by Kaci Rose
Not what I was thinking would come out of her mouth.
"Yeah, but nothing seems to help."
"How old is Gina?" she asks.
"About my age, why?"
"Ever sleep with her?" she asks, and I stop dead in my tracks.
Is she jealous? She has to know I have a history, but I was honest about trying to be better. Does she not believe in me like I thought she did?
"No, why?" I ask, a bit more guarded.
"Well, that call didn't sound like a publicist upset at her client. It sounded like a jealous lover's fit of rage," Lin says and tries to drop my hand, but I don't let her.
"Where is your mind going?" I ask.
"I don't have a huge public relations background. Hell, Brynn does more of that for the inns than I do, but we were able to change our brand after our parents died and focus on us in about six months, and we had no idea what we were doing. There is no reason an experienced PR person can't have your image turned around in a year. I don't think the problem is you. It's her. Get a new PR person."
"Gina just does things differently." I hear myself repeating one of the many excuses I've gotten from her assistant.
"Kade. I know I'm not a Hollywood big shot, but what happened with Cassie? She isn't releasing a single statement on your behalf. That should have been done before even talking to Cassie and Mark. She's not on your side, and who was on the beach today? You, me, and Brynn. Who did we miss? One photo from a guest maybe? No matter what angle it was taken from, how can that be made so dirty?" She shakes her head, but I feel like a bucket of cold water has been thrown on my head.
"Let's get back to the inn. I have some thinking to do."
My mind is racing over every headline and public event. Times the press has shown up, and I have no clue how they found me. Gina's insistence of going to the club that night when I stressed over and over that I didn't want to. If she was trying to improve my image, wouldn't clubs be the last place she'd want me seen?
I walk Lin to her door and mindlessly walk back to my room. I pull up my phone and hunt down the photo taken of us on the beach. We are both kneeling in the sand, and it's clear I'm hugging her. Her face is buried in my chest, and I'm resting my chin on her head, my face clear as day. I was facing the inn. The account who posted it looks like an inn guest, and it was taken from the back porch.
This picture could show how deeply I already care about Lin, but how can this be turned into something dirty? Lin's right. Something is off. So I start pulling up all the other reports and issues Gina has gone off on me for. I start digging into news articles, videos, reports. Nothing out there is attempting to change my image. It all pushes the playboy image.
The playboy image makes them more money because there are more fires to put out. The playboy image has been what Gina approached me for in the first place.
As I lie in bed, everything is racing through my mind. What do I do? Who can I trust? Simple, I trust no one in that town. Then a light bulb goes off.
I race downstairs and across to the Sunset Inn and knock on Brynn's door. Her face is full of shock when she answers, but I get straight to the point.
"I need your help."
Chapter 20
Linly
I wake up, and the sun shining in my window almost makes me forget about that kiss last night. My hand flies to my lips. It was a kiss that stole my breath away, a kiss that kept me up for hours thinking about it.
I am determined today to find a way to save Main Street. I'm going to get Brynn, and together, we'll brainstorm and do some research. As I head downstairs, I don't see any signs of Kade, and my heart dips a little. I hate to admit I'm excited to see him again.
I make my way over to the Sunset Inn to find Kade and Brynn both in her office, leaning over her computer.
"What's going on?" I ask.
They look up, and both smile at me. Kade walks around the desk and pulls me into his arms. I brace a hand on his chest and look up at him.
"You were right, Goldie," he says.
"Well, of course I was. What was I right about this time?" I joke.
"About Gina. I went back over everything from the last year and realized there were so many ways she dropped the ball. Once or twice I'd let go, but I think these were on purpose. Though the only thing I can think of is that a playboy means more fires to put out, which means more work and more money for her."
"So, this nutcase comes knocking on my door past midnight," Brynn says.
"You said Brynn did all the PR for the inns, so I took a look at what she did, and we have been working on a press release on what happened with Mark and Cassie and another one about me firing Gina. They both went out about an hour ago, minutes after I called Gina and fired her. I haven't heard from Wren yet, but I'm sure I will."
"How are the press releases going?" I ask hesitantly.
"Well, I've had five PR agencies calling me wanting to represent me, but I'm not interested right now. My new girl is kicking butt." Kade smiles and turns toward Brynn.
"That would be me!" Brynn says with a huge smile on her face.
The smile is contagious. “Okay, well, I will make breakfast. You get ahold of Wren, and then we need to do some digging to find a way to save Main Street. You have a laptop?" I ask Kade.
"Yep."
“Good, go get it. I'll get mine, and we will make this headquarters today." I nod.
"Do we have to?" Brynn asks.
"Yes, you have better food," I tell her. She grumbles but agrees.
In barely an hour, we are settled in her office. She is at her desk, and Kade and I settled on her couch, looking for anything to save the town. I won't admit it, but I love that Kade is helping too. He looks up at me every so often, and we just share these soft smiles. No words, just a smile or a wink.
"Okay, I found something small," Brynn says after we've been at it an hour. "I'm sending you guys the links. These are the other small towns who worked with the developer and what it did to their towns. It killed tourism as we know it because the families moved out. Year-round population, which means locals, was cut in half."
"Which means half the yearly tax income for the city," I say.
"Right, the developer killed the small-town charm and is basically carrying the town. If they decide to pull out? The town will die. Looking at the dropping numbers in these areas, it's a real possibility," Brynn says.
"But we need more," Kade says what we are both thinking.
"Okay, save those links with notes. It's worth bringing up when we have more to go with it," I say.
A few more hours go by, and Ken brings us lunch. This time, Kade finds something.
"So many towns are registering their Main Streets as historical landmarks with the state. If we can find enough history to go with the street, then the mayor won't be able to touch it, and it will be a historical landmark. The building owners can apply for grants to help repair them, and the town even gets funds to set up a museum in town to showcase the history." Kade sends us a few links of other towns that have done this.
"Then let's shift gears and dig up some history," Brynn says.
"So, did you know there used to be a lighthouse at the end of the pier?" Kade asks.
"Yeah, a storm knocked it down when we were what, six or seven? The town didn't have the money to rebuild, so they took it down. The base is still there. The guys say it's what makes the fishing so good," I tell him.
"Well, that lighthouse was built in 1710 and directed ships into Bath, North Carolina, the state's first port," Kade says.
We check out the photos up on his screen. "Wow, I barely remember it," I whisper.
"I think we should find more. This is the pier, not the Main Street itself, though," Kade says, and we agree.
"Did you know Blackbeard the pirate was killed right out here in Ocracoke Inlet in 1718? He was killed by Robert Maynard of The Royal Navy. Robert stayed several times with the light housekeeper, who was an old friend. The lighthouse keeper's house wa
s right above the now pharmacy." I tell them the tidbit I just found.
"Perfect! One building saved, but I think we need a few more," Brynn says.
We find evidence of a hotel in the building that now holds Jasper's family's seafood place that Kade and I went to on our fake date. That hotel had several presidents stay at it, along with two princes, Elvis, and Marilyn Monroe before it was closed.
There are reports of a speakeasy running from another building, and if we can find some of the hidden compartments from that day, it qualifies to be registered.
We also find that a few buildings, if we can date the bricks used, have been handmade by slaves and qualify for the National register.
"I think we have enough to save Main Street or at least enough of it to ruin the developer deal," I say and notice it's almost dinnertime.
"I'll order, then let's figure out the process to submit these buildings and what we need to do next," Brynn says.
"Well, it says we have to submit photos and the history to put a hold on the building while it's confirmed and looked into. It would keep the mayor from going any further," Kade says.
"So, we could submit this tonight?" I ask.
"Yes." He nods.
"Okay, you two work on the paperwork. I will go get photos." I jump up, making sure my phone is charged as I head out.
Getting photos of the pier and the lighthouse base is easy. So are the photos of the outside of the buildings. It's the inside that will be a bit harder. I decide to start with the pharmacy and send up a little prayer of thanks when I find Martha at the counter.
"Martha, I need a favor, but I can't tell you much right now. I need you to trust that I am working to stop the mayor's development plans," I say in a hushed voice so no one in the store can hear.
"I'd do anything to stop that! What do you need?" she asks.
"Well, when you moved into the apartment upstairs, you said there were a lot of historical elements. Did you keep them when you remodeled?" I ask.
"Sure did!" She smiles, all proud.
"Any way you can show them to me now and let me get some photos?" I ask.
The look she gives me tells me she wants more info but doesn't ask. She just asks Joe to come take over at the counter. Half an hour later, I have been given the full tour and some great facts to add to the paperwork.
I send Brynn an email with what Martha told me and another with the photos, then head over to Jasper's. Luck seems to be on my side when Jasper's mom is there instead of him.
I greet Mrs. Adams and give her the same spiel I told Martha, and she is more than happy to show me the upstairs. The place is still one long hallway with rooms on either side. It looks like a hotel and was used for offices at one point but hasn't been touched in years.
Jasper has plans to live there, but I ask her not to touch anything because if my plan works, everything will need to be as original as possible. She promises not to let him redo anything and guilt him into living at home.
I send off that stuff to Brynn before I get to the speakeasy. This one will be a bit harder. Downstairs is a boutique owned by Holly, one of the town gossips. I give her the same spiel as the others, and she laughs.
"I'd do anything to stick it to the mayor. This building has so much history I don't know how they can do anything with it. You know it used to be a speakeasy?"
I play dumb, and she shows me a trapdoor in the storage room on the main floor that leads down to a small stone storage area. She says she can't store anything there because it floods and is too damp, but it's where they stored the alcohol back then.
She takes me upstairs and shows me a few hidden doors in her apartment, along with some hospital elements. As I take photos, she starts talking about different people in town, and I tune her out until I hear my ex's name.
"The juiciest gossip is one I'm sure you don't want to hear. You know Travis is back in town, right?" Holly says.
"Yes, I ran into him. Actually, I have to thank him. He was what pushed Kade to ask me out," I say, remembering our story.
Holly pauses for a moment, tucking that bit of info into her memory before continuing.
"Well, apparently, he isn't just home visiting his folks. He was fired! I guess he's being investigated by the SEC and everything. Can you believe it? His parents are good folks. How can such a bad seed come from them, I will never know. He's brave to show his face all over town. You know when the news broke of you and Kade, he started asking about you? I bet he's trying to see if he can get another chance." Holly nods.
I take the last of the photos I need, and we make our way downstairs.
"Thank you, Holly, for this. I had no idea it was a speakeasy. That is such cool history. You are very lucky to have snapped up this building," I tell her, stroking her ego.
"Don't I know it! I won't be letting it go to that rascally mayor, no matter how much he tries to offer. He lowballed me, you know, with his first bid. His second one wasn't much better. I haven't heard back since then, so maybe he's dropped it by now." Holly is thinking out loud as I make my way to the door and say my goodbyes.
I get in my car and close my eyes. Deep breath in and out. Don't think about Travis. Think of the town and how we need to get this information to the state. The town has to be more important right now.
I simply can't waste any more time on Travis right now.
Chapter 21
Kade
I've been tossing and turning all night. Something was off with Lin last night after she got back from town, but she pasted on a big smile and acted like everything was okay.
We got the paperwork filed, so now we just have to hope it's enough for the state to halt the mayor's attempts as they look into it all. Who knows what their historians will discover? I'm sure they are better at their jobs than we are.
Just before dawn, I decide to stop fighting it and head downstairs to make some coffee and take in the sunrise, but I don't expect to find Lin curled up under a blanket on the back porch with the same idea.
I sit down next to her and wrap an arm around her shoulders. She comes to me easily and rests her head on my shoulder with a sigh. I kiss the top of her head because it just feels natural, and I start slowly running my hand through her hair in a way that calmed me when my mom used to do it.
"What's on your mind, Goldie?" I say, barely above a whisper.
“One of the shops I had to stop at yesterday was Holly's. She makes gossiping a sport, and knows everything and is happy to tell anyone. So of course, the whole time I'm there, she is talking about this or that. I tuned most of it out, but then she starts talking about Travis. She tells me he's home not just to visit his parents but because he got fired and he's being investigated by the SEC," she says.
Shit, that means he's done something bad. A guy I went to school with got busted by the SEC for insider trading, and he's still in jail. I won't tell Lin that, though. I don't think that will help her right now.
"I didn't think much about it until last night. He wanted to talk on the beach. Did he want to tell me before I heard it in town? A part of me wonders if he's in big trouble and was looking for help. I don't know, but one thing I couldn't get over was that I just wasn't surprised. If a guy can break up with a girl at her parents' funeral, he's capable of many other things. I couldn't get a read on how the town feels about it all, and I'm torn whether I want them to support him or not."