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Hope’s eyes sparkled. “Don’t worry. We won’t let you get too carried away. My attorney, Alistair, is commissioning a market analysis on the property. He should have it back any time now.”
Dexter leaned forward, his bushy brows rising. “You know Al? We’ve been friends for years. Whatever price he comes up with is good enough for me.”
Hope breathed a sigh and smiled. “It sounds like we have an agreement then. Based on the county property assessment, Alistair thought the fair market value would be around 1.5 to 1.8 million.”
Dexter’s face went blank. “That much? Now I’m really pissed at that other guy.”
Get in line, Dexter.
“Why don’t you leave me your phone number, and I’ll let you know when Alistair has the report,” Hope said. “I’ll make sure you get a copy, and we can discuss a final offer then.”
“That sounds fine.” He smiled at Hope. “I like the idea of sellin’ the last bit of Half Moon Bay to you.”
She laughed. “So do we.”
Dexter smiled but shook his head. “That’s not what I mean. You won this resort in a lottery, right?”
Hope nodded.
“Well now, that’s how my family got the land originally. Just seems like things are happenin’ like they should. Half Moon Bay wasn’t meant to be broken up.”
Later that evening, Jack pulled Sara tighter against his chest as they watched the ocean from his patio. The past two days had been a whirlwind, but there was nowhere he’d rather be.
Sara’s phone buzzed again. “It’s Wayne texting again, and I can’t just ghost him. We don’t want to give him any idea we know what’s going on until everyone’s signed, but he wants an answer on whether I’m in or out.”
“Just text him back and say you’re really busy right now, and you’ll get back to him in a few days.”
Her thumbs flew over the phone, and Wayne’s response came back almost immediately. Sara smirked. “Asshole.”
“What did he say?”
“He wants my answer in two days, or he’s moving forward without me.”
Jack was getting ready to make a choice comment when his phone rang. The caller ID said Alex, and he swiped to answer. “Hey. What’s up?”
“Is Sara with you?”
“Yes, she is.”
“Good. You can pass this on. Alistair just called with the market analysis, which came in at $1.7 million. He can meet with us all tomorrow afternoon. There’s only six divers scheduled due to a cancellation, but both Robert and April are busy. I can work it with Tommy. Can you go to the meeting? I think Dexter would be more at ease with you beside him.”
“Sure, that’s no problem. Don’t you need to be there, though?”
Alex laughed. “Hardly. Things like this tend to go better when I keep my mouth shut. Hope is much more professional and diplomatic than me. Apparently, Sara has several clients tomorrow, so she and I can stay at Half Moon Bay. As long as Hope and you are at the meeting, everything will go fine.”
“I’ll be there. Thanks, Alex. For trusting me with this.”
“I do trust you.”
Jack was smiling as he ended the call, wondering how he’d ever felt like an outsider with these people, and summarized the conversation for Sara. “By this time tomorrow, the papers could be signed.”
“Hope’s right. I’ve got a busy afternoon until four.”
Jack nodded, picking his phone back up. “I’ll call Dexter and make arrangements to take him to the meeting.”
* * *
Sara curled a ringlet of the woman’s hair, determined not to check her watch. The afternoon had passed at a glacial pace, but she was nearly done. Finished with the iron, she brushed out the woman’s black locks and they fell softly around her shoulders.
