Page 97 of Sweet Home Louisiana

Owen leaned over and wrapped an arm around Kennedy’s neck, pulling her into a short hug.“You’re not all bad, Ken.”

She let him hug her for a moment, then shoved him away.“Yeah, I know.”

He looked down at the tour sheet in his hand.He really wanted to go find Maddie and Bennett.Actually, Bennett most of all.He needed to talk to the guy before he told Maddie his plan.

A second later, Kennedy plucked the page from his fingers.“I’ve got this covered.Go.”

“Go?”

“Cora’s house.They’ve been up there for about forty-five minutes.”

“You sure?”he asked, already moving toward the door.

“I’m not going to offer again.If that door isn’t shutting behind you in five seconds, you’re taking this retirement party out to look at gators.”

The door shut behind him three seconds later.

Owen made his way toward Cora’s.His heart was pounding, but it wasn’t with nerves.He was sure of this.But he needed Bennett Baxter to be on board.

He stopped short at the end of the path leading to Cora’s porch.A tall man in a suit and tie was just putting sunglasses on as he came out of the front door.

Bennett Baxter.Had to be.No one wore a tie to the bayou, Kennedy was right.

The man spotted him and stopped at the top of the steps.“If you’re looking for Maddie, she just headed over to the bank.I stayed here to make a couple of calls, but I’m meeting her up there in a little bit.”

“Looking for you, actually,” Owen said.

The man came down the steps and Owen met him at the bottom.He stuck out his hand.“Owen Landry.”

“Bennett Baxter.”

“So you want to be a swamp boat tour company owner.”

Bennett’s face stretched into a grin.“I do.”

“How would you like to own another fifteen percent of Boys of the Bayou?”Owen felt his chest tighten even as he said it.He’d planned to say it.This was why he’d come to find Bennett.But he was giving up the business, the thing that had brought him joy since he was a little kid.Maddie was worth it.Being with her was worth it.But it still felt weird.

Bennett’s eyebrows rose over the top of his glasses.“I’m listening.”

“I’m heading to California and I’m looking for a buyer for my share,” Owen said.“My fifteen will put you at fifty percent ownership.”

That made his chest tighten even further.With Maddie and Owen’s shares together, Bennett would own more of the business than Sawyer did.It didn’t seem right to put a stranger in that much control, but Owen didn’t know what else to do.

Bennett didn’t react right away.But he took his glasses off, meeting Owen’s gaze directly.“Have you spoken with Maddie about this?”

“Not yet.Getting my ducks in a row first.”

Bennett nodded.“Okay.Then my answer to your question is yes, I’d be interested in buying your share as well.”

“I’m going to insist on some commitments from you,” Owen said.

“Such as?”

“You can’t sell for at least five years.You have to invest fifty percent of your share of the profits back into the business.You can’t get rid of Sawyer or Josh.That kind of stuff.”

Bennett didn’t seem offended or frustrated by Owen putting contingencies on the sale and Owen was reminded that this man was a businessman.He was used to negotiations and deals.Owen felt pretty good about seeming firm on those stipulations, too.The truth was, if Bennett didn’t agree to those things, Owen was in a bind.He was set on selling.He didn’t really have another option.He couldn’t own a portion of the business but never be here to help run it.That wasn’t fair to Sawyer and Josh at all.

“Is there a reason you think I might want to get rid of Sawyer or Josh?”Bennett asked.

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