“Thanks for agreeing to let me tag along,” she said.
“Sure.” He eased into the brake as they approached a large curve in the road. “You like old mills?” he asked.
“When I was getting my master’s in architecture, I did a big project on the aesthetic value of old mills in modern society.”
Edward groaned inwardly. “Of course you did.”
Clem laughed. “Don’t sound so excited,” she said.
“Just remember, Clem, we’re not here on a restoration mission. This is a redevelopment opportunity.”
“Whatever you say, Edward.”
He snuck a glance at her out of the corner of his eye and noticed a half-smile on her lips. As usual, she was dressed casually in jeans and a long sleeve T-shirt that hugged her curves. He was reminded of the way those curves slid perfectly against his body a few days ago when they’d shared a secret kiss. Since then, she’d been acting as if everything was business as usual. Did she regret kissing him? Had it meant anything to her?
He pushed his worries over Clem’s feelings to the side as he turned down a gravel road toward the mill. Stretched out on either side of the car was unending meadow, dotted with purple and yellow wildflowers. Ahead, the mill rose into view, a red oasis in a sea of green.
“Wow.” Clem’s face lit up as she exited the car. “This place is just about perfect.”
“Perfect for redevelopment!” Marcus said, as he approached Clem and Edward. He shook his older brother’s hand and introduced himself to Clem. “I’m the younger, more exciting brother.” He flashed a bright white smile.
“Is this place a gold mine or what?” Marcus said to Edward. “Clean, rich land; a pond. Residents love a pond, right?”
Edward laughed. Condo communities that were located near water features did have a certain charm.
“It’s great, Marcus.” Edward admired his brother’s motivation.
“So,” Marcus said, pointing toward the mill itself, “three adjacent buildings, all overlooking the water. If we could somehow preserve the water wheel, it would make for a nice architectural touch, but if not, that’s okay.”
Edward grinned proudly as his brother walked around the site, enthusiastically spouting off ideas, but when he noticed Clem closely inspecting something on the porch of the mill, his attention snagged. She ran her finger along the frowsy wood then leaned in to smell it, a serene look on her face.
“Is your general contractor smelling the mill?” Marcus asked, his eyebrows raised.
Edward chuckled. “She gets excited over old stuff.”
“Ah.” Marcus nodded. “Well, I’m excited too. Excited to transform this place.”
Clem approached them.
“It’s so peaceful here,” she said.
“Sure is,” Marcus replied. “Pastoral beauty and serenity—a draw for residents, right?”
Clem faced Marcus with challenging eyes. “It could also be a draw for historians,” she said. “The mill would make a great museum. It really provides insight into an old way of life and how people used water power.”
Edward almost laughed out loud at the blank stare on his brother’s face. He had grown quite used to Clementine’s unique way of seeing things, but he knew it could be jarring. Usually, he felt honor-bound to push back against her, countering her nostalgia with practicality. Yet something about the day and the place had him seeing things—just a little—from her point of view. He couldn’t help but be charmed by the way the water trickled gracefully over the old wooden wheel. The structure of the building seemed to have been preserved by nature alone; the wooden frame was in great condition. He could imagine himself sitting on the front porch with a cup of tea, collecting his thoughts. There was such serenity here.
“This place is really beautiful,” he admitted. “It is a shame to have to tear it down.”
“But progress is progress, brother,” Marcus said and shrugged. “I have to get back to the office. I have a meeting at three. Call me later, and we can discuss plans for this place, alright?”
Edward nodded and watched his brother drive away. When he turned to Clem, her eyes were stormy. He fortified himself for the hurricane he knew was about to make landfall.
“How can you justify tearing down this mill to turn it into condos?” Clem was pacing, her voice high-pitched and breathy. Although she’d known they were coming here to inspect a demolition site, she wasn’t prepared to find such beauty. Now that she’d seen the mill with her own eyes, she realized it was a travesty to tear it down. Clem knew she sounded emotional but didn’t care. “Look around you, Edward! The interior is fully intact. The water wheel is still functional. Have you no respect for architectural treasures that have been here for centuries?”
“Clem,” he said, his hands in his pockets, “I don’t disagree that this place is gorgeous, but a mill just doesn’t have a purpose anymore.”
She threw her hands in the air. This man was going to see her side of things. She would make sure of it.
“But it could have purpose!” she argued.
He sighed and gave the tiniest eye roll, which pissed her off. He was going to humor her. She’d give him something to think about then.
“The mill could be repurposed, as I said before as a museum,” she said and beckoned him to follow her up the porch and into the abandoned building. “This room could be a gift shop and café.”
“We’d have to install a kitchen for a café,” he said.
“Not a hard task, Edward, and you know it.” The two of them were working together on much more difficult projects at the castle. She walked toward the window overlooking the water wheel, knowing he would follow her. The walls were gorgeous raw wood—pine—and matched the floors. All original and breath-taking. “We could turn this place into a museum. People would come here to visit. There’s history here.”
She watched his eyes wander over the pearl that they’d discovered. He wasn’t convinced, she could tell, but she had his attention. She edged closer to him, trying to ignore the heat from his body and focus on convincing him to see what she saw. She took his hand into hers.
“Don’t you want to preserve the beauty of your country, Edward?” Clem ran her thumb over his fist, using touch as a way to seal into his senses just how passionate she was about this old mill. “Don’t you want your children to be able to experience parts of Sovalon as they always were? This place tells a story. That water wheel was once used to generate hydropower for the grain mill. Before we had modern technology, we used this.”
“You’re right,” he said finally. “There’s something special about this place.” He faced her. “People want to know how things were done in the past. This old mill is a perfect example.”
Yes! She’d done it. She’d made him see sense.
“I’ll talk to my brother. Maybe we can brainstorm some ideas together,” he said. His eyes dug into hers then. “Maybe you can join in on the meeting of the minds.”
“I’d love nothing more,” she said, silently rejoicing that Edward had listened and heard her, that he’d opened his eyes to see the loveliness that was right in front of him. Clementine squeezed Edward’s hand affectionately. “I’ll help you modernize some of the aspects of this old place too, make it more functional for visitors, make sure everything is accessible for people with disabilities. We want to hold the past dear but also embrace the comforts of the future, right?”