Chapter 264: A Walk by the Sea for Two
"You wanna repay me? How about now?" Damian's words were still bouncing around in Ashley's head an hour later as she sat in his car. Her emotions were all over the place, and then she noticed they were leaving Rochester City.
As they hit the toll booth and got on the beltway, Ashley finally broke the silence. "Where are we headed?" she asked Damian, who hadn't even glanced her way.
Damian's eyes stayed glued to the road. The car was flying at 120 mph, hugging the far-left lane, leaving everyone else in the dust.
The tires spinning seemed to be the only thing keeping his emotions in check.
"Too late to back out now. Buckle up," Damian said.
Ashley wasn't exactly regretting it, but she was definitely on edge. Damian was always full of surprises, and who knew what he had planned this time? "Just wondering if we need to hit a service area for gas."
Damian scoffed, "You worry too much."
Ashley tried to keep her cool. Damian had helped her with the surveillance, saving her a ton of hassle, and Paula could dodge Christian's watchful eye. "How about I take the wheel for a bit? Driving tired isn't safe."
Damian responded, "I'm not tired."
Ashley was stumped, sitting in his car that buzzed with tension, feeling uneasy. She tried to lighten the mood. "I swung by Kathy's store later and heard a bit about your past. Didn't know you saved her."
Damian had heard Kathy's story before, so he was unfazed. "Trying to paint me as a hero? Don't bother."
Ashley bit her lip, watching the scenery blur by, feeling a bit anxious. She kept the awkward chat going. "Helping strangers like that shows you've got a good heart."
Her words didn't seem to touch Damian. "You're reading too much into it. I was just in a good mood that day."
"Oh," Ashley said.
What else could she say?
The car picked up speed as they were quite far fromRochester City. Ashley stayed quiet for a bit but couldn't hold back. "Is this the road to Limehof?"
Maybe the high-speed drive had mellowed Damian out a bit, and he finally answered somewhat civilly, "Yeah."
Limehof was a coastal city near Rochester, surrounded by the sea on three sides and a hot spot for tourists. It was a summer paradise, packed with visitors in July and August, known for its fresh air and lush forests.
But Ashley doubted Damian drove hundreds of miles just for a beach day. "Is there something going down in Limehof?"
"No," Damian replied.
Ashley was at a loss again, reminding herself that Damian had helped her, so she should roll with his mood. "Alright, sure you don't want me to drive for a bit?"
Damian shot back, "Do I look weak to you?"
Ashley's mouth twitched. Did she mean that? "No, Mr. Hearst, you look strong and impressive. Keep going."
Conversation was inevitable as it was quite a long journey with just two of them in the car though there were some awkward moments. And gradually, the tension eased.
As they neared Limehof, the sky was pitch black, and the streetlights flickered on, reflecting the starry sky. The night in the tourist city was especially calm, with clear air making the stars shine brighter than in Rochester.
Ashley asked, "Are we crashing in Limehof tonight?"
This time, Damian didn't snap, "Yeah, we're staying in Limehof."
"Oh," Ashley said.
After getting off the highway, Damian drove straight to the seaside, stopping at an open-air seawater bath.
When Ashley rolled down the car window, the salty sea breeze rushed in, messing up her hair and blowing away all the bad vibes. The sound of the waves was like a late-night lullaby, soothing every lonely soul out there.
At least Ashley wasn't mad at Damian's grumpy face anymore.
After parking the car, Damian headed straight for the beach.
Ashley had no choice but to tag along.
They walked down the steps and hit the sand.
The lighthouse by the sea was actually a café. Its 360-degree glass walls gave a fabulous view of the ocean, and anyone passing by could see what was going on inside.
The lighting in the lighthouse was super soft, blending perfectly with the sea breeze and waves, like a love poem for a first crush.
Unfortunately, Mr. Unromantic was just focused on walking.
"Hey, Mr. Hearst, did you see that café?" When Ashley caught up, Damian was already trudging through the wet sand. The tide was coming in, and the waves were splashing up, soaking their shoes and pants.
Clean-freak Damian didn't seem to care. "Yeah, I saw it. So?"
Ashley glanced back at the lighthouse a hundred feet away. "Sitting inside, sipping coffee, and watching the sea sounds pretty chill."
Damian said, "If we sit inside, are we watching the sea, or are we the ones being watched like zoo animals?"
Ashley laughed. It was well said. Damian's looks and charm were way more interesting than any sea view.
Crunching on the soft sand, she felt the sea breeze lift her hair and clothes, and she seemed to melt into the soft touch. The park was lit up not far away, and the hotel there was packed.
"Domian, is the favor you want me to repay just walking on the beach with you?" Ashley asked.
Damian said, "Is this repaying a favor?"
Ashley thought it seemed too easy. "What else?"
Damian had brought Ashley out partly because he was pissed and needed to blow off steam, and partly because he had a business deal in Limehof that needed his attention in a few days. The combo led to this impromptu trip. "Given how chill you are in social situations, negotiations shouldn't be a big deal for you."
Ashley said, "Depends on the type of negotiation and who it's with."
With the sea breeze calming him down, Damian's bad mood started to fade. He looked at a small island by the sea and said, "KM wants to build a sanatorium on that island, but the land belongs to Sven Bergstrom."
"Who's he?" Ashley asked.
Damian said, "A notorious local big shot in Limehof. He started with shady businesses on Pier Street years ago, then laundered his money through various channels. Over a decade ago, he bought up a bunch of properties, making him a big deal in Limehof."
Ashley didn't want to make any promises, so she cautiously said, "You offer money, and he won't sell? He should know who you are, right?"
Damian smirked, appreciating the subtle flattery. "Sven likes to think of himself as a local kingpin. Refusing me boosts his ego, so even a high offer didn't budge him."
Ashley nodded. Yeah, guys like that love to show they're special by turning down the big shots. "What do you want me to do?"
Damian stood at the edge of the tide, the water brushing his shoes and then pulling back. "You come with me to meet him."
"In what capacity?" Ashley asked.
Bringing a lawyer to a negotiation would just make the other guy more defensive.
"What capacity do you want?" Damian asked.
