by Nina Lindsey
Aria had no idea what kind of security team Imperial employed, but given the size and reach of the company, she didn’t want to find out firsthand. She would never knowingly put her sister in harm’s way.
She wouldn’t tell Rory about Sinclair’s threats either. Her sister would either barge in and confront Sinclair herself or dare them to try and come after her.
No. Best to keep it all inside, festering and hot. Aria had learned how to lock up her dismay and confusion when she was with Steve. It was cold comfort to discover she still had the key.
Trust me.
Hunter had seemed as shocked about the Venture Resort as she had been. Juliette, too. Maybe Bruce really did intend to use the project as a “test” to determine his successor CEO.
If that was the case, then Hunter would win. He already had a foothold in Bliss Cove, and all signs pointed to him winning the Mariposa vote at the meeting tonight.
Aria was out of time. If she’d convinced any of her fellow business owners about the value of saving Mariposa Street, then they’d prove their support at the ballot box. If not—
Well. She wasn’t out yet. She’d studied and prepared for her debate with Hunter as if she were about to take the most important test of her life. She would give it everything she had, keeping her focus sharp on the issue and not thinking about the worst possible outcome.
After a hot shower, she dressed in a simple, A-line tunic dress with an embroidered bodice. She took off most of her rings and bracelets so they wouldn’t be a distraction and applied a light coating of makeup. The red amethyst Destiny had given her glowed at her neckline.
Picking up her notes, she walked downstairs and into the warm evening air. Crowds of people—more than they’d had in months—wandered Mariposa Street. Lights blazed from the Hotel Casa Grande.
“Aria!”
She turned, her heart jumping as her mother and Rory hurried toward her. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”
“Of course we wanted to be here.” Eleanor embraced her. “You look lovely. I know you’re going to do great.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Aria glanced hesitatingly at her sister. “Is Callie coming?”
A brief shadow crossed Rory’s face. “I haven’t heard from her, but I’m sure she’ll be here.”
“She wouldn’t miss this.” Eleanor brushed a piece of lint off Aria’s shoulder, her smile touched with sorrow. “Your father would be so proud of you.”
Aria’s throat tightened. “I hope so, Mom. I’m going to head over to get ready. I’ll see you both after the meeting, okay?”
“Best of luck, sweetie. We’ll be rooting for you.”
As Aria started toward the hotel, Rory caught up with her and grabbed her arm. “What’s going on? I didn’t want to worry Mom, but where have you been?”
“Just needed to get away.” Aria kept walking. “I’m sorry, Rory, but I need to focus on the debate. We’ll talk after the meeting, okay?”
Pulling away from her sister, she entered the old hotel with its plaster walls, warped floorboards, and old wooden desk. A platform stage had been set up against a wall, with folding chairs arranged in neat rows throughout the rest of the lobby. People were already beginning to fill the seats.
“Aria.”
She turned and blinked. “Destiny? What in the…”
“Right?” Her friend twirled around to show off her tweed suit and low pumps. She wore the single-breasted blazer over a white shirt pinned at the neckline with a gold rose. The skirt fell in a straight line to her knees, and she was even wearing nylons.
“Um. Wow.” Aria swept her gaze to Destiny’s long, raven curls, which were scraped back from her face and fastened into a tight chignon at the back of her head. “Where did you get that?”
“Rags to Riches. Annie helped me pick it out.” Destiny smoothed her skirt. “What do you think?”
“It’s definitely a change.”
“I’m hoping it’s more in line with what Joe is used to.” She nodded toward where the hardware store owner sat in the third row, studying the meeting agenda. “I’m going to accidentally run into him later and see if I can get him to talk to me.”
“Make sure he recognizes you first.” Aria hugged her friend. “You look beautiful.”
“You too, honey.” Destiny patted her cheek. “Good luck tonight.”
Aria headed toward the stage and ducked into the small alcove behind the curtain. Her pulse accelerated the instant before she realized Hunter was standing there, his head bent as he checked his phone.
When he glanced up, their eyes met with a sudden jolt that ricocheted through Aria’s entire body.
“Oh.” She backed up a step, unable to stop herself from drinking in the magnificence of him in a navy suit and perfectly knotted striped tie, his dark hair brushed away from his forehead. “I didn’t know you were here already.”
“I got in a couple of hours ago.” He slipped his phone into his pocket, tracking his gaze over her face. “Did you get my text?”
Her stomach twisted. “Yes.”
“I couldn’t…” He glanced behind him, his mouth tightening. He lowered his voice. “I couldn’t risk calling you. But I need to—”
“Hunter.” A woman’s voice, smooth and cool as silk, came from behind Aria before Juliette Sinclair walked backstage. “Hello, Aria.”
Managing to hide her surprise at the sight of the other woman, Aria nodded. “Juliette.”
“I believe they’re about to begin.”
“We’ll be right there.” Hunter’s tone indicated that she could leave.
Juliette gave a sharp nod and returned to the stage.
“Look.” Hunter let out his breath and dragged a hand through his hair, rumpling its glossy perfection. “I’m sorry everything got so fucked up. I didn’t know about the Venture project. Please believe me.”
“I do.” Aria swallowed past the constriction in her throat. “But that doesn’t change anything, does it? It’s not going to stop Imperial from going through with the resort, is it?”
His jaw clenched. “No.”
“This whole time, everyone has been telling me how big and powerful Imperial is, that I couldn’t possibly go up against the company’s billions of dollars.” Aria shook her head, suppressing an ache of longing. “Even you thought I couldn’t win. And deep inside, I’ve always known it was an uphill battle. So as much as I want to believe you could never succeed with something like the Venture Resort, I know that wishing and reality are two different things.
“When you tell Bliss Cove residents everything Bruce Sinclair said, about employment and revenue and all the benefits to the town, people will find that hard to pass up. Some will be against it. Some won’t. It will become a much bigger controversy than Mariposa Street ever was. It might even divide the town. And I…as much as I love what you and I have had, in some ways I wish you’d never come to Bliss Cove in the first place.”
Pain darkened his eyes. “I didn’t want to come here at first, but when—”
“I’d like to call the meeting to order!” Nico spoke into the microphone on the other side of the curtain.
“Aria.” Urgency threaded Hunter’s voice, and he curled his hand around her arm. “Trust me. Please.”
His gaze burned into hers for an instant before he released her. He turned and walked to the front of the stage, the curtain falling behind him. Chatter and rustling noises came from the lobby as people settled into their seats.
Aria closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She touched the red amethyst pendant. She’d trusted Hunter from the moment he helped rescue her mischievous runaway cat. She’d trusted him with her heart and her body. And in trusting him, she’d learned how to trust herself.
She tightened her fingers around the amethyst, then let it go. She pushed the curtain aside and stepped onto the stage. Folding chairs had been set up on either side of the podium, and a whiteboard was set up beside a large screen.
To the left, at Hunter’s side, sa
t Bruce and Juliette Sinclair, and three of the company lawyers. All five of them stared her down as she took her seat.
Aria schooled her expression into one of cool impassivity, even though anxiety clenched her nerves. Past the bright lights, she located her mother, Rory, and Destiny sitting in the third row. Brooke waved at her from the Press section, where she was the only reporter. All the seats were full, with several people standing in the back. Her nervousness intensified.
“Meeting called to order.” Nico thumped a gavel onto the podium and set a pair of reading glasses on his nose. “We’ll have a quick reading of minutes from the last meeting before getting to our main agenda item.”
As they waited through the reading of the minutes, Aria glanced at Hunter. In his tailored suit, with his sculpted profile, he looked untouchable and almost otherworldly, as if he belonged in a magazine ad. He shifted his gaze to hers. A current sparked between them.
Nico leaned toward the mic. “You’ve all been given a summary of the debate topic involving Mr. Hunter Armstrong, vice-president of Imperial Properties, and Miss Aria Prescott, owner of the Meow and Then Cat Café.”
He peered at his notes. “The debate format is as follows. Each party will present their opinion about the offer of sale issued by Imperial Properties and the proposal to build a multiuse complex known as Oceanview Plaza on the land currently occupied by the owners of Mariposa Street businesses. After each party speaks, they will have a chance to refute each other’s arguments. Then we’ll open the floor for questions before the Mariposa Business Association members place their votes.”
He paused to glance at Aria and Hunter. “Mr. Armstrong has given Miss Prescott the choice of whether she’d like to speak first or second.”
Aria blinked. She’d expected a coin toss. “I…I’ll go first, thank you.”
“The floor is yours, Miss Prescott.” With a slight bow, Nico descended the stage to sit in his reserved front-row seat.
Letting out her breath slowly, Aria approached the podium and adjusted the mic.
“I’d like to thank you all for being here,” she said. “As most of you know, Mariposa Street means a great deal to me, and it’s to my everlasting regret that as a community, we’ve allowed it to deteriorate to the point that a property development company is advocating the destruction of the entire district. But it is not too late. With your help, we can still save our town’s history and culture. To explain why this is so important, I’ll begin by telling you about my father.”
She opened her folder. Her chest tightened. Though her voice shook, she told the townspeople about the history lessons her father had taught her as they walked through Mariposa to the beach.
She talked about the indigenous settlements, the Spanish mission, the development of the fishing village and influx of people during the Gold Rush. She told them about the people who built and lived in the Mariposa buildings—Nellie Paxton-Smith, Christine Sterling, Robert Welford who’d turned the corner saloon into a grocery store, and the former printer’s shop that was now Al’s Bar.
“I recognize and appreciate Mr. Armstrong’s belief in the Oceanview project.” Aria felt Hunter’s gaze on her as if he were touching her. “And I concur that renovating Mariposa Street will take a great deal more effort and money than my petition and donation jar can provide.
“But I believe in this town. I believe we value our history more than we value revenue from chain retail stores and high-rise condos. I believe we need classic movie double-features, healing crystals, penny candy, purring cats, wildflower bouquets, slow-churned ice cream, and pizza made from a recipe handed down by Nico’s grandmother. I believe that if we work together, we can not only save Mariposa Street from destruction, we can bring it back to magnificent life. Our collective past deserves no less.”
She lifted her head. Silence fell over the room. She saw her mother wiping her eyes. Her own vision blurred.
Rory whistled, a sharp burst that split the quiet, and started clapping. Eleanor joined in, and within seconds a thunderous applause filled the room. Several people stood.
The tension gripping Aria’s shoulders eased, and happiness lifted her heart. Picking up her notes, she turned to take her seat.
Both Juliette and Hunter were applauding politely, but Bruce and the lawyers sat stone-faced. Bruce muttered something to Hunter, who nodded.
After the applause died down, Nico introduced Hunter. As he approached the podium, Aria caught sight of Callie standing toward the back.
Callie met her gaze with a slight nod and an even slighter thumbs-up. Aria relaxed into a smile. She’d never seen her sister give an actual thumbs-up. Apparently anything was possible.
No surprise, Hunter was a wonderful, eloquent speaker. His deep voice rolled over the room as he spoke about Imperial Properties’ projects across the nation that had revitalized small towns and brought in both employment and revenue.
He discussed environmental initiatives, planning cooperation, and the natural evolution of towns as living entities. He explained how Oceanview was designed to fit into the landscape and serve as both an extension of downtown and its own neighborhood.
“I also have a confession to make.” He paused and cleared his throat. “I didn’t want to be put in charge of Oceanview Plaza. I thought it was too small compared to Imperial’s other properties. I wanted a project that was about the same size as my ego.”
The crowd laughed. Bruce gave a satisfied grin, as if he sensed the tide shifting in his direction.
“But for several reasons, I agreed to come to Bliss Cove.” Hunter scanned the townspeople, his hands tightening on the edges of the podium. “And though my intention was to get the job done as soon as possible, I quickly discovered it wouldn’t be as easy as I’d thought.
“While all towns have a history, Bliss Cove has roots that run deeper than most. The decline of Mariposa Street speaks not to the townspeople’s lack of interest, but to the fortitude of the residents who have kept the town alive by focusing on the areas that contribute most strongly to progress. The fact is that cities are living entities that change and evolve. So are people.”
He took a breath. “Somewhat to my surprise, during my visit here, I discovered that I’m capable of change, too. Maybe even evolution, if that means I’d rather eat artichoke soup at the Mousehole than dine at a five-star restaurant in Manhattan. I’d rather take a sunset walk on Pelican Beach than spend an evening at the Met. I’d rather go to the Sea Glass Museum than visit the Louvre, and I’d rather be on Mariposa Street than…well, almost anywhere else.”
Applause rose, but the approbation wasn’t as loud as it had been for Aria.
“Because I’ve learned to appreciate everything about Bliss Cove, I want to assure you we have your best interests in mind,” Hunter continued. “Imperial Properties intends to uphold Bliss Cove’s past while looking toward a future of growth and change.”
He turned to the whiteboard and uncapped a dry-erase marker. Swiftly, he wrote a dollar sign.
“This…” he faced the audience and pointed to the board, “…is the future of Bliss Cove.”
A few people in the front row glanced at each other.
“Profit.” Hunter approached the podium again. “Revenue. Tourism. Oceanview Plaza will bring all of these things not only to Mariposa Street, but to the entire town. However, Imperial Properties won’t stop there. Oceanview is only the beginning of what we consider a complete renovation of this town. We have plans, ladies and gentlemen. You’re going to love them.”
The crowd stirred, murmurs rising. Bruce skimmed his gaze over the audience, his expression warily hopeful.
“As I always say, the bigger the plans, the bigger the profit.” Hunter clicked a remote control on the podium. “This is Imperial’s biggest plan for the West Coast yet.”
The audience’s attention snapped to the screen, where a huge artistic rendering of the sprawling Venture Resort was displayed.
“We plan to build this, the luxury,
full-service Venture Resort and Spa, on the coastline right near the boardwalk.” Hunter extended his arm to the screen as if he were showing off a new car.
Aria’s heart almost stopped. Bruce’s eyes widened. The lawyers blanched. Juliette grabbed her father’s arm.
“You’ll be delighted to learn about the proposed golf course, the private beaches, the tennis courts and high-rise towers that will give guests incredible views of the coast.” Hunter waited for a rustle of whispers to quiet. “Both Oceanview and the Venture Resort will provide Bliss Cove residents with many employment and partnership opportunities, which could lead to exclusive contracts and investment in new factories. That’s just the start of our plans.”
A smile stretched across Bruce’s face. “All for the good of Bliss Cove, of course.”
A few people in the front row frowned, looking at the screen and whispering to each other. Bruce’s smile began to fade. Aria couldn’t think past her shock.
“Mostly good,” Hunter allowed. “We’ll unfortunately be forced to increase taxes and establish fees for things that are currently free, like park and beach access. Likely we’ll need to increase costs for municipal services and rezone the boundaries of the public open spaces as well, but I’m sure you’ll agree that’s a small price to pay for what the Venture Resort and Spa will bring to Bliss Cove.”
“Wait a second.” Nico stood, his face creased into a frown. “You never said anything about a resort being part of your plan.”
“We were waiting for the right time,” Hunter replied smoothly. “Oceanview is our litmus test, if you will. Once Bliss Cove residents see how much good a large development does for the town, you’ll have no problem turning over the coastline to us. This is the perfect time for you to discover how a change of plans can change the future.”
“Excuse me.” Bruce rose, his smile gleaming. “I don’t believe Mr. Armstrong is explaining this very well.”
“On the contrary, it’s quite accurate.” Juliette folded her arms.