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leg over the other and pulled at her skirt. Another of her ploys. “Have you heard about the Glade Valley Refuge project?”
    â€œWho hasn’t? There are signs up everywhere, editorials. What about it?” The controversial Glade Valley watershed project was a proposed federal initiative designed to control runaway development in the large geographical area southwest of Columbus.
    â€œThere’s a very good chance that project is going to be fast-tracked. When it gets approved, it’s going to upset some people’s plans.”
    â€œWhat does that have to do with me?”
    â€œA private consortium has hired my consulting firm to assist them in getting the approvals for an exclusive retreat within that area,” said Amy. “Upscale cottages, golf course and clubhouse, pool, very chic. But if the refuge goes through, the land they want will be federally protected. The consortium will have to find another site in the same general area.”
    AJ shrugged. “And . . . ?”
    â€œAnd that’s where,” Brett said, pausing dramatically, “our Midas touch turns land into gold.”
    â€œWhat land?”
    â€œOur land.” Brett chuckled. “Okay, your land. But considering that Amy can broker the deal and I can negotiate for top dollar, it’d be to our advantage to form a partnership.”
    â€œThe three of us?” AJ widened his eyes. He’d known to expect the unexpected when Brett asked him to come to the office. Buthe hadn’t foreseen a proposal like this. “Let me make sure I have this right. We form a partnership so someone can build a retreat on my land.”
    â€œThat’s right,” Brett replied. “Earlier than the old man stipulated in his will, but we’ll get around that legal stumbling block. Amy already has a friend looking into it.”
    â€œToo bad you didn’t finish law school,” Amy said. “Then you could have done it yourself.”
    â€œIf he’d finished law school,” Brett said, “Sully would have stuck either you or me with that wasteland.”
    â€œIt’s not a wasteland,” AJ protested. He hated admitting that he’d ever agreed with Brett on something. But that’s what he’d thought of the farm until he realized how important it was to someone else. Somehow that made it important to him too.
    More than a week had passed since Shelby had flown back to Chicago. He drove by the house every day, sometimes stopping in if either Nate Jeffers or Paul Norris was there. Both men were making great progress. And the gravel he had ordered would be delivered and spread out in the next couple of days. A surprise for Shelby. Though what she’d say about it . . .
    â€œThe land may prove to be valuable,” Amy said, frowning at her brother. “But we need to have everything in place so that when the refuge goes through, we have something else to offer my client.”
    AJ shifted to face Amy. “Aren’t you being paid to make sure the refuge doesn’t go through?”
    â€œI can’t always get my clients what they want,” she said, posing her lips into a pout. The girl never quit, not even with her own relatives. “Besides, this way I’ll know their plans, and I can steer them to Brett.”
    AJ leaned back, folding his hands behind his head and staring at the ceiling. This could be fun. “How many acres will they need?”
    â€œAll of it. And more.”
    â€œWho’s most likely to sell, do you think?” asked Brett. “Jason Owens or Paul Norris?”
    The Owens family owned land to the west and across the road from Misty Willow; the Norris land lay to the east.
    â€œNeither,” AJ said.
    â€œBut which one might?” Brett insisted.
    â€œJason might.”
    â€œGreat.” Amy scooched forward. “Why don’t you invite him to have dinner with us one day next week? Perhaps at the