“When did she die?” I was clueless but wanted to know that my grandfather hadn’t been miserable until his last day too. I hoped he had a bit of freedom at the end.
“She fell ill about six years ago, passed away shortly after,” he told me, with all the emotion of someone reading out of a textbook. “That was when the inn started to thrive. She’d never wanted Dad to buy the place, but it was his dream. He loved people. Loved families—functional families. He’d spend every waking hour in the sitting room or back here on the patio, watching children play.
“My father never forgave his wife for telling Max to leave. Blamed her for the fact he never knew you. Cried at night when the news came out about your dad.”
“Then why didn’t he reach out before it was too late?” I slammed my fist down on the table. None of this made sense. He could have fixed the problem. I could have known him rather than having to listen to James tell me what he was like.
“Phillip Montgomery was a proud man.” James’s voice softened. His shoulders slumped forward, and he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Dad died with many regrets, but none was greater than not knowing you. By the time my mother died, he felt it was too late. Figured Max wouldn’t forgive him. Assumed your mind would have been filled with how evil we were. In short, I believe he was scared. I don’t doubt that a bit because I know how hard it was for me to write that first letter to your father, how ill with nerves I felt yesterday on the drive to pick you up.”
“And yet, you found a way to get past all of that,” I pointed out. I knew enough about the past for now. I wanted to know about the present and what gave him the courage to find us.
“I had to,” he admitted. “You see, when your grandfather died, he was very specific as to his wishes. This inn was his pride and joy. His legacy, as it were. It was the one thing in the world that he felt was his, and he insisted it stay in the Montgomery family.”
James slid a manila folder across the table. I flipped open the cover and closed it just as quickly. That was my name on the front page of what looked like a legal document. Not my father’s, mine.
“I don’t understand.”
“After the conviction, your grandfather knew he couldn’t leave anything to Max. Any assets of your father’s could be taken by the families of those he supposedly stole from.”
James earned bonus points with me because he didn’t automatically assume Dad was guilty. “So he left this place to me?”
“Half of it,” James corrected. “The other half will be mine once the trust clears.”
“What happens if I don’t want it?” I asked, because this wasn’t anywhere in my life’s goals. Sure, I’d briefly considered what a life in Sunset Beach could possibly look like for me, but it hadn’t been more than a fleeting thought fueled by hormones. I’d quickly squashed those thoughts; I didn’t need to uproot my entire life just because I’d come closer to getting my dick sucked than I had in months.
“No one’s saying you have to be part of the daily operations,” he told me. “If you’re not interested, you can be a silent partner. Or we could discuss our options for selling. I have no doubt we could turn a hefty profit if we sold.”
James’s eyes lit up as if that was the option he’d prefer. But he’d just said his father didn’t want our family to lose the inn, and I respected the wishes of a man I’d never met a hell of a lot more than I longed for more money to collect interest because I didn’t feel as though I had the right to spend it.
“Don’t feel you need to make any decisions today, just promise me you’ll think about it.”
“I will,” I promised him. Thinking about it was probably the only thing I’d do for the foreseeable future. I’d come to North Carolina, determined to check the place out for my dad in hopes it’d be a good place for him once he got out. Before I’d even boarded my plane, I’d been counting down the days until I got back to civilization, hoping to hit a few clubs and maybe get laid before my next assignment for work. Now, I freakingownedpart of an oceanside inn, had an uncle who wasn’t quite as much of an asshat as I’d originally expected, and I’d met a guy I wanted to get to know more than just carnally. I barely even recognized myself.
And speak of the devil, Brook hobbled through the french doors just as I opened my mouth to tell James I didn’t think selling would be necessary. James grimaced, staring pointedly at Brook’s wrapped ankle.
“It’s just a sprain. Don’t worry. I’ll still manage to get everything done before the grand opening.”
I expected James to tell him to take it easy, that the inn would run without him.
He dropped a few rungs on the coolness ladder in my mind when he scowled. “I hope so. We’re running out of time, and everything needs to be perfect.”
Before Brook could respond, because I wasn’t sure there was a suitable response to James’s quick-change personality, I chimed in. “Brook, tell me what you need done. It’s not like I have anything better going on right now.”
“You don’t have to help me. I’ll be fine,” he responded through gritted teeth. I needed to get him alone and figure out what in the hell I’d done to offend him last night.
“Really, I don’t mind.” After all, it seemed I had a vested interest in the success of the inn. I wondered if he knew why James had summoned me down here. And why was James so terse with him right after I’d convinced myself he was a decent guy? Brook hadn’t hurt himself on purpose; James should be convincing him to rest so his foot had time to heal before there was a building full of guests to take care of. I might not know much about running a place like this, but I knew full well how crazy it would be once the rooms were filled.
I excused myself and joined him near the door. James didn’t need to overhear this part of the conversation. While I wasn’t sure how I’d upset Brook, I was damned sure going to make it right. After all, he was a large part of the appeal of helping run the Bird Island Inn.
As tempting as it was to reach out for him, I kept my hands to myself. “I know you’re going to keep insisting you don’t need any help, but I’m not offering for you. Iwantto help you out. I’ve never been one to just sit around doing nothing, and I’d love to learn more about the inn.”
“In that case, finish up your breakfast and meet me inside. There’s plenty of work to be done.” The dramatic turn of heel didn’t have quite the same impact as he limped through the lobby, but he was still completely adorable. And I was utterly screwed.
