They made their way downstairs, pausing along the way to check out their surroundings. Ornate gold-and-green wallpaper lined the walls. There was something about this hallway that tugged at Xavier’s brain. A rush of memory washed over him: Xavier and his brothers chasing one another up and down this hallway and then sliding down the banister to the first floor. He let out a chuckle at the thought of it. They had experienced happy times in this house!
Xavier stopped short when he spotted a framed photo hanging by the spiral staircase. He reached out and ran his finger across the picture of him, Caleb, and Landon. From what he could tell, the photo had been taken right before they’d left Moose Falls. They were all wearing matching blue jackets and hats, set against a backdrop of snow and Sitka trees. He sucked in a steadying breath. He hadn’t quiteprepared himself for the fact that the past would be infused in every nook and cranny of their grandmother’s grand home.
When they reached the library, Xavier gently knocked on the door. After hearing Hattie’s voice inviting them in, Caleb pushed open the door so they could step inside. Xavier’s brothers ushered him inside first. A sigh slipped past his lips.Here we go again, he thought. Caleb and Landon expected him to be the mouthpiece for all of them. Just once he wished that they would take the lead.
“Hello, boys.” Hattie’s voice was full of enthusiasm as she greeted them. “I hope you had a chance to rest up before dinner.”
Xavier nodded. “We actually read through the contract so we could get the formalities out of the way.”
“Makes sense. I hope you found everything to your satisfaction. I’d love to show you the factory and have you hit the ground running.” Hattie rubbed her hands together and grinned.
Xavier shifted from one foot to the other. “We’re a bit confused about one of the stipulations.”
Hattie peered at him from over the rim of her spectacles. “Is that right? Take a seat, boys. If you would be so kind as to point me toward the section you’re concerned about, I’d be grateful.”
“It’s the section about working with… Paul,” Caleb blurted out. His voice didn’t sound normal. He was looking at Hattie as if she were a tiger ready to bite him. Xavier almost wanted to laugh out loud. Finally, Caleb had come across someone who intimidated him.
She wrinkled her nose. “It’s pretty straightforward. I can’t cut my only child out of the company, so I figured it should be in the contract, so there’s no confusion. Red willbe working at Yukon Cider, although he won’t be part of the ownership.”
Frustration got the better of Xavier. “So we’re supposed to work alongside our deadbeat dad?”Whoosh. He’d used the D word, one he normally didn’t say out loud.
He watched his grandmother’s face tighten as her cheeks became flushed and a vein bulged on her forehead. Hattie waved a finger at him. “I prefer the termabsentee father, Xavier.” There was a sharpness to her tone that let them know she wasn’t playing around. She was ticked off, which only seemed fair, since he was as well.
Xavier felt the back of his neck getting heated. Of course she was defending her son! Suddenly all the old wounds were opening, triggered by the mention of their father.
“With all due respect, you shouldn’t have sprung this on us.” He kept his tone cordial, even though he wasn’t feeling warm and fuzzy at all. All his defenses were up. And he was kicking himself for believing things would be straightforward. After all, it was a bit unusual to inherit a company from a woman they hadn’t seen in decades.
“You’re angry. I understand, Xavier. Believe me, I do. But you’re going to have to trust me on this one.” She reached out and clasped his hand in hers. “I would never do a single thing to harm any of you. That’s one of the reasons I stayed away for so long. I know it’s confusing, but I don’t intend to go meet my maker with any unfinished business. And your relationship with Red isn’t finished,” she said, shifting her body in the chair. “Not by a long shot.”
Xavier looked over at his brothers. Both had bewildered, annoyed expressions etched on their faces. But they all knew Hattie had them over a barrel. At this point they either had to sign the agreement or leave Alaska before they had even gotten a chance to settle in. And all three of them had sublettheir condos, which meant they literally had no place to go other than their mom’s house.
As the oldest brother, Xavier considered it his role to be the outspoken one. The decision maker. He and his brothers had come to Moose Falls for an inheritance from their grandmother and to enrich their lives. It had been a rookie mistake not to request the paperwork ahead of time. But if Granny Hattie thought she could force them to have a relationship with Paul “Red” Stone, she had another think coming!
He cleared his throat. “With all due respect, there are some things in life you can’t force. You can stipulate that we work with him, but that’s as far as it’ll go.” He gritted his teeth. “I’ll email my attorney the documents so she can look them over for us.”
Hattie nodded her head. “Now that we’ve hashed things out, let’s eat. I’m famished. I hope the three of you like venison stew and salmon.” Hattie stood from her chair, and Xavier quickly made his way to her side, offering his arm to her for support. For a moment there she’d seemed unsteady on her feet. She tightly grabbed hold of him. Caleb went to her other side and looped his arm through hers.
Her eyes grew moist right before their eyes. Xavier could feel her arm trembling.
“I might just be the luckiest woman in all Alaska to have three handsome grandsons as my dining companions,” she gushed.
Xavier had the feeling Hattie was laying it on a little thick. Truth was, she had them right where she wanted them. He would email the papers to his attorney to look over, but Xavier knew the three of them would sign on the dotted line. At this point, after traveling all this way, what choice did they really have?
CHAPTER FIVE
True studied herself in the full-length mirror. She tugged at the hem of her navy-blue dress, biting her lip as she gazed at her reflection. She wasn’t used to getting decked out in fancy clothes, and this outfit did nothing to hide her curves. It wasn’t as if she was ashamed of her body, but she never wore clothes that accentuated her physical attributes. For most of her life, she had rocked the tomboy image and worn unisex clothing. That had shifted a little bit due to her role as tavern manager. She’d tried to mix up her wardrobe a bit with a combination of trendy and business casual for meetings.
The few pounds she’d gained over the last year had settled around her hips, making her body shapelier. That wasn’t something she had a problem with, since it suited her, but wearing formfitting clothing made her feel slightly out of her comfort zone. It wasn’t something she often did.
Bonnie let out a loud whistle. “Woo-hoo. You’re smokin’ hot in that number.”
True bit her lip. “I don’t know, Bonnie. I feel a bit exposed in this dress.”
Bonnie waved her off. “What are you talking about? It just hugs your body a little bit. You’re barely showing any skin.”
“I just feel… naked,” True admitted. Or maybe she just felt exposed. Her regular work attire wasn’t anything fancy, just sweaters and jeans. Slacks and a jacket on the rare occasion when she met with Hattie. She’d always considered it a perk of working at Northern Exposure that she got to wear comfortable clothes. Her lifestyle didn’t afford her many opportunities to get decked out. She might put on a nice silk shirt for teacher-parent conferences, but for the most part, True lived in comfy clothing.
“Honestly, if I had a body like yours, I wouldn’t even bother with clothes. I’d throw them all away or donate them to a worthy cause.” Bonnie put her hands on her hips and looked True up and down, her eyes full of approval. “You’re a total smoke show. You’ll have everyone in town drooling, including the Stone brothers.”
