“And then?”

“And then four days before the agreement was to be signed at the White House, the US president was shot and killed.”

“Kennedy.”

“That’s right.” Cassie took a sip of her water. “The vice president never approved of Sereno as a site for a military installation. Within a week, he pulled out of the agreement, leaving a cleared field, hundreds of displaced citizens, and equipment the navy no longer had use for and didn’t care to remove.”

“I can see how that would leave a bitter taste in your grandfather’s mouth.”

“Grandfather always took ownership of his mistake in allowing construction to begin before the official agreement was in place. The strain might have eased with time had it not been for the American investors who came in and tried to buy the land for pennies compared to what it was worth.”

“Obviously your grandfather didn’t agree.”

“No, but the economic ramifications of having that land idle nearly bankrupted our family and our country,” Cassie said. “New homes had to be built for the citizens the construction had displaced, a cost the United States had promised to incur, and the land that previously provided a significant portion of our farming industry was no longer occupied. It was hard for everyone in Sereno.”

“This is a piece of history I never learned about.”

“And yet, it is a defining piece of Sereno’s history,” Cassie said. “My grandfather took a huge risk and developed that abandoned property. He borrowed heavily from our European allies and built a new city.”

“Porto Blu.”

“Yes,” Cassie said. “My grandfather turned the potential devastation of our country into one of the most popular tourism spots in the Mediterranean.”

“I understand it’s now also the home for several tech companies.”

“Yes, and if I have my way, it will soon host the energy companies that will support the drilling efforts.”

“Sounds like your family is good at turning negatives into positives.”

“We try.” Cassie looked out at the water, enjoying the peaceful view. A sailboat passed by, the white sail catching the wind. She turned her attention back to Levi. “So, back to the original issue. How do I work through this contract without putting myself at risk, and where do we hold the press conference?”

“How long do you think it will take to go through the final negotiations?”

“If I could meet in person, a week, maybe two.”

“In that case, I think it’s time to extend an invitation to your winning company to visit Meridia.”

“Have the company’s representative come here?”

“Yes.” Levi nodded. “Give me the name of the person you expect to deal with, and I’ll run a deep background check. If all goes well, you can start your meetings by Tuesday.”

“Thank you.”

Levi plucked another grape. “Now, for more important topics. Want to go riding this afternoon?”

“I would love to.” Cassie leaned back on her elbow. “I thought tomorrow I might convince you to take me back into the village. It’s supposed to be the perfect weather for a Sunday drive.”