Page 63 of One Night Together

“I did,” he said with pride.

“I thought you were in charge of the construction?”

“I’m also the architect.”

She raised her brows. “Oh. So, you have everything vested in these projects?”

“Until now, my partner and I have been using our own money for financing, but Rose Village is a bigger project, so I’ve applied for a grant from the Walker Foundation.”

Her eyes widened. “The famous philanthropy family?”

“You’ve heard of them?”

“Yes, of course.”

“They’re extremely selective. They want to be sure the grants are community-based, so I think we have a good chance.”

“Have you built any of these projects before?”

“Take a look.” Leo opened a new folder and scrolled through a few pictures. “This isSanto Pedro favela.”

“Favela?”

“A favela is a type of slum in Brazil, mostly in the bigger cities. Santo Pedro favela is in Rio de Janeiro.”

As Cassandra scrolled through the photos, Leo kept an eye on her expression. This project was deeply personal for him and something he was honored to have created.

“So much poverty,” she said in a soft voice, looking closer at the photos of impoverished dwellings.

“Those are the before photos. Keep scrolling to see what we did.”

Her finger swiped across the screen and her concerned expression shifted into open-mouthed surprise. She looked over at him. “You’ve not only rebuilt homes, you’ve also changed people’s lives.”

Her supportive words meant a lot to him. “There’s so much need there. I wish we could have done more.”

“Who are you?” Cassandra blinked at him a few times. “This is not the cocky Leo Sutton I met in Santorini. It’s truly extraordinary what you’ve accomplished.”

His heart swelled with happiness. “Thanks.”

“What happened to building hotels and luxury condos?”

“I want to do both. Those projects make money, but building these communities is what matters most to me.”

Cassandra held up the tablet. “Thanks for showing me this.”

“We still need to have that conversation. There’s more I want to say.”

Her eyes searched his. “Me too.”

“Are you hungry? There’s a Brazilian restaurant I want to take you to.”

“I’m not dressed for a dinner out.”

“You look perfect. It’s not a fancy place, but I love it.”

“Okay,” she said with a dazzling smile. “I’d like that.”

During the drive, Cassandra browsed through the photos he’d taken of his projects and examined the schematics for Rose Village. Her questions were insightful and showed interest in his work. This was all well and good, but he still had to tell her everything. Then she would either walk away, or maybe, she would want more.

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