CHAPTER ONE
“WHAT’SUPWITHthat sweater, Tamara?”
Tamara Bradford stopped gathering her tablet, work and personal cell phones, and the files for the upcoming predevelopment meeting to look at her coworker, Robert Perkins, standing in her door. He wore a basic but professional white button up, red tie and dark slacks. The complete opposite of her black sweater vest with fluffy red hearts and sequins scattered over the front.
Tamara’s cheeks heated and she ignored the itch to run her hands over her colorful sweater. Robert knew exactly what was up with her sweater. The city of Peachtree Cove was raising money for the Heart Society and the mayor had encouraged every employee to wear a heart-themed sweater on Friday to help raise awareness and support the fundraiser. Tamara had purchased the sweater the previous Valentine’s Day when she’d succumbed to a “hearts are in” email campaign from one of her favorite clothing stores. She’d added the sweater to her cart quickly in the hopes that getting into the Valentine’s Day spirit would “open her up to the possibility of love” as some romance expert had said on a dating podcast she’d listened to. She’d found a relationship, but that hadn’t come with love. She’d broken up with Thomas a month ago. At least now the sweater was able to serve a better purpose.
Robert, the town’s building official, and residentI don’t raise money for anythingemployee, hadn’t bothered to participate. Tamara didn’t feel as if she had the luxury of not participating. She’d only been the planning director for Peachtree Cove for a year. Despite busting her ass as the deputy director for the previous six, there was one member of council, Councilman Jackson, who’d wanted his son’s best friend to get the position. He took every opportunity to try to find fault with what Tamara was doing in the department or the calls her employees made. Even though most other members supported her, and she understood Councilman Jackson was just playing politics, she refused to give anyone an excuse to criticize her. So she wore attention-grabbing sweaters with red hearts to support the mayor’s fundraising goals to show she was a team player.
“Where are your hearts, Robert?” Tamara picked up the remainder of her items from her desk.
Robert scowled as if she’d suggested he eat cockroaches before he tugged on the waistband of his slacks. “When my mom had a heart attack two years ago, the Heart Society didn’t give her a penny for her hospital bills. They even denied her assistance. They ain’t getting any money out of me.”
Robert’s story did not move Tamara. Every organization the town raised money for, from the Heart Society to the group who sewed hats for kids with cancer, seemed to have turned down Robert’s family in one way or another. Tamara sensed a lie, but getting into a debate with Robert on his antiphilanthropic tendencies wasn’t worth the effort.
“Sorry to hear that.” She walked to the door and followed him down the hall to the conference room. “Is everyone here for the meeting?”
“I think so,” Robert said. “The investor for this project just got here. Some big shot out of Charlotte. Miriam was fawning all over him. Said they were in college together. If she wasn’t the mayor, I think she would have hugged him. I’m glad she’s not coming to the meeting. We’d get nothing done.”
Tamara’s lips lifted in a half smile but she nodded. “Miriam respects her place as mayor and ours as staff. Besides, she doesn’t want to be there to hear us talk about permitting and inspection schedules. Though I’m not surprised she’s in the building today to make sure things are going well. Considering how much she wants to do something about the abandoned mall in Peachtree Cove, I wouldn’t be surprised if she did hug him. She’s been looking for a way to turn that area into something other than a shrine to the 1990s. His investment to help turn the area into a mixed-use development for businesses and residents is like having her wildest dream come true.”
Tamara understood the mayor’s excitement because she felt the same. She couldn’t wait to get the project started and find another way to drive economic and community development in Peachtree Cove. As a planner, she geeked out over stuff like this.
Robert grunted, then shrugged. “She’ll get reelected if this deal goes through.”
“Even if it doesn’t, she’ll get reelected. What she’s done for Peachtree Cove is a lot more than what other mayors have done.”
Robert cut his eyes at her. “You’re saying that because she likes you.”
“She does,” Tamara said with a grin. The mayor’s support was something she appreciated but didn’t take for granted. She’d wear sequin heart shirts daily if it kept the powerful politician on her side so she could continue to improve her hometown. “But I also love helping the place where I grew up achieve its potential.”
Robert shook his head and walked ahead of her. Tamara chuckled to herself. She didn’t care if Robert thought she tried too hard. Not only did Tamara love her job, but she believed in Miriam Parker’s vision for the city. The renovation of the old mall into an area with shops, office spaces, condos and apartments had seemed like a pipe dream to many residents. But Miriam had worked her magic to make it happen. She’d found an investor who wanted to make Peachtree Cove thrive as much as it had when shopping malls were as popular as portable CD players.
Today’s meeting was another big step to help realize the mayor’s vision. Tamara understood Miriam wanted this project to happen with few disruptions. She really hoped the contractor was someone reasonable and not some hotshot who thought they could cut corners and take advantage of a small-town staff. She’d dealt with that before and it hadn’t been fun. Problem contractors tended to complain to the politicians when they didn’t get their way.
“Who’s the general contractor?” she asked.
“Andrew, Antwan, something like that. Last name Kemp.” Robert grumbled as if the name had been given to intentionally get on his nerves. “Maybe you know him. Apparently, he’s from Peachtree Cove.”
Tamara’s heart sped up and her steps slowed. “Andre Kemp?” It couldn’t be. There was no way he’d come back to Peachtree Cove.
“Yeah, I think that’s it.” Robert stopped walking and faced her with a curious expression. “Do you know him?”
Oh, she knew him. Andre Kemp had gone from being a childhood friend to her biggest teenage nemesis in what felt like the blink of an eye. She didn’t know what had happened and had long ago decided that figuring out Andre’s thoughts was about as pointless as her defining the meaning of life. She’d watched, bewildered, as her former friend pushed her away and turned into afuck the world, I’ve got a chip on my shoulder, and I’m fine and I know itjerk in high school. The sudden change had hurt and confused Tamara. They hadn’t been the closest, but she had considered him a friend. He and his group of friends had strutted around the school as if they owned the place. He’d gotten on her last nerve from the time they turned fourteen years old until they finally crossed the stage at graduation.
Her hand tightened around the items she was holding. “If it’s who I think it is, then, yes. I remember him.”
Even though she knew it was a long shot, Tamara still threw up a prayer that maybe a different Andre Kemp was the contractor for this job. He’d left Peachtree Cove swearing he would never come back, and she’d believed him. One thing was for certain—if he was back in town, she was not going to let him and his attitude ruin this project.
She followed Robert to the conference room. The room was filled to capacity. This project was important enough to invite everyone who might touch it to the meeting. Tamara’s eyes scanned the crowd. Her gaze slid across a familiar face and her entire body froze, then heated. Yep, that was him. Andre sat near the head of the table. Umpteen years since graduation and Andre still looked good. He’d been tall in high school, his body hard and muscled from the part-time job he’d had stocking plants, tools and soil at the local hardware store. Now he looked even broader, harder than he had at eighteen. He didn’t wear a suit, but a dark blue polo shirt stretched over his broad shoulders. His skin was a sun-kissed bronze that was darker than she remembered, and his curly dark hair was cut in a low fade.
Everyone in the room faced her and Robert as they entered. Including Andre. Damn, she’d forgotten how stunning his eyes were. A hazel that was more light brown than green with thick dark lashes and a perpetual spark of naughtiness that made a large majority of the girls in high school want to drag him under the bleachers.
She waited for recognition to flare in his features. For him to flash that grin that used to make her roll her eyes to cover her fluttering heart. Andre’s dark brows drew together as if he couldn’t quite place her, then his gaze dropped to her sweater and laughter brightened his eyes. She swallowed and fought the urge to tug on the front of the heart-splattered monstrosity. She was a team player, dammit, and she would not care what Andre may think of her admittedly ugly sweater.
“Everyone is here, good,” she said in her bestwho cares if Andre is watching me with a dumb smirk on his facevoice. She’d perfected it in eleventh grade science. When he used to roll his eyes and smirk every time she answered a question correctly. “Let’s get started.”
She went to her chair at the head of the table. Robert took the one to her left. “Let’s introduce everyone first. I’m Tamara Bradford, the planning director.” She looked to her right.
