Unraveled (Unwrapped and Unraveled 2)

He nodded, understanding how she felt. Still, he could offer her so much more. But maybe this time, it wasn't going to be about what he wanted. Even though he'd never once lost out on a deal, maybe this was one he should walk away from.

Even if it wasn't in Greta's best interests.

He sipped his beer and pondered his options.

"Mitch."

He looked over at Don. "Yeah?"

"I know you want the property and the land. And you and I go way back. But don't hurt my sister. She's been through enough."

"Yeah, she has."

"Look, man, I love you like a brother, you know that. But I love her more. And if it comes down to choosing between the two of you, I think you know where I'll stand."

Mitch nodded, glad that Greta had a man like Don backing her up. "I would never hurt her, Don." In fact, he was going to do whatever it took to help her. Even if that meant losing what he wanted.

Chapter Nine

Somehow, it worked out that Greta's children had both been asked to spend the night at their friend's houses, and Mitch had invited Greta out to dinner again. This time, he said there was a Christmas party at the mayor's house.

The mayor's house! She'd never been there, even though she was a member of the Chamber of Commerce. But sure, let a millionaire swoop into town for the holidays, and he garners an instant invitation to the mayor's annual Christmas party.

She'd had time to run to the mall and buy a nice black dress, refusing to let Mitch outfit her for this soiree. The dress was expensive and not at all in her budget, but as soon as she'd tried it on she knew she had to have it. Sleek and silky, it fit her perfectly. It had cap sleeves and a silver band embedded across the empire waist. The dress flowed out right at the knee in kicky little waves. She loved it and had to admit it looked gorgeous. Besides, a black dress was something she could wear again and again. Just in case the mayor took a liking to her and decided to invite her to the party next year.

She laughed at that, hung crystal drop earrings on her ears, and slipped on the shoes Mitch had given her which went great with the dress--no sense in buying new shoes when these were so versatile.

Mitch arrived on time wearing a dark suit with a red tie and looking devastatingly handsome as usual. Whether in surf shorts or tux or anything in between, the man took her breath away. He cupped her chin, giving her a soft kiss. She melted.

"You look beautiful," he said. "That dress is stunning."

Her face warmed. She wasn't used to compliments, or attention of any kind. She'd lived wrapped up in a cocoon of work and her kids for years, and felt like a butterfly spreading its wings in the few days she'd been around Mitch. "You're good for my ego," she said. "And you look incredible."

He grinned. "Thanks. Ready to go?"

She was shocked to see a white stretch limousine with blacked out windows parked in front of the motel. Her gaze snapped to Mitch. He grinned.

"Thought you'd want to arrive at the mayor's house in style."

She laughed, climbed in, and marveled that the inside of the limo was big enough to live in. Television, long bench seats, full bar, it was luxurious and utterly decadent.

The mayor lived at the top of the hill in town, in an old white mansion that had been redecorated by one of the top interior designers in the country. Greta had seen pictures of it in the state magazine, but she'd always wanted to get a glimpse of it in person, so she was excited that she was actually going to be able to do so tonight.

It didn't disappoint. Parquet flooring in geometric patterns greeted them in the entry. As they moved inside, Greta stared slack jawed at marble statues, granite countertops in the kitchens and state of the art appliances, objects d'art spread throughout the pristine marble floors of the dining hall, thick white columns and plush carpeting you could sleep on. She continued to gape as Mayor Thomas Jefferson Patterson gave them a tour of his marvelous home. She hoped she wasn't drooling.

"Of course, I know your hotels are five star all the way," Mayor Patterson said to Mitch as they walked out to the gardens. "So I hope you can appreciate the work we put into the mansion."

"You've done an amazing job," Mitch said, keeping his hand tightly held to Greta's.

"It's lovely, Mayor Patterson."

He smiled at Greta. "Thank you, Mrs. Mason. And how is your little motel on the beach doing?"

Little motel on the beach. How...patronizing. "It's doing just fine, thank you. We'll be nearly full by Christmas."

"Lovely. Word around town is that there was a recent offer to build a resort on your land, and that you refused to sell."

Uh-oh. Her gaze shot to Mitch, and he shook his head. She didn't think the information had come from him. He might want her hotel, but he wouldn't exactly send out a press release about it.

"I'm happy with the motel the way it is, Mayor."

Mayor Patterson turned to her and sniffed. He might be influential and popular, but he was also a pompous ass. "Mrs. Mason, do you have any idea what a resort of that caliber could do for the residents of Ft. Lincoln Beach? The other business owners in this town? The revenue, the tax dollars? The improvements we could make in our city would be beyond belief. You're holding back progress, my dear, and I don't understand why."

"But it's my choice to make, and it's my property, Mayor." She smiled tightly and Mitch squeezed her hand.

"Your motel is ancient. It needs work. You're never at full capacity and barely meet code."

She inhaled, knowing she'd never be able to explain to him that she loved the Crystal Sands just the way it was, the way her father had left it to her. "I'm not interested in having my motel demolished, Mayor. Perhaps whoever is interested in buying up ocean front property can look elsewhere."

The mayor narrowed his gaze and lowered his voice. "You know very well that's a prime location. You're simply being stubborn for no reason."

"I think Greta is perfectly able to make her own decision about her future and that of her business, Mayor," Mitch said, the clipped tone of his voice indicating that the mayor had stepped out of line.

Mayor Patterson took a quick step back and plastered a smile back on his face.

"Of course, of course. And it's Christmas, so we won't discuss business tonight. Come, let's have some punch."

Asshole. He'd already discussed business and made his opinion clear. He thought she was getting in the way of town progress. Great. Just what she needed--more guilt.

"Ignore him," Mitch said as the mayor went off to greet more guests. "We're just here for free food and drinks."

She laughed. "He's been ignoring me for years. I guess I can try to return the favor."

Mitch slid her hand in the crook of his arm and led her into the house. "That's my girl."

Some of her excitement over being at the mayor's house diminished after talking to him, but she refused to let him completely dampen her enthusiasm. After all, she rarely got a night out, and never dressed up like this. Since Mitch had arrived in Ft. Lincoln Beach, she'd done so twice in one week. She intended to enjoy every minute of it. This was her chance to mix and mingle with other business owners in town, the opportunity to trade ideas about growing their respective businesses--especially her own. She wanted more people to stay at her motel, and if she could get some of the other businesses in town to send people her way, to carry her advertising, then it would be worth having to listen to the snooty mayor look down his nose at her and criticize the decisions she made.

Unfortunately, as she attempted to mingle with the other guests over drinks and dinner, she ran into the same unwelcome topic.

"You won't sell the motel, Greta? Why not? It's old, run down, needs major refurbishing."

"No amount of paint and rehab will help the old Crystal Sands, Greta. You need to sell and sell now. You must have been offered a fortune for that old place. Are you insane for turning down that kind of money?"

"Greta. Sell. What are you thinking? You're holding us all back."

Every

one knew about the offer to buy the motel, and everyone was stunned she had turned it down. They all saw it as a prime growth opportunity for the town, and saw Greta as the evil monster who was holding back progress--and revenue--for everyone.

Shit.

None of them understood why, and she wasn't about to try and explain it to them. They wouldn't care. The few friends she'd made in the business community were now turning their backs on her. Money was more powerful than friendship, apparently. And she was taking revenue out of their pockets by refusing growth.

Her evening sailed south in a hurry, though she tried to put on a brave front for Mitch. He had just been doing what he did best--buy up non-revenue producing properties to build his gorgeous resorts. He brought thriving commerce into communities. That was his business.

He was a savior. Everyone loved him.

Conversely, everyone hated her, especially here at the mayor's mansion tonight.

"Can we go?" she finally asked after dinner when she couldn't tolerate the silent, devil-eyed glares of her peers any longer. "I have a terrible headache."

Mitch frowned in concern and smoothed his hand down her back. "Of course. I'll go get your coat."

She shrank against the front door, trying to look invisible while Mitch stopped to talk to the mayor and a couple others who whispered in his ear, shooting pointed looks in her direction the entire time. By the time he returned with her jacket, his expression was grim. He helped her with her coat, left his hand pressed to the small of her back, and escorted her out the door to the waiting limo.

The ride was silent, Greta lost in her thoughts.

She was making the right decision in sticking to her guns. She knew she was. Dad would never want the Crystal Sands to be anything more than what it had always been. A nice family-run place. Small, comfortable, not a resort monster like the kind of places Mitch built.