“She toed the line, that’s all,” Cal countered. “You didn’t know her then.” Levi had never seen her eyes gleam when she talked about her vision of the future. “She gave up her dreams for the sake of responsibility and family legacy.”
“You sure about that?”
Cal nodded. “Yes.” Grace had done well for those priorities, but her dreams had been so much bigger than Brookwell. “It’s honorable. But she deserves a chance to go for what she wants. Every day she stayed here was an act of courage,” he agreed. “I’m not dismissing that.”
“Coming in with the idea of optimizing her life, isexactlythat,” Levi said. “You’re signaling that the life she’s chosen isn’t good enough.”
Discomfort swarmed like a wasp nest in his chest. The last thing he wanted was to undermine her confidence. “How do I get her to open up?”
Levi went back for his coffee. “My advice is to be the first to bend. Open a vein and prove what you want is to support her. If that is what you want.”
He wanted to give her a chance to have everything. To sparkle the way she had in college. He wanted to be the person she celebrated with—his victories and hers. No, he couldn’t turn back time, but if kissing her proved anything to him, it was that their connection was stronger than ever.
What a crime if he botched this second chance. Having the money and influence to see things through was relatively new for him. He kept assuming Grace needed both because it was how he navigated the world these days. If there was a problem, he threw brilliance, brainstorms, and either capital or campaigns at it until it was resolved. But Grace wasn’t that kind of problem.She was the woman he never stopped loving and he had to earn her trust.
“How did you do it?” Cal asked. “How did you convince Willow that you were all about her and not just a high-powered distraction who would eventually walk away?”
“Wasn’t easy.” Levi laughed. “I didn’t convince her. I listened to her. And nearly screwed it all up anyway. Bottom line? I stopped trying to buy her happiness and focused on sharing it.”
Once again, Cal’s mind went back to that kiss at Benny’s and the way Grace had melted into him for a split second before the walls had slammed back into place. She was scared of the disruption he represented, that was clear.
His worry was that she was more afraid of his intrusion into her life, while he teetered on the edge, waiting for her to push him away again.
“She says we’re from two different worlds,” Cal said, the words tasting like ash.
“So, change the orbit,” Levi said, as if it was simple. “Clarify that you’re not just here for my business interests and the festival improvements. Show her you’re still the guy who waited for her between classes and ate bad pizza on study nights.”
“How did you know?”
“It was a guess. And Willow,” Levi admitted. “In case you haven’t noticed, people in Brookwell don’t care nearly as much about your net worth as they do about your word. That’s the world Grace was raised in. The world she’s living in.”
And, if he was reading the signs correctly, Brookwell was the world Grace didn’t want to leave. Before he made any big declarations, he should probably figure out if he could accept Brookwell. Being in love with Grace was plenty of incentive to like the area and change things up to spend more time here. He figured that was the first step in proving his commitment to a future with her. Changing the orbit, to use Levi’s phrase.
But if she never allowed herself to love him back or if she never trusted him enough, he had to know he could be happy here.
Calvin nodded slowly. He had spent so long focusing on the marketing tasks for the new Perk and the festival logistics that he’d neglected the root of why he’d come. He was consulting for Levi, but deep down he was here for Grace. And if he wanted her to believe in their second chance, he had to stop acting like a visiting CEO and start acting like a man who was willing to stay.
For her.
“The ferry party is coming up,” Calvin mused, his mind shifting between his business and personal agendas. “I’m planning to announce the national sponsorship deals. I sent the information to Holly. She’s the Bugle editor putting it all together.”
“I’ve met Holly,” Levi said. “Maybe she could add in a special slide for you. Something sure to get Grace’s attention.”
He hadn’t considered that sort of big move. He wasn’t even sure Grace would welcome the effort. “I don’t know what that looks like,” he muttered.
Levi clapped him on the shoulder. “You’ve never failed a brainstorm, my friend. You’ll figure it out.”
As Levi prepped for his next appointment, Cal headed back to the car, his mind on Grace and the upcoming party. What would send her the strongest message about his commitment and intentions?
Instead of driving away, with Levi’s advice echoing in his ears, he grabbed his laptop. Grace didn’t need a rescue, but everyone needed support. Opening the layout for the local vendor booths from last year, he made a note of the quilting circle’s spot as well as the Beach Belle’s location. Then he looked at the big new sponsors and what he and Levi had promised to encourage their involvement.
Quickly, he made notes as several potential ad ideas popped into his head. He was creating the most important campaign of his life, starting with proving that his wealth and success weren’t a wall between them, but a bridge he was willing to build no matter how long it took.
CHAPTER 10
On the night of the party, the moonlight danced over the dark water of the harbor and Grace tried to appreciate the beauty of the evening. Anchored for the evening, the ferry that shuttled residents and tourists between Brookwell Island and Charleston had been transformed into a floating ballroom. Outlined in soft, twinkling white lights, the air was fragrant with the scents of lilies, champagne, and saltwater. Just as Reed promised, tonight emphasized just how far the festival had come from those early years.
The night seemed to glow, the dock between the ferry and the landing glowed with even more lights swaying in the gentle breeze. And the landing area was bustling with a buffet, drink stations, and the big screen showcasing highlights of previous festivals. Music flowed through speakers, the song choices representing both big artists and more regional groups.
