“Perhaps the evening, as well,” Grant said, then glanced at Vivi. “If I can talk her into it.”
Wyatt knew Chey must be bursting at the seams with questions for Vivi over this startling and definitely quite juicy revelation about her past. Heck, Wyatt had questions, and he’d just met Vivi.
Vivi did slide her hand from Grant’s then to reach for the creamer. “I’m sure you’re both wondering why I would have contacted Grant regarding our issue with the resort deal.”
Leave it to Vivi to cut to the chase.
“It had crossed my mind,” Chey said wryly.
Vivi glanced at Grant, as if seeking his okay to reveal his secret. He nodded, and she looked back to them. “It’s somewhat common knowledge that Grant owns a great deal of property out west and spends most of his time there. Much less known is his work supporting environmental and green energy research that’s being done and tested out there. He’s been outspoken about our need to pay more attention to conservation and has done a great deal to raise awareness, but behind the scenes, he’s been putting his money where his mouth is, and personally financing a number of different projects.”
Wyatt extended his hand to Grant again. “That’s phenomenal. Thank you.”
Grant shook his hand, but said, “I think we all have a responsibility to give back. This planet we all live on is pretty much indestructible, but that doesn’t mean it will always be hospitable. At least to us. We’ve documented its formation enough to know it hasn’t been in the past and will likely, at some point, not be again. It’s in all our best interests to make sure we’re still welcome on it for as long as humanly—and I mean that specifically—possible.”
“Here, here,” Wyatt said.
“Some of us have bigger platforms than others,” he went on, with a nod to Wyatt. “I have been vocal in trying to draw attention to various specific things we can do to improve and extend our ultimate stay here. There is progress being made.”
“I had no idea you were so involved,” Wyatt said, then grinned. “You may be sorry I know that now. We’re—Reed Planet—is always looking for ways to bring attention to the various projects we take on.”
“I imagine we can find some overlap there,” Grant said. “We’ll definitely talk.” He glanced at Vivi again, who returned his gaze.
Grant’s smile was full-on movie idol perfection. Vivi’s was softer, and though maybe not tentative, also not the twinkling display Wyatt had witnessed countless times even in their brief shared history.
“Vivi tells me that you are trying to preserve a lake and local wilderness area, that it’s being considered for a big, commercial resort that will increase revenue, but likely diminish the charm and general joie de vivre of your mountain paradise.”
“You make it sound a lot more exciting than it is,” Chey said with a laugh. “But yes. The problem is twofold. Three-fold, actually.” She went on to explain to him the situation.
“I’ve seen this happen before,” Grant said. “I owned a ranch in northern California and saw the same developers-to-the-rescue dynamic happen there. What was once a stunning rustic retreat and classic western town looks more like Sacramento now than Rustling Pine Lake. And the locals, myself included, eventually packed up, sold our properties—some of them had been in the same family dating back to the gold rush—and moved further out, started over.”
“We don’t want to see that happen,” Chey said. “But it’s not exactly an environmental or green energy issue we’re having. It’s a topographically diverse area, and richer for it.”
Grant smiled. “Vivi tells me you all just moved out there a few years ago. Your passion and reverence for your new home is good to see. That’s exactly the kind of growth and support places like yours need.”
“So, what would your connection be?” Wyatt asked, then explained what they were hoping for, much the same way he’d presented it to the people who had been at the farm the day before.
Grant nodded. “That’s the perfect alternate plan. It just so happens that one of the organizations I’ve been working with is designing green-energy friendly designs for newly developing areas. It’s a challenge to rework already established areas and update them to new technologies, especially when the owners don’t see any need to change anything. But if we can start that way in areas with new development, we get the benefit of not perpetuating systems that drain the environment rather than work with it and enhance it, and as new communities develop and grow, they become models for showing previously developed areas why they should consider upgrading and improving their systems.”
“That’s . . . wonderful,” Wyatt said, beaming. He looked at Vivi. “This is so much more than I’d hoped for.” He looked back at Grant. “So, are you saying you think the lake property could be developed into one of these green-energy prototypes?”
Grant nodded. “I am.”
Wyatt laughed. “That’s incredible.”
“It’s not a slam dunk,” Grant said. “There are a lot of particulars that will need to be hammered out between the group and your council. This won’t be a typical build, and there are a lot of other variables involved that will have to be considered and agreed upon.” He sat forward and braced his elbows on his knees. “I won’t sugarcoat this. The big, shiny resort they already have in hand will be cheaper to build, faster to go up, and quicker to reap rewards, both for the town, and from what I hear, their own pockets if they are working some kind of back deal with the builder or whoever is financing it.”
“Would you be willing to put your face on our campaign to get them to consider this alternative plan?” Wyatt asked. “Would you work with me to do that? My following, and yours?”
Grant chuckled. “We might be able to work something out.”
Just then a man stuck his head into the room. “We’ve been cleared for takeoff, Mr. Harper,” he said, then ducked back out.
Three of them stood and Chey and Wyatt both shook hands with Grant again. “I can’t tell you how much we appreciate this,” Chey said. “And please accept our apologies, again, for so rudely interrupting your, uh, meeting.” She winked at Vivi.
“No apologies needed. Now Vivi and I won’t have to spend what time we have together talking business.” He offered Vivi his hand, which she took as she also stood. “Perhaps with this out of the way, I can convince you to let me take you to dinner.”
“We’ll see,” was all that Vivi said.
She was smiling, and there was clearly a very real fondness there for Grant, but she was also obviously holding part of herself back. All the same, Wyatt had no doubt she could hold her own, and if she didn’t want to go to New York, or dinner, or anything else, he was quite certain she wouldn’t.
“No umbrella required?” Chey asked, apparently on the same wavelength. She wanted what was best for Vivi, and, as amazing as he seemed to be, both by cinematic reputation and in real life, she wasn’t quite sure that Grant Harper was it.
“Just for the rain, darling,” Vivi said, her expression reassuring. She took Chey’s hand and squeezed it. “We’ll talk tomorrow, hmm?”