“I wonder if we should get some professional help on what to tackle first,” she replied.
I sat back in my chair. “That’s not a bad idea. Even better, I know the perfect guy.”
Austin arched a brow. “Who?”
“Chase. He’s got the expertise we need, and he knows the place inside out. This is what he does all the time.”
At the mention of Chase’s name, Harper nodded eagerly. “He’s certainly qualified.”
“Eli, honey…” Mom’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Bringing in an outsider for something this big makes me nervous. After what happened with Russell… with that whole fiasco… I need to know we have complete oversight. I agree the time has come to remodel, but we need to manage the scope. It’s a huge risk.”
I leaned back in my chair, aiming for a relaxed posture. “Come on, Mom. Chase practically is family. He’s been around since we were kids.”
“That may be true,” Mom countered, her tone gentle but firm, “but there’s a difference between being like family and actually being family.”
I could feel the familiar tightness in my chest, the one that always appeared when Mom and I butted heads. She had been hurt so much, and I tried not to give her too much grief, which was a damn sight easier now that I was older. “I get that, Mom. But sometimes fresh eyes make all the difference.”
Mom’s lips pressed into a thin line. “It's not just about boundaries, Eli. It's about the potential for things to go wrong when you trust someone outside the family with decisions that could sink us. We barely survived the last time we faced that kind of financial exposure.”
Harper leaned forward. “But we did survive. Thanks to you.”
I couldn’t help the mischievous grin that spread across my face. “Well, Mom, if you’re worried about boundaries, I can promise I won’t get romantically involved with Chase. Wouldn’t want to break that no-workplace-romance rule, right?”
The tension in the room dissolved as Harper let out a surprised laugh and Mom cracked a smile. But as the others joined in, a pang of guilt ran through me. Mom only had one ironclad rule. No workplace romances. They were too messy and wreaked havoc after the breakup. The resort had personal experience of that with Russell and Lucia, a couple who had become romantically involved and it went south. Very south. The fallout left ripples we still felt.
Which naturally caused my thoughts to drift to Jules and her determined face as she’d practiced buoyancy control in the pool earlier. And those big green eyes. Then I firmly pushed those thoughts aside. No point in worryingabout things that didn’t exist. And if things did start to blossom between us?
That was a problem for future Eli.
“I think a consultation is a great idea,” Harper said. “Chase does have a great mix of knowledge and personal history. Great idea, Eli.”
I bowed over my plate. “I’m not just a pretty face, you know.”
After the laughter faded, the conversation went back and forth. Harper talked about updated booking systems and eco-friendly renovations, while Mom emphasized the charm of our Old Florida aesthetic.
And I was torn.
Part of me sided with Harper. I knew we needed to evolve to survive. But I also got where Mom was coming from. The resort’s history was our history, and changing too much felt like losing a piece of ourselves. The good part.
“Maybe there’s a middle ground?” I commented as I idly stirred my mashed potatoes. “We could update some things behind the scenes but keep the look and feel people love?”
Mom and Harper exchanged glances, and I held my breath, hoping I’d managed to bridge the gap between them, at least for now.
I caught Austin’s eye across the table. “We could start small,” he offered, his voice low but steady. “I like the idea of Chase’s input. Maybe have him suggest changes and repairs that are inexpensive first. See how it affects our numbers.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Look at you, coming in with the voice of reason.”
His lips twitched in a rare smile. “Someone has to balance out your wisecracks.”
“Ouch.” I laughed, clutching my chest in mock pain. “Et tu, Austin?”
Harper, ever the peacemaker, jumped in. “See, Mom? We can figure out how to do both. Modernize and keep what makes Sunset Siesta a place people want to return to, all while keeping the budget in mind.”
As Mom considered, I watched the family dynamic unfolding before me. Harper, the eternal diplomat. Austin, the unexpected voice of reason. And me? Well, I was the comic relief, I supposed. It was a role I’d perfected over the years. But as I watched them, a familiar weight settled in my chest. They all seemed so… sure. Of their place, their purpose. Meanwhile, I was still trying to figure out where I fit in this family puzzle. Other than Braden, who was married to his brewpub, only Ben and Brenna were missing tonight. They were the two Coleridges who felt their destinies lay elsewhere than the resort, though Ben was still figuring that part out.
“Well,” I drawled as I pointed to theHang LooseT-shirt I’d pulled on after Jules’s and my pool session. “As long as we don’t update my stunning wardrobe of threadbare shirts and shorts, I’m on board.”
Finn laughed out loud, bless his heart. Harper groaned, but I didn’t miss the smile she tried to hide. “God forbid we mess with your carefully cultivated beach bum aesthetic.”
