Wade’s eyes widened almost imperceptibly and his brow furrowed with thoughts he didn’t choose to share. “Why Cornwall? You’re not from around here, are you?”
“No and yes. I’m not from anywhere. My parents and I traveled my whole life. But I came to visit this area on a long weekend while I was working in Philadelphia, and I fell in love with it.”
Wade was listening intently, and it bothered her. The conversation seemed innocent enough. What was his angle? He couldn’t really care. Was he just making small talk or was he trying to get information he could use against her later? Maybe he’d try to stall her building permits and frustrate her into selling.
“I’ve lived around here my whole life.”
“Cornwall?”
“Not exactly. Here and there in Litchfield County. I bounced around through a lot of different foster homes at first. I came to Cornwall when I was ten and stayed here until I went off to Yale.”
“Is that where you met Stanton?” Alex Stanton had been Wade’s business partner when she first went to work for him.
“Yes. We started our own company together after college, and then after you left, we decided to split up and focus on different types of projects. He wanted to branch out, go nationwide and, eventually, international. I wanted to focus on Manhattan, so I’ve been on my own a few years now.”
“Now the two of you can make money twice as fast.”
“Precisely the idea behind our dastardly plan.”
Damned if she didn’t smile at him. He had a way of making her like him no matter how badly she didn’t want to. He was only a few days into his petition and he had already managed to charm her. He’d kissed her. How long could she hold out against this? How long until he tired and gave up?
“So, tell me about some of your green innovations. I’ve been hoping to add more into my projects.”
At that, Tori outright frowned. He really was taking every available angle to butter her up. “Really?”
“Yes, really. I’ve been investing heavily in a couple of green companies over the past few years. They’re really making some great strides in products that are earth friendly and, I hope soon, affordable for consumers. I think more people will use them when the price isn’t so intimidating.”
That surprised her. When you’re in the business of renovating and reselling buildings, every penny spent cuts into the profit. She never expected him to be the kind who would invest in green products. But she was glad he did. She wished more people would. “I agree. That’s why I try to get as much exposure for my work as possible. I want to increase interest and demand, which will hopefully make some of these innovations mainstream and drive down the price.”
“It’s hard to do. My folks have managed to run an organic farm without the crippling prices breaking their profit margin, but it’s taken decades to perfect it.”
Tori’s brows shot up over her teacup. “The tree farm is organic?”
“For the past twenty years.”
Wade was full of good surprises tonight. She wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but she was actually enjoying her conversation with him. It felt almost like a fun, casual first date.
Did she just use the word date?
“I’ve been looking at some of your recent projects online. You really do great work. The building in Philadelphia is stunning.”
Tori blushed again. If he was playing her, he was good at it. She couldn’t help but believe him. Her latest project really was incredible. Her best apart from her own house, which was going to be her greatest work. “Thank you. It’s almost done. The ribbon cutting is scheduled for just after the New Year.”
“I wish we hadn’t lost you at our company. Your talents would’ve been put to good use.”
It sounded like a compliment, but this time it rubbed her the wrong way. Tori was about to say something rude about how he shouldn’t have fired her, but Rose returned then, placing a piping-hot dish of chicken pot pie on the counter in front of her. It was the perfect opportunity for her to focus on something else.
The pie had a golden flaky crust that Tori yearned to bust open with her fork. Typically, she’d leaned toward club sandwiches and grilled chicken plates, but dinner with the Edens had been a gateway meal. Now she was on a personal mission to make up for twenty-eight years of home-cooking deprivation.
“That smells great,” he said, leaning closer to her and inhaling the enticing aroma. “Don’t let me stop you from enjoying your meal.”