probably won’t change his mind. I don’t mind staying with Emma. She’s still asleep, but she’s feeling better. I’ll keep her home from school again tomorrow, but she should be right as rain by Thursday.”
“Good. I need Cameron working on a land development deal on Thursday.”
“Are you building something here in the city?”
“No, we found a piece of land over by San Pedro. We want to develop it, but the landowners don’t want to sell. I’m hoping Cameron will change their minds.”
“What kind of development?”
“It’s part of our neighborhood restoration project. We take on one each year. We have a client willing to put up a grocery store and provide a loan to a neighborhood businessman or partners to own and operate the store. There will be some smaller shops in the complex and the same offer will be made to locals if they want to use the low interest loan to set up shop.”
“Sounds wonderful. You know, a lot of communities are desperate for something like that in their neighborhoods. It also gives the local community members the chance to own their own businesses and remain in the community and help support local growth and community involvement.”
“Exactly. I try to give back as much as possible. I’m sorry. This must bore you. I’m in charity mode, and I have enough ideas for this development project to do five more.”
“Maybe you’ll get the chance.” Marti knew of a piece of land in a local community Fairchild Industries planned to develop years ago, but they got turned down on the building plans by the city because they’d wanted to build offices. The city building commission might approve a plan like Jenna’s. Maybe Fairchild Industries could team up with Merrick International for the project.
Her uncle was always telling her to get more involved in the business. Here was her chance. She bet she could get the board to agree. As it stood now, the land was just sitting there, unused. This way they could put the land to good use and provide jobs and opportunities to locals.
“I lost you for a minute. What were you thinking about?”
“Sometimes things work out for the best when you meet the right person.”
“I don’t think you’re talking about you and Cameron.”
“That’s one thing that won’t work out and will only end bloody for me. I already know and I’ve accepted it. I’m here for Emma. I have a few surprises for her before I have to say goodbye.”
“Does it have to be goodbye?”
“Not forever, but I can’t stay and watch him marry her and be with her. I just can’t, not even for Emma. She’ll have to learn to accept Shelly in some way.”
“She told Elizabeth and me that she wants you to be her mother. When she sees Cameron marry Shelly it will hit her you’ll never be her mother and it will hurt her to the core.”
Marti couldn’t speak. She had nothing to say. She just nodded her agreement.
“Well, I’m off. Jack is waiting and I have to see if anyone has called about the art I need.”
“I bet you’ll get a call by the end of the day. It’ll all work out. I promise.”
Jenna gave her an odd look. “I like your optimism. Time is running out. I really want this to be perfect.”
“It will be.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
* * *
SHELLY SLAMMED HER apartment door, furious she’d been dismissed by that bitch Marti.
Who the hell does she think she is?
She tossed her purse on the sofa and grabbed the ringing phone off the side table, hoping it was Cameron. Disappointed by the number showing on caller ID, she answered, despite wanting to throw the phone against the wall.
“Hello, Mom.”
“Shelly Bean.”
God, she hated that nickname.
“How are you?” her mother asked, her voice gratingly cheerful.
Pissed. Furious. Frustrated, she admitted. Things with Cameron weren’t going as planned and she needed to put things back on track and quick. “Fine,” she answered her mother. “What’s up?”
“Well, your father’s diabetes is acting up and he needs a new blood pressure medicine.”
“He needs to lose fifty pounds,” Shelly snapped.
“It’s not as easy for him as it’s been for you,” her mother scolded. “He tries the best he can to stick to the doctor’s diet restrictions.”
Easy. If her mother only knew what she went through to stay thin and pretty. How much it hurt. How frustrating it was to throw up a perfectly good meal because she was unable to stop herself.