At the dining room table, they enjoyed the meal that was supposed to have been their dinner the night before. The pasta was tender and the sauce flavorful with just a hint of spice. The similarities between the meal and its beautiful chef could not be denied.
As morning waned into afternoon, he stood by the door, giving Hadley a lingering kiss. She smiled up at him when they separated. “I have to go. I have something important I want to take care of today. But I’ll call you, okay?”
He nodded, despite his selfish reluctance to let her go. No matter how much he wanted to hide her away and keep her all to himself, she had a life outside him, and he respected her enough to let her go about it. “Have a good day, baby.”
With a blush reddening her cheeks, she wiggled her crimson-tipped fingers at him and left. He watched her climb into her car and drive away. Then he slipped back inside the town house and shut the door against the cool air.
Alone again, he settled down on the window seat with his phone and tablet. Turning sideways on the cushion, he stretched his legs out in front of him. The first doctor he’d seen after his injury had instructed him to put his feet up whenever he could, to take some of the stress off his lower back. He knew he could rest his feet on the coffee table, especially considering the rates he paid to rent this place. But when he was growing up, his mother had always forbidden him from putting his feet on her wooden furniture. Even though he was well into adulthood now, old habits died hard. The window seat was the perfect width to allow him to put his feet up while resting his back against its inner wall.
He opened the blinds, allowing the bright sunlight to provide light and warmth to his comfortable sitting spot. Picking up his phone, he put in a few calls to some of his friends and acquaintances on the left coast.
First, he called Corey Drake, his agent. Corey, who, at forty-three, had been in the game for more than a decade, was barely able to suppress his laughter as Devon spoke of his desire to try his hand at directing.
“Corey, remember, this is a partnership. So I’m going to need you to contain your amusement and put out some feelers for me, okay?”
“I get it, Dev.” Corey sounded as if he were someplace crowded and shouted a bit to be heard over the noise around him. “I’ll look into it.”
“Good. Because the last thing I need is an agent who doesn’t take me seriously.” He hung up the phone then, before he was tempted to use a few choice words to tell Corey about himself.
The next call was to Glenn O’Hara, a set designer he’d met while filming the original Destruction Derby movie. Glenn was a little more respectful of Devon’s request, though he seemed somewhat unsure of how he could help.
“What do you need me to do, Mr. Granger?”
Devon chuckled. “First, call me Devon. I’m asking you to keep your ear to the ground. I’m serious about moving out of acting and into directing, and you’ve got relationships with plenty of producers and screenwriters.”
“That’s true.” Glenn seemed to be turning the request over in his mind. “I’ll see what I can do, Mister... I mean Devon. Sorry about that. Most actors at your level don’t go for being called by their first names.”
“You and a whole lot of other folks are about to find out just how different I am from other actors. Thanks for your help, Glenn.”
“No problem.” And he ended the call.
Devon set the phone aside for a moment. He didn’t know what or how much Glenn would be able to do for him. But the man had been receptive, so Devon placed the call firmly in the win column.
He didn’t expect anyone to give him special treatment or to go out of their way to lay rose petals at his feet. All he asked was that people not lay traps and obstacles along the new path he was trying to take. His college coursework had yielded him a dual degree in drama and film; he’d done a short film on systemic racism for his senior project. He knew he had the skill to sit in the director’s chair, and he intended to put it to use. That was why he was still angry with Rick Rollingsworth. Rick’s callous dismissal of Devon’s aspirations had been a hard blow. But at least Rick had shown his true colors, so Devon would know not to expect much from him in the future. He did, however, vow to rub his directorial success in Rick’s face the very moment he made it.
After a quick break to grab a glass of iced tea and a bowl of popcorn, Devon returned to the window seat and to his task. He used the tablet to fire off a few emails to people he was acquainted with but unable to reach by phone. He kept his messages short and succinct, mindful of the abject busyness that plagued most folks in the industry, and of his own annoyance at getting long-winded emails. Once he’d finished that, he set the tablet down on the window seat and relaxed against the wall behind him.
As the sweet tea rushed in a cool torrent down his throat, he thought back on the previous night. He imagined that from now on, whenever he didn’t have something pressing on his mind, his thoughts would always return to Hadley. In the few days since she’d been his girlfriend, she’d already left an unmistakable imprint on his world. And now that they’d made love, the connection between them had only deepened.
He looked out the window at the overcast day. Even though he knew he needed his rest, he craved some fresh air. So, donning his sneakers, he tucked his phone into the hip pocket of his track pants, slipped on a jacket and left the house to take a short walk.
As he locked the door, a thought made him smile.
If I’m going to have a woman like Hadley in my life, I’d better keep my blood pumping.
Chapter 12
After she swung by her house for a change of clothes, Hadley went out with a single mission in mind: proving to her brothers that the offer from Neville South wasn’t good for Sapphire Shores. In her mind, the best way to do that was to ask the citizens. After all, the island was their home, and they deserved to have a say in the matter.
Anticipating that she’d spend most of the afternoon on her feet, she’d dressed casually in a pair of white jeans, a dark blue sweater and blue-and-white sneakers. Tucking her hair up into a haphazard bun, she grabbed her supplies. Filling a canvas beach bag with two clipboards holding printed copies of her petition, and about thirty ballpoint pens, she left the house and headed for downtown.
Before she left work Friday, she’d spent time at her desk, working out her plan. She’d made a list of business owners in town she wanted to approach, as well as places frequented by everyday citizens of the island. Then, she’d written up a simple petition with spaces to collect signatures. Her main goal wasn’t necessarily to convince people to sign the petition, though that would further her cause. She really just wanted to hear from the people of Sapphire Shores. Unlike her brothers, she cared about their opinion. And if the overwhelming majority of them wanted to let the developer go ahead with construction, Hadley would be willing to lay down her weapons. She wasn’t one to fight a needless battle.
When she parked in the main lot near the intersection of Fable Drive and Story Road, she got out with the bag slung over her shoulder. Her first stop was an easy and familiar one. Wearing a smile, she pushed open the doors to Crowned by Curls and went inside.
The salon was just as crowded as it was on most Saturday afternoons. The interior bustled with activity and conversation, from the filled chairs in the waiting area to the reception desk and the styling floor behind the beaded curtains. Seeing Sandra standing at the desk talking to Lisa, Hadley made her way over.
“Hey, Sandra. Hey, Lisa.” She touched Sandra’s arm. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
“Sure, girl.” Sandra gestured for Hadley to follow her, then passed through the beaded curtain and across the styling floor, leading Hadley into her office in the back of the building. She sat at her desk and gestured for Hadley to sit across from her.
“This won’t take long, because I know y’all are busy today.”
Sandra shrugged. “It’s cool. I don’t have another client for an hour or so. What’s up?”
Settling into her seat, Hadley spent a few minutes explaining the Neville South offer. When she finished, she asked, “What’s your opinion on this?”
Sandra’s brow furrowed. “So, you’re telling me this developer is dead set against having local businesses in the new shopping area they want to open?”
She nodded. “Yes. They plan to fill most of the storefronts with chains and franchises, and the few that are left may be open, but only to new small businesses. Existing small businesses won’t be eligible to lease space there, at least not at the rates they’ll be charging.” Even as Hadley explained the proposal, she shook her head. For the life of her, she couldn’t understand the developer’s seemingly malicious intent to squash the island’s economy.
Sandra rolled her eyes. “Do they think that if they keep us out of their saditty development, we’ll be forced out of business? Because Crowned by Curls is making good money, and we aren’t going anywhere.”
“I know. And I can’t help being worried about the other businesses that are established here but aren’t as quite as successful as you are.” She didn’t mention them aloud, but she thought of Della’s, the Shoreside Foods and all the small boutiques selling handmade jewelry, stationery and things that represented hours of creative labor.
Sandra snorted. “You’re right. Maybe they think they can force us out and take control of the island’s whole economy.”
Hadley’s eyes widened. “That’s it, Sandra. All this time, Savion has been ignoring me when I said the developer was motivated by greed. But I’ve had this horrible feeling about Neville South, and you just articulated why.” She leaned back, tenting her fingers. “I can’t imagine he’ll keep ignoring my warnings when I point this out to him.”
“I hope you’re right.” Sandra sighed, her expression still communicating her anger at what she’d heard. “Listen, is there anything I can do to help you stop this from happening?”
With a smile, Hadley took a clipboard and pen out of her bag. “There sure is. Sign this petition.”
Sandra scribbled her signature in the first open space. “And I think once we talk to our clients, they’ll all want to sign it, too. At least the locals. I’m not sure how concerned the tourists will be.” She passed the clipboard and pen back.
Hadley accepted the items and stood. “That’s fine. I’m really looking to show my brothers the will of the island’s full-time citizens, anyway. So it’s all right if the tourists don’t want to sign.”
“Cool. Come on up front and I’ll let you use the PA system.”
Sandra went around the styling floor, asking all the stylists to turn off the all the dryers, both handheld and hooded, so everyone could hear Hadley’s announcement. Using the handset of the desk phone, Hadley gave an honest account of the developer’s offer to the patrons in the salon. She kept it brief but detailed and ended by asking that anyone interested in signing the petition against the new development report to the desk.
By the time she set both clipboards and her stash of pens on the counter, a line had already started to form. Apparently, the women of Sapphire Shores didn’t appreciate the blatant profiteering Neville South sought to engage in at their expense. Hadley watched woman after woman—most of them draped in styling capes and sporting curlers, conditioning caps or coloring foils—sign the petition. It gratified her to know that so many of her fellow citizens were of a similar mind as her.
When she left with her clipboards, she’d collected twenty-six signatures from the patrons and staff of the salon. Outside, she started down the sidewalk. A few doors down from the salon, she stopped by the bakery and spoke with the proprietor there. It wasn’t as crowded as the salon, but she collected seven more signatures, which accounted for all but one of the people inside the establishment.
She traveled on foot as far as she could, visiting four more businesses to collect signatures. Then she climbed back into her car, having collected fifty-seven signatures total during her time downtown. Starting the engine, she set off for Della’s.
The deli was much quieter than during the weekday lunch rush, but was still mostly full. Hadley spent time talking to Ralph, Della’s husband, who worked on Saturdays so his wife could have some time at home. Their conversation led to Ralph’s signature on the petition, and Hadley left with a sandwich and thirteen additional signatures on her petition sheets.
As the afternoon faded into evening, Hadley visited several more businesses, and then drove home. Inside the house, she laid her petition sheets out on the table and counted the signatures she’d collected. Altogether, she’d managed to get 217 people to sign. Since Sapphire Shores had a year-round population of fewer than seventy-five hundred people, she considered that an impressive number, especially since she’d collected them all in a single day. Tucking the signed pages into a folder, she left it on the table.
She thought of all the people she’d spoken to today, and those she hadn’t. Whether she talked to them, and regardless of if they had agreed with her or not, many of them would be adversely affected if the developer’s proposal was accepted.
She looked at the bright red folder holding the petition and smiled.
When the time came to defend her hometown and theirs, she’d be ready.
* * *
Devon strolled along the beach Saturday evening, enjoying the feel of his bare feet sinking into the cool sand. What he enjoyed more was having Hadley walking next to him, her small hand in his. The darkened sky above sparkled with stars and the faint light of a crescent moon. The tableau was beautiful but came in close second to his companion.
She’d changed after she left that morning and now wore a pair of jeans and a sweater. When he’d invited her to walk on the beach, he hadn’t been sure she’d go for it. But she’d accepted right away, though she’d refused to take off her shoes, preferring to keep her feet out of the sand due to the coolness hanging in the air.
“So, what did you do today? If you don’t mind my asking.”
“Remember how I didn’t have any luck with my parents about this Neville South thing?”
“Yes, I remember.”
“Well, today I went into town and collected signatures on a petition against the developer’s proposal.”
He nodded, impressed with both her efforts and her determination to take on one of the largest developers in the Southeast. “Wow, Hadley. That’s a brilliant idea. How many signatures did you get?”
“Over two hundred.” She smiled, looking proud of her accomplishment. “It’s more than enough to keep Savion from ignoring my concerns this time.”
“I agree.” He knew the island wasn’t big enough to support a very large year-round population, so the signatures she’d gotten represented a good cross section of them. “I’m really impressed that you came up with this and that you were able to execute it so quickly.”
She asked, “What about you? Any progress on your career move?”
He could only shrug. “I’m not sure yet. I did put in some calls and send emails to a few contacts. I’m hoping at least one of them will come through for me.”
“That’s good. At least you’re still trying.” She squeezed his hand.
“Yep. And I fully intend to keep at it until I make this move.” He looked up at the sky, observing the rising darkness. “It’s time.”
“You know I’m behind you. Whatever it is you’re after, I’m sure you can do it.” She moved a little closer to him as they kept walking.
He released her hand so he could drape his arm around her shoulder. Having her close to him made him feel as if he could accomplish anything, even his so-called crazy dream of becoming a director.
She stopped suddenly, moving closer to the water and casting her gaze up to the sky. “
Look at that. Isn’t it gorgeous?”
“Yes, it is.” His response was as much about her as the sky. He looked to the heavens, taking in the deep richness of the night sky, punctuated by gleaming silver stars. She stood on her tiptoes, raising her face toward his.
He leaned down and kissed her on the lips. His arms circled her shapely body, pulling her flush against him. Her lips were pliant and soft, and when he swept his tongue over the petal of her lower lip, she opened to him without hesitation.
He could go on kissing her for hours, but after several long, torrid moments, he released her.
She looked up at him, silently regarding him.
He watched her as well, lost in the shimmering beauty of her dark brown eyes.
Without thinking, he murmured the words that seemed to fit this moment, the words that his heart had kept locked away for so long.
“I love you, Hadley.”
Chapter 13
Hadley blinked a few times as her mind worked through what Devon had said. Did he just say what I think he said? After a few moments of confusion, she finally put her mouth in gear. “What did you say?”
His beautiful golden eyes locked on her face. “I said, I love you, Hadley.”
Her heart fluttered in her chest, and tears sprang to her eyes. “Oh, my.”
He met her exclamation with a soft chuckle. “That wasn’t the response I expected.”
She could only nod to convey her understanding. This relationship was still so new. But after all the time she’d spent fantasizing that he would say those words to her, it seemed like she’d been waiting an eternity to hear them.
“You don’t have to say it back.” His deep voice cut through her thoughts.
She looked up at him, searching his face. Was he angry? Hurt? Embarrassed? She didn’t see any of those things. His expression exuded nothing but affection for her.
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