Page 33 of Rebellious Hearts

“Atlantic salmon is a treat,” Richard said with a smile. “It was a very good meal choice.”

Right. He’d already said that, but whatever. I cut off a piece and tasted it, and it was exactly as I’d wanted it to be.

“So, Ben,” Richard said, turning to me. Finally, the small talk was over. “I looked over the proposal you sent me.”

I’d sent an elaborate plan to his secretary a couple of days ago, for the factory, as well as the suggested projects and the return on Richard’s investment.

“I must admit, I’m still struggling to take in the magnitude of it all.”

I nodded, offering my professional smile. I thought we would have it in the bag. This curveball was unexpected.

“I understand,” I said. “Rebuilding the town is no small feat. But you can rest assured that with our resources and expertise—”

Richard raised a hand, cutting me off, and I blinked at him. I glanced at Sofia for a moment. She wore a poker face, too.

“It’s not the resources I’m questioning, Ben.”

I frowned. “Then what is it?”

“The approach,” Richard said and cut off another piece of salmon, pairing it with the vegetables before taking the bite. He chewed for a while, making me wait. I tried to be patient—truly, I did.

“You’re talking about profit margins and economic growth, throwing around all the big words that any investor would want to hear, but what about the people? What about their hopes and dreams?”

I frowned. Whataboutthe people? Surely, creating the kind of town they could be proud of was something they wanted? What did it matter what they dreamed of?

The numbers were all there. I’d calculated the financial viability of the project, I’d made sure that Richard couldn’t say no. But emotions didn’t fit into spreadsheets and he wanted to know what thepeoplewanted.

“I think the people will appreciate a new face to the town,” Sofia said. “It’s hard to dream in a place that’s falling apart.”

Richard smiled warmly at her. “That’s exactly what I mean. You seem to understand what I’m getting at.”

Okay, good. Sofia was saving the day. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea that she was here. Sofia was a people person, and apparently, so was Richard.

“You mentioned earlier about community engagement, about empowering the residents of Harborview,” Richard said.

Had she? I’d only listened to what she had to say with half an ear.

Richard looked emotional. “That’s what my late wife believed in, you know. She always said that true wealth lies in the well-being of others.”

I glanced at Sofia, suddenly irritated. She had a way of looking at the world through rose-tinted glasses, finding beauty whereit didn’t exist. It was maddening and mesmerizing at the same time. Her optimism was magnetic, and it irritated me.

What happened to being pragmatic? What happened tomystrong suit for this business deal?

“I’m so sorry about your wife, Richie,” Sofia said with compassion. “I can’t imagine what you must be going through.”

“I just want to do the right thing, and through these endeavors I can keep her spirit alive.”

“It’s such a selfless thing to do,” Sofia said, and her warmth seemed to cheer Richard up. Good. I needed him in a good mood to take this project on.

“Sofia does have a knack for seeing the human side of things,” I said begrudgingly, injecting myself back into the conversation. “But we can’t ignore the financial realities. We need to ensure that this project is sustainable long term, that it’s not just a fleeting gesture of goodwill.”

Richard nodded thoughtfully. His gaze flicked between me and Sofia.

“Of course,” he finally said, his eyes resting on me. “But let’s not forget the heart of what we’re doing—the people of Harborview.”

I groaned inwardly.

“I’ll need some time to mull over your proposal, to think about how we can marry business with compassion.” He glanced at his watch. “I should go.”