“No, I don’t think you are. Call a town meeting. I’ll let it leak out that you have a big announcement about the resort. Folks will show up because they’ll want to launch their objections and nothing gets people out to a town meeting more than getting to air their grievances. Trust me, after twenty years of being the sheriff here, I know what I’m talking about.”

“That doesn’t help me when Bryony refuses to leave her cottage,” Rafael pointed out.

“Oh, Laura and I will make sure she’s there. You just worry about how you’re going to humble yourself before everyone,” Silas said with a grin.

Rafael sighed. He had the feeling this wasn’t going to be one of his better moments. He might have no desire to be the unfeeling bastard he’d been before but it didn’t mean he wanted to air his personal life in front of a few hundred witnesses.

But if it would get him in front of Bryony so she’d be forced to listen, he’d swallow his pride and do it.

* * *

“Are you crazy?” Bryony sputtered out. “Why would I want to go listen to his spiel about his plans for the resort?”

“Now, Bry, I didn’t imagine you for a coward,” Silas said in exasperation. “By now everyone knows what happened. They don’t blame you.”

“I don’t care what they think,” Bryony said in a low voice. “I was prepared to be the brunt of their censure when I went to New York to tell Rafael to go ahead with the plans, that I wouldn’t fight him.”

“Then what’s the problem?” Mamaw asked.

“I don’t want to see him. Why can’t either of you understand that? Do you have any idea how much it hurts to even look at him?”

“The best thing you can do is show up with your head held high. The sooner you get it over with, the sooner you can start coming out of that cottage of yours. It’s just like a bandage. Better to rip it off and have it done with than to delay the inevitable.”

Bryony sighed. “Okay, I’ll go. If I do, then will you please leave me alone and let me deal with this my own way? I know you’re worried but this isn’t easy for me.”

Mamaw squeezed her into a big hug. “I think things will be a lot better after today. You’ll see.”

Bryony wasn’t as convinced but she allowed Silas and Mamaw to drag her to the municipal building where the meeting would be held. It took everything she had not to run back out the door when Silas led her to a front-row seat.