Chapter Seven
“Sweet tea?”
Olivia glanced up from her laptop and smiled at Jade. “Perfect timing. I just submitted the quote.”
Jade sat two glasses of sweet tea on the small table by Olivia. Jade folded her lean frame on the chaise and let out a sigh.
“Where’s Melanie?”
“She said she was going into town.”
Into town was code for Haven. There were many cute specialty shops that had popped up since Olivia had left years ago. The once run-down, sad area was now thriving with day-trippers from Savannah and the locals who appreciated their beautiful, quaint area.
Olivia took a sip of her tea and welcomed that extra kick of sugar and caffeine. After working all day in the bedroom closets, she was more than ready to relax.
“I’ve been thinking,” Jade stated in a slow, careful tone. “Just hear me out before you shoot down my idea.”
Olivia sat her laptop beside her on the cushion and gripped her cool glass. “When you lead in like that, you’re already making me nervous.”
Stretching her long legs in front of her, Jade crossed her ankles and stared out into the spacious backyard. “I had an epiphany while going through your guest-room closet. Maybe I was trying to figure out a way to find a happy medium with the airport or maybe I was trying to distract myself from pictures of you with a bad perm, I don’t know. Regardless, something kept sticking out in my mind and I think it’s worth surveying.”
Olivia sipped her drink and was almost afraid to hear the rest of Jade’s line of thinking. Her friend was a brilliant businesswoman and she was always working her mind in overtime. She was successful, but lately had been second-guessed and really put through hell at work. Some may say she was running from her problems, and she may have been, but getting Jade out of Atlanta so things could die down was the smartest move right now.
“Let’s have it,” Olivia sighed.
“Don’t sell the airport.” As soon as Olivia opened her mouth, Jade closed her eyes and held up a hand. “You said you’d hear me out.”
“I said no such thing,” she argued.
“It was implied.” Jade waved her hand and crossed her ankles. “As I was saying, don’t sell the airport. You’re half owner, so anything you do would benefit you as well.”
Olivia laughed. “Have you seen the place? I’m sure Jax barely pulls in enough to keep himself afloat, let alone give me half.”
“You haven’t heard my idea,” she stated, her voice suddenly taking on almost a sinister tone. “You’re going to turn that airport into something like this town has never seen.”
Olivia nearly choked on her tea. “Excuse me? You not only want me to keep this part of my past that I want out of my life, but you also want me to get fully involved in it and . . . what? What exactly is in that marketing brain of yours?”
Jade was a mastermind when it came to business. She had taken more than one dying company and breathed it back to life, but Olivia didn’t want Jade breathing in the direction of the airport.
“Haven has seriously grown since we lived here. The tourists are flocking in from Savannah, the resort is really pulling people in, and with the film industry flocking to this state, Haven is the perfect town for even more.”
Olivia registered every word, but she didn’t even want to entertain the idea of renovating the airport or making it into something spectacular. None of that ever even entered her mind, because she wanted out. How many times did she have to keep telling herself and her friends that? Maybe if she kept replaying the main goal in her head, she could make it a reality.
“They’ll have to fly into Savannah or another city and drive in,” Jade went on. “Why not make it where people want to come to Haven instead of into other places? I don’t know the full dynamics yet, but Haven is growing. Why shouldn’t the airport? We can make it something that will not only keep Jax more than in business, but will create revenue for you as well. You don’t necessarily have to be here. There’s no reason you can’t oversee from Atlanta.”
Olivia’s head started spinning. “What did you put in this tea?”
“Sugar and more sugar. Oh, and ice.”
“No alcohol? Because that idea of yours doesn’t sound terrible . . . except the part where I have to be involved at all. I’d rather just be done here.”
Jade swung her legs over the side of the chair and sat her glass on the table. “Maybe you should discuss this with Jax. What if you two can collaborate . . . or at least share another kiss?”
Olivia groaned and took another drink. There was no way she could work with Jax on anything. Just being near that man made her . . . well, she couldn’t figure out the exact term for all her feelings. Maybe one didn’t even exist.
And why did she instantly think of him and have tingling lips? Damn that man for making her get sidetracked.
Olivia cursed Jade, too, for planting these thoughts of a renovated airport. She didn’t have time to babysit contractors, come up with plans, or work with Jax in an intimate manner . . . because any job of that caliber would consume much of her life and require one-on-one time that she simply didn’t have the emotional stamina for.
“We’re not sharing anything,” Olivia demanded. “I have a promotion to get back to. I have a corner office that’s just waiting for me and my new nameplate.”
“You’re not a shallow person, don’t start now.”
Her childhood friend knew her so well. Still, there were times she did look forward to the material things and accomplishments of life. She’d worked hard to get where she was and if she wanted to be shallow for a bit, then she would.
“You said you put that quote in,” Olivia claimed. “Did you overcompensate for all of this grand designing you’re talking about?”
“It’s all taken care of and on paper,” Jade stated confidently with a wide grin.
Olivia smoothed her hair back over her shoulders and wished she had some magical crystal ball to see all the answers. She was at a complete loss as to how to move forward. There was her path and then there was Jackson’s path and the two went in opposite directions.
“Your idea sounds great, honestly.” Olivia sighed and chose her words carefully. “If I were a different person, if I didn’t already have ties to that place, and if I weren’t so busy at work, then maybe I would find a way. But there are just too many factors.”
Jade came to her feet and picked up her glass. “Don’t shut it down completely. You really should think about this option. Melanie and I would both help and I’m sure Jax would rather that than to get rid of it altogether.”
Most likely he would, but he wouldn’t have any money to invest in the initial renovating process. She had a good chunk saved, but even that would only go so far. They’d have to get grants and loans if they wanted to do everything up right.
“I see the thoughts going through your head.”
Olivia glared up at her friend. “I hate you right now.”
With a laugh, Jade shrugged. “I know that’s best friend code for how awesome I am. Seriously, Liv, I’m here for you. No matter what you decide, no matter if you want to run away from everything or stay and make it work, I’m here.”
Olivia swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. “I know you are. There’s just so much to figure out and I’m not in familiar territory.”
“Meaning you always do business without getting your heart involved. It’s time to use that organ, you know.”
She grabbed her tea and came to her feet. “I’m not sure it works,” she muttered. “I’ve purposely kept feelings out of my career.”
“Well, the airport isn’t your career. It’s part of who you are whether you want to admit it or not.”
Olivia didn’t want to admit it, not even to herself. She wanted her father to still be alive, to still have the reins on the property. She hadn’t seen him in . . .
Tears pricked her eyes and try as she might to blink them away, they slipped down her cheeks in a steady stream.
“Oh, no.” Jade slipped the glass from Olivia’s hand, sat it on the table, and wrapped her arms around her. “Where’s Mel when we need her? She’s better with tears than I am.”
Olivia attempted to laugh at her friend’s accurate statement, but it came out watery. “I’m sorry,” she cried. “I hate this.”
Jade patted her back. “Yeah, well, we need to deal with everything no matter how uncomfortable you are and that’s why we’re here. Talk to Jax tomorrow.”
She didn’t want to talk to him. The childish side of her wanted to avoid him at all costs. But the feminine side of her wanted to see him, wanted to know if that spark would still be sizzling when she looked into those bright blue eyes. Would he touch her? Would he try to kiss her again? Part of her wished like hell he would, but that would only complicate matters further.
Olivia eased back from her friend and swiped at her damp cheeks. “I’ll think about your plan. I can’t talk to him until I have a firm idea of what to say.”
“Actually, I already drew up a spreadsheet.” Jade flashed that megawatt smile that always indicated she was up to something. “I mean, it’s obviously rough because I literally just had the idea a few hours ago, but it’s on my laptop.”
Olivia narrowed her gaze. “I thought you were cleaning out the closet.”
“Well, I was, but then I got a text from one of my coworkers and slid back into work mode. One thing snowballed into another and I got to thinking about the film crew coming in. It was pretty easy for my mind to wander into your problems and mesh them with something fantastic.”
As Olivia listened, she couldn’t help but laugh at the way Jade’s mind worked. Of course she’d want to focus on someone else’s problem. Her own were a nightmare and there was no end in sight. Jade was one strong woman, but being the victim of harassment at work from the CEO was something she couldn’t hide from forever.
Right now, though, Olivia had to deal with her own pressing mess. Thoughts swirled around in her mind, bouncing off one another—or more like fighting one another. Part of her wanted to forget Jade ever mentioned such a plan, but the other part of her knew that Jade was brilliant and the idea definitely had merit. Jade also never would’ve brought it up if she didn’t think it would work.
“I think I’d rather tackle boxes in the attic than deal with making such a decision,” Olivia muttered.
“Then let’s go.” Jade headed toward the back porch, her long red hair swinging halfway down her back. “We’ll run the idea by Melanie once she returns and get her vote.”
Melanie was always their voice of reason, but Olivia already knew what she’d say. There was no way she was going to avoid talking to Jackson, but she knew she’d better have a rock-solid plan before going in. She couldn’t afford to get sidetracked again by his charm . . . or his lips.
* * *
Piles of pictures, papers, childhood school papers . . . there was so much stuff. Clearly, her father hadn’t tossed anything out. Had he held on to all of this because he just didn’t want to go through it or because everything held some sentimental meaning?
The front door slammed and Olivia jerked to glance at Jade.
“If that’s Mel, she’s pissed,” Jade stated, setting her stack of papers aside and coming to her feet. “She doesn’t slam doors.”
Against the protest of her sore backside, Olivia stood and stretched as she headed toward the bedroom door. They’d been working in the room where Jade was sleeping, but so far everything was pretty much garbage. Well, she’d keep the photos in a box, but she didn’t need the papers she’d scribbled on in kindergarten.
“We’re in Jade’s room,” Olivia called.
Melanie stomped up the steps and the second she came into view, Olivia was shocked to see her friend’s hair all in disarray.
“Something wrong?”
Mel rolled her eyes at the obvious question. “I just met this jerk who pulled me over for speeding. How was I supposed to know the limit in this town was twenty-five? That shouldn’t even be a thing.”
Olivia bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. “Well, we do have a lot of people who walk and there’s more tourists now than ever before. How fast were you going?”
“Forty.”
Cringing, Olivia said, “That’s going to be a hefty fine.”
“I also got charged with reckless op.”
“Do you have to go to court?” Jade asked, stepping out into the hall.
“No.” Olivia sighed and raked her hands through her hair, which would explain how it got in its current state. “I’ll just pay the stupid fine.”
“Sorry,” Olivia murmured.
Melanie glanced into the bedroom, her eyes widened. “You guys have been busy.”
“I’m channeling my emotions in here for now.” Olivia turned toward the room, realizing it looked much worse from this angle than when she’d been sitting in the midst of her piles. “Jade’s mind has been working in overdrive and now I’m even more torn than before.”
“My idea is brilliant, if you ask me.”
“I didn’t,” Olivia told Jade.
“Well, tell me,” Melanie demanded.
Olivia went back into the room and sank down in the circle where she’d been surrounded by photos and papers. “I’ll let Jade tell you. I’m still trying to wrap my mind around it all.”
As her friends settled into the room, Jade started all over again explaining about the newly revamped airport catering to a higher class of clientele. Even the second time hearing this didn’t make it any clearer in Olivia’s mind.
She shuffled through the pictures, realizing she couldn’t bring herself to get rid of any. They each captured a moment that she’d never get back, and with each one she was instantly thrust into an exact time and place. The clothes were familiar, the smiles were so real she could hear the laughter. There were definitely good times in her life, or maybe she’d been so young her mother had shielded her from the sadness.
What the hell was Olivia supposed to do with all this stuff? Her condo in Atlanta wasn’t exactly the place she wanted to bring all these boxes. When she went back—and she seriously prayed that was soon—she wanted to be free of all these things, all this stuff she’d lived without since she left the last time.
“That does sound rather impressive,” Melanie finally stated when Jade was done with her marketing plan. “Time-consuming, costly, but definitely a risk that could pay off in a big way.”
Olivia dropped the stack of old pictures into her lap and glanced to her friend, who sat on the edge of the four-poster bed. “I’m aware of the pros and cons. Believe me, I’ve made a spreadsheet in my head. I just . . . damn it, I wish my dad wouldn’t have left me his portion of the airport. Or, I don’t know, at least know what he expected me to do with it.”
Melanie wrapped her fingers around the dark wood post and shrugged. “Maybe if you listen, he’s trying to tell you.”
Confused, Olivia asked, “What do you mean?”
“I believe in signs,” she explained. “Pay attention to what’s going on around you. Don’t make this about you trying to get in and get out. Think about what’s going on, how it will affect you and everyone involved. Maybe there is an answer that will work for everyone and maybe your dad had something in mind and that’s why he left it to both you and Jackson.”
Olivia didn’t want to wait for some sign. Time wasn’t on her side at the moment. There was only so long she could work away from her office in Atlanta. Even though she was doing her job just the same, it was different to be face-to-face with her boss. Olivia wanted that promotion and needed to get back in order to make sure the right person was appointed.
“I’ll talk to Jackson,” she finally conceded. “But don’t get your hopes up. I can’t see him letting go of his small-town-feeling airport. Plus, he rents the other hangars to local pilots so I’m not sure how all of that would play out or if more hangars would need to be added. There’s quite a bit to take into consideration.”
“Just make sure you know what you want and what will work for you before you go to him,” Jade added. “You don’t have to go along with this plan at all. You can forget I said anything.”
Olivia rolled her eyes and tipped her head toward her friend. “I can’t forget now. It’s a smart plan; I just don’t know if it’s something I can be part of. Talking to Jackson is the next step.”
“I’d rather discuss your date the other night.” Melanie produced a wide smile and raised her brows. “He is rather sexy. Not that I’m looking for anyone at this point in my life, but I can live through you.”
Waving a hand, Olivia muttered, “No reason to live through me.”
“Considering that’s the closest any of us have had to a date in quite some time, we are going to have to use this as a real date.”
Olivia sat the stack of pictures aside and sighed. “You know everything. We flew, we argued, he kissed me.”
“Skip the first two and tell us about the third point.”
Jade laughed and patted Melanie on the back. “I feel we’re raising you right.”
“I legitimately want to know,” Melanie laughed. “Because it sounds like he’s interested in you.”
Olivia shook her head, refusing to even contemplate that notion. “He’s not interested. He’s trying to distract me and throw me off my business game, that’s all.”
And it had worked . . . temporarily. “It was nothing. I mean, it was a kiss, but it meant nothing and it won’t happen again.”
“Then why are your cheeks pink?” Jade asked. “And the way you keep denying it makes me wonder just how much you even believe it yourself.”
Olivia came to her feet and brushed off her capris. “Shut up. I’m done here. If you two want to stay and get things into piles, great. I’m going for a walk.”
“She’s daydreaming about the kiss,” Melanie whispered.
“Oh, I think at this point Jax is the star of her fantasies. Just let her go.”
Olivia growled and left the room, her friends’ laughter following her down the steps. She slid into her flip-flops and headed out the front door. It was a beautiful, breezy spring evening and Olivia seriously just needed some air. She needed to get away from the house, away from the mocking of her friends—no matter how true their assumptions may have been—and she needed to think about her next move with Jackson.
He’d be waiting for her, no doubt. He’d have some new, charming move to catch her off guard. But she’d be ready. Olivia had handled multimillion-dollar business deals and dealt with charming men on a daily basis. Jackson wasn’t going to throw her off or get her to back down.
Maybe this new plan of Jade’s would spark some interest with him and they could both get what they wanted. Then again, this may also keep them on opposing sides.
She glanced to the time on her cell. Might as well get this over with.