by Rebecca York
“Just answer my questions.”
“Either Scott took their money, or they don’t want to see this property turned into the pool area for a condo association, closing it off from the rest of the Riverwalk.” Levi narrowed the gap, leaning against the bar. The sunrays peeked through the bushes where he’d managed to trim. A motorboat filled with laughing girls trolled by. A fishing boat with a single man and his dog eased by in the other direction. A group of kayakers headed across the inlet. Everything she envisioned was unfolding right in front of her eyes.
If she concentrated carefully, she could picture people milling about on a sandy floor, drinking and laughing while a country band played on the stage. The moon would dance on the Intracoastal waters and the light from the Jupiter Lighthouse would guide the boats through the inlet and right to her docks. This could be the “it place” for cocktails, live music, and bar food. Not a sit-down experience, but a casual atmosphere where you could kick back and chill.
“I wasn’t lying when I said I didn’t have any money to pay people to work here right now. I’m not even sure how I’m going to hire a staff for opening week.”
“Like I said, I’ll work for free boat storage, and I’m happy to be a bouncer, which you will need, especially on weekends. I’m also a good bartender.”
“Well, aren’t you freaking Prince Charming.”
“Not even close. I just like to keep busy, but more importantly, I’d love to see anyone who got taken by that scumbag, Scott, rise to the top, in spite of that asshole.”
She bit down on her fingernail. No way could she admit how badly she needed his rent money. Without it, she wouldn’t be able to pay her electric bill, much less buy food. Right now, she was looking at having to find a job, and selling this place seemed like her only answer.
And to know there was a buyer?
Eliana needed to at least entertain that idea.
Fuck, that meant admitting defeat to her ex-husband. Well, she didn’t have to call him up and tell him, and she doubted he would take the time since he was too busy banging his new fiancé.
“I need to think about it, okay?”
“What’s to think about? You either want to make a go of it. Or you don’t.”
“It’s not that simple,” she said behind gritted teeth. Why did most men think everything was black or white? Some decisions needed time to percolate before coming to a conclusion. She needed to weigh the pros and cons, but she couldn’t do that until she understood what this Stephanie woman might offer.
“Do you have your liquor license and all that in order?” he asked as if this were no big deal. As if she could wave some sort of magic wand and poof, everything would magically be taken care of and her restaurant would be a huge success.
“I do, but that’s not the point. Besides being out a shit-ton of money. There is no way I’m going to get tables and bars and everything else I need in three weeks to get this party started. Best case, I push out the opening. But before I make any decisions, I want to hear what this Stephanie chick has to say.”
“No. You don’t.”
“How dare you tell me what I want or don’t want.” She pounded the counter. Her fist went through the rotted wood. “Fuck,” she mumbled.
He raced to her side. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” She shrugged from his kind embrace, shaking out her hand. Redness formed on her knuckles. Her fingers throbbed, but not half as much as her pulse pounded between her ears. “I have every right to hear this woman’s offer.”
“She’ll take advantage of the situation and try to steal this place from you at a ridiculously low price.”
“That’s it. Get out.” She pointed to the parking lot and then remembered he also had a boat, so she changed her direction to the Morning Wood. “Drive away or float away. I don’t care. But my business is none of your concern, and I don’t want your help. Or any of your friends. Oh. And I expect your rent check on the first of the month, or there will be a five percent late fee.”
Levi took two steps back, holding his hands high as if someone were holding a shotgun to his head. “I didn’t mean to insult you. Far from it.” He glanced at this watch. “I need to head over to my buddy’s. You’ve got my number if you change your mind. I’ve got charters every morning for the rest of this week, so you can always catch me at my boat in the afternoon.” He snagged his shirt and pulled it over his head. “I’ll leave the gardening tools. There is a closet behind the east bar you can store them in. Whenever you’re done with them, I’ll take them home.”
She opened her mouth, but before she could form any words, he turned on his heels and stomped through the main opening and into the parking lot, not once looking back.
Wow. Just wow.
What a piece of work.
Nice-looking piece of work, but still, he was presumptuous, egotistical, and a Neanderthal.
That was exactly what she’d divorced.
Her phone vibrated in her back pocket. Reaching for it, she wondered who the hell would be calling her on Thanksgiving.
Gino.
“Hello?” She shouldn’t have answered the call, but she knew if she hadn’t, he would have kept calling until she did.
Or worse. He would have called the cops, worried she did something crazy because he didn’t think she was capable of being happy on her own.
“Happy turkey day. Are you in Florida?”
“I am. What do you want?” She tucked the cell between her ear and shoulder while she wrangled with some weeds. She hated that Levi had done such a fabulous job of clearing the area. She would have suggested doing everything he had, and that got under her skin. Worse, she couldn’t tell if he was being a controlling asshole or was actually one of those rare men she’d heard about but had never met.
Except for her father. They broke the mold when they had made him.
“I’m worried about you all alone down there. Carrie said it would have been fine for you to join us today.”
Eliana laughed. Like she was going to have Thanksgiving dinner with her ex and his future wife. “I’m doing great. I’m standing in the middle of my new restaurant staring at the water while the sun beats down on my face. Life doesn’t get any better.”
“So, you’re ready for your grand opening?”
“I sure am. Grand opening is the week before Christmas. It’s going to be epic.” She nearly choked on her own lie. But what difference did it make?
“Wonderful. Carrie and I were thinking about taking a trip down there for New Year’s, and we’d love to see the place.”
Eliana dropped the phone. “Shit,” she mumbled. Bending over, she snagged the cell. “Why would you come here?” Next time her ex-husband called, she’d send him straight to voicemail.
“Carrie’s roommate from college lives in Ft. Lauderdale.”
“That’s an hour south, so don’t bother coming this far north,” she said, not hiding her anger. “We’re divorced. You’re getting remarried. I’m moving on. I don’t want to see you or have anything to do with you ever again. Have I made myself clear?”
“Wow. You’re in a bad mood.”
“Because you put me in one. Now I’ve got some friends waiting on me. We’re doing Thanksgiving on the sandbar. Kind of a tradition down here.” She plopped herself on a rusty stool and stared at Levi’s boat. For a fishing vessel, it certainly was shiny and clean. “Gino, lose my number.” She set her phone on her lap and pressed her hands against her cheeks. Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply, letting the air out slowly. She refused to let the tears flow.
Ten years ago, she’d been so naive to think that she’d married well, and not just because her husband came from one of the richest families in the entire state of Vermont, but because she thought he truly loved her.
But he only loved how she looked draped on his arm. She’d been a prop for him to parade around, but only when needed. She wasn’t supposed to work or have a meaningful life outside of serving him. Only, she hadn’
t realized that until after she’d said I do.
Chapter Four
Eliana paced in the parking lot. She’d spent Thanksgiving evening having one too many glasses of wine. Numbing her broken heart. Not over her ex-husband, but over the fact she’d been unable to piece her life back together. This had been her do-over, and she’d failed.
Big time.
Friday, she’d spent the day doing research between job opportunities. She’d found three potential management positions and had secured interviews for Monday. Then she went about Googling Stephanie Peters. Something about the woman’s smile put Eliana on high alert. She chalked it up to the things Levi had said the other day.
She raised up on tiptoe, but his boat was nowhere to be found.
Damn. She really needed to get him off her mind. When she’d pulled in this morning, she half expected to see him working on something. What frustrated the hell out of her had been the fact she’d been disappointed he hadn’t done a single thing around Castaways.
A red convertible rolled to a stop. A tall woman wearing a short skirt, high heels, and way too much makeup stepped from the vehicle. “You must be Eliana. It’s so nice to meet you. I’m Stephanie.” She tucked a folder under her arm and stretched out her hand. “Is there a place we can sit down and talk?”
“I’ve cleared a place by the docks.” Well, actually, Levi had done that, but Stephanie didn’t need to know that. However, Eliana had taken the time to bring out a new table, a couple of nice folding chairs, a few placemats, as well as a small tray of cheese and crackers, and of course, a pitcher of champagne and juice.
“I’m shocked that the previous owner up and left. This place sat for months before it went up for sale. What kind of dealings did you have with Jerkins?”
“It was pretty cut and dry. I made an offer. He countered. I accepted. We signed the contract.” Eliana led the way down the path she’d cleared yesterday. She’d managed to hide all the mangled tables and chairs behind the west bar. Not that it mattered. The place still looked like it had been hit by a hurricane and then deserted.
“So, tell me. Why haven’t you done anything with the place yet? I mean, you’ve owned it for what, three months?”
“About that.” No way would Eliana admit to being taken by Scott. Of course, Stephanie might already know that juicy piece of information, but Eliana wasn’t going to put it out there. Not unless she had to, and she couldn’t come up with a valid reason to do so. “Levi tells me you’re interested in buying Castaways on the Inlet.”
Stephanie took a seat at the table facing the water. She fixed herself a plate of food. “Not me, but I have a client who would love to make you an offer.”
“Why didn’t they make that offer to Jerkins?” Eliana poured two mimosas before taking her seat across from Stephanie. She hated having her back to the water, but that’s how she’d set up the table, and Stephanie was her guest; she deserved the view.
“To be totally transparent, Jerkins turned their offer down. Two days later, Jerkins accepted yours. We let it go, looking at different locations until the mobile home park down the road changed management, subsequently went on the market, and my client bought up the land.”
“And what does your client plan on doing with the mobile park?” Eliana shouldn’t care about the people living in the trailer park and whether or not they might be displaced. All that mattered was her bottom line and her future.
“He plans on building townhouses, and he will honor all the rentals.”
“Does anyone own?”
“All leases and while rent will be raised, it won’t be outrageous.” Stephanie picked up a cracker and daintily placed a square of cheese on it as if she were the queen. She laid it gently on her tongue and chewed. She sat up tall, sticking her chest out. “I would have gone for New York cheddar, but Vermont works nice.”
“I’m impressed you can tell the difference.”
“I’m a cheese snob,” Stephanie said, pointing toward the Jupiter Lighthouse. “Looks like you’ve been clearing out the overgrowth. Am I wasting my time here? I thought I made it quite clear I had a client who wanted to make you an offer.”
Direct and to the point. That was a trait Eliana could get on board with. “I’m willing to hear the offer, but that doesn’t mean I will take it. I honestly hadn’t planned on selling Castaways.”
“Would you continue with the restoration? Because no way could you do it by the end of the year. Six months from now, maybe. But really, Castaways has always struggled. It’s the last bar on the row; it’s never served anything other than drunk food, and the live music has never been great. Castaways has had three owners in the last ten years. Personally, I think it’s time for a change. Put in some townhouses and condos, and along with some high-end shopping, this area will be booming like it should be.”
Eliana sipped her mimosa and glanced over her shoulder, enjoying the boats cruising up and down the waterway. How could this spot be a dud when the restaurant right next door had steady traffic? Castaways should capitalize on people waiting for tables at other establishments and attracting those who already finished their meals and were looking to extend their evening with a few more cocktails and a good band.
“In your opinion, why has this particular restaurant always had a rough time of it?”
“Too many reasons to list, but if you check out all the other restaurants on this side of the street, they all have indoor and outdoor seating. They all have a bar menu as well as a full dinner selection. It’s all about dining out with family and friends and enjoying the beautiful view. The other side of the street is all about the music and the cocktails and the view just isn’t as good.”
“So, what you’re saying is if someone turned this into a fine dining establishment, then it would thrive.”
Stephanie tossed her hair over her shoulder and laughed. “Oh, honey, you’re missing the point, and no. There are too many as it is. Jumbo Gump next door is struggling to make a profit, and even during season, they almost never have more than a half-hour wait time where Claim Bake will have a two-hour wait.” Stephanie leaned closer. “My client is making Jumbo Gump an offer they can’t refuse.”
“How much of the waterfront does your client plan on buying?”
“From Jumbo down to the office park.”
That was a lot of prime waterfront land, and she could only imagine what a condo or townhouse would go for with a view like this one. “Has anyone else sell to him?”
“I’m not at liberty to discuss the details outside of the mobile home park.” Stephanie leaned back with a smug grin. She crossed her arms across her chest. “But I’m confident that next year at this time, the landscape of the Riverwalk will be very different.”
“Why is it that some of the locals are so against condos here?” Eliana shouldn’t care. This wasn’t her hometown. She had no ties to the community, but she found herself wanting to do the right thing.
Whatever that was.
Bottom line, Eliana needed to feel good about her decision.
“At first, they didn’t want the Riverwalk, and now they all love it. People don’t like change. That’s all, but honestly, the majority of the community wants this new project to happen.”
“There has to be more to it than that,” Eliana said, setting her glass on the table. “So tell me, what exactly will go in Castaways’ spot.”
Stephanie jumped to her seat with a bright smile. “Picture this.” She spread her arms wide as she made her way toward the center bar. “A big infinity pool right here with a bar. Behind it a restaurant and tiki hut that would be open to the public.”
“Wait. I thought you said that something like that would fail in this location.”
“By itself, it absolutely would. But we’re talking about a major complex here.” Stephanie stepped toward the waterfront and then turned and faced the street. “You have to first picture the waterfront without the structures and then build up in your mind. Nothing would be higher than four s
tories, and those would be all the way back at the road. And right here would be a small but very posh and elite hotel.” Stephanie turned. “Have you been to Singer Island?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“They have hotels and condos intermixed with restaurants, but they are all high-rises. This would feel very different. It would be homey. As if you were just hanging out in the backyard with your besties.”
“What about the Riverwalk? Once you clear out all this brush, the walkway will be open again.”
Stephanie waggled her finger. “That’s the secret weapon. We move the walk around the back and through some shops, and around over by the far end bar toward the docks. That way this area is private, and the view to the water isn’t obstructed by people, and we drive traffic to where want it to go.”
“Will the town of Jupiter just let you move the walk like that?” Eliana couldn’t envision anything other than what she had imagined her grand opening would have been like with two bouncers sitting under the big arch at the main entrance. She’d have all three bars open with at least three bartenders behind each one. She would lift the stage so the band could be seen better. To the far north end, she would have a small covered area that would have a seated area with a waitress for patrons who wanted a sit-down dining experience with a couple more options other than bar food. Her heart fluttered with excitement before plummeting to the pit of her stomach and drowning in the acid being churned up by her failure.
Stephanie nonchalantly waved her hand. “The town has seen parts of the plan. It will be approved once we have all the properties lined up. Besides, they will just be happy that this has all finally been taken care of.”
Eliana had two notices sitting on her desk from the town, demanding that she make sure the pathway was clear from any obstructions or face a fine. She didn’t understand town politics enough to know if it was even plausible to move the Riverwalk, but it didn’t matter because that had no bearing on her decision.
“Shall we talk numbers?” Stephanie asked.