Page 30 of Fighting Fate
“Is it really gonna cost a billion dollars?” Adam asked hesitantly as he walked alongside Jace towards the boat dock. “Because holy shit. I thought having a couple million in the bank meant I was seriously rich.”
“It does. And no - probably not a billion. Maybe half a billion.” Jace chuckled at the look on Adam’s face. “It’s a very big chunk of what I’ve been left with after the Hunter Enterprises sale, but it’s money which has pretty much been sitting in the bank while I figure out what to do with my life. I’ve given a fair bit away to some major foundations, and I’ll give away a lot more, but… a project like this could create so many jobs, make a huge difference to the local economy.”
“It could also change Sunfish beyond all recognition,” Adam pointed out.
“Which is definitely a part of why I’m hesitant. We’ve created something special here, and I don’t want to risk losing that particular magic which makes Sunfish so much more than just another resort.”
“It does have a magical atmosphere,” Adam agreed. “Your staff are incredibly happy, for a start, and I don’t think it’s just because you pay them well.” He was thinking of Rosie, of course, at her obvious distress at the mere idea of having to leave. “It’s home, for them.”
“That’s right.” They’d reached the dock, and Jace gestured Adam to a handsome white motor launch tied up at the end. It was only about a twenty-footer, pretty modest considering what Jace’s money could have bought him, but Adam didn’t comment. Only a few minutes in the young billionaire’s company and he’d already figured out Jace Hunter was uncomfortable with his wealth, considering it a responsibility to be shouldered rather than glorying in the indulgences it could bring him.
“Done much boating?” Jace asked.
“Not since I was a kid, fishing and dodging crocs on a tinny in Darwin Harbour,” Adam admitted, but he could manage to cast off a line, unwinding the one Jace pointed to as Jace fired up the engines. Within a minute they were pulling smoothly away, the engines a low roar as the launch cut smoothly through the small waves just riffling the blue-green surface of the Coral Sea.
They had to circle around the southern end of Sunfish to go across to West Chapel, but it was still only a ten-minute journey. Adam braced his feet and stood beside Jace at the wheel, enjoying the ocean breeze, the salt spray whipping lightly across the deck as the boat heeled over slightly to port.
The dock at West Chapel Island was solid concrete, designed for large boats to tie up beside, and three years of neglect had done little but cause some seaweed to be washed up on it from high tides. The island seemed almost asleep, rather than abandoned, Adam thought as he and Jace walked among the buildings being rapidly overtaken by the tropical grounds, like an enchanted land with a spell of sleep cast on it. He almost laughed at himself for the whimsy.
“That’s the pool,” Jace pointed out. “It was never filled. Shouldn’t be any structural issues. That might actually be the easiest thing to bring up to a completed status.”
Most of the buildings were completed and locked up, but some were unglazed, meaning the two men could walk right in and look around.
“This would be a fantastic boxing gym,” Adam said thoughtfully as they examined a high-ceilinged room, nothing but bare concrete right now and dead and rotting vegetation on the floor.
“The accommodation here isn’t set up like standard resort rooms, which didn’t make sense to me at first, but it does now I’m looking at it as a rehab facility. Two and three bedroom apartments, with larger kitchens than usual for holiday apartments, a hot tub on each apartment balcony.” Jace pointed straight up. “Up above the sports facilities.”
“Wouldn’t make sense for regular holiday guests because of noise,” Adam agreed. “Is all the accomodation like that?”
“No, there’s some luxury stuff as well, lining the closer fairways on the golf course. That’s the only part which really saw any use; the course was in operation for a couple of years, and most of the clientele stayed right here. We brought people over from Sunfish, as well. It was quite a drawcard. Honestly, even just getting that back open, I reckon would be worth it. Do you golf?”
“Never learned.” Adam shook his head. “Might be something I take up in retirement, once the elbow’s settled down, anyway.”
“I enjoy a game, but I’ve never really had the time to play much.” Leaving the building via one of the unglazed windows, Jace led Adam up a broad, paved path with weeds sprouting thickly from the cracks until they arrived at a spectacular building which was obviously the golf clubhouse. Set on what Adam rather thought was one of the island’s highest points, the clubhouse commanded absolutely stunning views, or would when the golf course wasn’t massively overgrown, anyway. They leaned on a rotting wooden verandah outside what was obviously a large restaurant dining room and looked out across the fairways.
“This could be incredible,” Adam said. “I’ve never seen a facility like it. You’ll have every elite athlete in the world who has to do physical rehab wanting to come here.”
“It does seem purpose-built for it,” Jace agreed. He’d asked a lot of questions as they wandered around, listening intently to Adam’s answers. “I reckon… six months from breaking ground, I could have the golf course operational. Bring the rest on in phases, depending on how much work each facility needs. The airport’s gonna take the longest, unfortunately, but by the time I have that done, we’d be fully operational. Running at max capacity.”
“You look like you’ve already made a decision.”
“If I don’t do it, somebody else will. The airport makes it too attractive a proposition to turn down. But if I pass up the opportunity and somebody else takes it on, and makes a mess of it, Sunfish is at risk.”
“Some retirement,” Adam said after a few minutes of contemplative silence, and Jace started to laugh.
“Eh. What can I say. I like a challenge.”
Adam nodded, feeling something like envy. The Chapel Islands project would be a challenge which could last a lifetime. Hell, he’d start visiting the resort himself, once it was open. He did fancy taking up golf.
“You interested?” Jace asked, and Adam looked at him in confusion.
“In what, sorry?”
“Investing.” Jace grinned at him. “I’d rather not have it be all my own money. I’ll be looking for investors. Give you a chance to get in on the ground floor.”
“Maybe have a say in what you do with the place?”
Jace’s eyebrows rose. “Well, I’ll mostly be looking for silent investors, I admit. I’m control freak enough to want to do things my way. That said… you’ve got the kind of expertise which could make you very useful… as an employee.”