“As you all know, I grew up on this land. Not this far up the mountain—down at the foot. I bought back the land because I understand the beauty here. I want to preserve it. So you should know that other than the trees we’ve already cleared for skiing, there are no plans for more buildings or any other changes to the landscape. I want the Colorado Club to be a place where people can experience the beauty of a place we’ve been lucky enough to grow up with. I don’t want to change that.”

“If they’re rich,” Eva shouts out.

I glance around at the people gathered. Do they all feel like that?

“It’s a good point,” I say. “Anyone who’s a member of the Colorado Club has to be wealthy. That wealth will ensure we can take care of this land for many, many years to come.”

The air almost prickles with indignation.

“But the other thing the Colorado Club does is bring opportunity to Star Falls. I left town for a lot of reasons, but leaving allowed me to spread my wings. I didn’t have to follow my father’s footsteps, or travel to earn a living. The Colorado Club gives the next generation of Star Falls a way of taking opportunities without having to leave a town they love. They can stay here and still plow their own path. I’m hopeful the Club will breathe new life into the town, give people more reasons to stay. I don’t want to spoil anything—not the environment, and not our town.”

Silence spreads across the room like a blanket.

“What about the fencing?” Jim asks.

I nod, wanting to address the issue head-on. “I have a dilemma here, because as I’ve said, you have to be wealthy to be a member of the Club. The membership list will be small. This isn’t a huge resort where there will be thousands of people passing through. The Colorado Club will be a second home for a lot of its members—a place they can escape to. Members want peace. They want unspoiled beauty. They don’t want to be one of a thousand people on a mountain. We have a good number of celebrities signed up already, and they want to guarantee their privacy. Sometimes their wealth will attract attention they don’t want, which means security is of paramount importance.”

“The mountain should be for everyone,” a guy I don’t recognize says from next to Jim.

I nod, wanting people to feel free to express themselves. But I haven’t finished yet.