Zander smiled at the child. “That’s great, Colin.”
“Stay and pay with me. I got a new truck from my Gammy and Poppy.”
“Absolutely. I’m going to talk to your daddy first.”
“Okay.” He held up three pudgy fingers. “Tree minutes. And don’t be late, ‘kay?”
Megan laughed. “Kent’s mini-me.” With Colin perched on her hip, she started up the stairs. “He’s in the family room. We’ll be back.”
Kent lay sprawled on the sofa watching TV, while the baby shook a rattle in his exersaucer. His partner did a double take. “What the—you’ve got facial hair. Are those jeans?”
After bending down to hug his friend, Zander sat on the floor beside the youngest Walker.
He grinned at the tot. “Hi, little one.”
The baby’s toothless smile and garbled chatter made Zander chuckle.
“What’s with the clothes?” Kent asked. “You look good, bro.”
“I had a wardrobe makeover, amongst other things. How are you? You scared the hell out of me.”
“Megan’s in charge now.” Smiling, Kent rolled his eyes. “I ate a raw kale salad last night. And we’re going to start walking together.”
“She loves you and wants you healthy. You better listen to her.”
“We’re going to have to put together a press release.” Kent picked up the tablet on the coffee table in front of him. “I’ve drafted something I can read you.”
Zander spun one of the toys on the saucer and the baby giggled. “I’ve got news.”
“Oh, God.” Kent swung his legs off the sofa and sat up. “I don’t know how much more I can handle.”
“We got the Starry Cove deal.”
While Kent gaped at Zander, the baby pounded on the exersaucer. Zander held out his hand and the little one gripped his finger.
“Say that again,” Kent said.
“The Starry Cove project is a ‘go’.”
“Are you for real? You’re messing with me, aren’t you?”
“It’s the truth. I was as surprised as you are, but it’s happening.”
“How’d you pull that off?”
“When my dad passed, he left the land parcel to us, expecting Savannah to carry out his wishes. Initially, she didn’t want to change a thing.” Zander smiled. “I’ll spare you the long story, but suffice it to say, she’s on board. Details will be ironed out in the coming weeks.”
“And the devil lives in those details. Talk to me.”
“She wants us to partner with green companies.”
“We already do that.”
“See how easy this is going to be?”
Kent laughed.
“No buildings can impede the mountain views, the sunrises or the sunsets. She wants structures to complement the natural surroundings. Stucco—or Parex—over cement, for example.”
