Page 12 of The Runaway Billionaire's Inconvenient Baby
“I’m afraid so,” says Briggs. “The people of the town are very passionate about what they think and do.”
“I can see that,” I say, thinking of the people who laughed in my face at the idea of leaving. “Okay, fine. I’ll have a town meeting if that’s what it takes.”
“Good,” says Briggs, sighing audibly in relief. Clearly somebody is pressuring him into this. He’s sweating too much for anything else.
I’m sure he’s okay at what he does when it comes to running the small things around here, but he strikes me as the kind of guy who would cave under pressure very easily. If it was only him and me, I’m sure I could sell this deal. Why does everyone else have to get involved?
But I want this island. My day here has convinced me of it. It’s a beautiful place — calm, tropical. The sun’s shining and the beach is warm. It truly is a paradise.
It’s a paradise that I intend to call home, and I am not the kind of person who doesn’t get what I want.
I allow Briggs to escort me out of his office and down to the town hall, where some of the townsfolk are assembling. There are already groups of people mulling around, and they all turn to look at me when we enter, their eyes harsh, glaring like they’re all trying to strike fear into my heart.
I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t working.
But it doesn’t matter. It’s not going to stop me. After all, this is the peaceful option. I’m asking them nicely right now if they’ll leave. They don’t want to know what will happen if I have to get nasty.
“Hi, everyone,” I smile. Nobody smiles back.
I’m not going to let it dissuade me. I can’t.
Mayor Briggs ushers me to the front of the room, where a makeshift podium and an ancient-looking microphone are set up. “How many people are we expecting to have here?” I ask him under my breath.
He shrugs. “Could be half the town for all I know.”
“And how many people is that?”
He shrugs. “We’ll find out when we find out.”
That does not fill me with confidence.
More and more people trickle into the room, and the hair on the back of my neck starts to prick up.Buy an island,James said.It’ll be easy,he said. Nothing about this is feeling easy at all.
Eventually, we’re twenty minutes past the time that the meeting was supposed to have started, and Briggs goes to shut the main door. He lumbers back up to the microphone, and as I stand behind him, I get a great view of his bald head shining.
“Hi, everyone. Thanks for joining us tonight. I’m honored to introduce to you all a businessman who is here tonight to speak to you about his proposal.” Briggs speaks with a horrid stammer, and I’m starting to wonder why he ever got the job as mayor. He seems totally unsuited for the role.
There won’t be a local governing body when I run this town because there won’t be that many people here. Even if there were going to be, I would find someone else.
I step up to the microphone. “Hello,” I say, and immediately the microphone greets me with a squeal of feedback. Everyone winces. I clear my throat, grimace, and try again. “Thank you all for taking the time to come and listen to me. I appreciate youchoosing to spend your evening here instead of at home with a movie.”
A faint titillation of laughter goes around the room, which heartens me. If I can make them laugh, I can get them on my side. This is like speaking to investors. This is something I can do. This is the kind of thing I’ve been doing my whole life, persuading other people that I know what I’m talking about.
Unless they’re laughing at me and I’ve failed to see an inside joke.
“You may recognize my name,” I say. “And that’s part of my problem. I’ve been looking for a while now for a place to live, somewhere I can feel as ordinary as any of you.”
A couple of people in the front row lean into each other to mutter, and I clench my fists beneath the podium. Maybe calling them all ordinary was the wrong move, but I continue. Charming. I can be charming. I am charming.
“I am delighted to announce that this beautiful island, this paradise of Havenridge, is exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
“Well, we don’t want you here,” calls someone from the audience.
I chuckle politely, turning on my very best smile. “Let me change your mind,” I say.
Usually, at this point, I would have some sort of presentation to show, but I don’t think the technological abilities of this town stretch as far as computers, so I’m going to have to paint a picture with my words.
“The unfortunate fact is that I will be asking most of you to move on, which I know will be hard for many of you who havelived your lives here. However, I am more than willing to work with each and every one of you to find your new dream home. My lawyers are putting together a generous settlement package to make sure you all get settled elsewhere, and it’s something I think you’ll all be able to agree is well worth it.”
