Page 70 of Call It Home

Sounded like he had done his research. “They were. Does the show have something to do with why you’re calling?”

His tone became more businesslike and formal. “Indirectly. I happen to be friends with Jared Carson, and I took a little vacation out there a few weeks ago. Coincidentally, it timed out just after the filming ended.”

“Oh. I hope you enjoyed yourself. It’s a beautiful place.”

“Jared asked my advice on a few things now that those homes are complete. He was gracious enough to offer me my choice of house to stay in.”

My interest spiked wildly.

“I chose your house, Ms. Allen. It was my personal favorite.”

I leaned back in my chair, a smile spreading across my face, even while I felt mildly disappointed. Was he only calling to pay a compliment? Was that the reason for the NDA now that he’d admitted to seeing it? “Thank you. And please, call me Cameron.”

“Cameron, I’ll get more to the point. I’m sure you’re familiar with an old hotel not terribly far from you, The Laurel Ridge?”

I blinked in surprise. Anyone from around here was familiar with the once-beautiful grand hotel that hosted presidents and celebrities among its elite guest list. It had once been theitplace to visit in the Blue Ridge Mountains since it was built in the early 1900s. But it had been abandoned years ago and had fallen into extreme disrepair. No one seemed to know what to do with it.

“Of course.”

“My business has recently purchased it,” Connor continued. “We plan on restoring it to both its former glory and status among mountain hotels.”

“Wow! That’s amazing, Mr. Dunham. I’ve hated to see that old beauty sit vacant for so long.” There had been a few people here and there who’d shown an interest in it, but the cost to fix it always drove them away. When I was young, I used to pester my grandfather to take it on, not having any understanding about the expense that it would take. But a man like Connor Dunham had the means.

“We haven’t gone public, so I’d appreciate your utmost discretion. Hence, the NDA.”

Now it made sense. “Of course.”

“I’d like to discuss the possibility of you overseeing the renovation of it. I wondered if you might have time to meet in the next couple of weeks?”

His question was an absolute dream. But Sterling Construction was too small for such an undertaking.

“Ms. Allen?”

“Yes, I’m here. I’m very honored. It sounds like a large undertaking.”

His deep chuckle resonated through the phone. This man should do voiceovers for commercials or movies or anything. It was definitely the kind that caught a girl’s interest. “That might be an understatement. Most, including my brother, think I should have my head examined for this endeavor. But there’s something about the hotel I hate to see just crumble.”

His words meshed easily with my thoughts. And he was asking me to possibly work with him on it.

“Mr. Dunham—”

“Connor, please.”

“Connor, I’m really honored. I’d love to discuss the possibility with you, but I have to tell you, we’re just a small construction company. We’re not equipped to handle anything on that grand of a scale.”

“Not many companies are. I’m very aware it would mean bringing in a large contractor used to that scale of work. What I want is your design expertise. If that means hiring your crews, as well, that’s fine. But they would work under the supervision of someone else.”

“I see.” My mind was a blur of activity, everything from already envisioning an overall feel to wondering how I could balance that with the needs of Sterling Construction. My heart began to sink with the idea I was going to have to tell him no.

“Connor, I have to be honest. I’m not sure my vision for the hotel matches the style of your chain.” I’d also researched Halcyon Hotels. They were beautiful, but modern with clean, sleek designs. Not what I would envision for The Laurel Ridge.

“I don’t want it to be the same. I want it to be more like the home you designed at Grandview. The other homes were quite nice, some even more extravagant than yours. But that’s not what I’m looking for. You are the only one who truly incorporated the feel of the area while keeping it luxurious. That’s the look I want for this hotel.”

“I’m flattered. I think.”

Connor chuckled again. It was a pleasant sound that made me want to find ways to make him laugh again. “Jared assures me you have a keen eye and are easy to work with. And it’s a definite bonus that you are in the area. But if you’re not interested, I don’t want to waste either of our time.”

I sensed a slight edge, a warning, this time. Either I was interested or I wasn’t.

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