emphasize her shapely figure and long gorgeous legs.
Her hair was not in the ponytail she’d worn when he’d seen her at the café, but was flowing down her shoulders in what appeared to be a bevy of soft curls. She was wearing makeup, but not enough to make her look made-up. It looked more natural on her and he thought it enhanced her radiant beauty.
Several older people approached her, and all but pulled her from the chair to give her hugs. He could tell by her expression she was surprised by the interchange. That made him wonder if perhaps she thought that even after fourteen years people would still concern themselves with the identity of her baby’s father. There was no doubt in his mind that there were some who might, but he would think most people would have the sense to move on and accept that although they had acted like asses before, they wouldn’t now.
He discovered how wrong he was in his assumption when Rachel leaned over to him and said, “If you’re wondering who she is, her name is Vashti Alcindor. Poor thing, she left the town in shame years ago when she got pregnant. She kept the baby’s father’s identity a secret, and of course, that made a lot of tongues wag.”
He had a feeling hers was one of those tongues. He glanced over at her. “Really? I never knew keeping your business to yourself was a crime. Besides, I’m sure she wasn’t the only person in this town keeping secrets.” There was no need to tell her that he’d been enlightened about a few of hers.
Again, she had the good sense to ease away from him. It was then the chairman of the board called the meeting to order.
* * *
VASHTI LEANED CLOSE to Bryce, who’d made it to the meeting just before the doors closed. “Why didn’t you tell me Sheriff Grisham was on the zoning board?”
“It’s just temporary while Henry Smith recuperates from hip surgery. Besides, I didn’t think it mattered.”
Vashti wanted to think it didn’t but each time she looked at the head table where he sat it seemed his gaze was on her. Or was she imagining it? No, she was certain she wasn’t. It might seem to others like he was looking out over the crowd, but she was convinced he was not. What other reason could there be for the way she felt like she was on fire, burning from the inside out? Or the way every single hormone in her body seemed to sizzle? More than once she tried breaking eye contact with him but as if with a mind of its own, her gaze unerringly went back to him.
“You and the developer are up next,” Bryce leaned over and whispered. “Good luck.”
Vashti felt she would need it, although she’d been surprised at the number of people who’d come up to her before the start of the meeting, saying how glad they were to see her and to welcome her back home. Evidently the reason she’d left meant nothing to them anymore. In truth, she’d left to go off to school. The reason she’d never come back was another matter, one they seemed eager to forget.
“Next on the agenda is Vashti Alcindor and a representative from the Barnes Group,” Larry Stillwell, chairman of the zoning board, who owned the only drugstore in town, said, his voice sounding loud through the microphone.
Drawing in a deep breath, Vashti stood and strolled toward the front of the room where she was joined by the man she’d met when she arrived, Palmer O’Connell of the Barnes Group. The entire room was quiet. Typically, Vashti wouldn’t be nervous speaking before a crowd of any size since she was used to doing so as part of her profession. However, knowing that some of these townspeople would be looking at her with a critical eye was somewhat unnerving.
She tried convincing herself whatever they thought about her back then didn’t matter and what they thought of her now didn’t matter either. She had property she wanted to sell, and she preferred they not get in the way of her doing so. But then, what unnerved her more than anything was that even if she’d imagined Sawyer Grisham’s gaze on her before, it was definitely on her now.
She was handed the microphone and was about to speak when Reid Lacroix stood. “I have something to say.”
Vashti’s heart began pounding. She wondered what was going on. Reid Lacroix’s opinion about anything still carried a lot of weight in this town since his blueberry plant employed a number of people living in the cove. He was not someone you wanted as your enemy. She also knew Mr. Lacroix was completely against change of any kind and over the years he’d been instrumental in keeping developers out of the cove. There was no reason for her to think this time would be any different. By him wanting to have his say now might mean there would not be a need for any vote later, so she and the developer would be wasting their time.
As far as she was concerned, his request was out of order; however, she knew that there was no one here who would tell him that. Instead the chairman of the board took the microphone from her and passed it to him with a huge smile. “Yes, by all means, Mr. Lacroix.”
She met the older man’s gaze, expecting the worst. “I heard you’d returned to town, Ms. Alcindor, and I want to join in with the others and say, welcome home. We’re glad to see you back, regardless of whether it’s permanent or temporary. It always does our heart good whenever one of our own returns.”
Vashti stared at the man, stunned. That was definitely not what she had expected him to say. As she looked into the depths of his dark eyes, she saw a sincerity in them that surprised her. In a public place he had welcomed her back. His opinion mattered and he’d effectively made it clear to everyone that she was welcomed back and if anyone felt otherwise they would be going against him. Why? Was he letting her know that he knew the truth about who fathered her child?
“Now, Ms. Alcindor, you may continue.” Mr. Lacroix, smiling, passed the mike to her.
“Thank you, Mr. Lacroix. I truly appreciate that,” she said. And she truly meant it.
* * *
“VASHTI DEANNA ALCINDOR. It’s been a while.”
Vashti smiled at the man who engulfed her in a huge bear hug. She needed it as the prospect of getting ten million dollars from the sale of Shelby by the Sea was gone. She had said her piece, asking the zoning board to consider the advantages that bringing a tennis resort could bring to the cove, before introducing the developer. He’d done a great job explaining to everyone how the proposed tennis resort could benefit the town and the boost it would give to the local economy.
Everyone seemed to show interest and had even asked questions—more positive than negative. However, in the end, no matter how excited the residents of the town seemed, the decision belonged to the zoning board. In the end there were eight board members voting against the resort and only two for it: Kaegan and Sheriff Grisham.
“Kaegan, it’s so good to see you,” she said, when he finally released her. She stared into his face. He looked the same, just older. More mature. Still handsome as ever, even more so. And he still had more hair on his head than she did. “I understand you took over your family’s business. I was sorry to hear about your parents.”
“Thanks.”
“And you’re on the zoning board. I think that’s great and thanks for the yes vote.”
“For all it’s worth, I agree with that developer. A tennis resort coming here would boost the economy. But I don’t have to tell you some people are satisfied to let things stay as they are. Then they wonder why their kids grow up and move away. Only a few return.”
Vashti nodded again as she glanced around. “I was going to thank Sheriff Grisham. I’m surprised he voted yes.”
“I’m not,” Kaegan said. “Sawyer moved here from a progressive city. Besides, he has a teenage daughter and that resort’s perks, especially the free tennis lessons, were great. I just hate you’re losing the deal. I heard they had offered you a lot of money for the place.”
“They did. More than I had dreamed of getting, but I guess it wasn’t meant to be.”
She glanced around again. “I don’t see Sheriff Grisham.”
“He left