Page 56 of Blame It on the Bikini
As Paula moved away to take her call, he looked at Lexie, who was wandering around the area and was now staring at the big white wall, actually not so white anymore. "What do you think?" he asked as he joined her.
"The possibilities are endless. I like the image of movies being shown outdoors. What if you incorporated a small outdoor theater into your plans? It would be a fun and interesting addition, and unlike anything most apartment complexes have. And if you're going to have kids as residents, maybe a play yard over there," she said, pointing to a weed-filled area. "Or you could have an organic garden and let the tenants plant what they want. That could be beautiful."
He loved the way her creative mind worked, seeing the potential of something old and run-down and not thinking it should be demolished, but restored and turned into something incredible.
"But you probably have your own ideas," she said as she ran out of breath. "Sorry to ramble on like that."
"I asked you what you thought, and your ideas are good. You have a way of looking at the world that's rather unique."
"Would you mind if I took a few photos? I think this place could provide some intriguing shots. But I need to get my camera out of the car."
He tossed her the keys. "Go for it."
While Lexie went back to the car to grab her camera, Paula rejoined him.
"Sorry about that," she said. "Do you want to take a look at the other side of the property? I do have a key to inside the building, but there's not much to see."
"Let's take a peek anyway." For the next twenty minutes, he checked out every inch of the property, his own imagination firing up with ideas. He caught glimpses of Lexie shooting pictures of the front of the building, the broken-down sign, and the old, rusted fountain that probably hadn't worked in fifty years.
Paula talked about price per square foot and what else was happening on the adjoining properties and then launched into a sales pitch. He'd heard most of it before and appreciated her enthusiasm, but he would still need to run the numbers himself.
"I think I'm good," he said finally. "Thanks for meeting me."
"Happy to do it," Paula replied. "And I hope to hear from you soon."
"I'll be in touch." He caught up with Lexie at the car. She looked hot and flushed in her sleeveless top and jeans, but her eyes were bright with energy and enthusiasm.
"We can go," he said, opening the car door. "I don't know about you, but I'm ready for some air-conditioning."
"More than ready."
As they got into the car, he lowered the temperature and cranked up the fan, then pulled out of the parking spot. "Next stop, Joshua Tree."
Chapter Fourteen
As he drove away from the lodge, he turned to Lexie. "Are you hungry? Do you want to stop for lunch?"
"I am hungry, but I'm eager to get to Joshua Tree. It's a very large park, from what I've read. Maybe we could pick up some sandwiches on the way."
"That sounds good."
She pulled out her phone. "I'll see what I can find."
As she researched food options, he turned onto the highway, impressed by the jagged brown ridges of the mountains surrounding them. They looked both desolate and majestic. He hadn't spent a lot of time in the desert, but he did like the landscape.
"I found a gourmet deli," Lexie said a few minutes later. "It's right outside the entrance to the Joshua Tree National Park. We can eat and then explore."
"Perfect." He turned on some music as she settled back in her seat, her gaze also on the horizon. There was so much emptiness around them, but also a lot to look at. Or maybe it was just that he had time to look, and he hadn't taken the time for a road trip in…he couldn’t remember when. His travels were always from point A to point B with a purposeful goal for every stop and usually a tight timetable.
Although they had a schedule today, it felt different. His business was done. This next stop was purely for Lexie, and he was looking forward to every minute of it. It wasn't just because of the interesting sights she'd already told him about wanting to see; it was because of her.
She'd asked him earlier if he'd thought about marriage and what kind of woman he would want in his life, and he'd said he hadn't been focusing on relationships but on business. But it was also because he'd never met anyone who made him think about a long-term relationship. But the free-spirited photographer sitting next to him was making him reconsider a lot of things about his life.
She was on her own journey to a new identity but seeing her struggle with whether she'd taken a big enough leap forward, had made him think more about his own journey.
He'd always known he would go to work for his father and had started in the company with a summer job in high school. Through college, grad school, and then in his twenties, his father had made sure he spent time in every department. After he'd turned thirty, more responsibility had come his way. Now, three years later, his father was talking about making him the CEO while he became chairman of the board and stepped away from the day-to-day business operations.
That title and that job had been his goal for years, which was why he had put in so many hours, why he kept trying to bring in new business to prove to his father he wasn't just taking what he was given, but he was also growing the company. That intense business focus had made his life narrow, his stress level high, and his ability to relax and enjoy a moment almost impossible. It wasn't until his father had sent him to Ocean Shores that he'd taken time to breathe, to look around, to see something else…someone else.
