“I’m sorry. There was this moose—”
“I have a dinner service to prep.” Typical Tessa, antsy and annoyed. No excuse from Cadence was ever valid. Tessa worked more than she didn’t and always claimed to have no time. Though it was only ten in the morning in Alaska, it was already two in New York. Tessa was used to her strict schedule and didn’t like anything to conflict with it.
“Ladies, let’s get started, shall we?” Mr. Jenkins closed the office door and moved to his desk.
“Please, let’s,” Tessa said.
Annoyance bubbled in Cadence’s chest at this impatience. Their great-aunt had passed away only a couple of weeks ago. And what was worse, no one notified them of her funeral. She wanted to tell her sister to take a chill pill, but instead she bit her bottom lip and waited to hear what Mr. Jenkins had to say.
“This is the last will and testament of Mrs. Patricia Whitmore.” As Mr. Jenkins continued, Cadence found her mind wandering. Guilt twisted in her stomach. They’d all spent a summer with Great-Aunt Patty. As much as Cadence had intended to fly up and spend time with her over the years, it had never panned out. She hadn’t even spoken to Patty in months, or known the true extent of her declining health.
“To my great nieces Tessa Whitmore, Cadence Whitmore, and Sophie Whitmore, I leave the following: the Sunset Ridge Lodge.” Mr. Jenkins paused a moment, his gaze passing all three women, as if to take in their reactions.
“A lodge?” Tessa finally repeated.
The lodge. She remembered the two-story structure well. The one they’d roamed around in during their younger years. Cadence had been thirteen that summer. The thick logs the color of beautifully toasted marshmallows, the grand entrance with its vaulted ceiling and wraparound staircase, and the Alaskan charm throughout, including the massive antler chandelier in the main room. The place had always been magical to her, despite the grim nature of the summer.
“What are we supposed to do with a lodge?” Sophie, the quietest of them, asked. Her daughter had disappeared from her knee, but the worry etched in her expression didn’t seem to be related to a four-year-old.
“Whatever you like,” Mr. Jenkins responded.
“We’ll sell it, of course,” Tessa said matter-of-factly, as if it were the only option.
“You can, if you wish to do so,” Mr. Jenkins confirmed. “But there is also a trust if you wish to run it yourselves. It’ll cover most expenses through the first year, maybe a little more.”
“Run a lodge?” Cadence asked. What did any of them know about running a bed and breakfast? Fear and puzzlement must’ve shown on her face, because Mr. Jenkins added a third option.
“You could maintain ownership and hire someone else to run it, too.” He held the keys up for all to see, then handed them to Cadence. “The place is yours, ladies.”
Dozens of questions swirled in her head. Was the lodge still open right now? Who was looking after it? Was there enough in the trust for necessary repairs or upkeep? What state was it in?
“So, we can put it on the market right away?” Tessa asked.
“If you wish.”
Cadence felt shaky and uneasy about this plan. Aunt Patty would be heartbroken to know they were so eager to be rid of it. But the three sisters lived in different parts of the country. Who of them could drop everything and move to Alaska?
“Cadence, you can take care of getting it listed, right?” Tessa continued. “That’s kind of your thing.”
Though Cadence had been in real estate for a year and a half now under Janine Bellows and had learned a lot, she knew nothing about selling commercial properties. Especially commercial properties in small Alaskan towns. “It could take months to find a buyer,” she said. “This is a little different than selling a house.”
“Months?” came Sophie’s quiet voice. A closer look at the youngest sister revealed bags under her eyes and Cadence noticed then: no makeup. Though Tessa was definitely the highest-maintenance of them all, Sophie rarely went out in public without her makeup done.
“It’s a small town.”
“In Alaska,” Tessa pointed out. “Who doesn’t want to live the Alaskan dream? Sounds like an easy sale to me.”
It was no use trying to convince Tessa without cold, hard facts. Cadence stared down at the keys in her hand. She could spend the rest of her stay inspecting the lodge and pulling stats. Or at least find a local realtor to help her compile a sales price. “I’ll do some research.”
“Good. Let us know.”
“Is there anything else, Mr. Jenkins?” Sophie sent a nervous glance over her shoulder. “Oh, brother! Caroline has a marker—” She shot up from her chair, seconds later returning with her daughter, whose limbs flailed about the screen. The tantrum screams went from unbearable to mute.
“There’s a caretaker looking after the property right now, though it’s been closed for over six months.” Mr. Jenkins didn’t have to say it was due to Patty’s declining health. The solemn silence that fell over the room conveyed as much. “I have a packet here filled with all the information you should need about the place.” He handed the heavy manila envelope to Cadence. It bulged at the seams, looking as if it might explode at any moment.
“Cadence, call us same time tomorrow with a listing price?” Tessa barked an order.
One day seemed hardly enough time to figure that out, but it would have to do. “Sure.” She wanted to ask her sisters if they were sure about this, but before the question could be vocalized, Tessa’s screen went black.
