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"Let's hear it," he says, raising an eyebrow.
"The Brown property that’s about ten miles south of here. You know the one?"
Sam nods and sips his champagne. “Miss Delta’s got a bunch of little bungalows on the beach down there.”
“Right. It's prime real estate, especially with the training camp being built just north of the Cape. When the training camp starts boosting the economy, people will start flocking here. There won’t be anywhere for them to stay. Except if we get in while we can… and build a resort.”
“A resort?” Sam arches a brow. “Are you gambling that you can make South Shore a beach destination?”
“I think if we don’t do it, someone else will. We could develop an upscale, exclusive destination. We would be tapping into a market that we build and would be just waiting to be served."
"Interesting," Sam murmurs, though his eyes remain as impenetrable as ever. "It’s worth talking about. But Cole's engagement is the focus right now. Everyone loves a good love story."
"True, but business doesn't wait around for love stories to unfold. This opportunity is ripe for the picking."
"Is it now?" Sam's tone is noncommittal, yet I see a flicker of interest that tells me I've planted the seed just where I want it. The challenge now is to make it grow.
"Absolutely." I nod, confident. "I just had a chat with Pearl about the fact that her family is struggling to pay their property taxes. She basically threw up a white flag. The land is teetering on the edge of becoming a distressed property.”
Sam scratches his chin. “Does Pearl know you’re over here repeating her family news that she probably told you in confidence?”
I feel my neck heat. Sam doesn’t pull any punches in telling me that I’ve misbehaved. It’s always been that way, ever since he married my mom and my family moved into his house.
I keep my face perfectly straight. “No, she doesn’t know that I’m telling you. But that doesn’t mean it’s not happening anyway.”
"An idea that preys on someone's hardship isn't an opportunity. It's exploitation," he states firmly. His eyes scan mine for a flicker of understanding.
How did Sam get a reputation for being such a shark in business? He’s definitely acting like a helpless little guppy right now.
I press my lips into a thin line, keeping my retort at bay.
"I see your point." It’s all I can do not to scream in frustration.
"Besides," Sam continues, smoothing out the front of his impeccably tailored suit, "you know how things work around here. I’ve agreed to help fund the hotel to the tune of a few million dollars. And I did it as an engagement present to Cole and Savannah. They are the ones getting special treatment because they are engaged."
He gestures toward Cole. At the moment, Cole stands beside Savannah, her hand delicately resting on his arm. She smiles at him and he drops a kiss onto her head without interrupting the flow of conversation around them. Both of them are the poster children for pre-marital bliss.
"And his engagement buys five million dollars of investment?" My eyebrow quirks up, the cogs in my mind whirring with possibilities.
“I wish you didn’t see it that way, River.”
“But in essence, I’m right. Right?”
Sam sighs and starts explaining to me as one would talk to a teenager who has been bad. Like he’s trying not to shout at me, though he very much wants to.
"Commitment is valued, River. It shows stability and foresight. It speaks of the good qualities of a man. It says that a man wants to be taken seriously and can be relied upon," Sam explains.
But I see the words for what they are. My stepdad is showing me the mark and asking me to meet it.
I nod slowly, letting the implication settle over me like the evening shadow creeping across the vineyard outside. Commitment, huh?
The word leaves a bitter taste. A binding contract to something or someone… forever. Yet the rewards of matrimony are tempting.
The path to what I want is suddenly pristine and clear as glass.
My gaze shifts back to Pearl. She's animatedly talking to another guest, her hands expressing more than words ever could.
There's a natural elegance about her. A simplicity that's refreshing in a world where everything comes with strings attached.
