the hobby.
The proposal in front of her from Delton Vacation Properties was surprising and unfortunately causing her major turmoil. She wasn’t sure how to deal with her conflicted state, so she pushed it off for now.
“Why don’t you walk me through it?” she asked. He’d explained why he thought it was the right strategy for the community and how it had worked elsewhere, but before she could fully jump on board, she needed all the details.
Though she suspected the more she heard, the more convinced she’d be.
Sebastian nodded. “Right. So, the land the lighthouse currently stands on is sixteen acres. Only ten of it is currently being used. The idea is to turn the main house into a B and B, but then build smaller individual lodgings on the extra land. The vacation rental could then easily accommodate another thirty people at once.”
“Easily making up for the capacity that was lost with the Bayview Inn closing last year,” she said, biting her lip. That unexpected closure had really left them vulnerable to guests staying outside Port Serenity and therefore not fully benefiting from the vacation spend.
He nodded eagerly. “And the best part is that these modular builds are built off-site and delivered complete. So, on-the-ground construction would be a week or two at most. No long disruptions or drawn-out completion dates.”
“This company—Delton Vacation Properties—how long does it take them to build one of these?” She pointed to the cabin on the proposal.
“Three weeks.”
Carly’s eyes widened as she peered at the beautiful spec designs. Each of the cabins was two-bedroom, one bath, with a tiny kitchen and living space, but featured a hot tub on the large wraparound deck. The top was flat and therefore had extra seating space, elevated to give a fantastic view of the coast and the town. She could envision watching a beautiful sunset from up there. The interior design could be dark or light wood with white accents and appliances that gave it a sleek, cozy yet modern look and feel. The supplies used throughout were high quality and would age well. The samples were decorated with local handmade quilts and artwork, utilizing the skills and displaying the talents of the locals.
Sebastian had really pulled out all the stops in getting these designs just right to gain community approval. Carly was struggling to find any fault with them. “That’s definitely a benefit,” she said. She already knew these cabins would book immediately, as soon as the marketing went out.
But this was Oliver’s home. Tess’s home.
The knot in her stomach tightened as her excitement rose.
Doing this was good for tourism, but they would be essentially kicking the family out of their home. Unfortunately, the Kleins had always lived with that possibility. That uncertainty. But there had been a level of mutual respect and trust that something like this wouldn’t be sprung on them.
“Have you talked to Oliver about this yet?” He hadn’t mentioned anything to her, but it would definitely explain some of his hostility toward Sebastian. Maybe that hadn’t only been about Sebastian’s interest in her.
“He’s been made aware of my intentions, yes,” Sebastian said simply. No indication of how Oliver felt about it. Though that should be up to her as his—girlfriend? Lover?—to decipher. Though, having her on the opposing side made everything that much trickier. She hoped he wouldn’t see her involvement in this as a betrayal.
They’d need to discuss it. Soon.
Her gut clenched but she forced a deep, pragmatic breath. This was out of her control. Her job right now was to remove emotion and attachment and objectively offer her input and thoughts on the proposal as a member of the tourism board.
