Page 8 of His Cowboy Heart

My heart seized.

Salishan.

I recognized Main Street right away. There was the Gold Digger, Sweet Treats and King’s Burger Joint. If the picture was recent, the video store was still in business. This seemed totally bizarre but somehow not unexpected. The green and gold hills surrounding the landscape looked majestic.

“Welcome to the new Napa Valley,” Kyle said, he clapped his hands and pumped his hand in the air. “Napa Valley 2.0 in the golden hills of Eastern Washington, the dirt is rich in nutrients perfect for vineyards. The sun hangs high in the sky. It’s got weather, land, and it’s within 200 miles of a metropolis, Seattle.

“This is our next big investment,” he said, pounding the table. “Welcome to Northern wine country. We are going to transform the landscape with a resort full of old world charm, cabanas, and high end dining. People will come. Oh yes, people will come.” He smiled and nodded giving us the go ahead to clap.

I sank into my seat wishing I could disappear.

I enjoyed the development work in our firm. There was something satisfying about defining a project that impacted the world in a positive way but the idea of changing the landscape in Salishan made me feel sick. I thought of Shea and her family and wondered how in the hell anyone would negotiate with a man like William O’Toole.

Miguel raised his hand. “How are we working with the locals?” His eyebrows dancing as he nudged me. I knew he was trying to help. I wished I could tell him to just back the fuck off.

“We’ve got to get boots on the ground. We need people who can connect with the community,” Kyle said. “We need to help them understand the value of the proposition we bring to the table.”

I sank farther in my seat thinking of the pride of the farmers. I hadn’t seen the man in ten years, but I was certain that William O’Toole would go mad if he knew that a bunch of New York investors were hatching a plan to carve up his lakeside land.

“Van Rossum has been there,” Miguel said, grinning.

I could have killed him.

“Is that so?” Kyle asked.

I nodded and pursed my lips. Miguel had clearly forgotten how I’d come home that summer almost catatonic.

Everyone stared.

Damn. They were going to make me say something.

“I need someone on the account with local connections.” Kyle said. “Tell us about the community Van Rossum.”

“It’s tight knit,” I said. “They are good, hard working people. It’s a small town. I’m not sure they are going to embrace this type of change.”

Nanthany watched me, eyebrow raised. Shit, this was going to come back to bite me. I would need to tell Abigail about this trip down memory lane before her gossip driven best friend turned me into a secret keeper.

“Do you still have ties there?”

“Ties?”

“Have you kept in touch with people.”

“No, no sir,” I said. “I was there for a summer. I made some good friends. I learned a lot about the apple business.”

“I thought your family has a house there?” Miguel said. “We could go there together set up camp, man.”

In a flash, I imagined myself back. I thought of my dream from the night before and I felt something like destiny calling to me.

“We’ll be sending a small team, Miguel,” Kyle said. “Van Rossum. Take a look at the files posted on the online share. Let me know your thoughts on how to reach the community. I’d like a full report in a couple of days. If I like what you present, the portfolio is yours. You’ll be accountable to the partners of course.”

Nanthany pursed her lips. “What an amazing opportunity,” she said, leaning my way. “You may get to go back.”

“Thanks,” I said.

I needed to get ahead of this. I walked out of the room wondering how I was going to keep my fiancé from learning about the summer I’d almost married someone else.

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