Chapter 8 #2
Cami started for the cab, then turned back to him. “Today was one for my diary, Ben, if I kept one.”
He stepped closer, tucking her against his chest. “Yes, but I wish…”
“Ben, I can’t move to Sydney. You can’t move to Indianapolis.” She hugged him with her cheek against his chest. “Are we to always be out of step with each other?”
“Seems like it.” He ran his fingers down her back and back up. “What if we put your mom’s painting on the ground and jump into it? Be the couple on the bench.”
She pressed her hand to his cheek. “That would be lovely, but we live in the real world, Ben. You know we can’t fall in love. Besides, the bench is gone.”
Ben tapped his forehead to hers. “We’ll find a new bench.” Just like that, he was pretty sure he was falling in love with her.
“We should go,” she said.
Ben held the door as she climbed in. He drove slowly back to the inn, wanting to linger in Cami’s presence, which had him rethinking everything he believed about himself, his life, and his future.
Back at work, and she was still smiling from the Fourth weekend. From the last three weekends, really. She’d danced with Ben. Won a three-legged race with Ben. Acquired the inn. Kissed Ben. Sigh. Cami still buzzed at the memory of his lips.
She felt like a different woman when she was with him. She felt like herself.
Then Sunday had come with real world realities.
More showings of her condo and helping Annalise with Vicki’s wedding.
The country star had finally agreed on a theme, colors, and menu.
Annalise said it felt like a rock star accomplishment.
But to Cami, she still looked tired, not her usually bubbly self.
The move to Indy was becoming more and more real. Astrid had texted Monday before 7:00 a.m. that Ben’s contract was ready to sign. Once he signed the offer, the Akron paperwork would happen almost automatically.
When Cami arrived in the office a little before eight, she emailed the contract to Ben with a soft personal touch. “I had fun this past weekend.”
He emailed back right away. “Give me a few days to go over this. Ben. P.S. I had a great time with you.”
She smiled. All over. Right down to her Louis Vuitton–clad toes.
But she had Akron work to do. The inn could wait. Top of her list was to invite Astrid to join her in Indy. Cami wasn’t sure she could do the job without her.
“Sorry I’m late.” Astrid came in with her iPad and a mocha and took the seat across from Cami. She said that every week.
“You’re not late.” Cami’s reply every week.
Astrid smirked, her blonde hair, pinned up on the sides, swaying as she shook her head. “How was your weekend? Did you see Ben? You must’ve, because you’re smiling.” Astrid made a face, peeking over the lid of her mocha.
“I always smile.”
“Not like that.” Astrid pointed to Cami as she set her coffee down. “Did you go over the résumés I sent you?”
“No.” Cami leaned back in her chair, unable to stifle her smile, feeling for a flash moment like she was fifteen again. “I’ll do it today. How was your weekend?”
“My weekend? You see I’m not smiling.” The sadness in Astrid’s voice was palpable.
“Sounds like things aren’t improving with you and Boyfriend.”
“He says he loves me, but—” Her eyes filled, and a small tear tipped the corner of her eye. She caught it with the edge of her finger as she focused on her iPad. “Let’s get to work. We have a lot to do this week.”
Cami walked around her desk and perched on the edge in front of Astrid. “This may not be the right time to ask, but will you come to Indy with me? I need you. I’m not sure—”
“Oh, Cami.” Astrid launched to her feet and wrapped Cami in a tight hug. “I thought you’d never ask.”
Cami laughed and breathed in Astrid’s spicy perfume. “You could’ve asked.”
The woman stepped back, wiping her eyes.
“I know this will sound so stupid, but I’ve been waiting five years for Boyfriend to propose.
Face it, he’s not going to, is he? I would’ve asked you for the job, but I don’t know, I guess I needed someone to ask me.
To make me feel loved, needed, and…” Astrid covered her sob with her hand.
“Feel special. I’m sorry I’m blubbering. It’s so unprofessional.”
“No, it’s not. You’re human. You have a right to weep over things that break or hurt your heart.
Even in the workplace.” Cami tugged a tissue from the box on her credenza.
“Now, let’s go over our schedule so you can get back to your desk and start looking for a place to live.
Akron will pay for your relocation costs.
And I’ll have your new salary to you by the end of the day. ”
“Really? I’m at the top of my salary range. Brant will—”
“Sign it. I’ll stand over him until he clicks all the approval boxes and sends the copy to human resources.” She would, too, because Astrid deserved a raise.
“Cami, you’re the best boss ever.”
As they worked, they nailed down details for the week, booked a trip up to Indy.
“Let’s do as much as we can from here. I’d rather not go up to Indy until next month.” Cami opened up the résumés they’d collected.
“Brant’s not going to like that.”
“He doesn’t have a choice.” Cami shrugged as she scanned another résumé.
“You know, if Geoffrey was willing to relocate, he’d be an excellent project manager.” Astrid tucked some hair behind her ear.
“Geoffrey is Brant’s man.” Dad had hired him and groomed him. Geoffrey was good—not as good as her, thank you very much—but Geoffrey was loyal to Dad and would be a spy, monitoring her every move. A not-so-secret spy.
Astrid nodded. “I’m not sure you’ll have a choice. I think Geoffrey is angling for a move.”
“He’s qualified to lead as director. I can’t imagine he’d be okay coming to work for me as second-in-command.” There was no way she’d take a man who would report her every move back to Dad.
At ten, they had a call with the contractor.
Dad had already approved the layout before he’d told Cami about the transfer.
The building had been gutted, new windows put in, and the walls re-drywalled.
He’d even repaired some electrical wires.
At eleven, Cami had a Zoom tour with Max.
She passed on the apartment, but Astrid had chatted the Realtor up, giving him much more to work with than Cami’s non-enthusiastic specifications.
They’d just ordered lunch when Brant entered Cami’s office. His presence filled the room. “Got a sec?”
His nod of dismissal had Astrid scurrying to the door. She mouthed good luck and shut the door behind her.
Cami stood. “Sure, we just ordered lunch.”
“Then I won’t take much time.” There was a spark in his eyes above his calm demeanor. “Jeremy was reviewing your project schedule and saw you added the Hearts Bend Inn.”
“Yes, I bought it Fourth of July weekend.”
“You didn’t tell me.”
“I don’t tell you about every acquisition.”
“But this is the inn,” Dad said, his tone conveying what his words did not.
“All the more reason not to involve you. Ben Carter inherited the place from his grandparents, but he works for Viridian Jewel Resorts and is opening a new place in Sydney. I sent him the contract this morning. I’ll close with him the fifteenth of August.”
“Cami, I don’t want the inn. Withdraw the contract.” No give. No take. Just a command. It was like she was twelve years old, not a twenty-nine-year-old professional. “There’s no ROI.”
“There will be. If you saw the project board, you saw my initial projections. We’ll have to invest some money but, Dad, Hearts Bend Inn is a landmark. It’s in a prime location. All we need is some investment capital. I’ll run everything with Astrid from Indy, don’t worry.”
“Drop the project, Cami.”
She stepped around her desk to face him, but she couldn’t meet his gaze.
“Just like that? Drop it? I gave my word, and isn’t our word golden around here?
One of our values? At the very least, let’s renovate and sell it.
We could get one point eight to two million for it. How is that not a good ROI?”
“Camellia, as your boss, I’m telling you to stop. We are property developers, not property managers.” Dad turned for the door, paused, and with his head down, hands in his pockets, added, “As your father, I’m asking. Do not buy the inn.” His voice was so low she could barely hear him. “Please.”
Cami dropped into a chair. Dad’s simple, vulnerable please struck her heart and sank deep.
“You’re serious.”
“Yes.”
“Then I’ll withdraw the offer. But it’s going to cost us our earnest money.”
“Fine. It’s a write-off.”
When Dad left, Cami felt winded and stunned. She couldn’t move she was shaking so much. What had just happened? Emotion from her dad? There was so much more to his story. Would he ever share it with her?