Page 77 of Falling For You

Dad sighed heavily, rubbing his tired eyes. “This is what happens when big banks or private investors roll into small towns like ours. They don’t care about the history, the people, or the promises we make to each other. They care about money. And we just can’t compete with that.”

“We don’t have to compete,” I said suddenly, the words coming out before I even had time to think them through. “We can get revenge. We can fight back.”

Everyone turned to look at me, surprise written on their faces. Beck raised an eyebrow. “Fight back? How, Violet? They’ve already bought the land. What are we going to do?”

“The ink isn’t dry.” I stood up from the table. My hands shook with the adrenaline rushing through me. “I don’t know yet. But I won’t sit here and let them walk all over us. We can rally the town. We can get people on our side. This isn’t just about us. If they build that resort, it’ll change everything. It’ll destroy the town as we know it. Who knows what they haveplanned to do inside the resort. Boutiques? A bakery? A coffee shop? Who knows?”

Fifi’s eyes lit up with understanding. “You’re right. We could get people behind us. The whole town loves Buttercup Lake the way it is. They won’t want some corporate development ruining the charm of this place.”

Liam nodded slowly, catching on. “If we can show the town what this will do to all of us—not just our lodge, but the small businesses, the local shops—maybe we can stop them.”

Our dad still looked uncertain. “That’s a lot to take on. These investors have resources we can’t even begin to match. They’ve got lawyers, money, and more influence than I care to think about.”

“But we’ve got heart,” I said, determination hardening my voice. “We’ve got people who care about this place. They can’t fight that.”

Beck leaned forward and propped his elbows on his knees. A grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. “I like where this is going. Rally the troops. Get the whole town up in arms. We’ll make it impossible for them to build anything without a fight.”

Mom gave me a worried look. “Are you sure about this, Violet? This could get messy.”

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of my family’s gazes on me. But I had never been more confident of anything. “I don’t care if it gets messy. They took everything from us—Owen took everything from us. And I’m not going to let them get away with it.”

Silence filled the kitchen momentarily, and Fifi broke it with a soft chuckle. “You know, you’ve got that look in youreye, Violet—the same look when you picked your llama costume. There was no talking you out of it. Pure determination.”

I laughed despite the situation. “Well, this time, it won’t involve llamas. But I think I know where to start.”

Liam raised an eyebrow. “Where’s that?”

I smiled, a plan starting to form in my mind. “Millie.”

Mom looked confused. “Millie from the Sunshine Breakfast Club?”

“Yep,” I said. The energy buzzed through me. “She’s the one who manipulated me into the auction. If anyone knows how to rally the town, it’s Millie. And she’s got that book club of hers, too. They love getting behind causes. I bet if I tell Millie what’s happening, she’ll be all over it.”

Fifi grinned. “Millie’s book club? Oh, this could be fun.”

Beck let out a low whistle. “You’re not messing around, are you, Violet?”

“Nope,” I said. The determination pulsed through me. “They want to take our land, take our town and turn it into some corporate resort? Fine. But we’re not going down without a fight.”

Our dad still looked uncertain, but there was a spark in his eyes. The same spark I had seen when he talked about everything he wanted to do with the lodge. “Alright, Violet. You do what you think is right. But be careful. These people… they don’t play fair.”

“I know,” I said softly, my resolve firm. “But neither do we.”

After several more minutes of strategizing, I grabbed my phone and pulled up Millie’s number. She answered on the second ring, and her cheerful voice immediately relieved me.

“Violet, honey! What can I do for you?”

I took a deep breath, knowing that there was no turning back once I started. “Millie, I need your help. It’s about the land next to our lodge. Vern sold it to some out-of-town investors who plan to build a resort. We can’t let this happen. I need you and your book club.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and for a moment, I worried I had said too much, too fast. But then Millie’s voice came through, firm and resolute.

“Well, you’ve got my attention. What’s the plan?”

A smile spread across my face. “I thought you’d say that. Let’s get everyone together tonight. We’re going to fight this, Millie. And we’re going to win.”

“When and where?” she asked.

“Abby’s in an hour.”

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