Page 104 of The Rebel

“Then, like I was saying,” I continued, “if we downsize here, on our current lot, and only take up half the land”—I placed my palm over the east side—“we can portion off the unused side and sell it. Before any of you say,What about the lost revenue, going from twenty-two stories to fifteen?We can make those fifteen floors suite-only.”

I pointed just southeast on the map, where I’d drawn a purple square. “Right here, there’s another lot for sale. This area is downtown Banff, about a forty-ish-minute drive from Lake Louise. It receives a huge amount of tourism, and it’s an extremely popular ski destination. If we build a smaller hotel where we intended, we could build another one here. That’s two—one on the lake and another in the middle of downtown with just enough space in between. We can go with completely different styles of design and offer different amenities. We could even go with an entirely different feel if that’s whatwe”—I glared at Brady—“decide to do.”

I pulled my hands back and brought my chair in closer, my arm brushing with Cooper’s as I took a seat. “I would have run these ideas by you, but they came to me in the middle of thenight when I couldn’t sleep, and I didn’t want to call and wake you.”

Cooper raised his hands. I wasn’t sure what he was going to do with them until I realized he was slapping them together, clapping at me. “Rowan … I’m fucking impressed.”

A response that surprised me.

Especially when it came with a smile too.

“That makes two of us,” Walter replied.

“And three,” Jo added.

“You put in some good work,” Macon added.

I squeezed Cooper’s shoulder, silently thanking him. “I have one final suggestion,” I offered. “Rhett isn’t a soil expert, but he’s a general contractor. He obtained his license because he thought it was an important skill to have with all the building Cole International has done over the years. I’m not saying we shouldn’t consult the governing officials of Alberta or send in the soil for testing—all of that should certainly take place. But I also think it’s worth discussing this with Rhett. He’s going to look at this from a perspective that I’m assuming none of us have.”

“Then, why wouldn’t you bring him today?” Brady asked.

“Because—”

“I told her not to,” Cooper said, interrupting me. “I didn’t want this to turn into an argument between the Coles and the Spades, which, given the way you’re treating Rowan, Brady, I can see that’s exactly what would have happened if Rhett had walked through the door with her.”

The room turned quiet again.

Cooper hadn’t asked me not to bring Rhett; he hadn’t even known I wanted us to consult with Rhett.

He’d given his brother a little fib.

But it was one that showed he had my back.

And it was that praise, that realization, that was singing inside my head.

Cooper turned his chair to face me. “I think talking to Rhett is an excellent idea. I’ll reach out to him personally and set up a meeting for the three of us.”

I felt the warmth move over my face as I whispered, “Perfect.”

TWENTY-ONE

Cooper

“What the fuck was that?” Brady asked me as I returned to the conference room after walking Rowan to the elevator.

I took the seat I’d been sitting in before, noticing the three vacant spots where Walter, Rowan, and the architect had been during our meeting. Macon, Jo, and Brady were now the only ones left.

And based on Brady’s reaction the second I’d come through the door, I knew a talk was coming. I’d also gotten a text from him on my way back from the elevator that told me to return to the conference room.

Something was definitely up.

“What was what?” I questioned.

He swiveled forward and placed both forearms on the table. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

The way I’d chimed in on his conversation with Rowan when they were discussing Rhett. The way I’d come at him when he’d been coming at Rowan.

I was just tired of the banter; it wasn’t needed.

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