Page 62 of Claimed By my Frenemy

“So, you’re saying this is what’s best for everyone?” Steve’s voice rises, but I try to keep my own voice low, so Mia won’toverhear. She’s just inside, finishing dinner preparations. “Theo, what about what’s best for us? The profit margins on the new plan are nowherenearwhat we projected with the original. The original is the reason I got into this deal with you.”

My frustration level rises, and I argue back, “We can make it work. The resort will still be profitable, just not as much as we initially thought. But we’ll have the community’s support, and that’s invaluable. Do you think we’ll have that support if we bulldoze Mia’s newly renovated bed and breakfast?” I’m practically whispering into the phone so Mia can’t hear what I’m saying. I don’t even want to bring the topic up in front of her, and if she sees me talking about it with someone else, she might think I’ve been pretending all along.

I’m not willing to lose our relationship, even for this project. The way I’ve felt since we decided to be boyfriend and girlfriend has given each day a sense of excitement.

Steve scoffs. “Community support won’t pay the bills, Theo. We need to push forward with the original, more profitable plan. If you don’t, I’ll have to take matters into my own hands.”

A chill runs down my spine. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Steve’s voice is cold. “It means that I’ll do whatever it takes to protect our investment. If you’re not going to push for the original plan, I will. And I won’t be as…considerate as you’ve been.”

My grip tightens on the phone. “Steve, threatening me isn’t going to change my mind. We’ve already committed to the new plan.”

“You have,” he corrects. “I haven’t. And I can make things very difficult for you, Theo. Don’t forget that.”

I take a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “Steve, let’s talk about this. We can find a compromise. All the original amenities will be included. We’ll have fewer guest rooms, so we’ll justcharge more per room. After the first year, anyone who wants to use the amenities will have to pay, which will generate more revenue. It won’t?—”

Steve interrupts, clearly not caring about the thought I’ve put into the new plan. “The market will only accept so much before we’ve priced out our customers. Besides, I’ve already compromised enough. I’m not going to accept what you’re doing anymore. If you don’t get the original plan back on track, then this resort is going to go up in flames.”

The line goes dead, and I’m left standing there, feeling like I’ve just been punched in the gut. Is Steve threatening to sabotage the resort? He’s worried about losing money, yet he’s going to destroy the place we’ve put so much time and effort into. I, personally, have been on site almost every day. I’ve put my heart into this project. It’s a lot bigger than anything else I’ve done, but I thought this might be my chance to really prove myself.

Steve is going to ruin everything, though. I don’t want to think about it. I don’t want to consider what Steve might do if I don’t meet his expectations.

I turn to see Mia sitting on the porch, a worried look on her face.

“Everything okay?” she asks, her eyes searching mine. I don’t know exactly what she overheard, but at the end there, I wasn’t exactly trying to be quiet.

“Yeah,” I lie, forcing a smile. “Just a work call. Nothing to worry about.”

Her concern doesn’t fade, but she nods and settles back into her rocking chair. I continue to stand in the yard for a moment, trying to figure out how to handle this situation. Part of me wants to run over to the resort and run the numbers one more time. Maybe if I can change just a few things here and there, little tweaks, the expected profit will increase enough to makeSteve happy. But another part of me says he’s not going to be happy no matter what offer I give him.

I slowly trudge back up to the porch. There’s only one thing I can do right now to make myself feel better.

31

MIA

“Threatening me isn’t goingto change my mind.”

“We can find a compromise.”

“We can make it work.”

Those phrases float through my head as Theo stands in the yard staring toward the ocean like he’s just seen a ghost.

I want to stand up and walk toward him. I want to comfort him, because he clearly looks like he needs comforting. But another part of me is worried. It was clearly Steve, or maybe someone else in business with Theo. Whoever it was clearly doesn’t want Theo to give up on trying to buy my property out from under me.

I’ve felt confident that he won’t try to buy it again, but now, I’m worried. What if he decides that peace with his business partner is more important than me?

I guess that would answer my question for me. I wouldn’t have to worry about how I’m going to tell my friends that we’re officially dating because we wouldn’t be anymore. We would be in a full-out war instead.

Finally, Theo turns around and abandons his place in the yard. He walks toward me, trudging really. His head is down, and there is a huge cloud of depression hanging around him.

Instead of settling in the other rocking chair, Theo approaches me. He reaches for my hand and pulls me to my feet. I let him guide me up, unsure exactly what he’s doing. Is he about to give me bad news and he wants to be looking me in the eyes?

But then, Theo’s lips are on mine. His kiss ignites something within me, and I push my body against his.

His hands roam over my back, pulling me closer, and I can feel the heat between us intensifying. I kiss him back, letting myself get lost in the moment, in the feel of his lips and the warmth of his touch. Theo's hands slide under my shirt, pulling me closer, showing me how much he needs me.

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