13
Honesty
Savannah raised her wineglass. “To an unforgettable weekend.” She clinked Zander’s glass and drank, savoring the smooth Chianti before letting the wine slip down her throat.
After hitting the remainder of the Santa Fe locations, they’d headed south toward Albuquerque, stopping for dinner halfway between the two cities at a crowded Mexican restaurant. The sun had set on another special day with her stepbrother. But her heart hurt. She would miss him…a lot.
After sipping the dry, red wine, Zander set his glass on the table. “Today was productive, but we didn’t get to the remaining spots in Albuquerque. I’m sorry I can’t stay tomorrow, but with Kent’s health issue, plus the mountain of problems at work—”
“You’ve been amazing. Don’t even worry about the ones that are left.”
“What will you do about those?”
“The shoot starts on Tuesday. I can check them out tomorrow either before or after I meet with Gerard.” She smiled. “Sending that text changed everything.” She raised her glass again. “You, Zander King, are my hero.”
His smile was filled with gratitude. “I just suggested a follow-up. Your talent and professionalism sold him.” Being with Zander made her heart beat faster, her insides melt, and her soul soar.
The waitress delivered their entrees and they dug in.
“I want to discuss Starry Cove,” she began.
He froze.
“If we’re going to overhaul the B&B, it might be a good idea to talk about what else we should do.”
Zander set his fork down. “What are you saying, Savannah?”
“I’m having second thoughts about the nature center and a bunch of walking trails that lead to a deserted town.”
Initially, she’d dismissed his development project, but now, she wanted to rethink and reassess. He had legitimate motivations for wanting to breathe life into Starry Cove. As much as she loved and appreciated nature, she wasn’t convinced that walking trails and a dog park were the best solution to the town’s predicament. But neither was the big business of casinos and shopping centers. She’d grown up believing K-Dad’s motto: “preserve nature at all costs” wasn’t just the right way, it was theonlyway. Now, she wondered if his philosophy had been a tad extreme.
K-Dad’s outright rejection of Zander’s proposal was flat-out wrong. Since she couldn’t ask her stepdad why he’d made that decision, she would do what she believed would best benefit everyone involved.
“Well, that’s a big step for you,” Zander said.
A little girl popped her head over the booth behind Zander and smiled. Savannah tossed Zander a nod. “You’ve got a friend.”
Zander glanced over his shoulder at the tyke. She grinned at him before flipping back around.
“If we amend your proposed plan, like…say…eliminate the casino or scale things back initially, will the rest of your development still bring in enough tourism to revitalize downtown?” she asked.
He paused for a minute. “I believe it will. The goal is to attract small-town businesses back to Starry Cove while enticing tourism to the new development.” He shrugged. “It’s okay. I appreciate that you want to help, but I’ve let that one go.”
“Have you given any thought to outside activities like a tour of the town or guided hikes in the nearby mountains? What about rafting? I’m not familiar with the area, but that might be worth checking into. What about offering activities that encourage visitors to put down their phones and appreciate nature for an hour or two?”
“Those are great ideas, Savannah.”
The child reappeared with a doll. Zander offered a smile. “Is that your dolly?”
“Yeah, she’s new.”
Zander’s easygoing conversation with the child continued while the family cleared out of the booth.
His thoughtfulness stole Savannah’s heart. “Kids like you.”
“Guess so.” He resumed eating his enchilada.
“I snapped a few pictures of you with that little boy and his parents at our first stop.”
