She turned to look at him. He was in his work clothes, probably pulled away from a job to check on her.
“Lillian wants you to oversee all the renovations. Two million dollars’ worth.”
Ben whistled low. “That's a lot of trust.”
“That's a lot of control.”
“Is that what you think? That she wants control? How is that even possible? The woman is dying.”
Kate didn't answer immediately. She watched a lobster boat heading out, late for this time of morning. “I think everyone wants to fix me. Fix the inn. Fix our family. Like we're all just another renovation project. But in Lillian’s case, I’m not so sure. She’s dying. The cancer is moving fast and the doctor said she doesn’t have more than a couple of months left.”
“I’m sorry. I know you’re not close, but it’s still difficult.”
“Difficult and complicated, but I’m not sure who’s responsible for just how complicated everything has become. I guess I have to own some of that. It’s just I hate feeling like I’m a project.”
“You're not a project, Kate.”
“Then what am I?”
Ben moved closer, and Kate could feel the warmth of him in the cold morning air. “You're a woman who's been holding everything together for so long, you've forgotten it's okay to let someone else hold you.”
“I don't need holding.”
“Everyone needs holding sometimes.”
He opened his arms, not moving toward her, just offering. And Kate, exhausted from years of standing strong, stepped into them.
It wasn't romantic, not exactly. It was just Ben's solid warmth, and a feeling of being supported without beingtrapped. Kate let her head rest against his chest and felt his heartbeat, steady and sure.
“Two months,” she said into his shirt. “I’ve got two months to stop hating her.”
“Yes.”
“Pop's getting worse every day.”
“I know.”
“Everything's changing.”
“Not everything.” His arms tightened slightly. “I'm not going anywhere. The inn's not going anywhere. Your family's here.”
“For now.”
“No. For good. Tom's already looking at office space nearby so he can work remotely. James is considering buying the Grantham place. Dani's been looking at retail spaces in town for some kind of boutique. They're not visiting, Kate. They're moving home.”
Kate pulled back to look at him. “How do you know all this?”
“I pay attention. Also, Tom talks a lot when he's nervous, and your grandmother dying has him rattled.”
“I have a hard time thinking of her as our grandmother. Not after everything.”
“She's a complicated woman who made terrible mistakes and is trying to make amends before she dies. That makes her exactly your grandmother.”
Kate wanted to argue, but she was so tired of fighting. Against help, against change, against the possibility that things might actually work out.
“Will you do it?” she asked. “Oversee the renovations?”
“If you want me to.”
