Preserving Love: A Contemporary Romance Series (Nick & Lexi Book 2) (7 page)

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Chapter 10

Lexi

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” I laughed when I saw Kendall’s expression as she walked in the shop. “Is it that odd for me to be in a good mood?”

“Lately, yes,” she grabbed a seat at the counter. “That’s not it though.”

“Then what’s up?” I looked at her and realized something was upsetting her. Had her health nut guy ended things? Did she lose her job? It was unusual for Kendall to be upset about anything.
 

“You first,” she grabbed the candy I’d placed in front of her. “Why the smile?”

“Evan and I had dinner last night,” I confessed with a blush. “We had a really good night.”

“Did he say anything?”

“Anything about what?” Her question surprised me.
 

“About this whole mess,” she shrugged. “Did he tell you what the company is up to?”

“No,” I answered. “Why would he? Weren’t you the one saying I shouldn’t let that come between us?”

“Yes but that was before..” she stopped for a minute, leaving me wondering what was going on.
 

“Before what?” she wouldn’t look at me. “Kendall,” I was getting worried. “What’s going on?”
 

“You haven’t seen the paper?” she asked, knowing damn well the answer would be no.
 

“I don’t read the paper,” I answered, “You know that.”

“Maybe you should.”

“Why? What’s going on?” I felt panic rise inside of me. Something was very wrong. She’d never suggest I read the newspaper otherwise.
 

Grabbing some change I walked outside to the box and got myself a copy of the local newspaper. It didn’t take more than the headline for my heart to sink.
 

Head of Preservation Society Sleeping with the Enemy, Causing Discord Among Members

The words repeated in my head as I opened the door and went back inside, feeling as though I’d been physically attacked. Kendall grabbed my arm and led me to a table where she sat with me.
 

“I’m on the front page,” the only words that seemed to come out as I started at the bold black letters. I was afraid to read the article. “This isn’t even accurate.”

“Did you read it?”

I shook my head. I was scared to. What was it going to say?
 

“You should,” she urged, leading me to believe it only got worse.
 

Owner of a local candy shop, Alexis Haraway, is making waves in her role as head of the Preservation Society. While Haraway has had the role for many years, it wasn’t until recently that her position has run into conflict with her personal life.
 

Haraway is known for more than the sweet treats she offers from her candy shop located in the heart of Biltmore Village. She is well known in the community as an activist for the preservation of the area’s historical districts.
 

Recently Haraway made local news in a battle over a proposed retail development center in her own little area of Biltmore Village. Fighting against New York native Evan Monroe, Haraway rallied the community in support of the Preservation Society.
 

The HRC decision in favor of blocking the development gave Haraway more than a victory. It seems mid-battle she became involved on a personal level with the man she was fighting so hard against, Evan Monroe of GHM Designs and Building.
 

The two were seen dating after the decision had been made and according to a source from the Preservation Society Monroe was presented as a potential candidate to join them.
 

That idea was thrown to the side when Monroe and GHM Designs made a proposition for yet another building in a historical district, this one in the city limits of Asheville. Once again Haraway and Monroe were placed on opposite sides.
 

Sources close to the Preservation Society have noted that Haraway’s relationship is causing her to drop the ball in her duties as head. Second in line, Grant Peters, has told us that he would gladly take over to ease the burden.
 

“Alexis is a great person. I can see how this could be a conflict and she could easily lose sight of the end goal. I would be more than willing to take her place until the opponent was not someone she was so close to.” Peters told us.
 

Another source, Patty Wilcox, explained her concerns.
 

“I’m just afraid that she (Alexis) is going to cause us to lose. Especially after what happened at the HRC meeting.” Wilcox stated.
 

The HRC meeting mentioned was a quick meeting for GHM to petition for an expedited decision on the proposed building. Monroe himself used Haraway’s tactics in his argument, accusing her of calling in ‘favors from friends’ to achieve desired results and leave the company with an unfair advantage.
 

Choosing to remain anonymous, one HRC member did confirm the accusation.
 

“She met with me, reminded me of our friendship and bond, then asked that I support her. Naturally, I did. I wasn’t aware it was wrong to support my friend.”

GHM executives said they have the upmost faith in Evan Monroe and his ability to keep personal and business lives separate.

“I asked him if his girlfriend didn’t approve of what he was doing,” co-worker Brad Adams told us. “He said his girlfriend doesn’t make his damned decisions. He’s been fully on board with taking this development all the way to the end. In fact, just today he told us that he is with us, regardless of what it costs.”

When community members were asked about their opinion of the situation, many voiced their concerns.
 

“Why the hell would you fight for something you don’t believe in?”

“If she loved our history as much as she says she does then she wouldn’t turn away from it for a man.”

“Sleep with the enemy, you become the enemy.”

“I’ll never shop in her candy place again. This is a travesty!”

“I say let someone else take over. This is why women don’t need the power. Swayed by a few compliments.”

When asked for his side of the story, Evan Monroe had one thing to say.
 

“My personal life is no one’s business and has no impact on what I’m doing. This resort will be carried through to the end. Should the community support us, we will make you proud. Anything else just doesn’t matter.”

GHM has been granted an expedited decision and will present their case to the HRC in two weeks. Willow’s Resort, the proposed resort, will offer an all-inclusive vacation destination that they say will only bring money into the area without detracting from the history. An event has been scheduled for tomorrow at 3pm to provide the community with activities, food and more information about development.
 

I felt as though the wind had been completely knocked out of me. They’d all made me sound horrible. As if I’d just dropped everything that mattered for a cute guy that showed interest.
 

Evan hadn’t even come to my defense. He’d talked about the development and said nothing else mattered. Nothing. Including me.
 

Kendall sat in silence and watched me as I processed the words. What was I supposed to say? How did I handle this?
 

The Society, at least the ones that hadn’t known about it beforehand, would be livid over the negative publicity. This wouldn’t help the cause. I would have no choice but to either leave Evan alone and focus on them or step down. They would see to it.
 

I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. I wanted to understand how the hell this had happened. Why did people who were supposed to be my friends talk to the reporters about me? How could everyone in my life throw me under the bus?
 

“You okay?” Kendall finally asked. I just shook my head as tears of anger and sadness filled my eyes. “Lex,” she started to say but I wouldn’t let her finish.
 

“I need to go home,” I interrupted. “Can you watch the shop?”

“Of course,” she agreed, standing and heading towards the counter. “You go rest. I’m here if you need me.”

The words seemed meaningless. I just needed to be alone. Somewhere where the world couldn’t touch me. My place.
 

I would go home and relax and then I’d figure out how to do this. I needed a plan to take down Evan and his damn resort. A plan to remind those that had trusted in me once that I was still the same person. Since nothing else mattered, I had nothing to lose.
 

As I sat on my sofa, tears falling, I realized that for the first time in a long time I felt completely alone. I also realized I didn’t like the way it felt at all.
 

*****

Chapter 11

Evan

“What the hell is this?” I slammed the paper onto Morgan’s desk.

“It’s what they call a newspaper down here in the sticks,” he laughed. “Personally, I think it’s shitty.”

“I’m not playing games Morgan,” the anger inside was fuming. “You attacked her. For what?”

“Was anything in there false?”

“That isn’t the point!” I was pacing his office. “Who the fuck told you about all of that?”

“I have my ways,” Morgan smirked. “The point is that all of it is true. Every word. And it helps us. Look at the publicity of that article.”

“Is that all you care about? Publicity? What about people?”

“I’ve already told you Monroe,” his voice got stern with me. “You are with us, or against us.”

“As if I have a choice,” I mumbled, hoping he didn’t fully hear me.
 

“There are always choices Monroe,” he repeated the same words Lexi had said before. “It’s what you do with them.”

“You have me by the balls,” I turned to him, certain I had a glare in my eyes he’d never seen before. “You have the rights to the design I spent years on. You will use it either way. Without a fucking care in the world about any of these people, you will still continue what you are doing. Only I will lose what I should earn for the fucking work I did.”

“It’s still a choice,” he shrugged.
 

“I’m taking the rest of the day off,” I barked, turning towards the door. “That’s my choice.”

“Be here tomorrow at 9 sharp,” he snapped as I closed the door behind myself.
 

Lexi and I had spent the previous evening having dinner, talking and connecting on a level we’d never had before. She was finally happy and secure. Hell, she’d apologized for asking me to put her ahead of my job. Then I’d woken up to this.
 

When the reporter had called I had no idea what the article was about. All I knew was he’d asked me if my relationship with the head of the Preservation Society would have any impact on my job and the future of the development.
 

Fuck. Morgan had blindsided me. It would look like I’d been a part of it from Lexi’s standpoint. I wanted to go to her and try to explain. I needed to let her know that I wasn’t in on this and I was fucking stuck. The problem was I didn’t know if she’d believe me. I knew I wouldn’t have believed myself if I were her.
 

The hardest part was that I didn’t know how Morgan had found out about the Society problems. She’d told me that in confidence. She’d shared something that was bothering her and it’d been used against her.
 

Even though I tried to avoid the situation and head to my house, I found myself venturing towards the shop. If I was a lucky man, I’d get there before she read the article. I’d be able to tell her what had happened and it would come from me.
 

I wasn’t lucky.
 

Lexi was nowhere to be found. She had left her friend in charge and that woman didn’t seem to be willing to disclose much to me.
 

“She’s not here,” her voice was full of anger and I knew immediately that she’d read the article.
 

“Where is she?” I was worried about Lexi and didn’t want to deal with animosity from her friend.
 

“I guess if she wants you to know she will tell you,” she responded flatly. “Maybe she prefers it stays out of the paper.”

“I had nothing to do with that!” I yelled in the middle of the shop.
 

“Except for the part you play in the whole thing. And the quote from you. And the information that somehow made its way to the reporters.”

“Tell her to call me,” I said as I turned to leave. I wasn’t going to stand around and wait on approval from her friend. I needed to talk to Lexi, but clearly she wasn’t wanting to discuss this with me.
 

Instead of doing what I knew I needed to do, I headed home. Pulling my phone out, I sought to discuss this with her the best way I knew how.