ordered here today. And not that it matters, but did you come up with that idea on your own?”
“I did.”
She patted his arm. “That beats a picnic any day, hon. The two things together…well, you did good.” She settled back in her chair. “Now that we’ve talked about matters of the heart, let’s discuss business.”
Logan instantly switched gears. “Absolutely. I’m ready.”
Merrilee made the shift seamlessly as well. “Let me save you some time and aggravation. Quite simply, Good Riddance is not for sale. It doesn’t matter what you’re offering, it doesn’t matter where you propose we relocate, the buyout isn’t going to happen.”
“Would you at least take a look at the proposal?”
“Of course. Then you can say you gave it your best shot.”
“I don’t understand how you can turn down an offer when you don’t even know what it is.”
“There are two types of people in life, Logan. There are those who are convinced the grass is always greener on the other side. Then you’ve got others who know that whatever’s on the other side can’t possibly compare with how great things are now. Each and every one of us has our own trials and tribulations. I’m not going to pretend we’ve found paradise, but what we have found is darn close.
“We’re a community of people who care about one another, who look out for one another, and who respect one another. From the very second I parked my motor home on what was mostly a dirt track at the time, I knew this was a special place. Our motto— where you get to leave behind what ails you —is right on the money. I stopped, I parked, I got out and it was as if my heart found the balm it needed. And that, my friend, is something cash can’t buy. I know you think we were all holding out to drive the price up. Not a bit. We’ve had this discussion numerous times over the years and the outcome has always remained the same. Price isn’t a factor.
“So, I hope you’ll kick back and relax and take the vacation you say you’ve needed before you move on to the next location on your list.”
“And if I tell you I intend to fly out tomorrow?”
She shrugged, amusement in her blue eyes. “Then we’ll book your flight for tomorrow. Is that what you want to do?”
“No. I’ll finish out my vacation here. And I’ll leave the proposal with you, although I believe you when you say the town’s not for sale. I’m a businessman. I know when to cut my losses.” He stood. “I’ll drop the proposal off on my way out, just so you can see what you’ll be missing out on. It’ll make me feel better.” He shook her hand. “It’s been a pleasure doing business.”
“Likewise. Now let your hair down and enjoy our little town as much as we do.”
The front door opened and a woman he recognized from last night barreled in.
“Morning, Norris,” Merrilee said.
Norris. That was her name. Logan knew it was something a little unusual.
“Morning, Merrilee.” She nodded in Logan’s direction. “Morning, Jeffries.” She plopped a stack of folded papers onto the desk. “Hot off the presses. The first edition of The Good Riddance Observer.” She pulled one off the top and handed it to him. “Your girl is our feature story.”
It was on the tip of his tongue to deny she was his girl, but then he thought better of it. For now, it seemed that she just might be. “So I see.”
Jenna, her smile bright and generous, stood holding her cat in black and white on the front page. “I’m looking forward to reading it.” And he was.
“Say, I’d like to snag an interview with you while you’re here, if you wouldn’t mind. You know, a story on chasing the pot of proverbial gold, a twenty-first century prospector.”
Funny, he’d never thought of it that way. He bet Jebediah would like the analogy. “I believe I’m going to have some free time. Sure.”
“Good deal. How about lunch today? Gus’s at one?” He nodded as she was still talking, all the
“I did.”
She patted his arm. “That beats a picnic any day, hon. The two things together…well, you did good.” She settled back in her chair. “Now that we’ve talked about matters of the heart, let’s discuss business.”
Logan instantly switched gears. “Absolutely. I’m ready.”
Merrilee made the shift seamlessly as well. “Let me save you some time and aggravation. Quite simply, Good Riddance is not for sale. It doesn’t matter what you’re offering, it doesn’t matter where you propose we relocate, the buyout isn’t going to happen.”
“Would you at least take a look at the proposal?”
“Of course. Then you can say you gave it your best shot.”
“I don’t understand how you can turn down an offer when you don’t even know what it is.”
“There are two types of people in life, Logan. There are those who are convinced the grass is always greener on the other side. Then you’ve got others who know that whatever’s on the other side can’t possibly compare with how great things are now. Each and every one of us has our own trials and tribulations. I’m not going to pretend we’ve found paradise, but what we have found is darn close.
“We’re a community of people who care about one another, who look out for one another, and who respect one another. From the very second I parked my motor home on what was mostly a dirt track at the time, I knew this was a special place. Our motto— where you get to leave behind what ails you —is right on the money. I stopped, I parked, I got out and it was as if my heart found the balm it needed. And that, my friend, is something cash can’t buy. I know you think we were all holding out to drive the price up. Not a bit. We’ve had this discussion numerous times over the years and the outcome has always remained the same. Price isn’t a factor.
“So, I hope you’ll kick back and relax and take the vacation you say you’ve needed before you move on to the next location on your list.”
“And if I tell you I intend to fly out tomorrow?”
She shrugged, amusement in her blue eyes. “Then we’ll book your flight for tomorrow. Is that what you want to do?”
“No. I’ll finish out my vacation here. And I’ll leave the proposal with you, although I believe you when you say the town’s not for sale. I’m a businessman. I know when to cut my losses.” He stood. “I’ll drop the proposal off on my way out, just so you can see what you’ll be missing out on. It’ll make me feel better.” He shook her hand. “It’s been a pleasure doing business.”
“Likewise. Now let your hair down and enjoy our little town as much as we do.”
The front door opened and a woman he recognized from last night barreled in.
“Morning, Norris,” Merrilee said.
Norris. That was her name. Logan knew it was something a little unusual.
“Morning, Merrilee.” She nodded in Logan’s direction. “Morning, Jeffries.” She plopped a stack of folded papers onto the desk. “Hot off the presses. The first edition of The Good Riddance Observer.” She pulled one off the top and handed it to him. “Your girl is our feature story.”
It was on the tip of his tongue to deny she was his girl, but then he thought better of it. For now, it seemed that she just might be. “So I see.”
Jenna, her smile bright and generous, stood holding her cat in black and white on the front page. “I’m looking forward to reading it.” And he was.
“Say, I’d like to snag an interview with you while you’re here, if you wouldn’t mind. You know, a story on chasing the pot of proverbial gold, a twenty-first century prospector.”
Funny, he’d never thought of it that way. He bet Jebediah would like the analogy. “I believe I’m going to have some free time. Sure.”
“Good deal. How about lunch today? Gus’s at one?” He nodded as she was still talking, all the
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