The illustrious Mr Grenville had Acacia Haven in his sights with the sole intention of taking over her grandfather’s business—a business she’d soon be running if Pop’s increasing grumbles about retiring were any indication. She had to sit through a videoconference call with Hudson first thing in the morning, and that ensured she’d be up all night.
‘Hey, it can’t be that bad?’ Summer touched her arm and Karly startled and gave a little shake of her head.
‘I’ve got an important call in the morning and I can’t stop obsessing about it.’ She forced a reassuring smile for her friends’ benefit. ‘So there’s nothing to worry about: just the usual work stuff.’
By their matching raised eyebrows, Summer and Nev didn’t believe her, so she reached for the potato cake despite her stomach’s protests. ‘Can we eat now, so I can hear more about your boyfriend’s plans for the school?’
She’d chosen the topic deliberately, knowing that once Summer started talking about Jy and his role in helping her save the local school she wouldn’t have to contribute much to the conversation.
She nibbled at the potato cake, saddened that not even the tart tang of vinegar hitting her tastebuds could entice her to eat more than a mouthful. How could she, when the thought of Hudson Grenville barging into town and taking over Pop’s legacy made her feel physically sick?
As she lowered her hand to surreptitiously place the potato cake back in the paper wrapper, she saw Nev eyeing her. If anything, her friend’s concern had intensified, but she knew Nev—she wouldn’t push. Intuitive and sweet, her friend would wait until Summer left before grilling her, and she couldn’t let that happen. Considering how on edge she was, she’d probably end up bawling and that would shock Nev even more. Karly had always been the strong one of their trio and she wanted to keep it that way.
‘Sorry, girls, I have to dash. Lots of prep to do before that call in the morning.’ She leapt to her feet and dusted the sand off her butt. ‘Same time next week?’
Summer gaped a little at her sudden desire to depart as Nev said, ‘We’ve got book club at your place before then.’
‘Oh yeah, I forgot.’ She hadn’t picked up the latest domestic suspense novel by their favourite author, let alone read it, and knew she’d have to lie to her friends yet again when she came up with an excuse to get out of book club early next week.
It didn’t sit well with her, having to deceive the two people closest to her barring Pop, but if she opened up about her work stressors, she’d end up having to tell them everything. How she felt pressured by her conscience to continue running the business when secretly she’d love nothing better than to let Pop sell it and leave it behind. How she loved this town and her best friends but couldn’t stop wondering what it would be like to live in a city. How she woke up every morning and, despite embracing her life here, couldn’t help wishing she had the guts to follow her heart rather than adhere to her emotional obligations.
She hated being this person, cowardly and recalcitrant, but ever since that bloody conference and opening her big mouth to Hudson Grenville, she’d felt like a giant axe kept skimming her neck and she was a hair’s breadth away from losing her head.
‘Call me if you need to,’ Nev said, standing to give her a hug, and as her friend’s arms enveloped her, offering silent comfort and understanding, she knew she had to get away before she blubbered.
‘Shall do.’ With another forced smile that felt more like a grimace, she raised her hand in a wave and fled.
CHAPTER
2
Hudson had always been a morning person. Even as a kid, he’d be up at the crack of dawn, not wanting to waste a single minute of the day ahead. He’d sneak into the kitchen, but even the pouring of cereal into a bowl would make too much noise for his father, who would’ve only come home a few hours earlier and usually fallen asleep on the couch. There’d be shouting and grumbling from Rowan Grenville and cowering on Hudson’s end. He hated his dad’s vile temper. He hated what Rowan did to his mum more.
Losing their house and living out of a car with his mum in his early teens might’ve been the pits at the time, but he didn’t mind. Not having to see his loser father anymore had been a relief and he’d used his disdain for Rowan to fuel his ambition every damn day since.
Weekends were busiest for real estate agents and he made sure he was first in the office on a Saturday morning. He led by example, even though he hadn’t sold a property in years. He didn’t have to, owning agencies all over Melbourne, from Glen Waverley to Doncaster, with staff who mimicked his work ethic because they reaped the rewards. He paid his staff healthy commissions at a higher rate than most, and it bred loyalty, excitement and dedication to work harder and longer.
He prided himself on making Grenville Sanctuary the biggest and the best. Everyone had laughed at him when he’d named his first agency Sanctuary, but that’s what having a house was to him: somewhere safe and cosy, a haven. He hadn’t known how much his family home had been a sanctuary, despite his lousy father living there, until he didn’t have one anymore.
These days, he lived in a sprawling six-bedroom mansion on top of Wheelers Hill, with commanding views of the Dandenong Ranges and beyond. He didn’t need the space but every time he hit the button to open his electronic gates at the end of a long day, drove up his circular driveway and parked outside the double doors of his palatial home, he remembered why he’d got this far.
And he wished his mum was still around to see it.
Rowan Grenville had killed Hudson’s mother. He may not have been physically violent towards her. He may not have stabbed her or poisoned her, but his callous disregard for his wife’s welfare—to the point they ended up homeless—resulted in Joanna contracting pneumonia after a freezing winter spent living out of her car and, ultimately, her death.
He’d never forgive the old man for that, no matter how much Rowan begged.
Annoyed that he’d let thoughts of the past intrude on a jam-packed workday with four auctions scheduled one after the other, Hudson unlocked the door, punched in the alarm code, and headed for the state-of-the-art kitchen. With Glen Waverley being the head branch, he ensured his hard-working staff wanted for nothing, including quality coffee and organic snacks supplied daily from a local café.
After flicking on the fancy espresso machine, he headed to his office to prepare for a video call he’d scheduled for eight. He’d chosen the time deliberately, half expecting Karlana Vogel to renege. But she’d surprised him by being amenable and courteous in response to his email, a far cry from their last run-in at the end of the conference.
There was something about the pretty brunette that pushed his buttons and it would be interesting to see how she reacted to his news.
He sat in the ergonomic leather chair he’d had specially designed for his six-four frame and flipped open the folder on his desk. His PA often teased him about his penchant for a paper trail, considering his offices operated efficiently online. But old habits die hard and when his family lost their house he’d lost all his electronic devices too, so he’d resorted to doing his schoolwork the old-fashioned way. His teachers had been great, assigning their classes written work more frequently, using the excuse that kids needed to improve their handwriting because they spent too much time on screens, but he’d been mortified all the same and worked harder to prove he could produce good written results.
The folder, appropriately titledAcacia Haven Agency Acquisition, held the thorough research he’d done. Another old habit—this time from his early days as a trainee agent—to fully investigate any property before he spoke to the owners. Back then, it garnered him respect and resulted in owners trusting him to sell their prized possessions. These days, it ensured Grenville Sanctuary had a growing reputation in Melbourne.
But it wasn’t enough and that’s what buying up rural agencies in Victoria was about. He needed to solidify the company’s brand to get regional investors onboard to finance his dream: building more shelters to give homeless kids a chance to get off the streets. He’d achieved professional success. Time to give back.