We wander through the town and veer along a main street so that James can give me a sense of the island’s local flavor. I don’t bother arguing with him, even though this is the last thing I want to do.
Once he’s got his mind set on something like this, it’s impossible to change it. And he really wants to show this place off.
The main street is narrow and quaint, the road winding vaguely up a hill, shops lining either side. There are hardly any cars here. I guess these people all get their steps in every day walking everywhere.
Most people ignore us, but some hesitate and glare suspiciously, trying to decide if we’re trustworthy outsiders or not. With every step I find myself caring less and less about their opinions. Not that I did that much anyway. I had thought I might find thisexcursion uncomfortable, but all I can think about now is living here. Making it my paradise.
It doesn’t help the way they gawk at us like they’ve never seen four men in suits before. All of the people here are wearing incredibly casual outfits: shorts, T-shirts, summer dresses. If any of these people work, there can’t be a dress code. For the fishermen, I suppose that makes sense. After all, you don’t want to have your best suit stinking like that, but what about all these shopkeepers and townsfolk? What do they even do all day?
There can’t be enough to do here for them all to be knickknack shop owners or hippie painters. I hate people like this.
James leans over and hisses at me, “You know it might help if you smile a little.”
I glare back at him, baring my teeth in some approximation of a smile. “How quickly can we get rid of all these people?” I mutter. “They’re freaking me out.”
“Be nice,” James hisses back. “Remember, we’re here to win them over, not insult them.”
A pout is my only response.
Despite the gawking, though, I am getting a sense of the town. It’s not hard to imagine having the place to myself. To imagine the tranquility of my self-imposed isolation.
Without all of these people here, it would be peaceful. I think I would allow a few to stay, for the atmosphere. Their bustling around is charming in a way, though I’m not a fan of the way some of them stick their noses up at me and stare at me like I’m some blight upon their great town.
If I’m being charitable, I can’t say I blame them. After all, I am planning to have them all evicted.
The faintest flash of guilt washes over me, and I shake my head to push it away. This plan won’t work if I turn soft. If I want an island to myself, I can’t allow sentiment to get in the way. It’s like running a business. Sometimes you have to make the hard decision and the sacrifice to get ahead.
“Excuse me,” I say to a passing local, flagging her down.
She almost stumbles as she falters to a stop. “Never seen you around here before,” she says, narrowing her eyes.
I put on my best smile. “My name is Jacob Ford. I’m a businessman in the city.”
“Oh, another one of you,” she mutters, almost disinterested. “If you’re trying to develop the land, don’t bother.”
“Quite the opposite.” I smile despite my sinking heart. “I’m looking to buy the island.”
“And I’m looking to buy the moon,” she scoffs.
“I’m being serious,” I say, my smile falling away.
“Are you now?” She raises both eyebrows. “And what are we going to get out of the deal?”
“Well, we’re still looking to put together compensation packages, but we would offer a sizeable sum to all the residents here.”
“Compensation? What’re you going to do to us all?”
I take a deep breath. Her green eyes blaze as she stares deep into mine. I feel my soul wilting just a little. I’m charming. I can do this. The sales pitch. “We will be asking all residents to leavetheir homes. But we will give everyone ample time to prepare, and as I said, exceedingly good compensation. We will help you relocate and make sure you and your family never want for anything again.”
“We’d have to leave the island?” She frowns.
I nod. “That would be the condition, yes.”
“You must be out of your mind.” She spares a single second to sneer at me, then turns and walks away before I can say anything else.
I turn to James and the lawyers. “Was that a good interaction or a bad one?”
They shrug. “Hard to tell with folks like this,” says James. “They’re always so opinionated.”
