Chapter 16
Lucy was naturally clever. —Sense and Sensibility.
Edward
“Edward, my darling!” My boss stalks into my office. “You went to Norland Park last week?”
“I did.”
“Whyever did you do that?” She sits on the edge of my desk, crossing her slim legs in front of me like a femme fatale. I do my best not to roll my eyes. Lucinda is excellent at her job. But she is always just one degree away from inappropriate.
“There was a setback with the will. My grandpa left the cottage to me, not my mom.”
“I don’t see how that’s a problem.”
“Well, there are the tenants, for one thing.”
“You mean the cottage renters?”
“They’ve lived there for years. Evicting them isn’t exactly straightforward.”
“Legally, it is.”
“Maybe. But it’s also been in my family for more than a hundred years.”
“That didn’t bother your mom.”
“And I might still go through with the sell.”
“Might?” She jumps off my desk and begins pacing around the room. “Edward, we’ve been waiting on this project for months. You can’t do this to me.”
“No need to panic. We can go ahead with what we have planned—just without the cottage.”
“Without the cottage? No, that site is fundamental to our plan. You know a good restaurant sets the tone for the whole resort. I can’t believe you’re thinking of keeping that hovel.
You’ve never let me down like this before.
” This comment hits. She’s right—I have totally botched things.
“Is your mom still planning on selling the rest of the park?”
“Absolutely.”
“Then I think I better call her. Edward, we’re all counting on you.” She sits down in the chair opposite my desk.
“I know. But I believe there’s a way I can keep the cottage, and we can still keep our investors happy. I went on a tour with the Norland Park manager, and she had this brilliant idea for developing the woods in the southeast corner.”
“You went on a tour with the resort manager?”
“Yes. And after seeing the place in the summer months, I think we should tweak our plans.”
“You are not doing this, Edward.” Lucinda holds her hand to her forehead as if she has a headache.
“I hired you specifically with the hopes of getting Norland Park.” This is no surprise.
Since I started working at Steele Properties, Lucinda has often repeated some variation on this theme, making sure I know I only got the job because of her interest in my family’s property.
At some level I know it’s BS—I’m more than qualified for my job.
But Lucinda has repeated it often enough that I suspect she’s convinced herself it’s true.
“I didn’t say anything about backing out.
I simply would feel better about our plans if they were more in line with the current resort.
I have a hunch that my grandpa was dragging his feet on selling because he wasn’t comfortable changing the whole vibe of the resort.
I want to honor that. I think we can do that and move forward with our plans. It would take just a few tweaks.”
“I can’t believe you are even suggesting this! Why would we want to maintain the vibes of a struggling resort?”
“Have you looked at the numbers? Norland Park is not struggling. Yes, it could bring in more. But it makes a tidy profit, and it has loyal guests. They have a waitlist, and it’s impossible to book a room in the summer.”
“Fine,” my boss lets out a long sigh. “I’ll humor you. What are some of these tweaks?”
“We keep the campground. No need to outprice the families that have been coming for years.”
“That is exactly what we want to do. The whole point of a luxury resort is to provide guests with privacy and security. They won’t experience that if they are sharing the resort with the hoi polloi.”
“I don’t know about that. Some people enjoy feeling superior. Like walking to the front of a long line.”
“You know better, Edward. The rich don’t want to be reminded of the poor—especially when they’re on vacation.
” She pulls out a tube of lipstick and a compact and begins to reapply lipstick.
“Where is this coming from? You were on board with our plans before this visit.” Of course I was.
I stood to get an enormous bonus and a promotion.
I’ve always pushed back against the future my grandpa and mom had road mapped for me as a business tycoon, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want some degree of success.
“You need to see the place,” I say, my voice steady. “It’s authentic. It’s original. I think we may be underestimating the value of preserving what already works. Destroying it would be a massive mistake.”
There, I did it. I stood up to my boss. I feel a little light-headed and sick to my stomach. Her bright red lips form a shocked O. After a moment she snaps her compact shut.
“What’s her name?” she asks.
“Excuse me?”
“I can always tell when there’s another woman. Some savvy hussy has manipulated your sweet young heart—I’m guessing it’s this resort manager.”
“No—” I sputter. “That’s not—I . . . I have a girlfriend.”
I had planned on ending things with Caroline on our date last Saturday, but the moment was never right. I felt like a total coward when the night was over. Next time, I told myself. For now, though, it’s convenient to claim a girlfriend.
“That never stops a man,” she picks up her phone and begins a search. “I can’t seem to find a photo of her. But her sister is a looker.” I do my best to maintain a blank face. “I bet this Elinor gave you a thorough tour.” My boss has a talent for adding unnecessary innuendo to an innocent word.
“It was nothing like that,” I snap, not sure why I feel so angry.
“Calm down, Edward. It’s not a big deal. You’re hardly the first man to be swayed by a woman. But I wonder if I should take you off this project.”
“With all due respect, it’s my family’s property. My mom and I could always pull out of the deal.”
“You might. But I doubt your mother would.”
That hurts because it’s true. Despite what I hinted to Elinor, I have limited pull with my mother.
“I don’t want to walk away from this project. Lucinda. I just have a couple small adjustments that I’d like to pursue. Keep the campground and add treehouses. I know my grandpa would like that.”
“Treehouses?”
“Yes—they would make Norland Park more than just another luxury resort. Guests would book it for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
I had planned to do more research and prepare a proposal to sell my boss on this idea. I hadn’t expected her to be at my desk first thing Monday morning. But I need to make the most of the current situation. I send her a few of the luxury treehouse photos Elinor shared with me.
“Now this . . .” she says, swiping through the photos on her phone, “has possibilities.”
“Let me draw up a proposal for you with more details about cost and infrastructure needed.”
“Do that! This idea has potential.”
“I’m glad you agree. I’ll get right on it.”
“For the record, I’m still disappointed in you, Ed.” She shakes her head at me like I’m a naughty schoolboy. Take a number, I think. Just one more person I’ve let down. Next up: my mom.
***
I’m watching Netflix with Mrs. Peacock when my mom calls. I’m in no mood to talk to her, so I let the call go through. She immediately sends a text.
Mom
Should I send the police for a wellness check?
Edward
I’m alive
For good measure, I send her a selfie.
Mom
I’d feel better if I could hear your voice
I sigh and dial her number.
“Hey Mom!”
“You fell for her, didn’t you?”
“No mom.”
“Then why is Lucinda telling me you’re having second thoughts about selling the cottage?”
“Because I am. Have you been there? Mom, it’s incredible!”
“I spent three summers there as a little girl. Great Aunt Norland made me pull a grocery bag of weeds each morning before I could eat breakfast. I hate the place.”
“I think if you visited again, you’d understand where I’m coming from.”
“I know where you’re coming from. You are too big of a softie to kick a single mom and her daughters out of their home.
But think of your own single mother. Lucinda called to tell me that she won’t buy the park if you don’t sell the cottage.
” I can’t believe my mom is comparing her situation to the Greenwood’s, but I’m not going to pick a fight.
“She’s bluffing, Mom.”
“Lucinda never bluffs.”
“How did your tournament go?”
“Fabulous! But don’t change the conversation. I want to know which one you fell for.”
“I didn’t fall for anyone. How could I? I was only there for a day.”
“Because you’re your grandfather’s boy. I’ve always known you’d do something foolish like this.” I hate how right my mom is. I mean, I didn’t do anything too foolish. Though promising Elinor that I wouldn’t kick her out of Bumble Cottage was a little rash.
“What exactly are you accusing me of?”
“I am your mother. I can always tell when you’re hiding something. I bet it’s the older daughter. After your call the other day, I remembered that Dad told me you had a huge crush on the oldest Greenwood girl.”
“Is that why we never went back?”
“No, of course not. It’s because staying at Norland Park—even in the hotel—is a little too much like camping for my tastes. I don’t require much: just A/C, room service, and a sauna.”
“So the basics.”
“Exactly! Edward . . . please tell me you haven’t fallen for a Greenwood.” I consider telling my mom the same thing I told Lucinda—that she doesn’t need to worry because I have a girlfriend, and I have no interest in Elinor. But I’ve already told enough lies for one phone call.
“I don’t know. Maybe. It hardly matters. She’s not interested.”
“Not interested in you—what’s wrong with her? I told you the Greenwoods were trouble.”