magnetic

"You're right. And we're not going to let this happen to anyone else. I'm confident that we can make a difference. We just have to think smarter than whoever is behind this." While the dangers of rallying against the developers still weighed on her mind, there was truly strength in numbers and Summer wasn't about to let them scare her away from doing what was right.

"They have money, that's what we don't have. I think people need to know that we're behind them so they don't feel cornered when the big shot people come with money and a promise for an easy future." For some people that could be a good choice of retirement but she knew there was a lot of people who didn't want to sell or be pushed out of their stores and livelihood. "Should we open a facebook page or like do a bulletin board? Set up some kind of town hall."

after it dropped, he felt more settled. this wasn't shark infested waters and he didn't have to out-swim anything. sedona gave him a chance for peace, but he knew what was waiting for him out there, knew that it wouldn't last forever. "something like that. if it means getting to keep this place open," he trailed off, shoulders lifting lazily in a shrug, like it didn't seem like a big deal. he had the funds, and truth be told, he preferred seeing it go toward something that mattered over something that would just sit in his closet or in a garage he no longer had.

ozan chuckled. "mind taking a trip to the casino with me? i'd like to make a point," he teased. a particular blonde came to mind, but he figured the only thing he needed to offer her was a genuine apology. for now, at least. "you're really trying to sell it." he'd offered to help, and well, if this was her ask, he'd at least try to play along with it. "fine. sign me up. i'll be there."

She wasn't going to take it. Partly because she didn't like owing people she knew any sort of money. That's when things got complicated and relationships could get muddled when business entered the chat. She swallowed hard though when he clarified his offer and she shook her head. "I appreciate that but I don't want to make things harder for our friendship. It's just starting. So, I mean, I won't take anything for the restaurant but if I do get my shit together and put something concrete for this whole fair thing I have in mind— I'll keep you in mind."

Though she was doubted that she would find the time to get any of this off the ground anytime soon. At least unless things got dire and there wasn't much choice. "A point? I mean sure, I've got time." When he accepted, she couldn't help but smile wide. "I knew you'd be such a sucker for that. You work hard for your body so let people appreciate it. I'm sure you'll get taken up by some sweet old lady and make her day."

"the more you tell me about your mother, the more i like her." if he couldn't open up the people he cared for most, how was he supposed to tell a stranger how he felt? it seemed impossible, a feat he'd prefer to never take on. if anyone was going to hear him bare his soul, it was the woman who knew him best.

ozan chuckled to himself and grinned. there was a compliment there, even if she hadn't meant for it to be. "we were." early twenties, but they'd had a leg up on the world and truth was, it was one of the most exciting times of his life. "just the one." he hadn't thought about it, but he shook his head anyway, even if he didn't really know the real answer. "i think one is good." that, and it wasn't like he was in a place to be planning for another.

Clearly her anger wasn't directed towards him but at the whole beauty community. While she'd always been aware of it, a lot of the things she hadn't really made a fuss about had begun to get to her more now that she was raising a little girl. "She's amazing. I feel like you would of liked her because she was blunt and straight to the point and you seem like you would appreciate that."

Her head nodded as she parted her lips, closed her mouth, and then decided to just ask anyway. She'd already went and asked far more personal questions since he found himself in one of her booths so this was nothing new. "Are you still with the mother?" Given that she'd always seen him alone and he'd recently moved here for his son, it was a simple guess that he wasn't but she couldn't be certain. "Was it because you weren't sure about the first or did you guys decide one was enough?"

At least not enough to elude to the fact that these assumptions were plausible or even real.

So it was kinda what she expected it meant. "It feels like everything in my life is bordering on a nightmare rather than some cute romcom but I feel like things like this happen a lot to you. You're so airy and sweet that you must be a magnet for cute shit." Which Jade was more the type to be rolling her sleeves to go plunge the men's bathroom after it got clogged. Not so cute. "Does that mean we end up getting married and in love? I could be worse off." Lake was gorgeous, there was no denying that. "Overqualified on what aspect though. —— Please let it be cute."

ozan might not have had the same attachment to sedona that the locals did, but he cared about it, and knew that it mattered to nadia and that it'd matter to their son too. it was theirs, and in a way, he wanted a little part of it to be his too, something that his father hadn't touched and never would. "what if i could help with that? at least getting you started?" he wasn't cut off from the company funds just yet, and what was a little more spite toward his father going to hurt more than his words already had?

his brows furrowed, his head falling to the side slightly. before he could question why, an explanation was being laid out for him. hot men, auction. "are you calling me hot right now?" he deadpanned, but a grin slipped. he wasn't sure how he felt about the idea, but if it was for a good cause, maybe it'd be worth the try. "alright, if you pull this together, i'll do it. the shirt stays on though," he teased, his smile pulled so wide his cheeks ached from the unfamiliar feeling.

It meant good money but not as much as they could be making. In the end, her main worry was that everyone was leaving with the right amount to survive and that she didn't have people she truly cared about worried about when their next pay check was coming. Therefore, she always paid her staff first and her bills later. It worked out in the end but not without a lot of pressure and stress. At his words, she laughed softly until she realized that he didn't seem to be laughing at all. "What do you mean? Like a loan?" She knew better than that. He wasn't someone she knew and he didn't owe her anything so the last thing she wanted was to get herself into deep waters with someone who felt like he could take advantage of her. Not that she felt he was, but she couldn't be certain.

"I think we both know that you're hot. That isn't a shocking statement." He had a mirror in his house, surely. He was tall, dark and handsome. Peering towards him, she looked over his shirt and winced a little bit. "Only if it's slightly damp." They had to give people a reason to bet and despite him having a pretty face, she didn't think it would suffice. At least not get him the amount she felt he was worth. "—and white"

ozan chuckled loud. he lifted a hand to his mouth to muffle the sound, but it was too late. speak to a therapist? about his life? there wasn't a therapist in the world he'd trust with that information, nor was there a big enough price tag to put on someone listening to him. "i'll pass." waves of amusement came in quieter breaths, but so did a heavy realization — maybe she was right.

"i was told that i have this... way about me." he knew that tyler had been kind about it, but truth be told, he'd already known that. he wore a watch that if pawned, could cover the salaries of the whole diner's staffing. his car, new tires and all, was worth more than some of the houses he'd seen listed in the area. he nodded, and followed up with the truth.

his brows lifted in response. "fifteen. yours?" he brushed a hand over his mouth, but the smile there remained steady. "he's a good kid. i know people say that about their kids even if they aren't, but really... he's good and i have his mother to thank for that."

While she wasn't one to trust a therapist either, she flashed him a look that indicated he should at least consider it. "I can't speak from experience but I've heard amazing things." She'd seen such a change in Daisy since bringing her to a child psychologist so there had to be some good ones out there. "I get it, though. My mother used to say that whomever took on a career to listen to other people's problems had to be crazy themselves."

But also that there wasn't enough money in the world to listen to people complain about stupid stuff.

She only smirked and flashed him a smile when he mentioned that there was something about him. She saw it. It was all she was going to say on the matter— which was nothing with words.

At the mention of the can, he agreed and began leading her back to his old GMC pick-up truck. "I've been there a couple times, really good." He admitted as he nodded and then looked back to ensure that Dolly was still following them. It was a new habit of his since his pet was quieter than most dogs. "I'm a paramedic, sometimes we go there after shifts. Nice to meet you."

"Thank you." She said as she placed her hand upon her chest. Despite not being the one who cooked the food, she took pride in knowing that people had a good experience there and enjoyed the food. It was more because she was making her family proud than anything to do with her own ego. "I appreciate that and you're all welcome. Just flag me down next time or tell the hostess that I said it was on the house and they'll treat you well. You and your paramedic partner. It's the least I can do."

Elliott: You thought I wouldn't notice, huh? Elliott: Very grandma-like, slipping a 20 on Juniper's pocket. Ellioot: You'll find it back where you least expect it.

advertising wasn't his department, but he knew how to toss out a sales pitch when it came to offering his services in public relations. when it came to helping a smaller place not be overtaken by development? he wasn't so certain he knew how to help. "there has to be something." maybe he didn't have the answer, but surely there was someone that did. he thought of nadia, of the work she was putting into the motel. maybe she knew what to do, or where to look for answers.

"that's a good thing." he was no stranger to charity events, but this was different. it was more personal, more meaningful than a silent auction where people with more money than brains bid just because they could. "if there's anything i can do to help," he trailed off, offering a small smile to end the statement. ozan nipped at his bottom lip and shrugged. "i hope they find them, and i hope they pay the price for they did."

there was a bit of anger that no one had done anything until the situation found itself dire. she included herself in that group of people because she could have easily tried to do something in town to boost tourism or visitors from neighbouring towns- but she only found herself thinking of this option now that there was such a looming threat over the businesses. "I was thinking of maybe starting some kind of festival that goes on for a few days. I know we have some here and there but something that's bigger. I just can't imagine the work that needs to be put into that, and the money." Which she didn't have access to and doubted the town did. "I wouldn't even know where to start."

Her gaze flicked towards him and then she smiled. "You're single, right?" Jade wondered if some kind of bachelor night would be interesting now that the Valentine's day speed dating had been such a hit. Perhaps they could keep on the same momentum and make it bigger. "Maybe that could be a main event. Hot men up for auction. I can see if some firemen are open to it. Get you a little more known in town."

As Jade retracted from the hug, Summer could see her friend's eyes fill with concern. She certainly had a point, and while neither Sullivan's nor Open Range belonged to her, they were home. Sully had treated her like family since day one, and while he was probably far too old and naive to see what was happening, Summer would stop at nothing to ensure that him and his business were safe. "You're probably right. Although what if that puts a target on our backs? Clearly, these developers don't like that the Reverend is speaking out. I'm never afraid to speak my mind, but I don't want to put anyone at risk of getting hurt."

"I'm not saying that we stand on the side of the street with a picket sign but maybe we just keep our ears to the ground and make sure that if we hear something, we share it. There's a lot of people who can barely afford rent these days and a big payout isn't bad but that's when we need to band together." There were employees who would directly suffer from a big sale. "Like maybe we need to look into doing some fundraisers for certain small businesses or people who might want to sell. At least for the employees who'll lose their job because we know these big companies aren't going to keep things running like they are now. They just want to tear it all down to rebuild."

Nodding towards her, Ziyad couldn't help but cringe a little. "So in trying to be less creepy, I made myself look more creepy? Noted, I'll have to try and do better next time." Not that he made a habit of offering random strangers rides in his car, but at least next time he tried to be helpful. Opening his car door, he couldn't help but chuckle, his shoulder raising in a shrug. "You caught me, you are the ticket to my next Ferrari, it's true." Leaning in to drop the key fob into the little cubby hole in the centre console, Ziyad slid into the car, closing his door behind him. "Not quite a smuggler, but more than happy for the car to be the silver lining of your predicament here."

She'd been thought to always accept people at face value and try to see the best in them but she also knew that that people could be creepy and it was good to be weary to some extent. "You're all good. I feel like I could take you anyway so I'm not too worried." Of course Jade's smirk only grew to indicate that she wasn't actually serious. "I would be worth a ferrari." Then she grimaced because that came out all wrong. Still, she slid in and looked around, even going ahead and popping the compartment in front of her. "This is nice. Like what is this, fake or real leather?"

social transactions were worth their weight in gold. no one wanted to be the person who brought the hammer down, but ozan had mastered the art of doing it with grace. it was the one thing his father had taught him that he couldn't be angry about. "sounds like your mom was in the wrong industry." it was a tactic he'd used himself, but it didn't always work. some people, regardless of the compliments you sprinkled between the blows, only cared about the negative.

ozan chuckled dryly to himself. he was emotionally mature? clearly she really did know nothing about him. "i've spent my whole life taking honest blows from the one person who was supposed to uplift me. now, coming from people i don't really know..." he trailed off, shoulders rising and falling lazily. he'd given her a little bit of himself, more than he gave most people. "as for being emotionally mature... i'm not so sure about that." one conversation with nadia would probably debunk such a claim, but he left it at that.

his brows lifted and another faint laugh ghosted off his tongue. "i'm just trying to settle into a new place and not become public enemy number one." it was easier said than done, but truth be told, he'd been too exhausted to go against the grain. "my son." and ex-wife, he failed to utter. "what keeps you here?"

The idea that perhaps it was a parental figure who was the one who gave blows made her frown because she'd always had the opposite experience and it was something she was keen on avoiding with her own little girl now. "I'm sorry you had to deal with that." Jade said honestly. Despite their teasing back and forth, she didn't think anyone deserved to be treated that way by someone that was meant to care for them. "I've never seen one but it sounds like maybe you need to talk to a therapist about all of that."

"Why would you become public enemy number one?" She got that people weren't always welcomed with arms wide open in a small town like this but she felt like they were nice people and were welcoming nonetheless. "Did you know people here or did you just pick this town and decided it suited your needs?" It would be the plot twist of the century if he ended up being one of those big shot guys who were trying to buy up businesses in the town.

He explained and she nodded her head. "I have a daughter as well. How old is your son?" Of course she wanted to ask a thousand more questions like why his son was here and whether there was a relationship with the mother but she was trying not to pry too rapidly.

“You don’t gotta pay me,” he mutters, simple as that.

There's no hesitation as his gaze flicks toward her Jeep, then back to her face, “It’s just gas, not a tow across state lines.” There’s a brief pause, like he’s debating whether to leave it there at that or continue, but then he goes on to add—voice a touch quieter, more grounded: “Besides, I’ve been there. Someone helped me out. Kinda how that’s supposed to work.”

He pushes off where he’s standing, already starting to turn toward his truck, then glances back over his shoulder. “Guess this means,” he tacks dryly, “you can buy your watermelon next time and we'll still call it even.”

A small beat, the faintest hint of a smirk pulling at one corner of his mouth. “C’mon. I’ll grab the can. I'm Hank, by the way.”

Instead, she flashed him a thankful smile and shifted back towards him rather than the jeep she'd been heading to.

"Gas is expensive these days." Had she been in his position, she would have considered taking the twenty dollars. Especially if it was a storage of gas that was kept in the car for these kinds of emergencies— except not for strangers but her own. Not that Jade would ever have the forethought to have something like that planned out.

The watermelon would have to wait because they weren't in season but she nodded her head. "My daughter will thank you." It was easier to refer to Daisy as that.

"Hank— I wouldn't have pegged you as an Hank, honestly. I'm Jade. Do I look like a Jade?"

He didn't mind either giving her a ride or simply picking it up for her, whatever made her more comfortable considering he was a strange after all. Besides, his car knowledge wasn't really the best, aside from fixing his own a few times throughout the years, so he wouldn't, actually, be much help if it needed more than that.

"You wanna come with or should I just pick it up for you?"

Her head shook when he offered to pick it up for her. That felt like a step too far and she wanted to be sure that he'd come back. "No, I'll jump in with you. Someone needs to hold the can steady while you drive." She doubted it would tip over but it was better to be safe than sorry.

"I'm Jade, by the way. I own the Nonna's kitchen. You should come by sometime and it'll be on me as a thank you."