Page 12 of Sunset Tides
She stopped, narrowed her eyes, and said, “Fine.”
He suppressed a smile and flagged down the waitress. “I look forward to learning more about the community when I partner with Grindstone Farm.”
Lucy shot him a positively disgusted look, but her face transformed into a smile when the waitress stopped by. “Hi, yes, I’d like a glass of plum wine, please. Thank you.”
He forced himself to look at the drink menu so he wouldn’t laugh. Lucy had no chance of making it in the business world.She wore all of her thoughts plainly on her face. Her disdain for him was so extreme that it was almost amusing.
She wasn’t wrong to dislike him, of course. OSS had no intention of keeping Grindstone Farm together. The farm as it stood was basically worthless.
Maybe it was valuable to the community in some sentimental way, but it was worth much more in the hands of developers.
This was something Carriageway had missed in their haste. They assumed the farm could never pull in more than a quarter of a million dollars a year, and they were right. It couldn’t make more than that. Not as a farm.
This was where Rob came in. Under his direction, OSS was in talks with a tech company in Silicon Valley called Grippy. They were going to build a brand-new compound on Orcas Island, offering high density housing, office space, and an idyllic company getaway for the up-and-coming startup.
All they needed was the farm’s thirty acres. On a pristine location like Orcas Island, OSS could fetch upwards of six million dollars just for the land.
Lucy didn’t know that, but at least she had the good sense to distrust him. Not that it would help her.
She spoke again. “You still don’t look like you’re dressed for farm work.”
“I guess I need the right person to teach me.” He took a sip of his beer. “Why do I feel like that might be you?”
She made a face, the disgust apparent once again. “Me? I’d rather send you into the pitch-black darkness of East Sound to dig up those oysters.”
He wasn’t going to let her comments get to him. He nodded placidly and said, “Sounds like a good start.”
She ignored him and looked at the menu.
Rob took the opportunity to study her. She didn’t look like a farmworker, either. Her clothing suggested she’d fit in on thestreets of Seattle, but perhaps not in New York City. Though she had a definite sort of style, it was more of a West Coast chic. Less put together, less...try hard.
Her long red hair cascaded down her shoulders, and she was pretty, in a way. When she wasn’t glaring at him.
He spoke again. “You seem strangely dedicated to that farm for someone who was moments away from handing in their notice.”
Lucy’s wine arrived and she accepted it with a thank you before turning to him. “That’s all in the past.”
“Were you planning to move to another farm? A competitor?”
She shook her head. “Of course not.”
Interesting. “Is this the first farm you’ve worked for?”
“Maybe.” She crossed her arms. “What does it matter?”
He smiled, keeping his tone light. “I’m curious, that’s all. How long have you been at Grindstone?”
“How long have you been on Orcas Island?”
“About a week.” He stared at her, waiting to see if she filled the silence. She did not. “How about you?”
“It doesn’t matter how long I’ve been here. I know this island well. My mom owns a historic hotel overlooking the Sound – she saved it from destitution, actually. She’s a pillar of the community.”
“You’re an expert, then?”
“Yes.” Lucy leaned forward. “Just because I’m not wearing a two-thousand-dollar suit doesn’t mean that I’m not competent, Mister … whatever your name is.”
He’d gotten under her skin. Rob forced himself not to smile. “Coolidge.”
