Deserving Love: A Contemporary Romance Series (Nick & Lexi Book 1) (8 page)

“Then go back!”

“I could do that,” he nodded. “But I do like it here. I wasn’t planning to create an eyesore in the community. I was planning to adapt the building to fit into the area. I was planning to increase jobs and even bring in more people to your community. The idea of a retail center is hard sometimes, especially when you haven’t added these types of things to your community yet. Your town isn’t the first to fight it. But most that do end up depending on them over time. They end up grateful that they have them.”

“That’s the north for you,” another man called out. “Grateful to see their land destroyed for the greater good of big business.”

“Some of them were southern,” Evan pointed out. “What I’m trying to say is that there are some substantial benefits to the idea of a retail center. And all I ask is that as a community you try and see the benefit that comes with it. It’s easy to focus on what we view as negative. But I know that the stores in this center can’t compare to things like Miss Haraway’s candies. Your shops won’t go out of business because another moves in.”

“We don’t want it! Plain and simple!” A woman shouted.
 

“We are happy with our area the way it is!” another man offered.
 

“I have flyers available that can show you the potential that this could bring to Biltmore Village,” he started.
 

“I’ll tell you what to do with that flyer,” a man shouted and the audience laughed.
 

“I just want to help the community,” Evan offered again.
 

The boos started up again and this time they didn’t end. I watched as Evan’s face dropped and he stood in surprise. You could see the dejection on his face as he listened to the crowd shout and boo in rejection of not only his idea, but him as a person.
 

“Thank you for your time,” he said, walking away from the microphone and towards the exit of the church. His expression was one of stress and defeat. I found myself feeling sorry for him as I watched him leave the building.
 

“Thank you for coming today. If you haven’t already done so, please sign our petition to prevent the retail development. Several of our members will be outside the church to help you,” Patty spoke. “Have a lovely day.”

I made my way out the door to a spot where I could meet with people before the crowds began to file out.
 

It was a good couple of hours before I was able to slip inside of a hot bath and unwind from the day. As I sank underneath the bubbles I found myself thinking of Evan Monroe. He seemed so upset that I felt a bit guilty. Even a man like him didn’t deserve to be booed completely out of the building like that.
 

His words were stuck in my head. He was just trying to make a living. Maybe he wasn’t as different from me or the rest of the community as I’d thought.
 

The chirp of my phone took my mind off of the situation as I felt a smile creep across my face.
 

How was your day? Hopefully better than mine.
 

I’m soaking my day away in a hot bath.
 

Well, mine just improved with mental thoughts of you naked again.
 

Nick!
 

Sorry, but you can’t tease me like that and expect I’ll just ignore it.
 

I’m ignoring that! So what happened to make today so bad?

Ugh, don’t ask.
 

My line!

It’s fitting.
 

Well, too late. I already asked.
 

I think I’m having a mid-life crisis.
 

How old are you?
 

Thirty-one.
 

That’s hardly mid-life.
 

Then I’m having a third of life crisis.
 

Better I suppose. What kind of crisis?

It’s hard to explain really. I’m just kind of struggling between what I thought I knew and what I’m learning.
 

Ah, so you are growing up?

It’s not really like that. I just had specific goals and today I realized that maybe I want different ones.
 

Is this a bad or good thing?
 

I’m not sure yet.
 

You seem really down.

I am Lexi.
 

I’m sorry. What goals did you have?
 

Honestly? Business success. That was the primary goal. To be successful at what I do.
 

Well that’s not a bad thing Nick. We all want to be successful.
 

I know. But, I’m not.
 

What do you mean?

I mean I thought I was. I thought that I was doing well. I thought that my business was a success. I even somehow thought I was making a difference.
 

But you don’t think so now?

No. I mean yes and no. If that makes sense.
 

None whatsoever. LOL

I mean I realized that maybe I’m not doing as well as I thought. That I don’t really have anyone that believes in me and what I’m doing. That in general people don’t have a lot of respect for me. I guess I just want something more now.
 

That’s understandable. We all want to feel like people like us.

It’s not even that. It’s deeper.
 

So change it.

How? How do you become something you’ve never been?

I think it’s just making the changes you want. One at a time.
 

What if nobody believes it?

If you are doing it for you, then what does it matter?

I don’t know.
 

Try. I bet people will believe in you.
 

I hope so. What about you? What are your goals?

I just want to be happy. As silly as that sounds, it’s really my biggest goal.
 

It’s not silly Lexi. What would make you happy though?

I really am happy. My work makes me happy. My friends. Living here. Having people I’ve known my whole life and seeing them in the store and talking about how things are going. Little stuff. The only thing missing is that someday I’d like to have a family of my own.
 

Yeah. I used to think that. But I’m about to give up on that idea.
 

Nick, I believe that the only way to change our lives is to do it ourselves. If that’s what you want then work on it.
 

I can’t make the perfect woman appear and fall in love with me. Besides, I’m ugly remember?

Well you know some women value personality more.
 

Nice to know.
 

Hang in there Nick.
 

I’m trying. Just have to survive my third of life crisis.
 

I have faith. You can do this.
 

I hope you are right. Still in the bath?
 

Yes.
 

Well, I’m going to go lie down and imagine you naked some more.
 

Whatever helps you sleep at night Nick.
 

Sleeping is not the side effect of that, I promise.
 

Good night Nick.

Night Lexi. Until tomorrow.
 

Something about the promise of hearing from him the following day made me smile. I liked thinking about the fact that he would be there from day to day. I hated the fact that he was so down. Normally he was the one that kept me laughing.
 

As I drifted off to sleep I found myself thinking both of Nick’s depression over his life crisis and Evan’s defeated look as he had left the church. I closed my eyes, hoping that both of them would be okay.
 

*****

Chapter 8

It seemed like no time had passed when the day arrived that we were to get the final decision from the HRC. Even having talked to those on the commission and seen the community rally together in support, I woke up nervous and worried that things would fall apart.
 

I hadn’t seen Evan Monroe again after the town meeting. In fact, he hadn’t even been out and about in town. There was a time or two that he’d crossed my mind and I wondered how he was doing after the town hall meeting, but overall I was focused on what I needed to focus on. Things like work and my chats with Nick were taking over.
 

Nick had managed to relax some. He said he was working on making some of the changes that he wanted in his life. He had told me that he’d come to some realizations in his life and had changed his entire focus.
 

I found myself still looking forward the conversations that had taken on even more flirting and teasing. Nick seemed to make the stress I had been under melt away and I counted on that. It left me hoping that those changes didn’t include finding that woman of his dreams.
 

The shop was busier than I’d expected. It seemed that since I became so outspoken on the issue of the development, more people were coming into the shop and trying out my candy. I wasn’t sure if the two were related, but it happened around the same time.
 

“You look lost in thought,” Kendall’s voice brought me out of my worries for a moment.
 

“I am,” I sighed. “I’m worried about the meeting.”

“Why? The community is behind you. What’s to worry about?” she grabbed a couple of chocolates and sat at the table by the window. “Look out there,” she offered. “This is your home.”

“I know,” grabbing my own candy, I sat with her. “But nothing is guaranteed yet.”

“It doesn’t have to be guaranteed Lex,” she smiled. “You know you won.”

“Sometimes I wonder if winning is the most important thing,” I admitted. “What if in achieving my goals, I have actually hurt others?”

“Stop being so negative!” she snapped. “I didn’t come here to listen to you whine. Go to the meeting,” she ordered.
 

“Thanks Kendall,” I smiled, taking off my apron. “Love you.”

“Love you too, and you owe me big time. This is twice.” She laughed.
 

I headed out and went to my car. The HRC was hosting the meeting downtown and I had to make sure I found a parking spot and arrived on time. I was the only representative of the Preservation Society that would be attending. The others felt that I’d become so well known in association that it’d be best if I were the one to attend.
 

I knew that Evan would be there. It was the decision on his request that was in question. I felt like I should speak to him when I saw him, but I wasn’t entirely sure what to say.

“Hello Miss Haraway,” I heard his voice behind me. “How are you?”

“I’m good Mr. Monroe,” I turned and smiled. “And you?”

“Aside from the community wishing I’d up and die,” he laughed. “I’m doing well.”

“I don’t know if die is the way I’d put it,” the laugh wasn’t intentional. “They just aren’t fans.”

“Optimist huh?” He teased.
 

“I try,” I laughed again.
 

The commission made their way into the room and I turned to him.
 

“Good luck Mr Monroe,” I held my hand out to shake his.
 

“You don’t mean it,” he corrected me, taking my hand in his. “But thank you.”

I walked further into the room and found a seat, taking it and waiting. The commission went through several items that were on their agenda and discussed other things that they had to handle. I was beginning to wonder if they were even going to make their decision that day when I heard Tammy bring it up.
 

“Finally, we are going to address the proposal for a retail center in Biltmore Village,” she adjusted in her seat. “We are not going to take any statements at this time. We have heard through motions, petitions and a community meeting exactly how people on both sides feel about this issue.”
 

I watched Evan, who now sat in the next row of seats, tense up as we waited for the decision.
 

“When considering something of this nature we have to look at the benefit to the community, the negative impact and the feelings of those that will be most affected. We have to take into account every aspect of our decision and its impact on the area. Of course our biggest factor is that we are discussing a historical district. As the Historical Resources Commission, we have to make our decision based on whether or not the development will damage the historical quality of the area in question.”