Page 51 of Bargain With the Boss

“It was a side discussion about A Place For All. We stopped in this morning to look around after we had some breakfast.”

A Place For All was a co-op style offshoot of Trick or Treat, the massive candy shop at the end of Main Street. The new add-on place had a series of booths that attracted vendors of all styles to sell their wares.

Her voice softened. “I didn’t talk things over with Claire.”

I relaxed and leaned my hip against the counter. “Okay.”

“Did you ever think that maybe your rigidity about Claire’s family is actually why you’re having so much trouble getting your own project going?”

“Of course it does, because Arthur wants that prime spot of land. It’s the only stretch of beach that actually is worth bringing people to. You were on that woman’s boat so you saw the touristy spot where the boardwalk is.”

She nodded. “I did. For some people it was all about the water.”

“And that’s why it works down there. But at the Lakeside Terrace we can utilize the beaches finally. Some people come by, but without anything to?—”

She held a hand up. “I don’t need another sell on the project, Xavier. I get it. But you’re so wound up about your competition that you’re making mistakes.” She pushed the notebook she was writing in toward me.

I frowned and looked through her list of expenses.

I swallowed when I read the black and white version of how much we’d lost wrangling in the permits and the insurance we had to take out to cover our asses. It would take a lot for us to recoup what we’d spent.

“What are you saying?”

“Is this really worth it?”

I frowned and pushed the notebook back at her. “It’s worth it. We’re aware that we’ve lost money on this. It’s why we are juggling so many other properties.”

She nodded slowly. “Okay, I had to ask. I understand you want this, but from a business standpoint this is a lot of loss.”

I straightened and fisted my hands at my sides. “You think I don’t know that?”

“I really don’t know. All I know is my brother left a lucrative position at our family company and now he’s here pouring money into a dream that you have.”

“Wehave.”

“Maybe so, but I have to protect my brother first.”

“He wants this just as much as we do. This is his home with his family.”

Her chin lifted and her eyes went cool.

“Don’t give me that look. You’re his family too. He wants you here.” When she opened her mouth, I pushed on. “Permanently, Syd. He wants you here. It may have started with Owen but now he’s got roots in the Cove. He’s been getting to know his brothers. And they’re your half-brothers too.”

“I know that,” she said in a furious whisper. “Believe me, I’m well aware of the fact that I started out this year with a big change too. Jude hasn’t looked back even once.”

I relaxed and stepped closer to her. “He’s figuring things out.”

“Yes, I understand that.” She crossed her arms over her middle. “But it didn’t just affect his life when he decided to leave Seattle.”

I frowned. “He’s still part of your family’s company.”

“Not—” She cut herself off. “That’s not important. What’s important to me is that he’s financially stable with this company of yours.”

I took her arm and pulled her over to my desk.

“Xavier, I don’t want to see your records.”

“No, I think you need to see them. Jude trusts you and you’re right. You should see where we are.” I pushed her into my chair and set her in front of my screen, then reached around her to log in.