Darius gave a small nod. “Isabel needed me. The company needed me. There wasn’t time for anything else.”
“And now?” Penny asked gently. “You’re sixty-one, Darius. You’ve built an empire. Maybe it’s time to let yourself enjoy some of it instead of always chasing the next piece of land.”
He didn’t answer right away. The truth was, the acquisition that should have felt like victory left him strangely hollow. The private reserve between the properties held a fragile ecosystem that his parents had once walked through with him and Isabel, pointing out birds and mangroves and telling stories about the old Florida they remembered. He had promised himself he would protect what mattered. Now he wasn’t so sure his plans would allow it.
Penny watched him closely. “You’ve changed these past few years. The old Darius would have been celebrating with a bottle of the best scotch and already planning the next resort. This Darius looks like he’s carrying the weight of the world again.”
Darius managed a faint smile. “Maybe I’m just getting old.” He rubbed his eyes. He was really tired, and he knew Penny was right. He needed a real vacation.
“Or maybe you’re finally realizing there’s more to life than the next deal,” Penny said quietly. “Your sister and Emma need you present, not just providing. And you need them too.”
He thought of Isabel’s tired eyes, and Emma’s bright laughter, and something in his chest eased just a fraction. Darius’s eyes fell on the property deed in front of him, and excitement grippedhis stomach as an idea took root. This particular bay had once been their family’s happy place. Perhaps it could be again. Goodness knew his sister and her granddaughter could use a little sunshine and a change of scenery for the summer. Maybe a working vacation there was just what he, his sister, great-niece, and Penny needed. He flipped through the second set of papers, which were the land survey for the reserve wedged between the two properties and belonging to the one he was about to buy up. He remembered that land. He and his sister collected frogs there one summer to help some ecologists who were surveying the land. A twinge of guilt hit him at what he had planned for it, but he pushed it aside.
“Tell me again about the piece of land connecting the properties?” Darius frowned, changing the subject from his need for a vacation.
Penny sighed, realizing what he was doing, and shook her head. He saw the disapproval again over what he intended to use the land for and knew what was coming before she started to speak. Penny hated this part of her job. “Darius, I have to say this again, so you know, while I will help you acquire the land, I don’t approve of what the Wayne Group is going to do with it.” Her eyes narrowed and flashed. “That reserve land between the two properties, it’s not just empty acreage. It supports an entire fragile ecosystem. Mangroves, nesting birds, and the natural filtration system that keeps the bay healthy. Destroying it to connect the two developments would be a mistake. A big one.”
Darius leaned back against the window frame, arms crossed. “I’m not planning to destroy anything. I’m planning to build something better. Something that will bring jobs and tourism to the area while preserving what matters most.”
Penny arched an eyebrow. “And your cousin Baxter? Does he know about this latest acquisition yet?”
The mention of Baxter Johnson made Darius’s jaw tighten. His ambitious cousin had been with Wayne Group International for twelve years, climbing the ranks with a speed that sometimes left Darius uneasy.
“Baxter is on a very tight leash,” Darius said firmly. “I know all his tricks. He won’t step out of line this time.”
“I hope not,” Penny replied, her voice quiet but edged with concern. “I really hope not. I don’t want to have to bail the company out again when he messes up. The last time cost us millions and nearly damaged our reputation in three states.”
Darius waved a hand. “He’s learned his lesson. I’ve made it clear that any more shortcuts will end his position with the company.”
“If you say so.” Penny looked as though she wanted to say more, but she simply nodded.
The conversation shifted back to the new property he’d just bought and the two he was pushing hard to get. Darius described the quiet charm of the area, the way the two properties there sat on either side of the protected reserve, and how perfectly they would complement the final piece he still needed. Penny listened, taking notes, but her brow remained furrowed.
They were deep in discussion when the sound of footsteps and light laughter drifted down the hallway. The study door swung open, and his great-niece, eleven-year-old Emma, burst into the room like a small hurricane of joy.
“Uncle Darius!” she cried, flinging herself into his arms.
He caught her easily, lifting her off the ground for a moment, the way he had done since she was tiny. “There’s my favorite girl,” he said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Her dark hair smelled of sunshine and strawberry shampoo.
Emma hugged him fiercely, then turned and threw her arms around Penny as well. “Hi, Penny!”
Penny’s face softened into a genuine smile as she returned the hug. “Hi, sweetheart. How was school today?”
Isabel Graham, Darius’s younger sister, followed more slowly, her steps measured. At fifty-eight, Darius’s younger sister still carried the graceful beauty of the Wayne family, but grief had left shadows beneath her eyes that no amount of rest seemed to erase. She had lost her husband Robert two years ago and her son Jonathan and daughter-in-law Sarah three years ago in a tragic accident. The weight of raising Emma alone had aged her in ways Darius wished he could fix.
“Hello, Darius,” Isabel said, offering a tired smile. “Penny, it’s good to see you.”
“Hello, Bella,” Darius smiled at her.
“Gran, I’m going to find Mr. Arnold to get something to eat. I’m starving,” Emma said.
“Yes, go,” Isabel smiled at her granddaughter. “And have food, Em. Ice cream is not food.”
“But Gran…” Emma moaned. “It’s the last day of school, and I usually have ice cream to start the summer with.” She gave a charming grin.
“After you’ve had some real food,” Isabel insisted.
“Okay!” Emma relented with an exaggerated sigh and rolled her eyes before rushing out of the room.
