Page 22 of Meet Me at the Grand

They passed the one modern thing in this place—a conference room with a twelve-person table, sound equipment, and a projector. Since it was the only place equipped for business meetings on the whole island, the office was often in use by those who belonged to the local businessowners association, as well as the town council when they were in closed-door meetings—and they were about to have plenty of those, what with the revitalization project now under way.

Just down the hall from the conference room, Dani opened the door to her small office crammed with bookcases, two chairs, and the old secretary desk—with its scroll-back top and scarred but well-loved writing surface—that Uncle Seb wanted to replace.

Seb’s eyebrows rose as he studied the piles of paper, open and tabbed books, and pens scattered along her desktop. “You’ve been busy, I see.”

Dani slid into her chair behind the desk. “For the last few weeks, I’ve spent my time researching other places that have done something similar to what we’re planning here. You know, selling housing for cheap in exchange for businesses coming to town. And I’ve been brainstorming ways to entice business owners to settle here and creating a timeline for all of the special tourism events we can hold even while the hotel is being rebuilt. What?”

Uncle Seb was leaning back in his own chair across from her, arms folded and looking amused. “Nothing. I just shouldn’t be surprised you’re taking this so seriously.”

“Of course I’m taking it seriously. This is our big chance.” Dani finally took a swig of her coffee.Ah, hot, hot, hot. She lowered it. “But none of it will matter if Liam Stone isn’t able to do this right.”

“Oh? Are you concerned?”

“Did you know he was the one being sent? I guess I thought his father would be coming, but Liam seemed to imply he’s too busy.”

“Yes, Chaz told me he’d be sending his son. But from what I know of Liam, he’s a diligent and intelligent young man.”

“I don’t doubt his intelligence.” Dani huffed, remembering the astute questions Liam had asked as she’d shown him the hotel last night. “But, well, he didn’t seem to realize the full magnitude of the project when he arrived. Almost like he was surprised there was so much to restore and rebuild.”

“That would be my doing, I’m afraid.” Seb drummed his fingers along the silver body of his tumbler. “After getting so many rejections from other builders, I decided to simply ask Chaz Stone to send me his best guy and just to trust me to work out the details with him. And I promised it would be mutually beneficial. If they help us do this, they’ll get a tidy profit at the end of all this.”

“But why didn’t you go straight to them if they’re the best?” At Seb’s silence, she leaned forward. “Theyarethe best, right?”

“They are the best at what they do, yes.”

“And what’s that?”

“They usually work on high-end hotels. Luxury stuff. Very modern remodels and new builds.”

The coffee felt heavy in Dani’s gut. “Okay, but they know that’s not what we want them to do here, right? That we are trying to bring the hotel back to life as it once was? Because my worry was more about whether Liam could handle this, being so young and all. But now you have me worried that he is even going to be able to produce a satisfactory product.”

“I did explain to Chaz that we want to maintain the historical integrity of the hotel, and he assured me they always keep that in mind when drawing up their plans. But…”

“But what?”

“But it’s going to be up to you to make sure that Liam understands that too.”

“Why me? I know I’m working with him closely on this, but it’s your land.” She held up a hand. “That’s not to say I’m not happy to take the lead on this. But I guess I assumed we would all three be working together.”

“I’ve got to do my best to remain impartial, since the town council has expressed concern that I will try to sway the project in a way that best benefits me financially.”

The town council consisted of four people: the pastor’s wife Tara Chamberlain, local bar and grill owner Patrick Kelley, president of the Historical Society Janine Dirks, and restaurant owner Martha Kelley. It wasn’t hard to guess who Seb meant. “So Martha made a fuss?”

Seb tapped his finger twice against his nose and pointed at Dani. “Bingo. Which means I can consult here and there a bit, but the bulk of the work will have to be between you and Liam. That being said, I’m a bit worried about how this is all going to play out.”

“Why? I thought you said Liam was up to the task.”

“His father seems to think so, and I want to believe that, but there’s just so much riding on this project. If the plans aren’t approved by the council, then the hotel rebuild won’t happen. And then the revitalization project as a whole will fail too. They don’t know it yet, but the entire town is counting on us.”

“Liam promised he’s got it under control.”

“And you believe him?”

The package of the pastry bag rustled as Dani reached for it and hauled out the croissant. “I don’t know him well enough to believe him.”

“Then get to know him better. Communicate our vision for the hotel. Unless you’ve done that already?” Seb’s voice turned hopeful.

Had she? “I mean, I told him tales of the old days, the history of the place. And he seemed intrigued. He even said a few things that made me think he appreciated the old things. He’s kind of an architecture nerd, and…” Frowning, she shoved the croissant back into the bag. Breakfast could wait. “I guess I just assumed he was on the same page with what the rebuild should entail.”

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