“Speaking of secrets,” Tess began.
Mitch paused, his fork halfway to his mouth. Had she decided to tell everybody about them?
“I had ulterior motives for getting Mitch to round you all up tonight. He’s been helping me put together a proposal for starting a small business incubator here in Wishful.”
That got everyone’s attention. Tess launched into the pitch, relaxing as she warmed to her topic. “Incubators aren’t anything new. They’ve been around since the 70s and 80s. But most of the top ones in the U.S. are industry specific. They’re certainly more common in more urban areas or under the auspices of universities. But we can help foster an entrepreneurial economy here in Wishful and beyond, encouraging diversification, not only among types of business but in business owners—providing mentorship and assistance for groups historically disadvantaged in the business world, like women or people of color.”
She’d been thorough, and it showed in her ready ability to answer the questions tossed out by her father, Aunt Sandy, Norah, and Cam.
“I actually have copies of the proposal put together, including an indexed list of all the vendor quotes, a compare and contrast between conversion of the existing space, and bulldozing and starting from scratch, with pro and con lists for both, as well as copies of the plans Mitch has drawn up for both. He talked me out of putting one at each place set
ting.”
Cam grinned. “Are they color-coded?”
Tess looked at him like he was an idiot. “Of course.”
Norah clapped her hands on a laugh. “Oh, Tess, you are my people.”
They launched into further animated discussion, and Tess lost that air of discomfort she’d had since everyone arrived.
Miranda leaned in. “What are you smiling about?”
“Just thinking there’s an extraordinary amount of devastatingly attractive brain power at this table.”
His sister rolled her eyes. At the opposite end of the table, Tess apparently caught his words because she smiled.
Miranda lowered her voice and leaned closer. “What are you doing, big brother?”
Mitch sobered and shifted his attention. “Trying to wipe your bad memories off the face of the earth.”
For a fleeting moment, her expression softened. “I appreciate it. But that’s not what I’m talking about.”
Yeah he knew that. “I’m not doing anything.”
“Keep it that way.”
He fought not to bristle, not to react at all. He’d known the family wouldn’t approve of his involvement with Tess. But he hadn’t expected them to keep warning him off when they didn’t even know something was going on. Damn it, he and Tess had something together, and they deserved the chance to see what it was.
“I’ll want to see the plans and look over the final numbers, but as far as I’m concerned, the project is a go,” Trey announced.
Tess pulled out her planner. Where the hell had she been hiding that during the meal? “This puts me here for…at least four months. Maybe six, depending on the contractor’s schedule once we get that hammered out.” She marked something on the calendar, and as she flipped to a fresh page, Mitch resisted the urge to whoop. “I’ll need somewhere else to stay. I’ve already checked, and the penthouse suite has another booking in three days.”
“We’d love to have you stay with us,” Sandy said.
Tess’s smile was a little too stiff. “That’s, um—”
“But I’m sure you’d rather have your own space,” Sandy finished.
Some of the tension went out of Tess’s shoulders.
Trey grabbed another piece of bread from the basket. “The Babylon should have something for you.”
“For this length of time, I’d much rather have someplace to spread out.”
She didn’t look at him, but Mitch knew she was considering the issue of privacy. He was too busy thinking about an entirely different means of spreading out.
“—and a kitchen. I need a really good kitchen. And a proper office. There’s not really room for me in yours at The Babylon. I need my own space, my own files, my own project board.” She scribbled in the planner, probably adding to her list.