A Chesapeake Shores Christmas by Sherryl Woods Page A

mile, but most of the county. It was going to take every bit of strength she possessed to stand up to him.

    After leaving Mick, Megan walked over to the bank. She was aware when she stepped into the lobby that several of the people who’d worked there for years were giving her surreptitious looks, but no one actually met her gaze as she walked over to Lawrence Riley’s longtime secretary, a woman with whom she’d once had at least a casual friendship.
    “Hello, Mariah,” she said quietly. “Is Lawrence available?”
    Mariah hesitated just long enough to indicate that she, like many others, hadn’t forgotten that Megan had walked out on the town’s most prominent citizen and left five children behind. Her disapproval obviously hadn’t lessened over time.
    “Did you have an appointment?” Mariah asked coldly. “His calendar’s pretty jammed today.”
    “I’m sure it is, but if he could spare a few minutes, I’d really appreciate it.”
    With obvious reluctance, Mariah picked up her phone. Before dialing, she asked, “Can I tell him what it’s about?”
    “I’m hoping to start a business here in town. I’d like to discuss a small business loan.”
    For an instant Mariah’s mouth gaped, then she turned away and mumbled something into the phone. When she turned back, she said, “He’ll see you now.” There was no mistaking how unhappy she was about that.
    “Thanks, Mariah,” Megan said, then ventured a smile. “It’s good to see you. You’re looking well.”
    She walked away quickly so the other woman wouldn’t be forced to utter a reply she didn’t mean.
    Lawrence was standing when she reached his office. “Megan,” he said, his welcome far more jovial than Mariah’s had been. “I heard you might be returning to town. It’s all Abby’s been able to talk about lately. Of course, my wife and I aren’t so sure how we feel about having to share Carrie and Caitlyn with their Grandma Megan. We love those little girls as if they were our own grandchildren.”
    Megan smiled. “They’re wonderful, aren’t they? I think they have plenty of energy and affection to satisfy all of us.”
    “True enough,” he said. “I understand there are wedding plans afoot. Trace mentioned something about New Year’s Eve.”
    “If all goes well, yes,” she said.
    He gestured toward a chair. “Sit down. Tell me what I can do for you.”
    “I’m hoping you’ll approve a small business loan,” she said, then withdrew her business plan from her briefcase and handed it to him. “All of the facts and figures are in there, along with an outline of my experience in New York. You’ll see that I’m more than qualified to run an art gallery, that I have numerous connections to the New York art world. I can make a success of this, Lawrence.”
    “What’s Mick’s involvement going to be?” he asked bluntly.
    “Financially, none,” she said firmly.
    Lawrence looked startled. Before he could express his obvious reservations, Megan held up a hand.
    “However,” she said, “he did make me a generous gift of a long-term lease on a property on Shore Road for a dollar a year. I just learned of that this morning, so the amount in my plan set aside for rent can be eliminated or devoted to expanding my inventory. Since overhead can kill a business that’s just starting out, this has the potential to make a tremendous difference in how quickly I can turn a profit.”
    “I see,” Lawrence said, nodding approvingly. “You know I don’t make decisions like this alone, Megan, but I will take this before the loan committee next week. I’ll get back to you after that meeting. Of course, it would be a sure thing if Mick were going to be involved….” His voice trailed off.
    “But he won’t be,” she repeated emphatically. “This application should stand on its own merits, Lawrence. I don’t want to mislead anyone by having them believe Mick is even a silent partner.”
    He stood then, calling an obvious end to