She turned and walked out, leaving me standing in my office surrounded by evidence of Preston's failures and the growing sensation that maybe I had one of my own.
I was doing the right thing.I knew this down to my bones.I headed for Mia’s bedroom, passing Clara on my way, to settle in and read the bedtime story.I tried to focus only on the heroic journey of the princess in the story as she moved through exotic lands in search of her dragon friend.
By the time I gave Mia her final forehead kiss and said goodnight, I could hear the water running in the shower in my bedroom.I went upstairs, leaning in the doorway of the bathroom.I could see Clara’s naked body through the translucent glass of the shower.
“Are you mad at me?”
Clara didn’t respond for a long time as she let the water run through her hair.“I don’t know what I am.I just need to think.”
I could hear the subtext.She wanted space, so I’d give it to her.
I returned to my office, determined to keep making progress on anything I could.I stayed in there until well after midnight, and by the time I went to check on Clara, she was already asleep.
The next morning, Clara was sweet but distant.She made breakfast and got Mia ready for daycare, and I could feel the rift between us.
I didn't know how to fix it.
Because she was wrong.She had to be.Moving to Wall Street and entering the world of high stakes development taught me how to fight battles—with everything I had.Certain battles required throwing the rulebook out the window or getting a little dirty.
So I threw myself into work even more.Returned calls.Reviewed contracts.Anything to avoid the hollow feeling in my chest.That's when Archer called.
"We have a problem," he said.
"Add it to the list."
"Cross is moving up his timeline.Construction on the Meridian project begins in six weeks."
I straightened in my office chair."Six weeks?It was supposed to be six months."
"Yeah, well, apparently he's 'secured all necessary approvals and financing.'"I could hear the air quotes in Archer's voice."The community is panicking.Our office phone's been ringing nonstop.People want to know if they need to start packing."
"Fuck."I rubbed my temples."This is impossible.There has to be a mistake.Do we have his latest plans?"
"That's the other problem.I got a copy from one of our contacts at the Planning Department.The plans include properties we own.Multiple properties.If this is true, then he’s acting like he already owns them."
Dread washed through me, an icy wave."Send it.I need to see."
The plans arrived in my inbox seconds later.I pulled them up, scanning through page after page of architectural renderings and site maps.
There—highlighted in red—were seven properties, the seven parcels Archer and I had purchased specifically to block this kind of development.
Cross had drawn his plans right through them.
"He knew," I whispered, “when we ran into him at the event.He said there would be casualties in the Meridian project.”
"Of course he knew.This is deliberate.He's either planning to force us to sell or he's going to claim eminent domain and have the city seize them."
"Over my dead body."
"That might be the alternative," Archer said grimly."Nash, if construction starts in six weeks, we're out of time.These families are terrified."
The weight of it pressed down on me.All those faces from our community meetings.The families who trusted us to protect them.The businesses that had been there for generations.
We were failing them.
"We need an emergency meeting with the Planning Department," I said."I want answers about how the fuck Cross got permits that include our properties."
"Already scheduled for tomorrow morning."
