Seth held his breath as he waited to hear how Abby would answer. She leaned down to whisper in Gracie’s ear, her voice so quiet, he couldn’t hear what she said. He gave her a questioning look, especially when Gracie giggled.
“What did you tell her?” he asked Abby when Gracie ran ahead to hold their seats at the crowded table.
Abby grinned. “That I thought maybe she had the inside track on that.”
“You’re willing to take a backseat to an eleven-year-old?”
She shrugged. “She did see you first.”
“Are you telling me I have to break that little girl’s heart before you’ll consider being my girlfriend for real?”
Abby faltered at that. “I don’t think I realized that was an option.”
“I’m beginning to think I might not have any choice,” he told her. She was definitely sneaking past his defenses in ways he’d never anticipated.
15
Abby had been talking to a contractor about the Blue Heron Cove project for several months. Troy Hall had been eager to take on the construction work she’d described and had been impressed with the architectural plans she’d shown him for the development.
When he called on the Monday after Thanksgiving, though, his outlook had changed.
“I’m hearing from a few people that you’re not likely to get those permits anytime soon,” he told Abby.
“What people?” she asked, distraught not only by what he was saying, but by the fact that the news had reached him. Had someone deliberately set out to sabotage the project by scaring Troy off?
“Trust me, they’re reliable sources,” he said. “I can’t wait around, Abby. I have to keep my guys working. We’ll be wrapping up our current job before the holidays. Construction’s been picking up and I’ve had other offers. I put them off as long as I could, but if things over there aren’t going to get under way anytime soon, I need to move on. Work is work, you know what I’m saying?”
“Troy, you have to bear with me a little longer,” Abby pleaded. “You’re the man I trust to see that these houses are built right. You understand my environmental concerns better than anyone.”
“Believe me, I want to work with you. Seaview Key is beautiful. I love the scope of the project and all the care you’re taking to protect the island from over-development and to do as little damage as possible to the environment.”
His enthusiasm sounded sincere, but so did his frustration.
“If this drags on much longer, it doesn’t make sense for me to wait around,” he said. “I’ve heard that the mayor is dead set against the project and that she has allies.”
Abby could hardly deny that. Instead, she requested, “Can you give me till tomorrow to see what I can work out?” She had to work to keep a note of desperation from her voice. She didn’t want to start over from scratch trying to find someone else with Troy’s credentials and passion for protecting a fragile ecosystem.
“The way I hear it, there’s not even a council meeting scheduled till after the first of the year, and there’s no guarantee you’ll win even then,” he protested.
“Tomorrow,” she repeated, determined not to lose this chance to hire the very best man to handle the project. “Please, Troy.”
“Okay, end of the day tomorrow,” he agreed finally. “That’s the best I can do.”
When she’d hung up, she stared at the phone. What on earth was she supposed to do between now and tomorrow to get this development moving? And why had no one told her that the December meeting she’d been counting on had been officially canceled? At least she could start with that.
She reached for the phone, then stopped herself. This was a conversation she needed to have face-to-face. She finished dressing and headed for Seaview Inn. She had a hunch Jenny would have at least some of the answers she needed, and would understand the crisis she was suddenly facing. Maybe she’d even have some thoughts on ways that Abby could keep this whole project from falling apart.
At Seaview Inn, she discovered the front door standing wide open and a few strangers on the porch. Obviously the winter tourist season had begun.
Inside in the foyer, she found Kelsey decorating a huge Christmas tree. The wonderfully fresh, woodsy aroma of the live tree filled the air.
“Getting an early start on the holiday season?” Abby asked.
Kelsey smiled. “From the time I was a kid, I always wanted to rush it. Now that I’m at the inn, I have the perfect excuse. People seem to love the holiday atmosphere, even if it is right after Thanksgiving.”
Abby nodded toward the porch. “And you have guests already?”
“The Johnsons. They come every year at this time for a whole month. They like celebrating Christmas here with their family.”
“I don’t blame them,” Abby told her.
She sniffed the air again, then glanced toward the kitchen. “Is Grandma Jenny baking sugar cookies?”
“Indeed, she is. Just one more sign that the holidays are around the corner. Did you come to see her? Mom’s in there helping out. To be honest, she’s probably just getting in the way, but nobody dares to tell her that.”
Abby laughed. “I’m sure I’ll be in the way, too, but I do need to see Jenny.”
“Watch out. If there’s any indication at all that you can put some frosting on those cookies, you’ll be drafted.”
“That actually sounds like fun.”
She walked into the large kitchen just in time to overhear Jenny scolding Hannah.
“You’re making a mess of those. Why don’t you just sit there and talk to me?”
“I came over to help,” Hannah protested. “You grumbled all day yesterday about how much baking you had to do.”
“There’s help and then there’s real help,” Jenny countered. She spotted Abby. “What about you? Any skill in the cookie-decorating department?”
“None that’s been tested,” Abby claimed. “But I’m willing to try.” She glanced over Hannah’s shoulder, then quipped, “I can’t do any worse now, can I?”
“Sure, trust her, even though she’s totally untested,” Hannah
