“I’ll be able to do it,” she said quickly.

“That’s great. Are you free Saturday of next week to discuss it more?”

“Yes.”

“Great. I’d like to invite you to meet me at my place.”

“Your office?”

“No, my home. I’d rather not anyone know about my expansion plans yet. You can present me with locations on the harbor you feel might interest me.”

She could definitely do that, although it meant going out to his place on the bayou. She couldn’t help but recall what happened the last time she was there and what he’d said. But this time he was inviting her for business and not a party. “Fine. We can meet at your place next Saturday morning, around eleven. Will that time work for you, Kaegan?”

“Yes, that time will work for me. Goodbye, Bryce, and congratulations again on passing your exam.”

“Thanks and goodbye.”

After clicking off the phone, Bryce summed up in her head what had taken place over the call. She was smart enough to take advantage of a business opportunity when it knocked on her door, but it would mean working closely with Kaegan for a while, and it also meant a business trip with him to Boston.

She drew in a deep breath, confident that she could do both as long as they kept things in perspective, and there was no reason they couldn’t.

CHAPTER TWENTY

“YOU ACTUALLY VOLUNTEERED to be on your high-school holiday class-reunion committee?” Sawyer asked Kaegan, surprised. They were walking toward the parking lot after attending the zoning-board meeting.

‘Something like that. In fact, I’m on my way there now, so the zoning-board meeting ended right on time. We’re meeting in the high school’s library at seven.”

“Now, that’s interesting.”

Kaegan glanced over at Sawyer. “What is?”

“Vashti mentioned Bryce was on that committee, but I have a feeling you knew that.”

“Yes, I knew it. In fact, she’s the one who suggested I join it.”

Sawyer shook his head, grinning. “When a man loves a woman, he will do anything to stay within her good graces.”

Kaegan smiled. “Hey, I’m still in the friendship state with Bryce. She’s not ready to move beyond that.”

“Don’t give up on her, man. True love will prevail each and every time.”

Kaegan remembered Sawyer’s words a short while later when he walked up the steps to the high school. When he’d been a student here, this place used to seem bigger than life and now everything looked small. He had Vashti and Bryce to thank for making his life tolerable while attending school.

He opened the door and went inside. He hadn’t seen Bryce’s car parked outside and wondered if she’d gotten here yet. She used to be a stickler for time and he wondered if that had changed over the years. He strolled past the rows of student lockers and several classrooms as he headed toward the library.

Over the years things had been renovated and the place looked different inside. He then realized that this was the first time he’d been in the school since graduating. He’d never had a reason to return. He wouldn’t be here now if it wasn’t for Bryce.