brightness of the stars either.”
“I’ve noticed
that too,” she said. “When I first got here I wasn’t sure if I could adjust to
life away from the city but it’s been surprisingly easy.”
He turned
toward her, his head supported by an arm. “This would be a great place to raise
kids, wouldn’t it?”
She looked at
him, startled. “I suppose so. I hadn’t really thought about it.”
“You don’t
want kids?”
She laughed.
“I’d like to get married first.”
“Details,
details.” He chuckled, then went silent for a moment before he spoke again.
“I’m of two minds about it. I’d love to have children, but in a way I’m glad we
didn’t. Especially now, with everything that’s happened.”
“I can
understand that.” She turned her head so that she could look at him. “You were
great with the kids today.”
“We had fun.”
He searched her eyes. “How did Jamie like it?”
“I haven’t
had much time to talk to her, but I think she was delighted.” She thought for a
moment; with his experience in real estate his opinion could be helpful. She
decided to tell him about Brooke’s proposal.
“Jamie has a
lot on her mind right now. Brooke came up with the most amazing concept today.”
She told him what Brooke had in mind. “It would be fun for me, too. I’d get to
do a new menu that caters to women who are watching what they eat. Not bean
sprouts and tofu like some of the places I’ve heard about, but healthy.” She
was having a difficult time judging his reaction. “What do you think?”
He lay back
down and stared up into the sky.
“My first
thought was that it doesn’t fit with the fishing lodge concept, but that’s not
necessarily true. Wow! Look at that one.” He went silent for a few moments and
she waited until he was ready to speak again. “These days people are thinking
outside the box when it comes to developments. I hate that overused expression,
but in this case it fits. For example, some of the residential developments on
the lower mainland are incorporating businesses and services you’d never have
imagined twenty years ago. It’s exciting.” He turned to look at her again. “I
think her idea could work.”
He sat up and
turned toward her, the sky forgotten for a moment. “I’d like to ask you
something. If you don’t feel comfortable answering, I’ll understand. Has Jamie
been having financial problems?”
Leeza sat up
as well and took a deep breath. “Jamie told us earlier this year that it’s
touch and go financially. All of the fishing resorts are having the same money
problems. The high rollers who used to fly in on private jets aren’t coming in
the same numbers as they did ten years ago. The staff are still getting paid of
course, but I don’t think there’s much left over. Thank goodness for Brooke,
that’s all I can say. Jamie is great at what she does, but Brooke has more
business experience. She’s made sure we maximize our web presence.” She gave a
little laugh. “At least I think that’s the way she says it. She’s smart; that’s
why I feel good about the potential of this spa thing.”
He toyed with
his cell phone, deep in thought. “But it won’t start paying off until at least
next year. Possibly longer if there are delays.”
Leeza nodded
thoughtfully. “There is the other land, of course but Jamie has held out
against the people who wanted to develop it. I think she’d do it if it meant
saving the Resort, but it would break her heart.”
His head came
up. “What other land?”
She pointed behind
him, to the north. “She owns the land between the road and the lake for about a
mile in that direction. As she likes to say, her grandfather had vision.”
He frowned.
“I’m trying to remember what that land looks like. Billy and I drove in that
direction today when we went into town. What sort of development did these
people propose?”
Leeza lifted
her shoulders. “You’d have to ask her, but I think there was
“I’ve noticed
that too,” she said. “When I first got here I wasn’t sure if I could adjust to
life away from the city but it’s been surprisingly easy.”
He turned
toward her, his head supported by an arm. “This would be a great place to raise
kids, wouldn’t it?”
She looked at
him, startled. “I suppose so. I hadn’t really thought about it.”
“You don’t
want kids?”
She laughed.
“I’d like to get married first.”
“Details,
details.” He chuckled, then went silent for a moment before he spoke again.
“I’m of two minds about it. I’d love to have children, but in a way I’m glad we
didn’t. Especially now, with everything that’s happened.”
“I can
understand that.” She turned her head so that she could look at him. “You were
great with the kids today.”
“We had fun.”
He searched her eyes. “How did Jamie like it?”
“I haven’t
had much time to talk to her, but I think she was delighted.” She thought for a
moment; with his experience in real estate his opinion could be helpful. She
decided to tell him about Brooke’s proposal.
“Jamie has a
lot on her mind right now. Brooke came up with the most amazing concept today.”
She told him what Brooke had in mind. “It would be fun for me, too. I’d get to
do a new menu that caters to women who are watching what they eat. Not bean
sprouts and tofu like some of the places I’ve heard about, but healthy.” She
was having a difficult time judging his reaction. “What do you think?”
He lay back
down and stared up into the sky.
“My first
thought was that it doesn’t fit with the fishing lodge concept, but that’s not
necessarily true. Wow! Look at that one.” He went silent for a few moments and
she waited until he was ready to speak again. “These days people are thinking
outside the box when it comes to developments. I hate that overused expression,
but in this case it fits. For example, some of the residential developments on
the lower mainland are incorporating businesses and services you’d never have
imagined twenty years ago. It’s exciting.” He turned to look at her again. “I
think her idea could work.”
He sat up and
turned toward her, the sky forgotten for a moment. “I’d like to ask you
something. If you don’t feel comfortable answering, I’ll understand. Has Jamie
been having financial problems?”
Leeza sat up
as well and took a deep breath. “Jamie told us earlier this year that it’s
touch and go financially. All of the fishing resorts are having the same money
problems. The high rollers who used to fly in on private jets aren’t coming in
the same numbers as they did ten years ago. The staff are still getting paid of
course, but I don’t think there’s much left over. Thank goodness for Brooke,
that’s all I can say. Jamie is great at what she does, but Brooke has more
business experience. She’s made sure we maximize our web presence.” She gave a
little laugh. “At least I think that’s the way she says it. She’s smart; that’s
why I feel good about the potential of this spa thing.”
He toyed with
his cell phone, deep in thought. “But it won’t start paying off until at least
next year. Possibly longer if there are delays.”
Leeza nodded
thoughtfully. “There is the other land, of course but Jamie has held out
against the people who wanted to develop it. I think she’d do it if it meant
saving the Resort, but it would break her heart.”
His head came
up. “What other land?”
She pointed behind
him, to the north. “She owns the land between the road and the lake for about a
mile in that direction. As she likes to say, her grandfather had vision.”
He frowned.
“I’m trying to remember what that land looks like. Billy and I drove in that
direction today when we went into town. What sort of development did these
people propose?”
Leeza lifted
her shoulders. “You’d have to ask her, but I think there was
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