“Napping. He had a good morning, tired himself out.”
“And a good morning means?”
“He knew who I was. Made breakfast. Acted like himself.”
Tom's expression softened slightly. “How often does that happen now?”
“Less and less.”
They stood in the lobby, brother and sister, separated by more than the miles between Kennebunkport and Boston. Tom had escaped, made something of himself, built a life that didn't include failing inns and a father who forgot your name. Kate couldn't blame him, but she couldn't forgive him either.
“Show me the books,” Tom said, shifting into lawyer mode.
They spent the next hour in the office, Tom going through financials with the methodical attention that made him good at his job. His face grew more serious with each page.
“Kate, this is unsustainable.”
“I know.”
“No, I don't think you do.” He pulled out his phone, showed her something he'd calculated. “At this rate, you'll default on the mortgage within two months. Three if you're lucky.”
“The summer season…”
“Won't save you. Even at full capacity, which you haven't achieved in three years, you're too far behind.” He leaned back in the chair. “You need Lillian's money.”
“I need a lot of things.”
Before Tom could respond, they heard James's voice in the lobby, his Boston accent stronger than ever. “Anyone home?”
James looked like what he was, a tech executive who ran marathons and juice-cleansed. He hugged Kate, holding on a moment longer than Tom had.
“You look tired,” he said.
“You look like you haven't eaten carbs in a year.”
“Six months, actually.” He grinned, and for a moment she saw the little brother who used to follow her around, wanting to help with everything. “Where's Dani?”
“Getting her nails done at the Harbor Hotel.”
“She's not staying here?”
“It's complicated.”
Everything was complicated. By the time the four siblings gathered in the kitchen, Kate pretended it was like the old days. Dani arrived with wine, Tom made coffee, James found Marcy's cookies, and for a moment it felt like childhood, the Perkins kids raiding the kitchen while their parents were busy elsewhere.
“Remember when Mom used to make us sit at this table for family meetings?” James said, dunking a cookie. “Usually when one of us was in trouble.”
“Usually when Dani was in trouble,” Tom corrected.
“I was spirited,” Dani protested.
“You were a pain,” Kate said, but with affection.
They were dancing around the reason they were here, everyone aware of the weight waiting to fall. Finally, Tom set down his coffee with his lawyer's decisiveness.
“We need to talk about Pop.”
The warmth drained from the room. Kate felt her defenses rising. “What about him?”
