Page 64 of Falling For You

The words slipped out before I could stop them.

As soon as they did, I felt the weight of the meeting shift. The investors stopped talking. All eyes turned to me, and I could feel the tension rise, even through the video.

“What do you mean?” Martin asked, his brow furrowing. “We’ve already gone over the projections. The land acquisition is moving forward, and we’re closing in just a few days. This deal is practically done.”

“I know,” I said quickly, struggling to gather my thoughts. “But… I’ve been spending a lot of time here, getting to know the town, and it’s just…” I paused, searching for the right words, something that would make sense to them. “It’s different than we expected. The town has a lot of history. Many of the small businesses depend on tourism, but they also depend on the locals. If we bring in a massive resort, it will change everything.”

“That’s the point,” Tom said flatly, his voice edged with irritation. “Change is good. The town’s been stagnant for years. We’re going to breathe life into it.”

My heart pounded. I wanted to argue that this kind of change wasn’t what Buttercup Lake needed. But the truth wasthat I couldn’t find the right way to explain it without sounding ludicrous and hypocritical. I’d spent my career targeting these types of opportunities, and the last year on this one in particular.

I’d made a fortune on them. I couldn’t tell them that I was hesitating because of a woman I’d met, a woman who had made me question the cost of my professional success.

A woman I couldn’t stop thinking about.

It would sound foolishandunprofessional. And yet, the more I thought about Violet and her family, the more the idea of this resort made me ill.

“I’m just not sure the town can handle it,” I said, my voice quieter now. “The locals are really proud of their businesses. They’re not built to compete with a resort of this size. It could ruin them.”

Tom raised an eyebrow, his gaze sharp. “Since when are we in the business of worrying about local competition? The goal here is to build something profitable. If they can’t keep up, that’s on them.”

My stomach twisted. I knew this argument. I’d made it myself in the past. But now, the words felt hollow.

And worse, so did I.

Martin leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. His head filled the entire screen as the camera focused on him. “Are you saying we should back out? After all the work we’ve put in?”

I hesitated, the pressure of the room closing in around me.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, but I didn’t check it. I already knew it was Violet. She’d been texting me all yesterday and this morning, asking if I wanted to meet up tonight. Thethought of facing her, knowing what I was doing, made me feel like I was suffocating.

“I’m not saying we back out,” I finally said, my voice strained. “I’m just saying… we need to be careful about moving forward. Maybe there’s a way to work with the local businesses instead of pushing them out.”

Tom’s face darkened. “Owen, we’ve had this conversation before. You’re not new to this game. Small towns don’t survive without progress. If the local businesses can’t keep up, that’s not our problem. We’re building something that’s going to bring in millions of dollars. The town will adjust, or it won’t. Either way, we’re moving forward. The village leaders are fully behind us.”

I could barely hear Tom’s words.

My mind was spinning.

Violet’s face kept flashing in front of me. The pride she had in her family’s lodge.

And I couldn’t stop picturing her standing in the middle of their property, realizing that a resort was about to swallow up everything they’d built.

Four days. That was all the time I had before the deal closed. I had no idea how to stop it four days before everything changed.

I clenched my fists under the table, trying to keep my voice steady. “I understand. I just… I don’t want to be the reason the town loses its character.”

Tom let out a low laugh, shaking his head. “Owen, we’re not here to preserve character. We’re here to make money. Buttercup Lake will be fine. If anything, this resort will put it on the map. It’s happening, with or without you.”

The finality of Tom’s words hit me like a punch to the gut. They were closing the deal in four days, and I could do nothing to stop it. I had let this happen. I had brought them here.

“I need some time to think,” I muttered, pushing my chair back and standing up.

Tom raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “Time to think? We’re closing in four days, Owen. You’ve had plenty of time to think.”

I didn’t respond.

I couldn’t.

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