Page 192 of Five Brothers
His blue eyes gleam like I’m so amusing.
“Ms. Conroy.” He turns his attention to Krisjen. “You’ve grown up.”
He looks her up and down, and I take her hand off my arm and put it in my hand instead.
Jerome Watson walks up behind him, and I feel Krisjen’s fingers tighten around mine.
“We should sit down,” Ames says, gesturing to the restaurant up the stairs. Diners sit around walls of windows at tables with linen that make me uncomfortable.
“No,” I reply.
Ames studies me. “It looks suspicious, meeting on the docks and all.”
“My boat.” I point to the forty-four-foot cabin cruiser to the right. “Nothing to brag about, but we could motor out a little. Away from eyes.”
“So they can find my body washed up on shore in a week?” he fires back.
I cock my head. “I didn’t come here with an army. Just one little girl.”
I know she’s far from that, but Garrett Ames thinks all women are deaf, dumb, and blind. Pretty sure that she’s of no consequence to him.
But still, Krisjen teases, “Are you saying I don’t know how to handle a single guy? I can handle lots of guys.”
I laugh, surprising myself. Jerome’s gaze darts from her to me, and I squeeze her hand. “I know how deadly you are,” I tell her.
Wiping the smile off my face, I zone in on Ames. “You want two hundred acres,” I tell him, cutting to the chase. I don’t want to be here any longer than necessary.
“Give or take,” he says. “In exchange, you get approvals from the city council for your permits. Plus, you get to put out a contract for construction.”
All of which I could have anytime I wanted. Sanoa Bay is going to have streets. Proper paved streets. Finally.
But I’d rather not strong-arm anyone on this, so I’ll let him think he can get for me what I can’t get for myself.
“What do you want the acreage for?” I ask.
“A solar field. Why do you want the permits?”
“Infrastructure.”
He gives me one of those “Bless your heart” smiles. “Kind of like making beds in a burning house, isn’t it?”
I grind my teeth together. They’ve been saying that shit for years. And we’re still there. I haven’t given up the land. I haven’t even given up a single acre.
Jerome steps forward, eyeing me. “Allying yourself with the Collinses might buy you some room, but allying yourself with her …” He gestures to Krisjen. “Buys you nothing with the Conroys.”
I almost whisper. “That’s not why we like her,” I taunt.
My sister has Clay, and Clay’s father has been generous with help and pulling some strings, but I never asked for it. And while I appreciate anything that makes my life easier, I would’ve been fine on my own.
Garrett Ames holds my eyes, and I know he’s about to threaten me or readjust my reality as if I don’t know that everything that I have will be his if I’m just suddenly gone one day.
But before anyone can say anything, Krisjen speaks up. “Doesn’t the state offer tax rebates for land dedicated to solar energy?”
Yes, but …And then I realize where she’s going with this.
“That’s true.” I gaze at Ames. “An acre is roughly … forty-three thousand square feet. That equals over four hundred kilowatts of solar panels multiplied by two hundred acres. You’re talking a utility scale project.”
“You could just rent the land instead,” Krisjen chirps, oh so innocently. “It would eventually pay you more than they will.”