my one and only offer.” He wasn’t one to be trifled with—no matter how gorgeous he found this woman. Business was business.
“I’m afraid you came here under a false assumption. The island never was and never will be for sale.”
His lips pressed into a firm line. He wondered if she even considered what she could do with the money he was offering her.
This island could be the jewel in his real estate empire. It was beautiful and so private. And yet, it wasn’t that far off the mainland. Talk about a perfect location. He could build the most opulent estates that would sell for outrageous fortunes. He might even build a vacation home for himself. Not that he ever took vacations. But maybe someday he’d start.
“Is there anything I can say to change your mind?” If it was within reason, he’d consider it.
She didn’t even hesitate when she gave another firm shake of her head. “This island has been in my family for generations and I intend to keep it that way.”
He sighed. He was smart enough to know when to walk away. “Do me a favor?”
“What would that be?”
“If you ever change your mind about selling, let me know. This place would make a wonderful locale for exclusive estates.”
She didn’t look impressed. “It’s already a noted wedding and honeymoon destination.”
He didn’t want to argue with her. He’d never heard of the island before it was brought to his attention as a potential building site, but then again, he avoided anything to do with happily-ever-afters. However, he refrained from mentioning it to Lea. He liked it better when she smiled. “So it is.”
Though the grounds were well maintained, the place needed to be moved out of the last century and into the current one as far as technology and decorating went. He just didn’t see anyone coming in here and wanting to invest in the place to develop it as a venue for weddings—not when there were so many other more lucrative uses for the island.
He stared into her blue-green eyes, seeing the depths of her desperation. But no one could truly help her until she realized that fixing this wedding island was a waste of money. And as a respectable businessman with his thumb on the heartbeat of development, he couldn’t in good conscience throw good money after bad. It wasn’t like love lasted. If it existed, it was fleeting at best.
“I suppose you won’t be staying for the night.” Lea’s voice held a disappointed tone.
“Actually, you made the island sound so appealing that I’d like to stay for the night.” He had made no plans for the evening or the next morning as he’d thought that he’d be hammering out a formative agreement.
“Not a problem at all.” She turned from her position by the rail overlooking the cove, where the sun was starting its descent toward the horizon. “I can show you to your bungalow.”
He liked Lea. She was pleasant, and when she smiled, her whole face lit up. And it had been a long time since he’d taken time for a social life. He’d prided himself on being able to amass his fortune before the age of thirty-five. But it had come at a price—his work schedule meant he hardly had a normal life.
There was something about this island—something so relaxing. Or perhaps it was the company. His gaze met hers. “I hope that even though we couldn’t do business together we can still be friends.”
Surprise lit up her eyes, but in a blink it was gone. “Um...sure. No hard feelings.”
“Good. Would you care to join me for an early dinner?” When she hesitated, he added, “I’d love to hear more stories of the island and tales of your most outlandish weddings.”
Her beautiful eyes widened. Was sharing a meal really that unusual for her? Or was she surprised by his interest in the goings-on of this eventful island? But with their business concluded, this meal would be...well, it would be between friends. He liked Lea, and the way she told stories was genuinely entertaining.
“Unless, of course, you have other plans.” He hadn’t considered that. “Perhaps with your husband or boyfriend?”
She shook her head. “I’m single.”
“Good.” And then realizing how that might sound, he added, “I mean that you’re available for dinner.”
“You don’t have to pretend that you’re interested in my stories—”
“There’s no pretending. It’s been a long time since I’ve been so amused. And by stories of goats, no less.” He gestured for her to lead the way. “Shall we go?”
“Um...yes. The Hideaway Café is right this way.”
In less than two minutes, they were at the restaurant. There was a thatched roof, ceiling fans and lots of colorful art on the walls. The aroma of coffee wafted through the air.
Xander loosened his tie. Then on second thought, he slipped it off and undid the top buttons on his dress shirt. It’d been a long time since he let himself enjoy a woman’s company.
To his enjoyment, they were escorted to a patio table. It was just too nice a day to be stuck inside. Most of his life was spent in offices. This was different. And when his gaze came to rest on Lea, he decided that it was very nice indeed.
Once they’d ordered the food, he leaned back in his chair to take in the scenery. The very beautiful—very tempting—scenery. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. Lea was someone he longed to know so much better.
“I never expected to find someone so—” He stopped himself from saying “beautiful” and instead said, “...so young running the island. By your accent, I’m guessing you’re not from Greece.”
“I’m not. I grew up in Seattle.”
“That’s a long way from here. So why move here? Why give up everything to run a wedding island?”
She fidgeted with a spoon on the table. “Because I wanted to learn more about my heritage. Do you know why they call this Infinity Island?”
He shook his head.
“Because when two hearts are joined here, they are joined for infinity. Not for a year or two or ten. It’s forever. That’s why we’re selective with our clientele. The happy couples that marry here come from all around the world.”
“And if you weren’t so choosy, you might not be in such a dire situation. You could have more than one wedding a week. There wouldn’t be any downtime like now.”
She frowned at him. “We aren’t in it for the money. This island is special and I won’t part with it for you to build some expensive homes for people that don’t understand the significance of the island and its history.”
“You speak like you’ve lived here your entire life.”
“Sometimes it feels that way.” She never made any secret about her past. “My mother left Greece when she fell in love with an American soldier. She followed him to the States, where I came to be.”
“So how did you end
