Chapter 24
Quinn wrinkled her nose. “Your grandmother hung up on you?”
“She seemed distracted. I could hear Prissy in the background.”
“Yelling?”
“Honestly, I can’t be certain other than to say it sounded a little chaotic.”
“What a shame. Poor Prissy has gone downhill fast.”
“Grandmother thinks she’s been hiding how far her dementia has advanced for a while.” Brett helped her with her jacket, and the couple meandered out onto the sidewalk. “Thank you for a delicious dinner.”
“You’re welcome. What’s Tristan up to this evening?”
“Ben is teaching him how to polish Burnie, Grandmother’s hot rod. A couple of months ago, he wanted to be a cop. Now he wants to be a chauffeur.”
“Next month, he’ll want to join his dad and run the Easton Holdings empire,” she teased.
“I have no doubt. Did I already mention I’m giving him the grand tour of the offices and we’ll be spending a couple of nights in the penthouse?”
“You did, and I hope you two have a great time,” she said sincerely.
“Me too. He’s a good kid.” Brett brought up the Renaud siblings, and Quinn could tell that finding out they were picking on his son weighed heavily on his mind. The boy was dealing with a double whammy—being an Easton and the new kid in town.
Reaching downtown’s main street, the faint sound of drums, guitar, and a soloist echoed. Skirting the main entrance, the couple sneaked in through the back. A buddy of Brett’s noticed them and motioned them to their table.
Quinn ordered her drink and sat quietly listening to them banter back and forth. Small talk. Easy conversation. Friends hanging out, most of whom Brett had grown up with. It reminded her of the resort project, how it would alter their laid-back island lifestyle, potentially turning it upside down.
Imagine if Elizabeth, Brett, and Morgan agreed and the project moved forward. Residents would blame them if anything went wrong. Too much traffic? The Eastons fault. Expensive flights from the mainland? The Eastons. Long lines for the ferry? Again, the Eastons.
On the flip side, the family would also be blamed if the deal fell apart and the resort plans fell by the wayside. It would be their fault if the hospital, facilities, library, and public services missed out on much-needed tax revenue to improve life for the locals.
Either way, Quinn could see it being a lose-lose. To sum it up, the family couldn’t win, no matter what they decided.
A lot of weight rested on their shoulders. The last thing Elizabeth needed was to worry about this. She had her hands full dealing with Prissy’s declining health not to mention still adjusting to married life. So much for stepping back and working less.
Quinn forced the troubling thoughts from her mind. When push came to shove, they were united in their vision for Easton Holdings Company’s future as well as Easton Island. The tight-knit family would figure it out; she had no doubt.
All too soon the evening ended and the couple returned to Quinn’s rental cottage.
“Unfortunately, I can’t hang around. I have a meeting in the city tomorrow.”
“Did Elizabeth call you back?”
“No. She must’ve forgotten. She said she was working at the art gallery in the morning. Grandmother has changed her plans and will be here for a couple more days before she and Gerard head back to Toronto.”
“Hopefully, by then Prissy will have settled in,” Quinn said. “Travis has been stopping by in the afternoon which means there’s a pretty good chance she won’t run into him.”
“She’s been warned and is aware he’s lurking in the vicinity.”
Quinn placed her palms on his chest. “Are you sure you can’t stay?” She cast him a seductive gaze through lowered eyelids.
“As much as I would love to, I’ll have to take a rain check.” Brett pulled her into his arms and gently pressed his lips to hers. The kiss deepened, and all thoughts of work and worries fled her mind.
Finally, breathlessly, she pulled away. “It’s getting hot in here.”
“I had better go before it gets a lot hotter.” He kissed her soundly, promising to call her the following day.
Quinn watched him climb into his car and wave goodbye as he drove off. She closed the door and leaned against it.
A niggling in her mind made her think perhaps she should show up at the gallery in the morning. Travis Mason had his sights set on Elizabeth Easton-Ainsworth. He knew eventually—sooner or later—he would catch her there.
Quinn was betting on the sooner part.
*****
Quinn woke early after tossing and turning, her thoughts flitting from one worry to the next. Prissy, Brett, Tristan, Elizabeth, the resort and spa, not to mention Travis Mason.
She glanced at the clock, discovering she had plenty of time to take Esther for a leisurely morning stroll, sip coffee, check the weather, and get ready to head to the gallery.
The pup sat by the door patiently waiting for her to put her shoes and jacket on. Down the sidewalk and to the harbor they walked, where the Easton Island ferry was getting ready for its first trip of the day to the mainland.
Several passengers stood waiting to board. She gave a friendly wave to Captain Davey. Strolling past the businesses, they cut through a side street and finally returned home.
Breakfast consisted of a boiled egg, yogurt, and a piece of fruit eaten while standing at the kitchen counter. She finished her apple and tossed the core in the trash.
Breezing through her morning routine, Quinn showered and dressed before tracking down her furry companion.
With Esther by her side, the two walked to the gallery, only a short jaunt from her rental cottage.
Although she missed living with Morgan and hanging out, she loved her new location, not only close to work but also only steps away from shops, restaurants, and the harbor.
As Quinn drew closer to the gallery, she noticed the lights were on, but there was no sign of Burnie, Elizabeth’s car.
Thinking she may have parked out back, Quinn tried the doorknob and found it was locked. Reaching into her pocket, she removed her key and unlocked the door.
Soft classical music played from the overhead speakers, and Quinn could hear footsteps coming from the breakroom.
Not wanting to startle Elizabeth, she called her name as she crossed the showroom.
Her boss appeared, a puzzled look on her face. “Good morning, Quinn.”
“Good morning.”
“Did I miss something, an update to the schedule?”
“No. You were scheduled to work. Esther and I thought we would swing by and hang out.” Quinn hung her jacket on the hook. “How is Prissy?”
“That woman.” Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “What’s the phrase you young folks like to use? She’s a hot mess.”
Quinn chuckled. “I’m sure she’s keeping you on your toes.”
“Not only me but the entire Easton Estate household.” She tilted her head. “Back to why you’re here when you have the day off. Does this have anything to do with Travis Mason and the resort project?”
“It does.”
“Brett told me he’s eager to speak with me about the easement agreement he needs for the project to move forward.”
“Eager might be an understatement.” Quinn briefly filled her in on what had transpired, how Mason had been pointedly evasive until she called him out. “He’s been showing up every day at different times, mostly in the afternoon, looking for you.”
“His company sent a letter outlining its intentions. I ignored it.”
“I don’t think he plans on giving up.”
“They have money invested. I’m sure the partners are breathing down his neck, pushing him hard to get the deal done.”
“He asked me what I thought,” Quinn said.
“If I would go for it?” Elizabeth asked.
She nodded.
“What did you tell him?”
“You were no dummy and a savvy businesswoman. I also told him I had no idea whether you were interested in hammering out a deal.”
“I have my reservations and concerns.”
“Because a project of this magnitude will affect all of us. You. Me. Local businesses. Morgan’s bed-and-breakfast.”
“There are pluses and minuses.” Elizabeth sighed. “I knew this day would come. I suppose it’s best to get it over with.”
“While we wait, we had a few new pieces on consignment delivered. I was wondering where you thought we should put them.”
Quinn and her boss got to work sorting and arranging artwork. Although she had her own ideas about the optimal locations, Elizabeth was the seasoned expert. She had a knack and a flair that made the pieces “pop” and caught visitors’ eyes right off the bat.
They took a coffee break midway through the morning with no sign of Travis. Quinn was starting to think he would stick to his usual routine and not show up until the afternoon.
Customers arrived, and Elizabeth greeted them, walking them through the gallery and sharing information about the various pieces.
From her cubby in the corner, a movement caught Quinn’s eye. A familiar figure passed by the window and stopped in front of the door.
“I knew it,” she muttered under her breath. “I had a hunch he would show up this morning. It looks like Elizabeth will be forced to listen to his pitch after all.”