A stroke last year had left Daisy paralyzed on one side and her children had moved her to live with them in Baton Rouge. Her aunt hadn’t truly been satisfied with the cooks after Daisy.
It was obvious to Vashti that all the appliances—all industrial-size—needed replacing. She wondered why she was thinking about that. She had told Bryce to sell the inn as is. The buyer, she’d assume, would make any necessary repairs, changes or updates. Now if she were able to sell it to the Barnes Group, appliances or anything else wouldn’t matter since they planned to tear it down.
Dear heaven, why was the thought of that suddenly troubling her? Why was she letting it? She wanted to cut this last tie to Catalina Cove, but she had a feeling that coming here and seeing the place for what would be the last time had not been a good idea. Deciding to leave well enough alone, she turned and left the house. After relocking the front door, she got into her car and drove off and refused to look back.
SAWYER ENTERED THE meeting room and glanced around. It was full. Evidently there was something on the agenda that piqued a number of people’s interest. Trudy had printed the agenda for him before he’d left the office, but he hadn’t had a chance to look at it.
“Evening, Sheriff.”
He looked at Reid Lacroix, the man who owned the Lacroix Blueberry Plant and who was the largest employer in town. “Evening, Reid,” Sawyer said, moving toward the vacant chair at the head table beside Kaegan.
“What’s going on? Is someone giving away free lottery tickets?” he asked Kaegan when he took his seat.
Kaegan grinned over at him. “I take it you didn’t look at your agenda.”
“Nope, didn’t have time.”
Kaegan nodded. “The Baxters want us to reconsider letting them put up that privacy fence on the back of their property. I think he and Josh Guyton finally reached an agreement about it and just need our approval. However, I figure most of the people are here because of the developer who wants to build that tennis resort.”
Sawyer lifted a brow. “Some developer wants to build a tennis resort in the cove?”
“Yes, and I heard they’re willing to offer the locals free membership at their facilities for the first year and free tennis lessons for the kids.”
“You think the town is going to let them come in and build?”
“I doubt it. Reid Lacroix is totally against it and most people follow his lead. He hates change, although not all change is bad. Membership in that resort will give our young people something to do after school and over the summer months. For all we know there might be another Serena or Venus Williams living in the cove. Besides, work at the resort will bring new jobs.”
“And where do the developers want to build this resort?” Sawyer asked.
“At the site of what is now Shelby by the Sea. It’s been up for sale since Ms. Shelby passed and I knew it was just a matter of time before some developer showed an interest in it, especially since it’s right there on the gulf. However, I think a lot of the townspeople were hoping Ms. Shelby’s niece would move back and reopen the inn.”
“Vashti Alcindor?”
Kaegan raised a brow. “You know Vashti?”
“Not personally. I pulled her over two days ago on Highway 63 and gave her a ticket for speeding.”
Kaegan grinned. “She couldn’t talk you out of it?”
“She didn’t even try, although I think she expected to be given a warning ticket instead of an actual ticket.”
“I can understand that. Back in the day, unless the locals were speeding excessively, tickets were rarely given out.”
“I discovered that fact when I became sheriff. I told Ms. Alcindor that I don’t give warning tickets.”
“Well, I’m glad she’s back in town, even if it’s just for a little while. It will be good to see her again today.”
There it was, that odd sensual pull at his gut when Kaegan mentioned Vashti. “She will be at the meeting today?” he asked to make sure. He hadn’t expected to see her twice in the same day.
“Yes. I understand that Vashti and the developer will try to convince the board to lift zoning restrictions. Otherwise, the sale will fall through. I heard she’s been offered a lot of money for the place.”
Sawyer looked at his watch. “The meeting is about to begin, and I hope we’re not here too late this evening.” He liked being home to help Jade with any homework she might need his help with.
More people filed in and Sawyer finally got a chance to read the meeting’s agenda. There was Vashti’s name and the name of the developer, both slated to speak, no doubt to sway the board their way. Good luck on that. Just like Kaegan said, Reid Lacroix carried a lot of weight in this town and if he didn’t want anything to come to the town, it didn’t come. After living in the cove for four years, Sawyer had learned that about him. He liked the man. He had no reason not to as long as Lacroix operated within the confines of the law. But he knew the man was a staunch conservative who didn’t believe in change.
Sawyer agreed with what Kaegan said about some change being good. He would admit one of the things that had drawn him to Catalina Cove, other than the fact he’d inherited the house Johanna owned here, was the small-town atmosphere. He liked it. After living in large metropolitan cities, the small-town environment was what he felt he needed to raise his daughter. He had no complaints. Today, he would keep an open mind and vote accordingly.
“Hello, Sawyer.”
He glanced over at the woman who’d taken the seat next to him. He inwardly cringed. There was only so much he could take of Rachel Libby. The woman had done whatever she could to garner his attention. She couldn’t get the fact that he just wasn’t interested. It had nothing to do with her being ten years older than him since she did look good for her age. It had everything to do with her assumption that just because she was interested in him he should fall in line. Someone failed to tell her that the laws of sexual chemistry didn’t work that way.
“Hello, Rachel.”
She leaned in a little too close and he thought whatever perfume she was wearing was almost stifling. “Would you like to come to my house for dinner later?”
“No, thanks. I’ve cooked already. Besides, I have a daughter waiting at home for me.”
“She’s a big girl. I’m sure she can take care of herself.”
He almost told her the worst thing any woman could tell him was her thoughts of his daughter. “Maybe. But then that’s why I’m her father. I decide when she can take care of herself, as well as what’s best for my daughter. I don’t need anyone else suggesting otherwise.”
Evidently she had picked up on the annoyance in his voice that he wasn’t trying to hide. “Sorry, Sawyer. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
He fought back the urge to tell her she was of no significance to upset him. Instead he said, “You didn’t.”
He went back to reading the agenda, letting her know as far as he was concerned, their conversation was over. He was glad she had the good sense to take the hint as she eased away from him to sit up straight in her chair and look over her own copy of the agenda.
Moments before the meeting was to start Vashti walked through the door. Sawyer felt a tightening in his groin as he looked at her and noticed several people had turned to peer in her direction as well. Some were smiling and there were several others who were whispering. Her return to the cove certainly was arousing interest with folks.
As she crossed