Page 52 of My Book Boyfriend
“What’s the camping test?”
“I suggest a sleepover at whatever site we’re working on or, if no sites are available, the Henry House.”
“The haunted Henry House?”
“If it was actually haunted, that might be romantic. But yes. I mean, I usually do a sleepover at our sites—to get a feel for them and what the night noise is like. It’s like that old adage that you should live in a house for a while before you renovate it because you’ll have a better idea of what it needs.”
“I don’t think suggesting a sleepover at the Oasis Garden is going to go over well. Or it may go overtoowell because she’ll think it will convince me to save it.”
“You already want to save it.” Rowena grins at me and stands, walking over to open her portfolio. “And I’m super excited. Look at what I’ve designed. We lose some ground space, unfortunately, so I made the entrance hallway a little less grand inside. I took out the two-level entrance we had in the original plans. But honestly, I think if I were a buyer, I’d prefer the garden over a two-level entrance space.”
I follow her to my desk. She lays out the plans on my desk, holding the edges down. It’s a cantilevered structure. Most of the garden is still there.
“It’s amazing,” I say.
“We do lose six small apartments.”
“It’s still amazing.”
“I also prepared a backup plan that doesn’t save the garden. In case we can’t convince Grandpa. Because ultimately, Rupert, we need to win as co-CEOs first.”
I know. I know. But I don’t want to lose Lily.
There’s a knock on my door, and my assistant sticks her head in. “Security just emailed the visitor logs you requested.”
I thank her, and as the door closes, I open my email.
“Why did you request the visitor logs?” Rowena asks.
“Because Grandpa said he might hire an outsider, so I wanted to see if he was bluffing or if he met with anyone.”
“He’s definitely bluffing,” Rowena says.
I stare at the logs. My stomach sinks.
“Nope,” I say. “He’s not bluffing. Look. Grandpa met with Percy Anderson last night.” Percy Anderson is the CEO of a company very similar to Strive Developers in Chicago.
“What?”
I can hear it in Rowena’s voice, the same shock I feel.
I show her the logs. She underlines his name with her finger.
“He’s brilliant,” she says, worry tinging her voice.
My speaker buzzes. It’s Grandpa again.
“What are you doing about these protestors?” His voice bellows in my open office. “My inside source atThe Squirrelcalled and said that those protesters are compelling.”
I look at Rowena. I open my mouth. I close it. I can’t suggest yet to Grandpa that we keep the garden.
Chapter fifteen
Lily
Istompmyfeetto warm them up. The wind whips my hair around. I pull down my hat to cover my ears.
“Strive to Save Oasis!” we shout.
