CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Ledger
Mayor Grossman acts like an anointed king as he walks through City Hall shaking hands and laughing like a pompous ass. It’s a sight, that’s for sure. One I can’t help notice as I scan the auditorium. Where are you, Ash?
She said she’d be here. Why don’t I see her?
Tootie’s here though. I catch her eye from across the room, and she waves at me.
It’s when I look back to where Mayor Grossman is still on his look at me parade that I get a closer look at the man whose back he’s patting and shoulder he’s squeezing.
There’s something about him that I can’t quite place.
“Hey, who’s that?” I ask the city recorder who happens to be walking next to me.
“That’s the mayor’s son,” she says as she walks past to take her place at her desk. “Jason Grossman.”
Jason.
Tootie had said that name too.
While the name hits my ears and falls flat, there is something about the man that I can’t quite place. Is he a contractor for the resort? One of the protestors who heckled me last week? Did I see him at Hank’s that first night?
Just as Mayor Grossman takes his seat on the dais and pounds his gavel to get the meeting started, it hits me.
No fucking way.
I take another look at Jason. Sure, he’s aged some, but I never forgot that smug, condescending mouth of his. Or the nose with a slight crook in it.
Jason. He’s the kid whose nose I broke sixteen years ago. The prick who talked shit about and disrespected Asher.
How didn’t I see it sooner? The face structure, the same mouth shape, the beady eyes. Jason, the kid I punched years ago for disrespecting Asher, is Mayor Grossman’s son.
Motherfucker.
Is that what all of this has been about?
Some kind of long-overdue vendetta put into motion by a pissed-off father? Is it his warped way of trying to get back at me for putting that bump in his son’s nose?
Maybe he should have taught his son some manners. Some respect. Then again, I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Jesus Christ.
Seriously? This is why we’re being put through these ridiculous paces?
Mayor Grossman calls the meeting to order, but I miss half of the bullshit pomp and circumstance he says for posture because I’m too busy trying to figure out what to do and how to play this.
Anger has me wanting to call the mayor on this publicly.
It has me angling on how I can broadcast that their elected official is a petty, simpleminded asshole.
Logic and professionalism have me taking a step back.
It’s as simple and as complicated as that.
As much as I’d personally like to let the whole town know who they are dealing with, I have a feeling they already know. No doubt he’s shown his true colors before, and yet, they still elected him.
I, on the other hand, have a business I need to run here. A business that we’ve sunk a shit ton of money into and can’t risk losing our occupancy permit because I stoop to his level. So as much as it pains me, I’m going to have to take the high road on this.
But that doesn’t stop me from glaring at Jason until I swear he can feel it.
He looks up and meets my eyes. I simply stare at him.
I don’t make an expression at all other than to let him know that I see him, and understand what all this bullshit is about—to position his dad well for reelection and to exact petty revenge.
“And now to the matter at hand,” Mayor Grossman says, pulling my attention to him and the council members on either side of him.
“We met last month to discuss the necessary changes that Sharpe International and The Retreat needed to make to warrant getting a final inspection and in turn, an occupancy permit. Mr. Sharpe, the floor is yours.”
I walk over to the lectern, clear my throat, and begin.
“I’ve enjoyed my last six weeks here in Cedar Falls.
While I’m a city boy at heart, there is a reason my brothers and I wanted to buy a resort here and contribute not only to the town’s future, but also to its overall success.
” I take the next few minutes to bullshit.
About the charm I’ve found here in Cedar Falls and its citizens who love their town.
About the potential to make this partnership beneficial for the town as a whole.
About S.I.N.’s philosophy and goal with The Retreat beyond a healthy profit margin.
“That’s all well and good,” the mayor says when I finish my spiel, “but what about the specific requests this council made?”
Smile wide, Ledger, and prepare to kiss more ass.
“As per your request, Mayor Grossman, and in accordance with our promise, S.I.N. has been contracting local contractors and employing Cedar Falls’s citizens and will continue to do so upon opening to the public.
In addition, we’ve made significant strides in two areas we’d like to share with you.
We were excited to have the opportunity to contribute to this town we are now a member of.
With that in mind, we chose to focus on two aspects that will shape and have shaped this town.
We are currently in the throes of overhauling and renovating the Cedar Falls Elementary School Library.
It’ll be a complete makeover—expanded in size, content, and capacity.
Our other focus is the Cedar Falls Assisted Living Facility.
Their HVAC system is in dire need of being replaced for temperature control and air filtration.
We’ve made a sizeable donation to get that overhauled in the coming weeks with as little disruption to the tenants as possible. ”
“And that’s been completed?”
“We’re not miracle workers, sir. We can’t complete projects with such complexities as these two that fast due to scheduling with local subcontractors who are already contracted elsewhere.
But rest assured, as you can see in the documentation we provided to you and your fellow councilpersons, contracts have been signed, deposits have been made, and the work is scheduled.
Feel free to contact the contractors for verification, but I do believe all the necessary backup has been provided and is already in your hands. ”
“I see,” he murmurs with a nod, eyes steadfast on me as if he doesn’t believe me. But the audience is silent now. No more whispers or chuckles like before, and so with the hopes that the tide is turning in our favor, I keep going so I don’t lose them.
“In addition to these contributions, we’re in the process of contracting local vendors to provide goods and or services to our guests.
The hope is that our guests will experience or like something they see or sample in the resort itself—whether it be in one of our many retail shops, art that is displayed throughout the facility, or a package with local excursion companies—and in turn, venture into Cedar Falls to spend more of their money. ”
“And what companies have you enlisted for this?”
Hillary’s assistant, who accompanied me to the meeting, flips through the pages of the handout the council members received and points to the one with said list. “We have provided you with the list in your packet, but would love for the citizens to hear them as well,” I say.
“Bessie’s baked goods will be sold in our coffee shop.
Jenner’s Juicery will also sell items there as well.
Our restaurant and café will be exclusively using ice cream from The Creamery in town.
A list of local artists is also provided who we’ll showcase in various locations throughout the resort.
We’ll have inclusive packages for guests with Cedar Falls Ski Resort, Cedar Falls Outdoor Adventures, and—” My mind stumbles when I see The Fields as next on the list. Why is that there?
I look up and glance around the room and find Asher.
She offers me a reassuring smile, but I stare at her confused.
“Mr. Sharpe? Is there a problem?”
“No. I’m sorry. Where was I? Yes. We’ll be offering venue packages with The Fields as well as Mountain High Club.”
“That’s an impressive list,” the mayor says as I look back to Asher, questioning her across the room about what’s going on.
It all makes sense now. The barn restoration. The strung lights. The new signage. Her insomnia and late-night work.
Dare I say I’m kind of hurt? That this was all going on and I didn’t know about it? That Hillary knew about it and didn’t tell me?
Asher did this and didn’t trust me knowing about it. She didn’t want to share it with me.
It takes everything I have to focus back on the meeting at hand and not walk over to her, pull her outside, and ask her what the fuck?
“Does anyone have anything to say for or against The Retreat or Sharpe International that you want on the official record?”
Are we going to do this? Let the townspeople speak or rally together with a mob mentality?
I glance back over to Asher again. I can’t help it. And she meets my gaze with equal confusion and hurt that I don’t understand.
A throat clears in the microphone, and with a shake of my head, I force myself to pay attention to business instead of personal.
“Mr. Mayor. While I understand about profit and tourism, I still feel that Mr. Sharpe and his company, are going to plant the seeds of ruin in our town,” the dowdy woman at the microphone says with a definitive nod.
“He says he’s going to do all these things, but once he gets his permit, he’ll do whatever he wants.
” There are a few murmured agreements from the audience.
She has a point. We’re beholden to no one once we have our occupancy permit, but I don’t exactly think that’s the best thing to say at this juncture.
I look around and am about to take a step to the microphone to defend myself when Tootie walks to the lectern.
“For the record, I just want to say that Ledger will do what he says he’s going to do.
I cursed in front of him, and he said he wouldn’t tell my momma and he hasn’t yet.
” She puts her hands on her hips and clears her throat.
“Also, he hired me to tell him everything we wanted and needed in our school library. He wouldn’t back out and let me down.
” Tootie looks over at me and smiles. “That’s all. ”
As she walks back to her seat, the dowdy woman steps back up. “She’s a child. She can be easily manipulated.”
“I believe him,” Asher says, rising from her seat and making her way to the podium once all eyes are on hers.
“He’s come here to adhere to your ridiculous requests, Mayor Grossman.
He’s done what you’ve asked for and then some.
He’s contributed to the community. He’s brought in local talent.
He’s tried to create residual income for others.
What more is it that you want from him?”
Grossman emits a condescending chortle that has me gritting my teeth. “Of course, you’d say that since you’re sleeping with him.”
“Excuse me?” she says, holding her finger up at me when I rise to my feet in her defense.
“Honey—”
“Asher,” she corrects him. “My name is Asher. Not Honey.”
He clears his throat. “While I’m sure your um . . . friend appreciates your unwavering support, I think the city council shouldn’t take business advice from someone who can’t even secure a bank loan to keep their farm afloat.”
There is a hushed silence that falls across the crowd. The kind that says they’re digging in for the gossip that’s unfolding.
But all I hear from Grossman is can’t secure a bank loan to keep their farm afloat.
My hands fist. A myriad of emotions flickers over Asher’s face as the mayor just denigrated her in front of the town. Humiliated her, just as my father once did.
I start to move toward her, to defend her, to . . . I don’t fucking know, but Asher levels me with a look and mouths the word No. I never stood up for her all those years ago. I sure as fuck am going to now.
“You want to come at me,” I say, my voice loud enough I don’t need a microphone. Everyone’s heads swivel to look my way. “Then come at me. That’s fine. But leave Asher out of it.”
“I can handle myself, Ledger,” Asher says, her voice steely, her expression stoic.
“Mayor Grossman here is simply trying to put me in my place where he thinks all good little women should be. He’d rather I keep quiet because he’s terribly afraid that I might be the result of an affair he had with my mother some thirty-odd years ago.
” That sends a ripple of murmurs through the audience and causes the mayor’s face to turn red and his sputters to become incoherent.
“For the record, even if you were my father, I’d refuse to claim you.
I’ve been shamed enough in my life over things I had no control over .
. . but I could control that. And I sure as hell would. ”
And without another word, Asher strides out of the auditorium with the entire town staring at the door she just left through.
It takes everything I have not to chase after her. To remain here in a professional capacity and do the job I’m here to do . . . and not put my personal matters first. Not put her first.
The gavel strikes several times as the mayor tries to gain back control of the meeting despite his own ashen pallor. Serves the fucker right.
“Settle down, everyone. Settle down.” He clears his throat and tugs on the tie tight over his throat.
“We clearly have other things to do than to deal with nonsense and fodder that is unneeded. Are we ready to vote on whether or not The Retreat has met our demands and can now have its final inspection to receive its occupancy permit?”