But of the three of them, Blair had enjoyed the most stuff. Their father had indulged her, and they had too. Blair was their baby doll.
“Well, here’s the bad news. The pool is in disrepair, the hotel needs an inspection and makeover, and the six cottages are all in some state of musty.”
“But the beach!” Faye exclaimed, and she was right.
No matter how Ali tried to be practical, the spectacular here drowned out any talk of disrepair.
“It’s calming and invigorating at the same time. I’m not going to lie.”
“Any progress on how we came to be the owners?”
“Unfortunately, no. But the caretakers are adorable. I can’t put my finger on why I connect so well with Didi, but I love her. Anyway, they’re a little addled; this job is too much for them these days. That’s clear. And they have never actually met anyone at the management company. So, I don’t know who owned it before us or who even put the management company in place. Because ostensibly, they’ve been managing it FOR usfor decades. They have an account they work from for expenses, their salaries, and taxes, and the surplus stays in the account.”
“What the heck? Was Dad holding out on us? Does he have cash somewhere?” Blair asked.
“Not that I can see. No one has ever withdrawn from it, other than the caretakers for legit expenses that have gone right back to this business. There was a surplus, but the decline of this place has drained it.”
“So there was money, once, and it’s gone. Just our luck,” Faye sighed.
“And it’s operating on fumes right now,” Ali continued. “The place isn’t exactly teeming with people. Honestly, that’s really only because it’s so hidden. I did a little research. It’s one of the last affordable ways for a family to stay on the beach around here, so it really could be fully booked if it was fixed up. Or if we got new management in here.”
“What are you saying? Are you going into hotel management now?” Faye asked, her eyes wide.
“No, no, just what I found out doing the research. Though I will be sad to leave. It turns out I think I love it here.” But she didn’t think, sheknew.
Ali had started to fantasize about coffee with her new friends in the morning and Grand Finales every night. She could envision how she’d decorate the cottages and entertain a wedding party. But it was a pipe dream. It really was a fantasy. She had a million loose ends in Toledo, and didn’t everyone in the north fantasize about chucking it all to live on a beach? It was childish and impractical.
Still, Erica and Henry were doing just that. And Patsy’s information had changed the equation entirely.
“Earth to Ali, hello?” Blair said.
“Sorry, sorry. So here’s the reason we can’t keep it. If we sell it, we’re talking upwards of ten million dollars.”
“Wait, my connection glitched. You did not just say what I think you said,” Faye gasped.
“Holy Toledo!” Blair chimed in.
“Yeah, they’ll tear it down, sell it to a condo company, and make three times that on condo sales and then rentals. Or a celebrity buys it, tears it down, and builds a mansion on the beach. Either way, it’s life-changing money for us. Split in three, well, that’s three million each, before taxes.”
“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!” Blair was waving her hands in the air like she was drying nail polish.
Faye appeared to have grabbed a pen and paper and was doing some sort of math.
“Look,” Ali went on. “That’s just an estimate from the real estate lady. So, yeah, do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars, go directly to the market.”
“How fast would we get the money?”
“I don’t have an answer for that, Blair, I’ve never sold a multi-million-dollar property.”
“This is almost too much to process,” Faye said.
“That’s the way I feel, too.”
“Just so we’re clear, you saidten million dollars?” Blair was shaking her head and still processing, just like Ali had been.
“Yeah, now that’s provided this real estate lady is right and knows her stuff. But she was recommended to me as the best.”
“I can’t breathe.” Blair was waving her hands in front of her face.
