Page 37 of Snake

She didn’t tell Badger that his bid wasn’t out of her range, however. Nor did she indicate in any way that her main goal for this weekend was to get SBC attached to the project, and he’d just handed her a huge gift.

She kept reading, looking for where the other motorcycle boot would drop. Timeline was excellent; they’d obviously chosen good and fast, so they were in accord with her there. Costing was only a sketch, and that needed to be fleshed out completely before any ink on dotted lines was involved, but the Horde had apparently thrown this bid together this morning, so they could work on that.

Oh. There it was. SBC wanted veto power over who got to lease the units and didn’t want a major hotel chain to get the hotel in Phase II.

She stopped reading right there. “This is an interesting bid. There’s a lot here we can talk about. But the construction company is a contractor. You don’t get a say in what happens after a project is built. As you’ve been in business for almost twenty years, I know you know this. I’ve been doing my job for a long time as well, and I also know this.”

Badger’s smile did not budge. “Signal Bend is a special place. It’s not a company town, but things work different here.”

That phrase chimed in Autumn’s whisky-soaked memory. She’d used it last night, talking to Cox—and she’d offended him. The way Badger hit those words now, he clearly wanted her to know that Cox had told him all about it.

He’d been nothing by a spy all night long.

All morning, and last night, too, she’d been struggling to understand her increasingly deep and complicated feelings for that man. She’d felt bursts of chemistry between them, but now she understood those moments of connection been nothing more than Irish whisky and country manners. Even worse: he’d been leading her on, digging for intel.

Though she felt unreasonably hurt, Autumn didn’t take the bait. “Yes, but contract law works the same in any town.”

Badger held her gaze, kept his smile right where it was, but he rapped once on Mark’s desk.

Mark cleared his throat. “Um ... the town council approves all new business licenses.”

And that was standard. But as she’d heard over and over ad nauseam, as the Horde goes, so goes Signal Bend; the club had apparent veto power already. So why bother putting that clause in their bid?

She asked that question aloud, in so many words, and Badger sat back and laughed. “Honest? I just wanted to see what you’d do with it.”

“Delete it, is what I’ll do with it. The rest, we can talk about after the costing is finished and this is a complete bid. But that clause is a deal-breaker. It’s standard for municipalities to determine who opens shop, by way of approving licensure. Whatever influence your club exerts over the council is your business, so long as nobody treads on contracted terms. But SBC does not get a say officially.”

“I said we’re not negotiating,” Badger repeated.

“I heard you. I’m saying I won’t sign a contract I don’t like.” They were much, much closer to a deal than Badger realized, and Autumn had no intention of letting him know that until she had a contract she liked. She also meant this man and his club to understand that she was no pushover.

Silence took over as Autumn and Badger stared, neither willing to break first.

It was the interim mayor who broke. “So ... where are we on this, then?”

Double A chuckled. “I’d like to know that myself.”

“Where are we, Autumn?” Badger asked, his tone sardonic.

“That depends on you. I need to see full costing before I go any further. When can I see that?”

Badger tipped his head. “You leave Monday morning, right?”

It was creepy how this guy really did know everything in town. “I do.”

“You’ll have it by Sunday afternoon. Before the Fling Finale. We can talk then, finish things up.”

“Sunday works. And I’ll see if I like the terms then. If I do, then we can finish things up.”

Now Badger slapped his hand to his chest and really laughed. “Maybe you don’t suck as much as I thought, Ms. Rooney. You got a pair on you, that’s for sure.”

And he could suck on them. Jerk.

But Autumn smiled. “So do you, Mr. Ness.”

Chapter Nine

Cox stepped out of his shower and wrapped his towel around his waist. He dragged the side of his hand across the mirror above the sink and stared at his spotty, streaky reflection. Then he closed his eyes and dropped his head.

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