Grace shrugged. “He snapped up that lease pretty fast. Beyond that, it’s more of a feeling.”
“Good or bad?”
“Neither.” Grace paused. “We’re still off the record, right?”
Holly nodded.
“He asked me about completing my degree over coffee. I get the sense he thinks I gave up and just settled after Mom passed.”
“Did you?”
Grace looked around her shop—the carefully curated racks, the scent of lavender and salt air, the memories of the two prior generations giving her strength even now. “No. Would it be nice if he respected that? Sure. But that’s on him, right? I can only do my best to show him that Brookwell is more than a project to be managed.”
“I like that energy, my friend. Legacy over luxury.” Holly’s hand hovered over the recorder. “Now, give me a quote for the paper about the committee goals, and then I’ll let you get back to your vintage-inspired lace.”
“Oh.” Grace thought about it, then turned the recorder on herself. “The outreach goals for this year are to showcase what makes Brookwell special, from small-batch handcrafted goods to our bigger local businesses.”
“Perfect.” Holly pocketed the recorder. “One last thing, Grace. If Lynwood gives you any trouble, remember that I have access to the archives. I can easily dig up photos from thehigh school drama clubs and talent shows where you handled costuming like a pro before you’d stepped one toe out of this small town.”
Grace’s cheeks went hot. “That was ages ago.”
“And you’re still a rockstar,” Holly said. “One word from you, and it’s front-page news.”
Grace laughed, a happy sound that chased away some of the morning’s gloom. “Thanks, Holly. I’ll keep that in mind.”
As Holly headed back out into the bright afternoon sun, Grace felt a renewed sense of purpose. She had plenty of time to take stock and prepare for tomorrow’s meeting. She didn’t have to go in wondering what to say. She could arm herself with the data to either support or defeat Cal’s initiatives.
If she had to face off with the man she’d walked away from, she would do it with the support of the whole town at her back. It didn’t matter that he’d gone and built a successful empire out of one well-timed opportunity. She wasn’t a pushover and she knew what the festival meant to everyone in Brookwell.
CHAPTER 7
The private dining room of Benny’s Barbeque was a far cry from the sleek, glass-walled conference rooms Calvin usually commanded in Manhattan. Here, the air was thick with the scent of old wood, stale ale, and the faint lingering aroma of fried pickles. The restaurant was clearly a local institution, and today, it might become the battleground for the Brookwell Music Festival.
He really hoped it wouldn’t come to that. Having Grace as an enemy was not his ideal outcome. During yesterday’s meeting with Levi and two of the officers of the committee, they agreed it would be best if Cal and Grace spoke alone before the official kick-off in an hour.
Cal was sure the only reason she agreed was thanks to Willow’s efforts. Although Willow hadn’t grown up with Grace, they’d become inseparable best friends in college. And, from what Levi had shared, Willow had come here, specifically to Grace, when she’d needed to mend her own broken heart and find a fresh start.
He supposed falling in love had served as a fresh start for both Levi and Willow. He had to admit being in love had donewonders for Levi in general. It seemed his top client was diving into his family era.
Fair enough.
Cal shoved aside a swell of jealousy. Ages ago, he thought he’d be at a similar stage by this point in his life. Married, maybe a kid or two. Definitely a suburban homeowner with a friendly dog in the yard.
But then Grace had left him. Intentionally or not, she’d effectively shut him out. He’d been crushed that he couldn’t think of a way to help her. After what had been their final conversation, he forced his attention to surviving the challenges of college, hopeful that one day he’d have the means to help her get unstuck from small town life.
Except she didn’t behave as if she’d settled.
Losing her mom must’ve been terrible, and yet every data point indicated she was thriving. According to Willow, renting the apartment over the shop had been a way to diversify her financial interests, not prevent a disaster. Though he had yet to see the shop crowded with customers, apparently the Beach Belle was thriving.
At least he’d helped with the diversification.
The full picture was still taking shape, but these new critical pieces were changing his view. People here respected Grace not just for her service on the festival committee. They considered her a savvy businesswoman and community leader. From what he’d heard, she regularly championed her friends and participated in events all over town.
It all added up to one thing: she didn’t need him to save her from a place he wanted to hate.
If that remained true, it threw off a big part of why he’d agreed to Levi’s insistence that Cal handle this festival issue in person.
In so many ways he’d blamed Brookwell for Grace not being in his life. He’d fabricated an image of circumstances and responsibility that held her back, trapping her in a small town and preventing her from realizing her dreams. Dreams he’d wanted to support and stand with her as she achieved them.
