“Doesn’t matter.” You could have bounced a quarter off Ben’s shoulders. “Half of Dove Key only sees me as the guy who used to love to get drunk and fight, while the other half refuses to acknowledge that I’m not twenty-five anymore.”
The Coleridges had always had a reputation for trouble, though our reconciliation with the Markhams had tempered that a little. But Ben had always been the poster boy fortroubled local.
Harper closed her laptop and faced Ben squarely. “They might see the past, butwesee the man sitting here now. The one who shows up, works hard for Hunter and the resort, and helps Mom without being asked. People notice change, even if it takes time for perceptions to catch up. The EMT idea sounds likeyoutaking control of your story.”
“If only it were that simple, huh?” Ben pushed to his feet and headed to the door. “I’m going to see if Mom needs help.”
“Well, that’s probably our cue also,” Harper said, standing up. “I don’t think Ben is a battle we’re going to win in one night.”
The clinkof silverware against plates filled the silence at our family dinner table. I stabbed at a piece of grilleddorado, my mind drifting back to the feel of Jules’s body as I ground my hips into her.
“Eli? You’ve been awfully quiet tonight.” Mom’s voice snapped me back to reality.
“Sorry, just daydreaming about my secret plan to turn the resort into a nude beach.” I flashed her my most charming grin. “Think of the money we’d save on towels.”
Harper huffed but gave up and grinned. Ben let out a snort, nearly choking on his water. Even Mom cracked a reluctant smile.
“Always the comedian,” she said, her tone the usual mix of exasperation and fondness I brought out in it.
I glanced over at Finn, who was quietly pushing his vegetables around his plate, lost in his own world. Poor kid was probably bored out of his mind with all this adult talk.
“Speaking of plans,” Harper chimed in, her eyes meeting mine across the table, “how’s Chase’s consultation coming along? Any progress?”
“He’s still working on it,” I said. “Done a lot of the preliminary stuff, though. You know Chase—thorough to a fault. We probably won’t get his report for another two months.”
Mom dabbed at her mouth with a napkin, her movements deliberate. “About that,” she began, her voice careful. “I’ve been thinking…”
The air in the room seemed to thicken, and I found myself holding my breath.
Mom slowly scanned our faces. “This resort is our legacy, and I want to leave it to you kids someday. I just want to be clear that we need to manage the extent of this. You all witnessed and experienced the fallout from our last financial crisis. We almost went under, your father’s and my marriage shattered irrevocably. It nearly broke us. Not just the resort, as a family.”
Mom’s words hung in the air. She toyed with her napkin, her fingers betraying a nervousness I rarely saw.
Harper leaned forward. “Mom, we understand why this scares you. But most of us kids are involved with the resort now, and we can bear most of the burden. I believe we’ve reached the point where we can’t affordnotto do this.”
I nodded, surprising myself. “Harper’s right. Chase has a unique perspective on this whole thing. He knows all the history but can still approach this with new vision. And change isn’t always bad, Mom.” The words tumbled out before I could stop them, my runaway mouth betraying me once more. “Sometimes it’s exactly what we need.”
Harper shot me a grateful look, and I felt a surge of solidarity with my sister.
“Eli.” Mom’s voice wavered slightly. “I understand the need for repairs. I’m not blind to how things have slipped around here. But renovating a resort is a big task. A very big financial risk… it brings back memories I'd rather forget. And you’ve always been against wholesale change around here too.”
I swallowed hard. “I know. But maybe it’s time I learned to embrace a little change. And it can’t hurt to see what Chase has to say. If we don’t like it, we don’t act on it.”
Mom stared at each of us, her eyes filled with lingering doubt. Then at last a smile raised her lips, like the sun peeking through the clouds. “All right. And I know you’re right, Harper. All of you are doing a wonderful job here. There’s no reason for history to repeat, is there? Let’s hear Chase out.”
I let out a breath. “That’s all we’re asking, Mom.”
Harper reached across the table to touch Mom’s hand. “Thank you. We know how much this place means to you. And it means the same to us.”
Mom nodded. “Just… promise me you’ll all be involved every step of the way.”
“Of course,” Harper and I said in unison, exchanging a quick glance.
Mom continued, “Harper, I’m sure you’d like to be the point person on any remodel that might happen.”
Harper gave her an eager nod. “I’d consider it my personal responsibility to be the resort’s representative on all remodel plans. You’re not doing it all yourself this time.”
Mom let out a deep breath that was a little shaky. “And I can’t tell you what a relief that is. Thank you. All of you.”
