Cami rolled her shoulders back. Who was he talking to about Hearts Bend? Was this why he’d locked up the inn’s file?
When he hung up the phone, he took command of their conversation. “I see things are progressing well in Indy. Did you find an apartment yet?”
“No, but I will. Dad, why is the inn contract locked in the system?” Cami faced him, arms folded, guard up.
“What I want to know is how it got into the system in the first place. I asked you not to buy it.”
“Astrid saw the signed contract and loaded it. She knew Ben needed a quick turnaround. By the time I found out, project management had locked it for processing. When I talked with them, they said you locked it. I’ve told Ben we’re not buying it. I need to delete it so he can put it on the market. Why is it still locked?”
“I decided to go ahead with it. We’ll close on the fifteenth, and Ben can go back to his real life. I think we’ll clear the land and put it up for sale or build something new and modern.”
“Why? Why would you do that? The inn is a beloved landmark.”
“It’s falling apart, under revenue, and has a lien on it from the bank. Time to put up something else.”
“If we buy it from Ben, we cannot destroy it. I promised him we would preserve it. You know your reputation in Hearts Bend is to bulldoze everything.”
“Shows you how small-town people think. I only wanted to knock down the old Wedding Shop, which was a disaster at the time.”
“It’s beautiful now. Dad, the inn remains. Either that, or we let it go and Ben sells to the Grangers out of Georgia.”
“Last I looked I was still head of this company, Cami.”
She lowered her arms and stepped closer to his desk. “Then let’s talk about what this is really all about. Mama.”
“Don’t bring up her name.”
“You hate the inn because that’s where Mama died and you know you’d let her down?—”
“Camellia, I’d watch your words.”
“Did you know one of her paintings is in the lobby?”
He didn’t answer but turned his back and stared out the window.
“You’re not tearing down the inn. Period,” Cami said. “I’ll resign if you do. I gave my word on behalf of Akron Developments, and that’s gold. Isn’t that what you’re always preaching? So, free up the file, or let me handle this project my way.”
Thursday afternoon, Ben read Cami’s text.
Dad says to go through with it. We’re buying the inn. Do you feel like a yo-yo?
So, the inn was sold to Cami after all. He felt relieved. Cami would love the place like he loved it.
He’d felt like a parent dropping his child off with strangers when he thought of the Georgia couple. It had given him some sense of how his parents had felt leaving him in Hearts Bend with his grandparents. He should cut them some slack. They’d done what they thought was best. His grandparents had been almost as good as being with his mom and dad.
Evening was settling over the grounds when Ben walked from the lobby onto the porch carrying a few tools to return to the barn. Myrtle May was checking in weekend guests, and Walt banged around in the kitchen with his next great tuna recipe.
Ben grinned. He had a sneaking suspicion Walt made the tuna just to mess with Myrtle May.
He walked down the porch steps and along the path to the garden, which was soaked in the setting sunlight. He paused by the lilies. “I could use a bit of your trust in the Almighty.”
One of the lilies swayed from side to side as if answering.
Ben continued to the barn. After he’d fixed Room Eight, he’d stored the tools in the office to return to the barn later. Ray hated a messy work bench, so Ben wanted to wait until he had time to put everything in its proper place. He’d left a few tools on the work bench in the barn yesterday that also needed to be put away. As he reached the door, Ray popped out.
“Ray, I thought you’d gone for the day.”
“Fixing to head that way now. Had to put someone’s tools away.” He arched his brow and gazed at Ben.
