She laughed at that. “You know, I was thinking…”
“Yeah?” He pulled back and tipped his head to the side, really listening to what she was saying as if her ideas mattered and her thoughts were valuable.
“What if I kept only a small part of the resort for naturists, but expanded the overall footprint and offerings? I think a full spa up front would go over well with the travel getaway concept Mike and Giovanni are collaborating on. And why pigeonhole myself? I was running some numbers before this happened about the profitability of weekenders and hosting special events. Devra and Morgan might be interested in catering them, which would be even better. I didn’t pursue those kinds of bookings before because Bare Natural already had a reputation that was going to make it difficult for some people to take us seriously or feel comfortable hosting a wedding or other formal occasions there…”
“A wider audience?” Gavyn hummed. “Not a bad approach. Niche is good. You were always booked solid, but land is way cheaper out here. You could easily have five times as many cabins if you wanted and room to spread out and isolate your more risqué clientele.”
For the first time since she’d stood before the wreckage of her home and choked on the fumes rising off the ashes of Bare Natural, Kayla got excited.
“Yeah. I could.” She did some quick calculations. “With the settlement the insurance company is willing to offer me right now to write the place off… I absolutely could afford enough land to have different areas with enough separation that no one would have to worry about a bare booty photobombing their parents’ fiftieth anniversary party portraits. I think I need to talk to Tom about that stretch down by the lake.”
“It would be perfect, Kayla.” Gavyn hugged her, then put his hands on her shoulders. “You can do this. I believe in you. I always have, and I won’t let my own demons keep me from showing you how much ever again.”
Kayla suddenly realized she had gotten lucky. Instead of being angry at the world, she was grateful. It may have given her exactly what she needed even though she hadn’t realized it at the time.
“You know what? You’re right, Gavyn.” Kayla climbed from his arms, missing their strength but looking forward to telling Dave what she’d decided because she knew he’d be there to embrace her in his own, very non-fraternal way, along with her new aspirations. “Sometimes dreams die and new ones take their place. This is my future and I can’t wait for you to share it with me.”
“Thank you for giving me another chance.” Gavyn stood and crushed her in a hug that she returned with interest.
“I’m glad the universe gave us both this opportunity.” She stepped back and asked, “Do you have a pen?”
He blinked, then took one from the drawer of the side table. Kayla whipped out the paper that had been crumpled in her back pocket, signed it, and said, “I have to go send this to the insurance company and get this project rolling.”
“Tell me what you need. Anything, Kayla, and I’ll do it,” Gavyn promised her.
“I just need you to love me.” Her voice distorted as she told him the truth.
“I do. So very much.”
“I love you too, big brother.” Before they both could break down, she stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek, then headed for the door. “Tell your wife and son I love them too. And that Dave and I will be coming over for dinner sometime very soon.”
“I will, and I can’t wait.” Gavyn was smiling wider than she’d seen in a while when she looked over her shoulder, waved, then started making her new dream a reality.
13
Dave walked beside Kayla as they climbed the stairs to Uncle Tom and Ms. Brown’s house beside the Hot Rods garage. He would stand by her side whenever she asked, and even if she didn’t. “You’re going to do fine. This is practically family, okay?”
“That makes it harder.” She squeezed his fingers where they were intertwined. “I don’t want them to say yes out of pity or some shit, you know?”
“They respect you too much to be anything but fair,” Dave reassured her as they knocked on the door.
Joe was already inside with his cousin Eli and Eli’s dad, Tom. It was crowded around the dining room table but Ms. Brown; Eli’s husband and wife, Sally and Alanso; and Joe’s wife, Morgan, were all waiting for them.
Ms. Brown and Tom greeted them with wide smiles and wider arms. Dave and Kayla took the empty seats on the other side of Joe then made small talk while Tom offered them some of the goodies Ms. Brown had baked earlier that day.
Dave knew better than to turn down one of her amazing chocolate-chip cookies. He’d already stuffed an entire one into his mouth when Tom asked Kayla, “So what is it you wanted to talk about?”
She peered over at Dave, who smiled encouragingly, or at least he hoped that was the vibe she got despite his lips being covered in gooey chocolate and crumbs. A soft laugh and a shake of her head broke her tension before she faced Tom directly and said, “I want to buy the land by the lake and develop it as the site for my new, expanded resort.”
“Ah, man.” Joe sighed. “Morgan and I were really looking forward to keeping that view all to ourselves, but it’s probably selfish of us to monopolize a spot as pretty as that.”
“You can say no.” Kayla meant it, but Dave also knew she’d gotten her heart set on her new vision. And truthfully, it made a hell of a lot of sense to capitalize on the potential of that tract of land.
“No
