Page 4 of The Marriage Deal (Sunset Falls #1)
ICE MAN
LILAH
The town is in a tizzy, Mom and Dad included. After Daniel Alder’s passing, and it became clear he’d left his land and business to his estranged city-slicker son—Dad’s words—the town began to fret.
What would happen to Sunset Falls if the man—if Briggs—chose to dismantle Alder Wines?
What would happen if he subdivided the land currently sprawling with stunning vineyards, providing jobs to the townsfolk, into lots for looming estate builds.
It would hike up the cost of living in Sunset Falls without balancing that rise by bringing in monetary gains for the current population.
On top of that, the job loss would be devastating. Crippling.
Now, the town is fretting for an entirely new reason. From one extreme to another, we’ve gone.
I cross my arms over my chest, thankful for the fact our tiny town is teeny enough that meetings such as these still welcome the input of the townsfolk.
Had we lived in another, larger town in the Okanagan, this meeting would be behind closed doors.
The results would be decided well before it reached the public.
“The man needs to go back to Alberta where he belongs.” I roll my eyes at the sharp words from the bitter woman behind me. Agatha Willerby has never liked change.
Even something so small as switching up the typical pots of petunias that dotted the boardwalk for stem flowers that could be cut and appreciated elsewhere had nearly sent her into a tailspin.
I’d had to assure her the petunias would be planted from the pots which hung from the covered porches connecting the row of businesses on Main Street.
She’d then demanded, wrinkled hands-on the flared hips that brought her four babies, all of whom made homes elsewhere, that the big old traffic circle smack in the middle of Main Street would have her beloved petunias.
She decreed they’d be planted in the pots which hung from the charming black lantern that illuminated the circle at night.
I’d agreed, of course, because fighting with Agatha Willerby is rarely worth it, even if petunias, as pretty as they may be, are extremely high maintenance in the world of deadheading.
“He’s arrogant.” The sharp slap that is the fall of Agatha’s hand on her thigh is enough to echo in the dull but rising chatter. “He’s going to ruin this town.”
Beside her, Tom Willerby mutters an uncommitted, “Mmm.”
My gaze catches on Opal and May Kennedy.
Opal’s arm is tucked into the circle of her daughter, May’s, as they walk together toward the line of chairs in front of our own.
May gives Mom a head nod while Opal flashes me a spry grin that wobbles with the tremors of age.
I return her grin with a wide smile of my own.
I’ve always liked Opal and having grown up next door to her my entire life, she feels a bit like family. May, however, not so much. She moved back in with Opal after Walter Kennedy passed away nearly ten years ago.
They settle in their chairs, May leaning closer to Agatha to mutter, “This man is going to change everything.”
Agatha’s tailspin turns into full blown hysteria.
I lean into Dakota, muttering under my breath, “Now they’ve really set her off.”
Dakota chuckles, rolling his shoulders as he adjusts in the chair. “I think it’s worth hearing him out.”
My head notches back. “You do?”
“Yeah.” He rubs the back of his neck under the tie of his low ponytail. “I mean, everyone knows Sunset Falls has been struggling for years. The town is kept on the dime of the people’s pride, you know?”
I nod, because he’s not wrong. The town is kept on the people’s pride. Every two years, everyone on Main Street gets together to repaint the face of the town, to touch up what needs touching up. To repair what’s been broken.
The town manages, but it’s a struggle. It’s a struggle when little businesses have to rely on struggling townsfolk to make ends meet.
When those same people can take a drive a few towns over and find what they need for cheaper.
It’s a struggle when jobs are few and far between, forcing those same people outside the boundaries of the town limits to seek employment.
It’s a struggle when we’re so secluded by the desert mountains that surround us.
But at least Alder Wines had employed something like seventy townspeople, give or take.
Without Alder Wines…
My heart gives a silly little flip as I watch the scissor stealing man take the podium. There’s no microphone, just a small stand where he places a tablet.
The fact it’s a tablet and not an old-fashioned book bound in leather no doubt has Agatha seeing red.
The man cocks a shy smile, and I note the rise of diluted red that begins a slow climb up the column of his neck.
It would appear Briggs Alder isn’t a fan of public speaking, which is rather surprising considering the man’s success in business.
“Hello, as most of you know by now, I’m Briggs Alder.
I’ve heard some worries about the closure and subsequent dissolving of the vineyards, and the jobs the vineyards currently supply.
I am here to officially announce that will not be happening.
” He gives another small smile as he scans the crowd from beneath thick lashes.
“Everyone’s jobs are safe. In fact, I’m here to discuss the potential opening of more jobs of which the townspeople of Sunset Falls will have first opportunity to apply. ”
I think half the room sighs in relief while the other half, Agatha included mutters something along the lines of leaving well enough alone.
Briggs continues, “We couldn’t get the projection working, so bear with me on this.
” Town councilman Josh Macomb clears his throat from where he stands to the side of the stage, nervously looking at the illuminated, but pictureless projection screen.
Briggs flicks the screen of his tablet, eyes flicking up to land on the crowd again.
And that’s when they land on me. There is a moment where the room stands utterly still. He doesn’t look away, and I can’t, either. I feel Mom lean forward in her chair from the other side of Dakota. Then Dad asks, “What’s going on?”
The screen behind Briggs flashes with a 3D image of—holy crap.
“Aha!” Councilman Macomb claps his hands proudly. “Look at that.”
Briggs cuts his gaze from mine, but not before he winks at me.
What the heck!?
“Did he just…” Mom shakes her head, utterly stupefied. She’s not the only one.
Two rows in front of me, Agatha sucks in a sharp, undoubtedly scandalized breath.
Dad asks, “Was that a wink?”
“Yep,” Dakota answers. I can hear the grin.
I give him a sharp elbow jab in the ribs. The goon doesn’t even give me a grunt for my trouble.
Briggs abandons his tablet for the projection. “This is what we’re proposing.” He moves closer to the screen, and I watch as he tugs a pair of scissors from his back pocket. Pink scissors. My scissors.
Dakota looses a noise of amusement. I might have told him about the man having made away with my scissors after harassing me on the boardwalk.
“We’re keeping the vineyards, but we’re expanding.
” Briggs uses the tip of my scissors to indicate the image on the screen.
I wonder if he can feel the heat of my glare.
I hope he can, scissor stealing oaf! “We’ll be adding a winery and resort, where people can come and experience the town of Sunset Falls, the view of Fire Falls, and Sunset Wine. ”
“You’re changing the name of Alder Wine?” someone from the crowd blurts.
Briggs nods. “Yes.” He points again with my scissors to the screen where a large circular area has been digitally drawn.
“As you can see here, there will be shops and restaurants between the areas for tasting. We will be including various wines and liquors from vendors that wish to rent space within the winery and resort. This means there will be plenty of spaces available to local businesses to begin as well as for more established businesses to expand.” He flashes a cheeky grin.
“I know how Sunset Falls enjoys its farmers market, and it is that culture that has inspired the plans I have here for Sunset Wines and Fire Falls Ranch and Resort.”
The plans for the resort and winery are impressive and luxurious and unlike anything Sunset Falls currently has.
It’s all sleek concrete and rich timbre with little pools and gentle waterfalls between sections with tables under big umbrellas.
It’s a large circle constructed around a giant concrete center where gas lit firepits are surrounded by more laid-back seating—and all of it has a stunning view of the big mountains from where the falls spill over stone stained by the hot sun, dipping into the cliffs of the lookout.
The resort is a short walk through what looks like an immaculately designed path through a section of the vineyard. The model shows a three-story building that is both cleanly modern while somehow appearing to have sprouted from the rocky backdrop of mountain and timbre.
“In addition, I’ve recently acquired the Pattinson land.
” Briggs nods to someone on the side and the slide changes to a model of the Pattinson land, which has been for sale for well over forty years.
It’s overgrown and was grossly overpriced, which is probably why it never sold.
“I figured since I would be investing so much in Sunset Falls, that I would also invest in the town’s population.
The Pattinson Land will be known in future as Fire Falls Estates.
Land parcels will be plotted for sale with the caveat that Landon Alder Homes, a division of Landon Alder Construction will construct the homes. ”
The room erupts from the low rattle of a tizzy to the boiled-over spill of a too hot pot of big ideas wrought with change this old, stuck-in-its-ways town might not be capable of swallowing.