Page 16 of Billionaire's Coastal Haven

“All I’m saying is don’t turn into someone else just because you think it will get the job done faster.”

But what if the person I’ve been is thesomeone elseI don’t want to be anymore? What if I like this energy—the thrill of making big things happen without having to apologize for myself and my behavior?

What if I’ve been hiding the real me so well, even my best friends don’t realize it’s been an act?

Landon

I sit on the estate’s back terrace as the afternoon sun beats on my face. A sharp wind buffets me with promises of a storm later this afternoon. I welcome the rain. It matches my mood.

Mayor Winslow put me in a compromising situation when she promised the renovation job to the Reeves brothers.

Cronyism has never been how I do business. I don’t care who you’re related to, friends with, or who owes you a favor. Every man or woman I work with needs to prove they are the right person for the job.

Are the Reeves brothers?

I spent last night and this morning searching every database I have access to for information about the Reeves family, all the way back to Thomas Reeves, the man who built the estate.

I didn’t find much more than I already knew. No social media presence. Minimal financial activity. Collin and Archer are two of six brothers from Rainwater Bay. They’ve lived their entire lives within the town limits, except for time away for college.

A-plus students.

Glowing letters of recommendation.

They live within their means…which are not much.

Raised by a single mom who worked two jobs to keep food on the table.

Collin’s construction company is thriving. No unexpected debts or lawsuits for poor craftsmanship.

Archer is well respected amongst the other lawyers he’s worked with. No crazy girlfriends or ex-wives.

They seem like upstanding citizens doing their best to thrive in a town that otherwise hates their family for the fallout after Emmett Reeves, their grandfather, closed the family shipping company.

He filed for bankruptcy, and the town suffered. The businesses that supported them closed. People moved away. Tourism died and took the economy with it.

Everyone has skeletons in their closets, family members they’d rather hide, but I need to know all the Reeves’s demons before I risk my reputation—and this project—on the brothers Mayor Winslow decided I should hire.

I shake my head. She’s ambitious, I’ll give her that.

At one forty-five, a red pickup truck follows the mayor’s Mini Cooper up the driveway. Their promptness is a point in their favor.

Mayor Winslow climbs from her car and ties her hair up in a high ponytail. She’s wearing another floral dress today. This one’s a rich emerald green with large whiteflowers. Same cowboy boots and leather jacket, though. She apparently has a signature look.

I’m man enough to admit that I like the look. Feminine with a little bit of edge. She exudes a soft professionalism which likely helps her win votes.

“Mr. Prince.” Her forced smile sets things back in place. Firmly.

I can’t forget that she’s here to break me to her will. It’s not going to happen, but it will be fun to watch her try.

“Mayor.” I tip my head in a mock bow. “Lovely to see you again.”

She tucks a folder under her arm. “Likewise.” Her reply is as sarcastic as mine. “Let me introduce Collin and Archer Reeves.” She gestures to the men walking around the front of the truck. I recognize them from my research.

I extend my hand to the man wearing a red polo the same shade as his truck. “Collin?”

“Landon.” He takes my hand.

You can tell a lot about a man based on his handshake. Collin’s grip is the perfect balance of strength and submission. No power struggle here. He knows we’re partners, not adversaries. Maybe Mayor Winslow was on to something. Too early to tell.