A Shore Thing Read Online Free Page A

for months. I laughed and released a sigh of relief.
    Sheila grunted from her spot at the one end of the table. “They’re Braxton-Hicks—just some false labor pains—not the real thing.”
    I relaxed my shoulders, but swung my gaze back to Greta. “They sound serious to me.”
    Sheila passed a bowl of beans to her husband, Vince, before addressing me again. “Of course they do, Callie. Lots of serious things get your attention—always have. We all know how much you love your causes.”
    Vince guffawed. Jim nodded while taking in another bite of fish.
    I set down my fork. “Did I miss something? I thought we were talking about Greta.”
    Greta touched my arm as Sheila shrugged. “I had asked you to tell me what you were up to these days.”
    I hesitated before picking up my fork and glancing around. “Same old thing. Working at the camp on weekends, and keeping busy on projects the rest of the time.” I continued to hold my fork in midair, an empty sensation growing in my gut. “Did you all hear that the Kitteridge property is being developed?”
    My mother clutched her heart. “Heavens, no! They would never!”
    My father grunted something unintelligible.
    I shook my head. “Well, somebody’s trying to.” I looked to Bobby. “Do you know anything about it?”
    My brother, the younger of the two, shook his head. “Yes and no. I’ve heard talk through one of my investors. I didn’t tell him this, but I’ve figured for a while this would never get past the planning commission. Are you sure that it has?”
    “I’m not sure of anything. All I know is that a couple of goons were surveying the property, and that an architect has already been hired. Saw them all today.” My heart thudded in my chest. “If we’re going to try to stop this, we’d better get on it quick.”
    Sheila bolted upright against her chair. “Stop this? What makes you think you could do anything about it? What’s done is, apparently, done.” She turned to Blakey. “Eat your beans.”
    “Well, I have to at least try. Surely there’s something the community can do to preserve that open space. There’s hardly any of it left anymore, and property bordering the sanctuary should have special consideration. Don’t you think?”
    Sheila’s grim expression and downcast eyes offered me her usual opinion. I’d seen that expression on her face many times.
    Nancy twisted to look at Jim. “I would love to buy a home on that property once it’s built. That would be fabulous!”
    Jim, the oldest, sat back, his arm laid casually atop Nancy’s chair. “We’re not in the old USSR, Callie. Private property is just that; people can do what they want in our country, whether you care for their choices or not.”
    My bite of potatoes lodged in my throat like mush. I downed some water. “So if you decide to raze your house and put up a mini-mart, for example, your neighbors have no input at all? Is that what you’re saying?”
    Jim removed his arm from its perch on Nancy’s chair, and his sober face matched Sheila’s. “Take it from someone who’s been around awhile longer, Callie. You may have been able to convince the church to bus homeless to services, but city hall is far too big for you to take on. Let it go.”
    Nancy nodded in agreement.
    Greta, appearing serene amidst the thickening tension in the room, leaned toward me. “Maybe they’re right, sweetie. Why bother?”
    My chest tightened. I’d been in this place before, and not just physically, but emotionally too. Justin used the same tone of voice the first time he tried to talk me into selling a piece of our company to a high bidder.
    “We’ll never do this on our own, Callie,” he had pleaded. “This guy has the bucks to help us make our dreams come true.”
    But the investor in question had wanted a controlling interest in the company. Our company. He wanted to jack up prices, use suppliers with less than reputable quality, and pay our employees dirt rates. We had only