Chapter 5 #2
The bell over the door jingled and a woman walked in, her gaze locking on Grace immediately.
“There you are!” The slender woman beamed as she walked straight for them, sunlight dancing in her golden hair.
She stuck out her hand to Cal. “Holly Brooks, editor of the Brookwell Bugle.” She pointed to the logo on her shirt. “Sorry to interrupt.”
“No problem. Calvin Lynwood,” he said, shaking her hand.
“A pleasure,” Holly replied. She turned to Grace. “I wanted to talk to you and Connie about legacy seats on the festival committee. Do you have some time today?”
Grace nodded. “I need to get the shop open, but swing by anytime and we can talk.”
“Great. I’ll be over once I get Connie’s thoughts on the issue.” The slender woman turned to him, her vivid blue eyes dancing. “And I’ll catch up with you and Levi later this week.”
“Okay.” Whatever served Levi’s plans, Cal was on board.
The woman turned away, aiming for the counter.
“She’s a whirlwind,” Cal murmured.
Grace agreed. “And another good friend. Have a good day.”
“One second.” He gathered up his strudel and coffee, trailing after her. “Should I expect a hard-hitting interview?” he asked, when they were out on the sidewalk.
“Of course not.”
“Just in case.” He fell into step beside her. “Levi’s business interests brought me here.”
Once more her gaze darted to the coffee shop across the street. “So you’ve said.”
“But also…” He hesitated. He never shared client details without permission. “Um. Is there more than one festival committee?” Maybe this wouldn’t be an issue at all.
“Sure. We have a fall festival that grows each year. And there’s the holiday block party, too. But Holly was talking about the annual Brookwell Music Festival in August. First meeting is tomorrow night.”
Hearing the steel creeping into her voice, he realized she must already know what he wasn’t telling her. It wasn’t about hiding the truth, just softening the blow. And maintaining discretion for his client.
“Oh, sure,” he said, going for casual coincidence.
He didn’t want to annoy her or give her a reason to doubt him.
“Levi is a major sponsor this year. Totally invested in the community. He brought me in to help fine-tune a comprehensive marketing strategy. We’re presenting a slate of new ideas to the committee president and treasurer this afternoon. ”
The smile fell right off her face and her eyebrows snapped into a sharp frown. “But the kick-off meeting for this year’s festival is tomorrow.”
“The hope is to show a comprehensive strategy at tomorrow’s meeting and get everyone onboard with the fresh ideas for significant growth.”
“I see.” Her voice turned chilly. They’d reached the shop and she pulled the key out of her purse. “Well, that’s going to make things interesting.”
It was as if she’d dropped a wall between them. Wary, he asked, “How so?”
“Because.” Her eyes flashed with cold fire.
“The Beach Belle has a legacy committee seat, as long as the business remains in the family. This year, I’m not only on the festival committee, I’m the chair for local outreach and small-business partnership.
” She paused, a challenge in her gaze. “So, Calvin Lynwood, your firm’s comprehensive strategy is likely going to clash spectacularly with my local, independent vision for the number one annual event in Brookwell. ”
Her declaration landed like a punch. He should’ve known that, but her being the chairperson hadn’t shown up in his research. Now it was him against her—at least in her mind. The last thing he wanted was to be at odds with competing ideas and dueling expertise.
If she kept glaring at him like an enemy, she’d never let him help her. She wasn’t just the one that got away. Now, she was the one who stood directly in his professional path.
“I disagree.” He heard the professional edge creeping into his voice.
“We don’t have to clash at all.” Her auburn eyebrows shot upward.
Challenge accepted. “My plan—Levi’s plan—is focused on expanding the festival’s regional reach, maximizing ticket pre-sales, and bringing in a younger, more affluent demographic. ”
“Mm-hm. And mine,” Grace countered, leaning in with a fierceness that tempted him more than it warned him off, “is focused on supporting the community, ensuring the local vendors are prioritized, and preserving the small-town charm that attracts people here to the island in the first place.”
The air crackled between them. It wasn’t the sweet tension of a long-overdue reconnection with the possibility of a romance.
No, this was the intoxicating high-stakes conflict of competition.
He saw the challenge in her eyes, and suddenly, winning the argument, and maybe winning her back, became the only two things that mattered.
Something loosened in his chest, and it felt as if he could breathe deeply for the first time in years. He smiled. “Game on, Teague.”
She met his gaze, her own lips curving into a smile that was equal parts defiance and delight. “You better believe it, Lynwood.”
Then she turned her back and walked into her shop, flipping the sign to open.
He nearly followed her in, catching himself at the last second. Better to let her temper fade before he tried to suggest anything. He only had a few hours until his meeting with Levi, and after that, about twenty-four hours before he’d be facing off with Grace again, this time in public.
If he didn’t have the right answers or counterpoints to satisfy her concerns by then, he’d be fighting an unwinnable battle for sure.