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She shook her head, her hair falling across her face. She refused to get emotional again, so she said calmly, “I’m not being crazy about it. I just need to pay my way. I can’t have this hanging over my head.”
He could have said more, but instead, probably because of her earlier outburst, he nodded. “All right. Do what you have to do. I get it.”
“Thank you.” She appreciated his acceptance. If he’d gone on, she might have lost her cool again.
The debt was another good reason she lived in his house; she had no rental expenses. And now everything she paid him could go toward the debt rather than ongoing care.
With that off her chest, she could get to the good stuff she’d been thinking about. No more dwelling on bad things. “Remember what we were discussing about Harper?”
“Sure.” He nodded, his fingers steepled as he leaned back in his chair.
For a moment, she was struck by how terribly handsome he was—his dark hair, his aristocratic features, his sometimes soulful blue eyes that could read her mind. How she missed this, sitting with him, talking, even just looking at him. The sense of finally coming home stole her breath all over again.
She had to force herself back to reality. In the end, they’d postponed the video meetings with Tasha and Harper. Dane had been right to tell her to slow down with the work stuff. She’d needed to plow through the rest of the estate issues so she could come home. And it had taken her only a few more days.
Leaning forward, she crossed her knees and rested her forearms on her thighs. “Harper’s been dealing with her brother’s special needs for something like thirteen years. She has great expertise.” Jeremy was a fine kid. She’d seen that at the soccer game. But because of his accident, he was different from other boys. That fact provided challenges for Harper.
Dane’s gaze rested on her. “Isn’t that why we discussed adding specialized activities at some of the resorts?”
“Yes.” Her excitement grew to the point she felt jittery with it. Or maybe that was just being alone with him after so many months. “But instead of adding focused events to existing resorts, what if we created resorts designed specifically for kids with special needs?”
She’d been thinking about it for days, the idea blossoming in her mind, and now everything burst out.
“We could have classes and sports events and physical therapy and games. We can ask Harper, ‘If you could have had anything you wanted while you raised Jeremy, what would it be?’ There are things you and I could never even dream of. We could have activities for the parents too. Not just family activities, but things they can do on their own, like date nights. Therapy for them as well. Because it must be hard. And we could provide resources to tap into each child’s unique abilities. Tasha could design special interactive games. Charlie and Rosie could give art classes. We could have shows featuring the kids’ work.”
Dane stared at her as if she were a mad scientist. Maybe she’d been gone so long, he’d forgotten what she looked like. Finally, head still cocked, he said, “Have I ever told you how amazing you are?”
“I—” She stopped.
“The way your mind works endlessly is fascinating. I mean, you’ve just been through a terrible ordeal. And yet, somehow, you’re still my idea genie, coming up with incredible plans.” When she opened her mouth, he held up a hand. “I know work is how you manage your grief. But I still believe that no one but you could conceive an idea like this at a time like this.”
Her heart turned over and tapped out a new rhythm in her chest. “Do you really think it’s a good idea?” Her voice came so softly.
His smile lit her up. “It’s a freaking out-of-this-world idea. I love it. And I want to do it.”
This was the kind of project she’d love to sink her teeth into—building a prototype resort from the ground up. It was important work, and she wanted to take a big role in it, shoulder more responsibility than she’d ever had—with Dane’s oversight, of course.
She was eager to dive in. “Then, if you have no objection, I’ll put together an idea document. We’ll have something to brainstorm with and talk to Harper about.”
He shook his head as if she still stunned him. “Of course.”
“Unless there’s something else that’s more important?”
He huffed out a strange laugh, and she wondered if she was pushing too hard. But he said, “There’s nothing more important. Go ahead and get your feet wet with this.”
“It’s a dream project. We could expand this all over the world.” Her whole being felt lighter than it had in months. It was being home. It was working closely with Dane again. It was this new resort that could do so much good for so many people. “This is what all your hard work and learning have been about. Now you have the experience to build this, to do it the best way possible.”
