CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Logan
Wednesday morning, Logan sat in Max’s office, getting some paperwork done before they started the real work.
A late-night text from Cooper reminded him he wasn’t just here to woo a pretty girl.
They still had to decide what to do about the seller’s request to withdraw The Outpost from the sale. He had a job to do.
He logged on to his computer to find a commercial real estate agent he could contact about the business climate in GVF.
He didn’t intend to ask specifically about The Outpost, just the atmosphere in general.
He’d also inquire about any upcoming events or construction projects that might impact businesses in the area.
He clicked on the first name that popped up—Jenny Hargrove—and grimaced. In a town this small, she had to be related to Max.
It didn’t take much scrolling to figure out she’d been Max’s wife. Her “about me” page showed a portrait of a happy young family—Max, Jenny, and a younger Lilly.
Logan had to swallow past a lump in his throat, thinking of poor little Lilly and how she would never know her mom.
When he backed out of Jenny’s profile, he found that the only other Realtor in town had been Jenny’s mother, but she’d retired several years earlier. As far as he could tell, there didn’t seem to be any other real estate agents in GVF.
Hitting that roadblock, he tried the local Chamber of Commerce. Their bare-bones website was very simplistic, and the only information he gleaned was that they only met once a month and took summers off—another dead end.
His next attempt was a link to the city council’s page. Max walked in just as he finished reading that they had a meeting that very night.
“Mornin’,” he said, sliding carefully into the chair across from the desk.
“Hey,” Logan said, noticing his discomfort. “You okay?”
“Little sore,” Max said. “Aren’t you?”
“Oh, yeah,” Logan admitted. “I could barely drag myself out of bed this morning. Between the softball, the basketball, and all the manual labor, I’m working muscles I forgot existed.”
“Alex’s wedding was a fun break, huh?” His smile suggested he was referring to the Tess situation.
“You mean Tess and me?”
Max nodded. “Better be good to her. Half the town will be after you if not.”
“I would expect nothing less. Hey, speaking of the wedding…Do you guys have an event center or reception hall? Or a similar space to have large gatherings?”
“Not since Faith burned the old place down.”
“What?” Logan’s eyes widened.
“Well, she didn’t light the match or anything, but it went up in flames at her wedding.
It was a hundred-year-old barn, remodeled for big events.
” He paused before continuing. “You might think I’m crazy, but before…
you know? Jenny…I actually thought of building one here.
Just north of the inn. We own all that acreage. ”
“That’s a fantastic idea,” Logan said. “A real money-maker too.”
“Yeah, and even when the barn was up and running, you had to drive home afterward. Everyone always complained about that.”
“We’ll talk to Lyle about a timeline ASAP.”
“So, you takin’ Tess to the Sun’s Out, Fun’s Out Festival?”
“The what now?” Logan pushed his ear toward Max.
“It’s a community event thing.” Max chuckled. “Like what you Texans might call a hoedown.” He laid on an exaggerated, thick southern accent, causing Logan to laugh.
“Are you makin’ fun of the way I talk?”
“No, sir.”
It was good to see Max smile. Even if it was at Logan’s expense.
“Town’s got somethin’ goin’ just about every month,” he said. “So if you miss this one, there’ll be another soon enough. The Fall Festival or the Holly Jolly Jamboree.”
“Right,” Logan said. “Besides that, any ideas on things to do around town?”
“Dating in Green Valley Falls is tough. Unless you’re into cow tipping or snipe hunting, there isn’t much to do.”
“I’ll work on it.” Logan tapped his pen on his hand. “Hey, do we need to run the idea of building an event venue by anyone? I noticed there’s a city council meeting tonight.”
Max thought for a second. “That’s actually a great idea. We’ll need official permits, of course, but getting the people’s sign-off is almost more important. We could bring it up under ‘new business’ tonight just to get it on everyone’s radar and promise more details later.”
“Sounds good. So, can you come? Do you have someone to watch Lilly?”
“I’ll just bring her,” Max said. “And the beer too. Meetings aren’t as formal as you might think.”
“Okay, well, I’ll prepare a statement.”
“Don’t put too much into it.” Max stood. “Like I said, it’s a pretty casual affair.” He waved on his way out.
This was perfect. Logan could use the cover of proposing a conference center to scope out GVF’s business atmosphere—hopefully figure out why the seller wanted to keep The Outpost. Then he and Coop could make a decision about the counteroffer and get this deal back on track.
When he texted Tess to tell her he had to attend a city council meeting that night, she surprised him by saying she’d be there too. He wondered why, but would find out soon enough.
He and Max put in a full day’s work, and then he showered and cleaned up.
Max’s description as “casual” had been an understatement. Logan wore dark jeans, a button-up shirt with sleeves rolled to his elbows, and his nice cowboy boots, but still felt completely overdressed. One woman wore a bathrobe!
Logan was ten minutes early for the meeting, but looked like thirty minutes late to the party.
Apparently, meetings were a BYOB event. In the corner, someone had left a stack of red Solo cups, a carton of orange juice, and a bottle of Smirnoff on a table.
Tess walked toward it, and Logan followed her.
“Don’t mind if I do-skis,” she said, pouring a splash of alcohol into a half cup of juice. She turned and held up the glass to the woman in the bathrobe. “Thanks, Mrs. Hayes.”
“You betcha, honey.” The woman raised her own cup in a toast.
“This place is happenin’,” Logan said. “First city council meeting I’ve been to where there’s an open bar.”
“You won’t get through the evening without at least one of these,” Tess said with a smile.
“Max is bringing beer. I’ll hold out for that. So, what brings you here?”
“Moral support for Faith,” Tess said, nodding to her friend, who was on the other side of the room talking with a tall, thick-necked man with a terrible comb-over. “She wants to put a rooftop bar on the bookstore and needs a tweak in the Main Street zoning rules to do it. What about you?”
“Max is thinking about building an event center at the inn. We’re here to float the idea. Who’s Faith talking to?”
“That’s Mayor Perkins. Gotta stay on good terms with him to get what you want around here.”
“Thanks for the tip.”
Max came up behind them, Lilly in his arms. Logan greeted them both and took the beer Max offered after setting Lilly on a nearby chair.
“All right, all right,” the mayor yelled. “Find a seat, and let’s get started.”
Mayor Perkins sat at the head table, flanked by a man on one side and a woman on the other. Presumably, they were the extent of the council. He called the meeting to order, and everyone quieted.
“Let’s see,” the councilwoman to the left of the mayor said. “We’ve got a list of people who got somethin’ to say. Martha, you’re up first. What’s on your mind?”
“This is the fourth time I’ve been here to complain about Walter still having his Christmas lights up. It’s July, for God’s sake.”
“It’s not like I turn ’em on,” Walter said. “I’m too old to be climbin’ around on the roof. You want me falling off a ladder?”
“They’re ugly,” Martha said.
“I’ll call the scouts,” Mayor Perkins said. “See if they can come by and help you, Walter. That work?”
Martha nodded, and Walter shrugged. “Fine.”
“Next,” the councilwoman said. “Ramona?”
“I have two complaints,” Ramona, who Logan guessed to be in her nineties, said. “First one’s about the stripper class. Why are we offering pole dancing at the rec center? It’s scandalous.”
Mayor Perkins frowned, looked to his right, then to his left, both council members shaking their heads. “Anyone know anything about this?” he asked.
“I got the Parks and Rec summer catalog right here,” Ramona said, holding up a pamphlet. “Says, ‘Adult dancing and fitness class. Tuesdays and Thursdays at seven.’ We get strippers, next come the hookers.”
“That don’t mean strippin’, Ramona,” a woman in the back called. “It just means it’s for adults as opposed to kids. It’s just regular dancin’, Piper’s daughter is teachin’ it.”
“Oh,” Ramona said, suddenly less indignant. “Well, in that case, I guess I don’t mind. Long as it’s not that dirty kind of dancing.”
“What else ya got, Ramona?”
“Vandalism. There’s a sign, just this side of the city limits, that’s supposed to say ‘no trucks.’ Someone scratched out the T and morphed the R into an F.”
It took everyone a second, but the snickering indicated most had figured it out.
“Probably just kids messin’ around,” she continued. “But it’s vulgar and doesn’t reflect on the town too well.”
“I’ll make a request to have the transportation department get it replaced. Thank you for letting us know.” The mayor jotted a note on a pad. “That it?”
Logan turned to Tess and raised an eyebrow, asking if this was real.
“Oh, we’re just getting started,” she mumbled. “Saddle up.”
“Moving on.” The mayor glanced at the list in front of him. “Rosa?”
“Zeke’s been stealing my newspaper.” She thrust a finger at another man, who startled and then turned red.
“I…I…” the man stammered, obviously guilty and embarrassed about being caught. “I always put it back.”
“After you read it,” Rosa said. “And I know you take it in the bathroom. I pay for it. It’s my paper. I shouldn’t have to settle for a used, poop paper.”
“Gross.” “That’s disgusting.” “Poop paper?”
Lilly giggled. Everyone else moaned, including Logan. Any hope of getting serious information about the town’s business climate skedaddled right out the door.
“What is happening?” Logan asked.
Tess covered her face with her hands, hanging and shaking her head. “Don’t ask. Just keep drinking.” Taking her own advice, she downed a healthy swig from her cup.
The meeting went on this way for another thirty minutes.
Complaints ranged from rogue goats feasting on the neighbor’s azaleas to garbage cans on the wrong side of the property line.
A drunk neighbor driving his tractor to town.
Someone’s tree house with a direct line of sight into a child’s bedroom.
Stolen recipes. Late-night lawn mowing. Unpicked up dog poop.
A virtual smorgasbord of petty, small-town grievances.
Finally, they got to new business, and Faith made her pitch for a rooftop space above her store.
“During the day, we’ll serve sodas and smoothies, and in the evenings, wine and beer. Picture cozy chairs, sun umbrellas, patio lights, and propane fire pits.”
“Why not coffee?” someone asked.
“I don’t wanna hurt the Rise and Grind’s business,” Faith explained.
“That’s awful nice of ya,” a voice grumbled from the back.
“There won’t be no nude sunbathing up there, will there?” Ramona asked.
Faith shook her head. “No, ma’am. Just a comfortable place to read a book. Totally G-rated.”
When it was finally Logan’s turn, he barely got his name out before he was interrupted.
“Who’re you?” A bald man in the front asked. “Never seen ya before in my life.”
“You the new guy in town? The one after Tessy?” This from the woman who’d opposed the stripper class.
“Stand down,” Max said. “He’s with me. We’re here to propose a new event center. I want to build one next to the inn. We’ll get all the permits and stuff, just wanted to toss around the idea so y’all don’t freak out later.”
“I love the idea,” Rosa said. “Since Faith burned down the old barn, there hasn’t been a place for big gatherings.”
“Hey!” Faith exclaimed. “It wasn’t my fault it burned.”
“It was your wedding.”
“I support it too,” Tess said, obviously trying to head off another meaningless argument. “It would be great to have lodging so close to the venue. Helps with out-of-town guests and might discourage drinking and driving. Right, Nick? I mean, Sheriff?”
“Tess is right,” Nick said. “There were issues with increased DUIs after events at the barn.”
“Sounds like somethin’ we can decide on later,” the mayor said. “If there’s no more new business?” He waited a few seconds. “Great. Meeting adjourned.”
Logan looked at Max, who shrugged. “That’s about how I figured this would go.”
Not one word about taxes, regulations, or zoning rules. It was the strangest city council meeting he’d ever been to. And yet, he walked away smiling.
“Pie?” Tess asked.
“Yes, please,” Logan said.
“We’re meeting at Karla’s. See you there.”
He spent the evening laughing with Tess and her friends. They’d driven separately, so he’d had to settle for only a kiss goodbye.
Later, Logan realized he’d gotten nowhere on his mission to find out more about the local business climate. Which meant he was no closer to having a recommendation for Cooper on what to do about The Outpost.
The counteroffer expired in five days, so he was running out of time. And while he was thrilled to have moved out of the friend zone with Tess, that only complicated matters.
Cooper’s idea of rummaging through her office crossed his mind, but he wasn’t that desperate—yet. He would try talking to her first. And if that didn’t work? Well, he’d cross that bridge when he came to it.