Small-Town Girl Read Free Page A

somewhere the tycoon didn’t own, and that put him too far from his little sister if there was an emergency.
    The problem was Sesser charged as many fees as he could think up. It didn’t matter if a ship was taking something away or dropping off goods—Sesser collected money for both. He was the kind of man who walked the line between legal and illegal business dealings but had enough powerful friends in the state that it didn’t matter if he sometimes tipped too far into the illegal.
    A sharp pain along the side of his face made Brice realize he was clenching his back molars together. He forced himself to relax with a deep breath. Hadn’t his doctor threatened him with surgery if he didn’t stop grinding his teeth and clenching his jaw all the time?
    Too many years spent swallowing words could do that to a man.
    Someday Brice would break free of Sesser Atwood and then he’d never deal with the man again. He’d watched Atwood destroy his father, scare his mother and steamroll his youngest brother’s one chance at happiness.
    Brice wasn’t about to let the old businessman ruin him too.
    â€œSelling the boats could work.” Evan braced his hands on the counter. “Or you could expand your business.”
    â€œThat’s what got me into trouble in the first place.”
    â€œNot like you’re thinking. I mean find more work.”
    â€œBelieve me, I’ve tried to secure every contract on Lake Michigan. I’ve done everything to—”
    â€œSure, every shipping contract, but that’s not what I’m talking about. Think of something else to use the boats for.”
    â€œLike?”
    â€œHey, just a simple woodworker here.” Evan held up his hands in mock surrender. “I can encourage you. Not actually come up with the ideas on the fly.”
    Brice had considered using his boats for fishing tours. But fishing tours were hours of commitment. And this wasn’t the Caribbean. The fish in Lake Michigan might be huge, but there wasn’t all that impressive an assortment to be found.
    â€œFishing tours?” He tossed the words out to see what his brother would say.
    Evan tapped his chin, thinking for a second. “That has merit. Although you’d have to hire someone to give the tours, and that would cost money.”
    â€œI could do them. I know where the best fish—”
    â€œYou are many things, but a friendly tour guide is not one of them.”
    â€œMaybe I’ll just sell the boats. Admit my losses and downsize.” He had a smattering of small vessels he’d picked up secondhand. They weren’t hauling boats, but he’d figured they’d be useful for something. So far, they’d been nothing but money pits. He’d sell them. Let them become someone else’s problems.
    Evan opened his cash register and removed the drawer of money. “That could work too, and there’s no shame in that plan, but will it ruin you to give yourself one week to brainstorm a few other possible solutions?”
    â€œA week’s not going to ruin me.”
    â€œThen go back to that cabin of yours and think.”
    At this time on a summer evening, the main part of downtown Goose Harbor was flooded with people, so much so that cars stopped driving down the roads because there were too many pedestrians to maneuver around. Besides, Brice had left his car by the docks. He’d exit out the back door of Evan’s business and cut across the beach. He needed to spend some time seeking out God’s guidance anyway. The less-congested evening beach would be the perfect place to go pray.
    * * *
    The short-lease condo that Kendall had found to rent when she first moved to town was located on the opposite end of Ring Beach from the main portion of town. Walking to her business meeting with Sesser and Claire had sounded like a great idea earlier, but now her feet ached. Heels weren’t built for cross-terrain