Page 104 of Summer Tease
“I think we should call it to a vote,” says Dill O’Donnell.
“Hold on a minute,” says Marlyss. “Let’s not be hasty.”
“The entire purpose of holding this emergency meeting is so we can act with haste,” Dill argues. “As I understand it, we have another property on the market that will soon be converted to a short-term rental if we don’t act.”
Whispers and looks follow this, all focused on me. I do my best to seem unfazed, but every muscle in my body is tight.
“I realize that,” Marlyss says. “But we need a supermajority to pass anything in an emergency meeting. Right, Mayor?”
Mayor Barnes nods.
“What else do you want before you’re satisfied on the subject?” Dill asks incredulously.
“We’ve heard Officer Palmer’s experience,” Marlyss says, “but I’d like to hear his opinion. He’s the one dealing with these issues most directly.”
All eyes turn to Beau again.
“Well?” Dill says, looking straight at him. “Do you think short-term rentals should be allowed in Sunset Harbor, Officer Palmer?”
I stare straight ahead, trying to keep my breathing even.
Beau is quiet for a few seconds, and the room is electric with tension. “No,” he says softly but firmly. “I don’t.”
My entire body deflates. I don’t even hear the next words spoken by the council, but minutes later, the vote to ban short-term rentals passes with not just a supermajority but a unanimous vote.
My eyes tingle and burn, and I blink furiously, but there’s no stopping it. I can’t cry in front of these people, though. I refuse to.
I stand up and pick my way through the row and out of the room.
I’ve almost reached the front doors, tears streaming down my cheeks, when I hear Beau’s voice calling to me. I stop in front of the doors, but I don’t turn around. I don’t want him to see me like this. I don’t want him to know how much it hurt back there.
I understand the sentiment against short-term rentals, but it doesn’t change how it felt to see everyone, including Beau, rally together to prevent the one thing Grams and I need from the island right now: the sale of her house. It feels like history repeating itself.
“Gemma,” Beau says, jogging toward me.
I brush away my tears just before he takes my hand and comes around to face me.
His gaze searches my face. “I’m sorry.”
I shake my head and look away, pulling my lips between my teeth to keep them from trembling.
“They’re not fighting against you,” he says. “They’re fightingforthe island. They don’t want it to change.”
I swallow with effort. I can’t even verbalize what my heart is feeling knowing that Beau took the side he did—especially after he’s watched how hard I’ve been working to get the house sold. It’s a sucker punch, even if rationally I know why he did what hedid. “It sure doesn’t feel like that. The message seems pretty loud and clear to me, Beau. None of you want the Sawyers here.”
He shakes his head. “That’s not true, Gemma. I promise. You’re looking at everything through the lens of an old feud, and it’s coloring everything you see. If you look for confirmation you’re not wanted here, you’ll find it. But you’re wrong. People do want you in Sunset Harbor.”
“Really? There are already other short-term rentals on the island, Beau. What’s one more? They could’ve waited to vote on this until this sale closed, but they didn’t. After everything that’s happened in the past, they went out of their way to block the sale of Grams’s house. So please don’t tell me it’s not just a little personal and that the message I should take is that people want us here. I think it’s time for us to leave.”
He lets out a frustrated breath and takes my hands in his. “Don’t leave, Gemma. Please. Stay. The island does want you here.Iwant you here.”
“Do you?” I stare in his eyes.
“Of course I do,” he says, his brows knit.
I swallow, my eyes filling with tears again. I want to believe him so badly, but should I? They’re just words—right after the council voted unanimously to kill the sale of Grams’s house based at least in part on his opinion.
I have no idea what to believe at this point or how much of this is in my head like Beau seems to think it is.
