Page 71 of Moonlight Feels Right
"That's great." She made a note on the pad in front of her. "I'll be in touch about when we can pick it up."
"Great. Talk soon."
She made a few more calls and came up with a television from Skye and a kitchen table and chairs from Maggie, who was itching to buy something new.
Hearing voices in the courtyard, she decided to go downstairs and see who else was around. Grabbing her keys, she walked outside, locking the door behind her. She didn't usually lock it when she was just in the complex, but after Jeremy's surprise arrival the day before, she wanted to be more careful.
Josie and Lexie were cleaning up the area by the barbecues.
"Good morning, ladies," she said.
Lexie looked up with a speculative smile. "Is it a good morning after a good night?"
She felt heat rush to her cheeks. "Let's just say it's a good weekend."
"I'm glad to hear that. You and Hunter disappeared from Liam's party pretty early, but with the way you were heating up the dance floor, I wasn't surprised."
"We were just—" Emmalyn began, then stopped herself. There was no point denying it. "Hunter's a great guy," she said with a helpless shrug.
Lexie smiled. "I'm glad you had fun."
"Me, too."
"I like Hunter," Josie put in. "More than I thought I would. He's really come to life the past week. That probably has something to do with you, Emmalyn."
"Probably more to do with Olivia. Speaking of which, I'm seeing who might have extra furniture or kitchenware for Bree. If either of you have anything you want to get rid of, they might want it."
"I just decluttered," Lexie said. "But Aunt Josie has a big storage unit full of stuff."
"I'll take a look," Josie promised. "After we talk to Grayson. I don't want to start pulling things out before he gets here."
"Grayson is the new owner, the one who might want to sell?"
"Yes, Grayson Holt. He is going to do a quick visit on his way to LAX for a flight to Europe. I'm hoping a face-to-face meeting and introducing him to our tenants will help him see Ocean Shores as more than just a line item on his spreadsheet," Josie said.
"I think that's him," Lexie said suddenly.
She turned to see a man walk into the courtyard. He was the kind of man who instantly drew attention, tall and good-looking but also appearing strikingly out of place in a southern California beach apartment complex in his tailored charcoal suit and polished shoes, carrying a sleek leather briefcase.
Josie straightened, then she gave him a wave, and he headed in their direction.
"Mr. Holt," Josie said as he reached them. "Welcome to Ocean Shores. I'm so glad you decided to come. I'm Josie, the manager. This is my niece, Lexie Price, and one of our tenants, Emmalyn McGuire."
He gave them a nod. "Grayson Holt," he said with a cool gleam in his arctic-blue eyes. "I'm afraid I don't have much time. I have a flight to LAX in a few hours, but my father wanted me to take a closer look at the property. Although, I've seen the financials, which tells me what I need to know."
"The financials don't tell the whole story," Lexie said, a slight edge to her voice.
He gave her a speculative look. "Perhaps not the whole story, but numbers don't lie, exaggerate, or spin, while people often do all three."
Lexie crossed her arms, giving him a dark look. "The kind of people who live here at Ocean Shores don't do any of those things, nor does the woman who manages the building. This isn't just a complex of apartments, Mr. Holt. This is a community. We are neighbors, friends, and family. And that's something that you don't find everywhere."
"Your community has no bearing on future decisions about the profitability of my family's investment."
"Well, it should," Lexie said. "Didn't they teach you about intrinsic value at Harvard?"
"Do you have a problem with me?" Grayson asked, giving Lexie a sharp look.
"Why would I?"
