“I agree.”
Just as people were starting to dig into their food, Dad got to his feet, wine glass in hand.
“Oh no,” Brom groaned theatrically. “Dad’s about to speechify. Can’t we eat first?”
“I want my turkey while it’s still hot!” Stacy called out, earning a round of laughter from the table.
Dad held up his free hand for silence, though he was grinning at the good-natured protests. “This will be brief, I promise. But there are some things that need to be said.”
The room quieted, though I could see people continuing to sneak bites of food while they listened.
“This year has been challenging.” Dad paused, looking around the room at everyone. “We’ve faced uncertainties about our future that would have broken a lot of families. But my children?” He looked directly at Brom and me, his eyes bright with pride. “My children have shown tenacity and determination that frankly amazes me. They’ve refused to give up on this place even when giving up would have been the logical choice.”
Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. Dad wasn’t usually one for emotional speeches and hearing him acknowledge how hard we had all worked meant a lot.
“Brom,” Dad continued. “You’ve kept this business running through sheer force of will and an attention to detail that would make a Swiss watchmaker jealous. And, Sylvie, you’ve been the heart and soul of this place, making sure that every guest who walks through our doors feels like family.”
Now the tears were really threatening to fall. I reached for Kent’s hand under the table and felt him squeeze my fingers reassuringly.
“But tonight,” Dad said, his voice growing stronger. “I also want to thank someone who showed up at exactly the right time and stepped up when it counted most.”
He turned to look directly at Kent. My heart swelled with love and gratitude. Kent’s hand tightened around mine.
“Kent Bancroft could have seen us as just another business opportunity. He could have gone through with his original plans and none of us would have blamed him. It would have been the smart financial move. Instead, he chose to see us as people worth investing in, worth believing in. He chose to become part of our family rather than simply acquiring our assets.”
The room had gone completely quiet now, all attention focused on Dad’s words. No one was sneaking food anymore.
“So tonight, I want to raise a glass to Kent,” Dad said, lifting his wine glass high. “For showing us that there are still people in this world who believe that doing the right thing matters more than doing the profitable thing. For proving that sometimes the best business decisions are the ones made with your heart.”
“To Kent Bancroft!” the table chorused, everyone raising their glasses in a toast that made my heart feel like it might burst with happiness.
Kent looked stunned by the acknowledgment, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment or gratitude or simple overwhelming emotion. When he caught my eye, the smile he gave me was so full of love and wonder that I had to blink back tears.
This was what family looked like. This was what belonging felt like. And watching Kent experience it for what might have been the first time in his adult life made this Christmas Eve even more perfect than I’d dared to hope.
As the toast concluded and people dug in, I leaned over to whisper in Kent’s ear.
“Welcome home,” I said softly.
CHAPTER 68
KENT
Well, that was a first. The only times anyone had ever toasted to me before was at college parties. Usually the toasts were all about congratulating me on my most recent lay. Bagging a supermodel or surviving a night of complete debauchery.
Having an entire room full of people raise their glasses because they genuinely valued what I had done for their family and friends felt a lot better than any of those hollow celebrations. It was real. Valid. Worth something.
“Good?” Sylvie asked quietly.
I nodded. “Really good.”
As dinner continued and the wine flowed, I found myself mingling with people who had somehow started to feel like family. The guests at the lodge weren’t just customers tonight. They were part of the celebration, part of the magic that Sylvie and her family created so effortlessly.
I met what felt like every person that lived in town. They all had their own homes to get to but made the trek out to the lodge to celebrate with the Northwood family. It was such a different way of living. I couldn’t believe people actually lived like this.More importantly, I couldn’t understand why everyone didn’t live like this. I never knew it was an option.
“Want a refill?” I asked Phineas and held up a bottle of wine.
“Never going to turn down a drink,” he said. “Only thing this party is missing is a dartboard. Got plenty of drinks and food, but we could use some darts.”
