“Of course. I’m sure Lisette will be so glad to have your help.”
“We’re sad to leave the island, but this is the right thing to do. Thehardest thing is... I have to sell my business. This will be a permanent situation, and I can’t see running it from afar.”
Jenna winced. “I know that must be very hard for you. It’s your baby.”
“Well, I suppose it had to happen sometime. I’m no spring chicken, but I’d planned to put in a few more years at least. Thing is, Jenna... I wondered if you might be interested in buying it.”
Jenna froze. Blinked.
“I know you just started a new job and the timing isn’t ideal. I’m not sure of your financial position, but I’d be willing to work with you on that if you’re interested. I can’t think of anyone I’d rather take the reins than you.”
“Miss Molly. I’m so honored you thought of me.”
“Of course I’d think of you. No one else has the kind of passion you do for sharing our island’s history. You know the business—you’ve worked it from the bottom up, and you’ve got a business degree to boot. You’re ideally suited for this, Jenna.”
She was. She absolutely was. Her pulse raced now, but for a much better reason. She could run Coastal Currents. But could she earn enough to afford island life? Mr. Paul and Miss Molly had a nice life and a beautiful little inland home. But they’d been a dual-income family, so it was hard to know how profitable the kayak company was.
“I’ve caught you unaware. I understand this is a big decision with a lot of moving pieces. If you’re interested at all, I’ll send you the financials, and we’ll talk about what I’m looking to get out of the business. I’m flexible with the buyout. Paul and I don’t need to be paid out all at once. But all of this is irrelevant if you have no interest.”
“No, I’m interested,” she blurted.
Miss Molly chuckled. “Well, I always knew you were a bright girl.I can send you the financials tomorrow and you can look them over. How does that sound?”
“It sounds great, Miss Molly. I—I can’t even wrap my mind around this. Thank you for thinking of me.”
“Oh, honey, who else would I think of?”
The woman’s teasing voice echoed in Jenna’s head as she set her phone down in a daze. Could this really work? Buying her out might not be as difficult and lengthy a process as Miss Molly thought since Jenna had her grandma’s trust.
If the financials looked good, it wouldn’t be money holding Jenna back from grabbing the opportunity. It would be the thought of sharing the tiny island with the man she loved.
Chapter 47
Tyson’s heart was heavy as he navigated the Friday night traffic on his way to the coffee shop.
From the passenger seat, Seth jacked up the air-conditioning. “I hope the heat lets up soon.”
It had been in the high nineties most of the week. Pony penning started a week from tomorrow, and it would be better for the ponies, spectators, and saltwater cowboys if the weather cooled a bit. Not that Ty would be sitting horseback at this rate.
He’d been cleared by his doctor on Tuesday, but he was still lying low around the fire station. He hadn’t spoken to Marissa a single time since her ridiculous allegations, but he’d sure thought about it. His family had convinced him it would be unwise.
But that didn’t stop him from trying to figure out how to prove himself innocent. A call to the coffee shop had relieved him of the hope that they might’ve caught the interaction on camera. They didn’t have security cameras, and none of the employees had been watching out the window—why would they?
He wasn’t sure why he’d thought coming down here again might help. Maybe reenacting the encounter might bring something helpful to mind.
As he pulled into the lot, gravel popped under his truck’s tires, making Ty remember that ding someone had put in his car door backin May. Could that have been Marissa? He never would’ve thought it at the time, but now he understood just how vindictive she was.
The coffee shop was closed, which would give them the privacy he preferred. “I was parked here.” Tyson pulled into the space. “And Marissa parked over there—two spots closer to the entrance.”
Once he shut off the engine, they exited the vehicle.
“You were leaving the shop?”
“Right.” Tyson walked toward the entrance and turned. “I was coming out and there were only our two cars. I saw her when she came around her vehicle.”
“Like this?”
“Right.” Ty retold the conversation as they stood where he and Marissa had five days ago. He’d reviewed it in his mind a hundred times. “Then I started walking away like this and she said I must think I’m hot stuff after being written up like a hero. I ignored the comment. Just went to my truck and got in.”
