Excerpt of Share the Moon by Sharon Struth

For half a second he considered telling her the real reason the land mattered to his brother, but he didn’t want to violate any confidences. “I have my reasons.”

“Did you ever stop to consider how some of the things you love about the lake could be lost by your business proposition?”

“I don’t think they will.”

“Perhaps you’re not seeing the big picture.”

“I’ll address the environmental impact. I don’t want to hurt the lake, but this will boost the Northbridge economy and create jobs.”

“The area may suffer too. If Zoning passes those changes, they’ll lead to additional development along the shoreline.”

He shrugged. “I can’t control everything.”

“No. You can control what you do now, though.”

“Communities are often resistant to change.” Duncan tried to sound convincing but felt weakened by her demanding gaze. “Things seem to work out.”

She cocked a confident brow, like someone about to yell the word checkmate. “Won’t this be the first time you’ve stuck around long enough to find out?”

“I visit my sites.”

Sophie twisted her mouth, not even bothering to hide her skepticism. Idealistic. Yes, that described her. This woman preached high standards for everyone, including herself. Duncan considered her perseverance as appealing as it was annoying.

She lowered the pad to her lap. “Living there is different. I’d go so far to say you’re…” She pressed her lips together. “Never mind.”

“What?”

“Listen, I don’t wish to end up apologizing twice in one day.”

He opened his arms to each side. “Come on. Hit me with your best shot.”

She gave him a you-might-be-sorry grin. “Well, Jamieson is Scottish, right?”

He nodded.

“My Nana was born in Scotland. She once told me a story about a Scotsman who was asked to express an opinion about the pyramids who replied, ‘A lot of masonry work and no rent coming in.’”

He snorted. “Then you think I only care about money?”

“No, but you’re approaching this purely from a practical, business- like viewpoint. Stop. Think about why you love the lake.” Her potent gaze settled on him, saying more than her words. “I’ll bet one thing is the simplicity.”

Her honesty was unexpected and refreshing, so unlike his wife’s.