Page 5 of 40 and (Tired of) Faking It
And still he caught himself eyeing the slender lines of her shoulders and back revealed by the short length of her curly blonde hair. As she walked ahead of him, the sway of her hips drew his attention to the round push of her ass in the sleek red dress she wore. And those red heels. He bit back a groan, trying to forget he’d noticed her lack of a wedding ring back at the coffee shop when she’d taken his hand.
He shouldn’t be noticing. He shouldn’t be looking. But his self-control didn’t seem to extend to forcing his gaze anywhere but on her until they entered the double glass doors at the end of the hall with the wordMayorstenciled clearly across them.
The reception area was carpeted, cushioning their footfalls as they approached the reception desk occupied by a tall, slender man in what JD guessed was his twenties. His blondish-brown hair and beard were neatly trimmed, his eyes warm as they came to rest on Lily before flicking to take JD in. JD gave him a nod, his own eyes narrowing at the admiration the younger man made no effort to hide when he returned his focus to the mayor.
“Evan, meet John David Lane,” Lily said, gesturing his way.
“Lane as in…”
“TheLanes,” JD answered, his tone self-deprecating. Extending his hand, he smiled. “Nice to meet you.”
They shook hands. “Evan has been my executive admin for a couple of years now,” Lily said. “I’d be lost without him.”
She passed the box containing the enormous cupcake she’d been gifted at the coffee shop to Evan. “Would you mind putting this away for me while Mr. Lane and I have a quick meeting? And delay my lunch with Erin an hour or so? We shouldn’t take too long, and then I can get to those budget requests before I go.”
Evan grinned down at the chocolate confection visible through the cellophane window in the box. “This is from Claire, isn’t it? Celebrating the big 4-0?” His high-five made Lily laugh, the sound sending a tingle down JD’s spine. “Happy birthday.”
Her look turned sheepish as she thanked Evan, giving JD a side-eye at the same time. Self-conscious about her age? She shouldn’t be. JD enjoyed all types of women, but a bit of experience was always a plus.
What was that he’d told himself, to stop thinking about sex and the mayor in the same sentence?
He gave a mental eye roll at himself as he followed Lily into her office, where she rounded a sleek oak desk, opened a drawer, and deposited her handbag inside. Straightening to face him across the polished surface, she gestured to the chair in front of the desk. “So…you were saying you could help me, Mr. Lane?”
“JD, please. My grandfather was Mr. Lane.”
Sympathy softened the lines of her face. “Your grandparents were well-respected members of our community. I’m sorry for your loss.”
He kept his face blank despite an unexpected surge of anger—not at the woman before him, but at the idea that his grandparents still held a “well-respected” reputation here in Black Wolf’s Bluff. Lily hadn’t said they were wellloved.Money could buy respect—and his grandparents’ wealth certainly had—but it couldn’t make you matter to people. Virginia and Wallace Lane had never cared to learn that lesson.
He cleared his throat. “Thank you.” Taking the proffered seat, he unbuttoned his suit coat and got comfortable. “As you may have guessed, my grandparents’ home and land has now passed down to me.” Only their stubborn need for the family name to continue had ensured that, he was certain, although the lawyer hadn’t said. Nor had he had any last communications from JD’s grandmother when JD stopped at the man’s office yesterday. If they could have passed it to anyone else, likely they would have.
“I assumed. Of course the town has speculated about what would happen to the property. It’s been the Lane estate since your family founded Black Wolf’s Bluff over a hundred years ago. We weren’t sure if it would be sold or—”
“No, I don’t plan to sell.” He crossed an ankle over the opposite knee and relaxed back in the armchair. “I run a real estate investment company in New York. As I’m sure you’re aware, the location alone makes the Lane property valuable. My plan is to develop the land into a five-star ski resort.”
Lily’s eyebrows rose, but there was no other indication of her response to his announcement. He’d dealt with small-town politics and land development before and knew said development came with certain drawbacks. As mayor, Lily was no doubt fully aware of possible issues. She was either going to hate his plan or love it.
“That’s certainly an interesting prospect for you.”
“And for Black Wolf’s Bluff. Higher tax revenues, higher spending in town.”
“Higher infrastructure needs. More crowding.” She grimaced then. “Have you tried to drive down the street in Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge lately?”
He hadn’t been in the South in over a decade, a fact he wouldn’t be revealing to the lady mayor. Instead he gave her his professional smile. “I understand not everyone will be receptive to the idea, which is why I’ve sought you out. The planning commission…”
A shrewd understanding lit her expression. From permitting to zoning, the planning commission had the power to bring his project to a halt at any of a hundred points along its path. Any help he and his team could get navigating those muddy waters could save them months of wrangling—if Lily chose to.
“A ski resort?”
“The elevation here is certainly high enough for it. Skiing, snowboarding in the winter. Hiking in summer, maybe horseback riding. The land on my grandparents’ mountain extends into the valley on the opposite side from town and backs up to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.”
She was nodding absently as if facts she’d already known were coming together in a different way than they had before. “Helpful.”
“There are also plans for a restaurant and brewery, both accessible to town, as well as cabins to supplement the main lodge.”
“Your grandparents’ mansion will be the central lodge?”
He shook his head. “The house will be used for staff. We intend to build a separate, much larger lodge.”
