16. Theo
16
THEO
I snap the resort plans closed. I’ve been looking at the plan that excludes Building C, the plan that means Mia has her bed and breakfast right next to us. I’m trying to accept the fact that she’s not willing to sell.
I’ve come to a point where I have to decide. Either I continue to pursue the resort, or I give it up. From what I’ve seen from Mia, continuing to pursue the resort’s larger plans means she will only dig her heels in further.
But if I give up, I’m going to have to inform my business partner, Steve, that plans have changed, and we won’t be making as much money as I thought we would. I’m actually worried that with the number of guest rooms currently possible, we would have to hike the price up so far that we might charge too much for our target market.
After staring at the pages for so long, I know it’s time to get outside and clear my head. It’s a cloudy day which means the sun isn’t beating down too hard, and walking on the beach will clear my head.
I kick my shoes off and put on the sandals I keep under my desk for just such an occasion.
The sound of the waves is soothing, and the breeze is cool against my skin. I take deep breaths of the salty air, hoping it will help me think more clearly.
My thoughts are still racing, but maybe they are moving a little bit more slowly now. I don’t feel as overwhelmed as I did before. This is a property and an investment, and even if it’s not going to be as great as it could have been, I may just have to accept that and change my focus to another property on Oak Island.
As I walk, I stare at the ground, picking up little details like a collection of seashells just past the water line, a name that someone scribbled in the sand, and tiny footprints heading down to the water.
“Theo!”
My head jerks up at the sound, and I realize someone standing partway in the water is calling my name.
I don’t really remember her face, but her blue hair is distinctive. It’s one of Mia’s friends. She was there that night at the bar, encouraging Mia and me to “kiss and make up.”
She gives me a small wave then motions for me to join her. I’m wearing jeans, so I wasn’t planning on wading in the water, but I don’t want to be rude.
I imagine the conversation she would have with Mia if I were to just keep on walking. “I saw that guy at the beach today,” she would say. “He pretended he didn’t recognize me. Mia, you can’t trust him. He’s rude. You should never even look at him again.”
Reluctantly. I slosh through the water until half of my calves are wet and stand next to Mia’s blue-haired friend.
“Stella,” she says, offering her hand.
“Theo,” I reply, shaking her offered hand. “But then, you clearly already know my name.”
Stella flashes a smile before turning and looking back out over the ocean. It’s a bit rough today, the waves slapping each other angrily as they smack the shore again and again.
“What brings you out here?”
I glance down the beach in the direction I was walking. It’s a pretty busy day with lots of people walking up and down the sand. There are a couple of dogs trotting along happily with their owners. “Just needed to clear my head,” I finally reply.
Neither one of us speaks for a minute. This is a very awkward conversation. Stella acted like she wanted to talk to me. She waved me toward her like she wanted to get to know me a little bit, but now, here we stand not saying anything.
It’s peaceful if I close my eyes. I can almost imagine I’m here by myself, but I don’t know how to slosh back out of the water with my wet jeans without seeming rude. I wish I had walked closer to the dunes, then Stella wouldn’t have seen me. I could have avoided this whole awkward situation.
Finally, Stella breaks the silence. “So, what’s going on with you and Mia?” she asks, turning to look at me. She crosses her arms, and now, her eyes are studying me intently.
It’s my turn to look out over the water even as she continues to study my jawline and face. I hesitate. “Nothing really. Just trying to figure out this resort situation.”
She raises an eyebrow. “Really? Because it seems like there might be more to it than that. I thought the resort thing was already figured out. Mia isn’t interested in selling. She wants to open a bed and breakfast.”
I sigh, knowing I can’t hide my feelings as well as I’d like. I do have to be careful with what I say, though, because anything I say could be used against me. I have to assume Stella will tell Mia anything. “Mia’s pretty set on keeping her bed and breakfast. I’ve tried to convince her to sell, but she won’t budge.”
Stella nods thoughtfully. “Mia’s stubborn, that’s for sure. But there’s more to her than just being stubborn. She cares a lot about that place. It’s not just a business to her, you know. It would be like if someone insisted on buying your home, wherever you live. Sometimes, it’s just not worth it because it’s sentimental.”
I think about my home. I’m spending most of my time at this resort now. It makes it easier to get up and continue working on it. Steve is more hands-off, but he also has properties in other states. For me, I’ve thrown my all into this project. If someone came along and offered to buy my house, not only for a fair price but above market value, I would sell for sure. Why not?
But I don’t think Stella will understand, so I just nod. “I know it means a lot to her. I figured that out after she said no multiple times. I just… I really thought the resort could be something great.”
“It could be, but maybe you need to think about why it’s so important to you. Is it just about the money, or is there something else? Actually, when I found out what you were doing, I was really excited. It would be cool to have a casino, even if it’s small, right here in Oak Island, but…my friend matters more to me than a casino. I guess that’s what I’m saying. Do you actually care about Mia? I don’t mean romantically, but just even as a friend?”
I nod. Of course I do.
“Then, let it go. Invest somewhere else. You know, Theo, Mia’s been through a lot. She’s had to fight for what she has. This house gave her an out from a situation she wasn’t happy in. It’s not my place to tell you the details, but this is her chance to do something on her own. Respect that.”
“I do respect her. I just want to find a way for both of us to get what we want. I don’t think trying to find a compromise is a bad thing.”
Stella smiles softly. “Well, I’m just warning you. You need to be careful. Mia’s got friends who will have her back, no matter what. If you hurt her, you’ll have to deal with all of us. And let me tell you, the Spinsters’ Society is a crazy group.”
“The what-what?” I ask, whipping my head toward her.
Stella bursts out laughing. “I wasn’t supposed to say that out loud. Forget you heard anything.”
I wrinkle my nose at her, but Stella continues to feign innocence. Finally, I shrug. “I wouldn’t hurt Mia.” But then, I realize that I might. I might already be doing it. Not intentionally of course, but I might be hurting her by the way I am persistently bothering her with this resort idea.
Am I ready to give up the idea of the bigger resort completely?
Stella pats my arm reassuringly. “Just be honest with her. And with yourself. If you really like her, let her know. But don’t push too hard. She needs to know she can trust you.”
I nod again, feeling a little more grounded. “Thanks, Stella. I appreciate it.” And I do. She’s given me some good insight into Mia and what Mia needs.
She smiles and waves then turns and begins sloshing through the water in the opposite direction of my resort. I watch her go, thinking about what she said. Maybe she’s right. Maybe I need to take a step back and think about what’s really important.
As I walk back toward the house in my soaked jeans, I feel a little more at ease. The resort is still on my mind, but now, I’m also thinking about Mia, about what she wants, about how we can find a way to make things work. Maybe it’s not just about the resort.
Maybe it’s about Mia and me. I don’t want to do anything that would mean I lose her.