Whisper's Edge (20 page)

Mitch took a sip from his snifter and sighed. “One of the perks of living in Kentucky. I swear if I moved back to Chicago I’d have to have this shipped to me.”

“So you’ve moved here permanently?”

He nodded. “I have to fly to Chicago sometimes a couple of times a month but I live here.”

“Don’t you miss the bright lights of the big city?”

“There’s something to be said for the moon and the stars. The sky is certainly different here at night.”

“True.”

“I would miss my daughter. And my wife recently opened a jewelry store here in Cricket Creek.”

“Oh yeah, I’ve heard good things. Designs by Diamante, correct?” He had come across a few articles about the shop while researching Mitch Monroe.

“Ah, yes, Nicolina’s long-awaited dream has finally come true.”

“You mean marrying you?” Tristan asked with a grin.

“Ah…no, that, my friend, was quite the challenge. But well worth the end result.” Mitch smiled softly and then took another sip of his drink. After a moment he said, “It took me a while, Tristan, to realize what I value most in life.”

“And what is that?”

“I no longer worship money.”

Tristan felt his hopes slip a bit. This didn’t sound good. “So are you interested in the project?” He decided that with someone like Mitch Monroe he should come straight to the point.

Mitch chuckled. “Hey, I no longer
worship
money but I still like to make it. If I see a need or a worthwhile investment, I’ll bite. I simply leave time to enjoy other things. Balance is the key. All work and no play and all that good stuff.” He looked at Tristan keenly. “And I no longer feel the need to prove anything to anybody. It makes a big difference when that kind of pressure doesn’t play into the big picture. Letting go of the past took a big load off my shoulders.”

Tristan nodded and took a swallow of his ale to hide the fact that Mitch had hit a little too close to the bone. He cleared his throat. “I read an article that said you’re considering adding a convention center and hotel down on the riverfront. Don’t you think a full-scale marina would enhance that project? Perhaps a restaurant as well? Steak and seafood?” He angled his head slightly and arched an eyebrow. “With a microbrewery?”

“You listen. I like that,” Mitch said as he flipped open his menu. “One thing we both know for sure: Whisper’s Edge is suddenly prime riverfront property. The question is just what to do with it.”

Tristan nodded and felt a sense of relief that Mitch seemed to be warming up to the idea. They placed their order, Tristan ordering the special and Mitch opting for the grouper sandwich.

“No one makes pasta better than my wife, Nicolina, and I eat a lot of it,” Mitch said fondly. “And the fish sandwich here is a monster.” He patted his stomach. “I shouldn’t have the fries, but oh, what the hell. I’ll just have to hit the workout room over at the stadium.” He grinned. “I’ll just have to do it when there aren’t any hard-bodied baseball players in there making me look bad.”

“I’ve been meaning to pay a visit to your wife’s shop. My mother’s birthday is coming up and she loves jewelry.”

“Tell Nicolina her color choices and a little bit about her personality and she will create a one-of-a-kind piece that I’m sure your mother will treasure.”

“I’ll do that.”

“Make it soon because she’s pretty backed up with orders. Mother’s Day was a killer and now with June weddings she just hasn’t stopped working.” Mitch shook his head. “Nicolina was the one who advised me to stop and smell the roses and now she’s busy all the time. I just might have to simply kidnap her this weekend. At least get her to sketch her designs poolside.” Mitch sat back against the seat and sighed.

“Sounds like she’s a dedicated, hard worker.”

“I fully appreciate hard work, but the difference is that this was her dream. Her passion. It’s not always like work to her, making it even more difficult to steal her away.”

“And it sounds like her jewelry is more like a work of art.” Tristan had read that as well.

“Exactly! Tristan, I had to convince her that her jewelry was worth a helluva lot more than what she was asking.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to go on and on. I’m just proud of her. And she put her dream on hold for her own daughter’s sake while I missed so much of Mia’s childhood.” He looked across the room and grinned. “Speak
of the devil,” he said and waved. A moment later a gorgeous young blonde hurried over to their table.

“Daddy!”

“What are you doing here, sweetie?”

“I’m trying to get Pete Sully to put a buy-one-get-one discount coupon on the back of the Cougar’s admission tickets. We called it Stub and Grub last season and it went over well.”

Mitch winked at his daughter. “I’m sure you’ll talk him into it again.”

She grinned and held her thumb and index finger an inch apart. “I’m this close. I reminded him that business has increased twenty percent since he bought a billboard in centerfield.”

“Excellent,” Mitch said, and she seemed to beam beneath his praise. “Mia, I’d like you to meet Tristan McMillan.”

Mia extended her hand. “Nice to meet you, Tristan. I think we’re living in the same condo complex by the stadium? Do you like it there?”

“Yeah, I like the view of the river and the amenities are amazing.”

“I thought I’d seen you over there. Welcome to Cricket Creek…and don’t tell me we have another Chicago transplant?”

“Actually, I’m from northern Kentucky and live in Cincinnati, Ohio.”

“Hmm, I thought I detected a bit of a Southern drawl in your voice?”

“Well, I’ve lived in Cincinnati for a while but my mother grew up here in Cricket Creek and I’ve always had a touch of the South in my tone. Going to school in Lexington added to that.”

Mia nodded. “Oh, I know. I’m told that I’m starting to pick up a twang too.” She wrinkled her nose at her father. “Dad laughs at me but I love it.”

Mitch scooted from the bench and gave his daughter a hug. “Are you staying for karaoke?”

“Hmm…” She nibbled on the inside of her cheek. “I
should
get back to the office and do some paperwork.”

Mitch frowned. “Noah has you working too many hours.”

Mia chuckled. “I bet you never thought you’d have to say that to me. Did you, Daddy?”

Mitch flicked Tristan a glance and grinned. “Nope.”

“Actually, Noah chased me
out
of the office and told me to come here and have a martini and to put it on his tab.” She shrugged and held up her glass. “I decided to multitask.”

“I can’t argue with that,” Mitch admitted. “But give yourself a break and have some fun, okay? I know you’re missing Cam, and getting out will help.”

“I probably will. Bella is helping Nicolina out at the shop, but she’s going to come over later and wants me to stay. I texted Madison, and if she will take a break from the new play she’s writing, she said she’ll stop over too. Maybe we’ll even sing.” She wiggled her eyebrows and giggled.

“You need to get Nicolina to come over and hang out with you girls,” Mitch told her. “It will do her some good. And Jessica and Olivia too, for that matter. Ty can babysit and bring Noah over to help. Surely the two of them can handle one small toddler.”

Mia laughed. “Ty popped into my office the other day and said that watching his son was more tiring than playing nine innings of major league baseball but I’ll try,” Mia promised, and then smiled at Tristan. “It was nice to meet you, and I’ll apologize for my singing in advance. After a couple of Sully’s martinis I suddenly think I’m Adele.”

“She’s not,” Mitch said.

Tristan smiled as Mia walked away. “Your daughter seems like a sweet girl.”

“I’m a lucky man,” he said in a suddenly husky voice. “But let’s get back to why you’re here.” They discussed various possibilities for the riverfront property, pausing only when his tossed salad and Mitch’s coleslaw arrived. Tristan found Mitch Monroe’s insight and knowledge
fascinating and soaked up everything he said like a sponge. Over their entrées Tristan realized that not only did Mitch have a keen sense of business savvy but he threw in some life lessons as well. He also had a dry sense of humor, which kept Tristan entertained, and he was thoroughly enjoying himself until he looked across the room and spotted Savannah.

Since Tristan and Mitch were in a pretty much secluded booth, Savannah hadn’t spotted him, but as he watched her walk over to a high-topped table with some dude in a cowboy hat, Tristan was hit with a big dose of white-hot jealousy. Kate and Ben sat down with them but his attention was focused on Savannah and the cowboy. When the cowboy said something close to her ear that made her laugh, it was all Tristan could do not to stomp over there and drag her away from the table like some sort of crazy caveman.

“What’s her name?” Mitch asked, drawing Tristan’s attention.

“Who?” Tristan tried to fake but Mitch wasn’t having it.

“The pretty redhead that you’re staring at.”

Tristan pulled his eyes away from Savannah and looked across the booth at Mitch. “Savannah Perry,” he said.

“And?”

“And what?”

“I definitely think there’s much more to it.”

“How did you know?”

“Well your tone for starters and the fact that you’ve held that bite of food inches from your mouth for the past few minutes. Like you forgot it was there.”

“Okay…busted.” Tristan put down the fork that still had spaghetti neatly twirled around it. “She’s the social director at Whisper’s Edge. That’s Kate Winston, the manager of the community, and Ben Bakersfield, the maintenance man, sitting with her.”

“And the cowboy?”

“I don’t know the…
cowboy
,” he answered tightly.

“So, you’ve got a thing for Savannah.” He didn’t ask but
stated what must be the obvious so Tristan didn’t even bother to deny it.

“Yeah.” Tristan then told Mitch a much abbreviated explanation of how the residents had basically adopted her as their collective and shared granddaughter.

“Oh boy.”

Tristan nodded and then flicked a glance over to the table in time to see the cowboy flash a white-toothed grin at Savannah.

“And she has no idea that you’re planning to redevelop the community into something other than what it is?”

“Not a clue.” Tristan paused to take the last swallow of his ale. Although he knew it wasn’t a smart business practice to disclose any of his personal life, Mitch sort of compelled him to do so. Plus, he was already busted, anyway. “To be fair, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with it so I didn’t feel the need to worry anyone.”

“And it gets worse, doesn’t it?”

Tristan gave Mitch a level look, and then sighed. “They’re all under the impression I’ve bought my grandfather’s failing business and saved it from foreclosure, thus saving their community.”

“And you are the big hero?”

“Uh, yeah. Mitch, they sang ‘For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.’”

“Ouch.”

“I know.”

“Which nobody can deny…but you.”

“And I didn’t.”

“And gorgeous little Savannah looks at you with adoring eyes.”

“Pretty much.” Tristan nodded slowly. “That’s why I’m trying to keep my distance.”

“And how’s that working out for ya?”

“Not well.” Tristan waited, hoping that Mitch would tell him that all is fair in business and that—like he had already justified to himself—the development would be for the
greater good of the community. He felt compelled to mention that last part to Mitch, hoping that he would agree wholeheartedly and even expound upon the notion. “Advice?” he finally asked.

Mitch looked at Tristan with those piercing blue eyes and sighed. “If you had asked me this question a few years ago I’d have told you that business is business and not always easy. Sometimes you have to be tough to the point of being just shy of ruthless, but you were a successful attorney in a big law firm. You already know that.”

Tristan nodded. “I do.”

“I would have also advised you to remain emotionally distant and to keep your eyes on the prize.”

“But you’re not telling me that now?”

“Not exactly. Keep your eyes on the prize, Tristan,” he said slowly and firmly. “But the question is: what is the prize? Consider what you really want out of life.” Mitch angled his head. “It took me a long-ass time to figure it out and I can tell you one thing for sure.”

“That it isn’t about money?”

Mitch chuckled. “Eh…like I said, I still
love
making money. I just love other things…people, that is, more.”

Tristan frowned. “Then, what is the
one
thing?”

“It’s simple Tristan. Just do what makes you happy. Once you figure that out the rest is pretty damned easy.”

“I guess figuring it out is the hard part.”

“If you let it be.” Mitch nodded. “Yep, I’m a living, breathing example of throwing myself into what I
thought
would bring me happiness and satisfaction. I was dead-ass wrong because I had blinders on. Whatever you decide, Tristan, do it for all the right reasons. Clear as mud?”

“Uh…yeah.”

Mitch grinned. “Take the blinders off and see the whole picture. There’s more around you than the finish line.”

“I’ll try.”

“Well, I’ll muddy the waters even more and tell you that I am interested in the marina project and buying the
property outright. I’m not sure which one but the interest is definitely there.”

“Thank you.” Tristan mustered up a smile, but he was annoyed with himself for letting his personal life enter into a business discussion. But after Savannah had come in with the damned cowboy his good sense flew out the window.

Mitch looked down at his watch. “I’d better head on out. I’m going to try to get Nicolina to come out with the girls and take a breather and I think it will take some doing.”

“I’ve got the tab,” Tristan said when Mitch reached for his wallet.

“Thanks, Tristan. I’ll be in touch,” he said as he slid from the booth.

Tristan stood up and shook his hand. “I appreciate your time and the advice. It was truly a pleasure meeting you.”

“Same here. Good luck.”

After Mitch left, Tristan sat back down and ordered another Bourbon Barrel Ale. He knew he should probably leave but he couldn’t bring himself to do so. Instead, he nursed his drink, watched Savannah having fun, and brooded.