Page 39 of Clash of Kings

Bas grinned at his cousin’s pouty face. Tony didn’t like being told no. The drive was scenic if short. Sebastian enjoyed the changing colors in the fall. He loved the air with its crisp cleanness. There was no pollution coming from thousands of cars speeding down Interstate 75. No horns blaring as drivers jockeyed for position as though they were in a race. Bas yearned for a slower pace, and after talking it over with Dakota between bouts of sex, she was agreeable. His mate liked living off the grid, so to speak. Said it suited her fine. For that, Sebastian was thankful. Bas was excited to show his mate the lodge. If she liked it, this would become their first endeavor as a couple.

Missy Perkins was waiting for them when Bas parked next to her sedan. When the four of them piled out of the Jeep, Missy smiled, raising a hand. Until she caught sight of Anthony, then her smile faltered briefly. She pressed a hand to her already neat hair. Tony had that effect on women. Even though he was an imposing male at six-three, Tony wowed females everywhere he went with his boy-next-door good looks and goofy grin.

“Missy, I’d like to introduce my fiancée, Dakota, and my cousins, Lydia and Anthony.”

Missy shook everyone’s hand. “It’s a pleasure. And Sebastian, I’m thrilled you want to see the property again. Does this mean you’ve made your decision?” Missy walked to the front door and unlocked it for them. She stepped back, allowing them to enter first.

“In a manner. The other properties I visited are not suitable for what I have envisioned. Were you able to inquire into the adjacent land?”

“I was. I didn’t call you because I’m waiting on a call myself, but the owner, George Macon, is the same one who sold this property to the Wellises. Mr. Macon is in a nursing home, and his daughter, Connie, is his power of attorney. Before his mind began slipping, Mr. Macon added his three children’s names to the deed, and Connie is contacting her brothers to see if they’re agreeable to selling. As for the land being suitable for building, it is.”

Sebastian had done his homework on property values in the area. “After our tour, if Dakota and I agree this is something we want to move forward with, I’ll make an offer you can take to the Macons.”

“Sounds good. Since you know your way around, I’ll wait outside and give you some privacy.” Missy glanced at Anthony before heading outside.

Sebastian took his time explaining his vision as they walked through the building. He kept his eye on Dakota as she studied each area. He reached out with his shifter senses, trying to gauge her mood, and he found happiness.

“Are you going to hire a manager for each area?” she asked.

“Yes. I know nothing about running a hotel.”

They had toured all three floors and were back downstairs. “What made you want to do this, since you aren’t knowledgeable?” Dakota walked behind the bar and surveyed the equipment.

“I’ve stayed at a few places like this with my family over the years. I much prefer it over a fancy hotel, and as I was looking into areas where I could build a home, I noticed a lot of properties had fallen on hard times. I want where I live to be prosperous, and by reopening the lodge, I’ll be giving back to the community in the form of jobs as well as revenue from tourists who will visit the town. Carlton has plenty of outdoor activities for the guests who stay here.”

“I like that.” Dakota pointed to the beer taps. “If you do buy this place, I would add several more taps and source locally brewed options. You can stock bottles of the popular domestics, but partnering with local breweries would be a win for both parties. The brewers could also tell your kitchen manager what beer pairs well with which types of food. I bet there are also vineyards and distilleries who’d be willing to partner with you as well.”

“Damn, Son. Not only is she pretty, but she’s smart too,” Anthony gushed sincerely, and Bas agreed wholeheartedly.

“Those are excellent points, but the question remains; is this an endeavor you’d enjoy undertaking? We’d live here during the remodel, unless you wouldn’t want to stay onsite, and then we could rent a place in town. We won’t need to be here twenty-four seven, but we would need to drop in and check on everything periodically.”

“I have no issues with staying here. And you know who I think would be amazing at helping with the interior and furniture decisions? Jolee. She has an eye for these things.”

Sebastian leaned his arms on the bar. “You think she’d leave the pack?”

“For an opportunity like this? Absolutely. She has a good head for business too, so maybe once the lodge is up and running, we could offer her a position as the hotel manager.”

“Why didn’t the owner of The Depot offer her a management position if she’d be good at it?”

“He did, but Jolee turned him down. That’s when he offered it to me. Vernon is getting on in years, and he was ready to turn the headache over to someone else.”

“If she didn’t want to manage The Depot, what makes you think she’d want to manage our lodge?”

Facing him, Dakota mimicked Sebastian’s pose. “Because this is an opportunity to get out of Panther. Not only that, but Jolee is wicked good at organization. She’s smart, has a great personality, and she’d get to see me all the time.”

Bas reached across the bar and grabbed his mate’s hands. “And who wouldn’t want to be around you? Does this mean you think we should make an offer and open ourselves a lodge?”

“Why, yes, Mr. Stone. It does. Now we just have to figure out how to get Jolee away from Panther without King following.”

Sebastian was thrilled his mate wanted to move forward with this project, but he had a feeling getting her best friend to join them wasn’t going to be easy.Irregardless,Bas thought, chuckling to himself, he was willing to do whatever it took to make it happen. He was ready for Kingston Bridgewater.

Chapter 17

Dakota had gonebehind the bar for a reason other than checking the equipment. Her mate was too enticing, so she put a little space between them before she embarrassed him in front of Anthony and Lydia. “Before you make an offer, I want to take one more look at the attic.”

“Sure.” Bas walked to the end of the bar and held out his hand. When Dakota met him, he said to his cousins, “We’ll be right back.” They made their way to the third floor via the stairway. There was an elevator, but Bas mentioned getting it checked before trusting it to run properly. When they reached the attic, Bas stopped. “What did you want to see?”

“This.” Dakota jumped into Sebastian’s arms, knowing he would catch her. She was right, and with his hands under her butt, she wrapped her arms and legs around him and kissed him. She didn’t know if it was the mate bond or all the sex they had the night before, but Dakota’s body ached for his. They couldn’t get naked with the others downstairs, but she could at least get a taste. The kiss was frantic, and Bas crossed a few steps to the wall, pressing Dakota’s back against it. Her hat fell to the floor, but she didn’t care. All she cared about in that moment was getting more of her mate. Goddess, she had a mate!

---