“It’s a nice casual vibe.”
My aunt smiles warmly. “Now. There’s a wedding here tonight, a totally different feel. White tablecloths and all.”
He sneezes into his arm, and my face puzzles as we seemto be losing him physically. “I can envision a lot of business meetings here.”
“Well, I guess people stop by on their way to or from Lake Spark because of the hockey team there. There’s a golf course not far, too,” she explains. “I’ve had this place for more than thirty years. There has never been a time when I felt we didn’t have enough customers. I tried to change the lunch menu once and got some complaints, so I changed it back. I guess people like the classics. But at night, we do dip our toes into that fancy stuff. Blue cheese and pears seem to get people excited.”
I lean to my side to touch her arm. “All the more reason this is so unfair if they sell the docking rights.”
She smiles weakly at me, and the disappointment is apparent. “You never know. But I’ve prepared myself for the most-likely scenario. We’ll know in a few weeks when it all comes to a vote. But whoever the investor is, their wallet is too appealing to the county.”
Julian jumps in. “Let’s see if we can find a loophole. I’ll have my guys look into it.”
My aunt waves him off. “Don’t involve yourself in this. Fate will be fate.” I shake my head, but before I can say anything, my aunt squeezes my arm to stop me. “How was the inn? Sleep alright?”
Julian coughs again, and that’s when I decide to state the obvious. “Are you sure you’re feeling well?”
He grins. “Don’t be ridiculous. I never get sick.”
“Right. Superman never gets sick.” There is little conviction in my tone. “I don’t know. You have a different color than normal.”
He scoffs at me, as though I’m crazy. “Really. I’m fine. My immune system is as hard as steel. Must be something in the air. I’m probably not used to the clean fresh air.”
“Right. Earth-shattering,”I say dryly. “Most people who get sick struggle to eat much.”I give him a pointed look and draw our attention to his plate, which holds a half-eaten sandwich.
“It was a big sandwich. I’ll take the rest as leftovers,” he rationalizes.
My aunt looks at me with a closed, knowing smile. Maybe Julian doesn’t want to appear weak. I’m not sure, but it kind of irks me. “I’m going to leave you two be. I want to check that everything is set for tonight’s event.”
“Sure. We’ll swing by the house later,” I mention.
Julian gives her a little nod in acknowledgment. “See you.”
When she’s gone, I cross my arms and lean back in the chair as I study him. “Would you like to admit defeat now that you’re getting sick?”
He shakes his head and grabs his iced tea to drink. “Savannah,” he says, saying my name tightly. “Stop this. I don’t get sick. I don’t have time to be sick. My daily diet consists of power bars and smoothies with vitamins so I don’t get sick.”
I raise a finger in the air and sit up. “Except… you know, they say once you finally relax, that your body allows itself to get a virus or cold?” I bring my finger to my chin. “I believe you, dear boss, have been relaxed lately. So much so that your body might be in shock and is finally allowing itself to combust.”
“Then why don’t you have a cold?” he asks flippantly.
“Because I just don’t.” Maybe he’ll pass on his germs. My mind goes through the files of possible scenarios, and it hits me, and I wince.
He notices. “What?”
“You know how marketing dragged you to the daycare for PR?”
“Yes. The cries and toys thrown were my idea of hell.”
Casually, I take a bite of another chip. “There’s a virus floating around there. Lola got hers from there.”
“You were the one who was thrown up on,” he states impassively.
“Not my first rodeo of a sick Lola. Anyway, congratulations, Julian Haven, you are officially knocked out.”I stand and hold out my hand. “Come on. Let’s get you taken care of.”
He is struggling to admit defeat, but reluctantly, he follows my lead.
Within two hours,a fever hit Julian.Even a number on a thermometer couldn’t end his denial. He said he had emails to catch up on.But it went downhill, and a headache made his 15-minute rest last an hour.
