Read Online A Vote of Confidence by Robin Lee Hatcher - Free Book Online Page B

inch of her life.
    She pasted on what she hoped was a pleasant expression and returned to the porch swing.

    That Gwen wasn’t happy to have Morgan sitting on her front porch in the chair next to her father was as obvious to him as
     the nose on her face. Oh, she tried to hide her feelings, but he wasn’t fooled nor surprised. The surprise was that he wanted
     to change her feelings. He wished her to be comfortable around him. Despite being her opponent, he wanted her to like him,
     which wasn’t logical in the least.
    “Thanks for the iced tea,” he said to Cleo. Then, lifting the glass toward Gwen as if toasting her, he added, “It’s very good.”
    She nodded but said nothing, the swing moving gently forward and back.
    It was her father, Griffin Arlington, who broke the silence. “You’ve shocked a lot of people, Mr. McKinley, by declaring for
     office. Some are wondering why it took you more than a year to live in that house you bought. Not to mention your appearance in church this morning for the first time.”
    Morgan nodded, certain there was more to come.
    “Living out where we do, I don’t have a vote in town affairs, and you don’t owe me an explanation if you don’t want to give
     one. But I’d sure like to know why you came to Bethlehem Springs. Seems to me there must be plenty of other places to build
     that resort of yours. This isn’t the only one with hot springs.”
    “That’s a fair question, Mr. Arlington, and I don’t mind answering it. I had a number of sites to consider, several of which
     would have been suitable places to build the resort. All of them had benefits and drawbacks, including the one north of here.”
    He decided against saying he believed God directed him to build in Idaho. People usually wanted more concrete explanations
     than that, and so that’s what he gave them. “But after weighing every factor, I came to believe this would prove to be the
     most successful site.”
    Gwen shifted on the swing. “You think it will be the most profitable location.” Her words seemed to be half-question, half-statement.
    “Success isn’t always measured by profits, Miss Arlington. But yes, I do believe the resort will turn a profit.” Morgan leaned
     back in his chair. “And, I might add, it will do a world of good for the town too.”
    “I don’t imagine very many of our citizens could afford to stay at your resort.”
    Should he tell her what his mother, before her death, had envisioned for this spa? No, he didn’t think he would share that
     information. For the moment they were adversaries, and he’d best remember it.
    Breaking the silence, Cleo said, “So tell us what your resort’s going to do for Bethlehem Springs.”
    “That’s easy enough, Miss Arlington.”
    She shook her head. “Call me Cleo. Remember?”
    “Cleo.” He smiled at her. “The resort is already employing a number of men during the construction phase. Carpenters. Bricklayers.
     Stonemasons. General laborers. And when it’s time for our opening, we’ll need maids, bellmen, waiters and waitresses for the
     restaurant, a chef and chef’s assistants, attendants who will work in the bathhouses, masseurs, stable boys, a physician,
     a couple of therapists, and several nurses.” He lifted his hands, palms up. “As you can see, we’ll need many, many people
     to work at New Hope, and I naturally hope to be able to hire as many as possible from the area.”
    He could have mentioned the possibility that a railroad spur would be brought up to Bethlehem Springs. But that was too tentative
     at present. Without the cooperation of the town and county, without his ability to buy more land from them, the railroad would
     never agree to come here. And lack of train service would definitely be a hindrance for New Hope.
    “And it goes without saying,” he continued, “that the resort will bring with it a strong tourist trade, which will benefit
     other businesses in Bethlehem Springs. They’ll come