‘I’ve asked Myles to take over running the hotel,’ Dad said finally. ‘And he’s accepted.’
I gaped at my best friend. ‘Seriously?’
‘Only on the condition that it’s OK with you,’ he replied. ‘I don’t want to step on your toes.’
‘Are you kidding?’ Anna elbowed her husband. ‘You know Jonah’s never wanted the job.’
Myles nodded. ‘I do. But still, as the oldest son it’s his birthright, and I don’t want to do anything that might affect our friendship.’
I processed his words. ‘This is something you’re really interested in doing?’
‘Yeah, it is.’
‘Since when?’
‘Since always. When we were growing up I always admired your parents and how they turned this place around. I mean, the accountancy business has been great, as a starting point, but I want more. I have a lot of ideas for this place. Nothing drastic,’ he added quickly when my mother’s eyebrows shot up. ‘But I’m excited to do this, and I haven’t been excited about my career in a while.’
Eleanor nodded slightly. ‘Myles’s passion and enthusiasm are what this place needs. What it deserves.’
‘Andyou’rehappy with this?’ I asked her.
She sniffed. ‘I wouldn’t say happy, exactly. I’m disappointed that you insist on avoiding your obligations and responsibilities, but at least it will be run by someone in the family. Of sorts.’
‘Woah, excuse me?’ Anna pulled herself up to her full height and glared at her. ‘There’s noof sortsabout it, Mom. He is my husband. The father of your grandchild.’
‘You know what I meant.’
‘I don’t think I do,’ Anna retorted.
Myles placed a hand placatingly on her arm. ‘It’s OK.’
‘See.’ Mom gestured. ‘He understands.’
‘Stop it,’ David interjected loudly. It was so out of character that everyone immediately shut the hell up and stared at him. ‘That was a horrible thing to say, Mom. Whether you meant it that way or not.’ He took his wife’s hand in his. ‘Do you consider Sophie to be a part of this family?’
‘Of course,’ she replied. ‘You know I do. But they’re not Sawyers by blood, are they? That’s all I meant. I don’t understand why you’re all getting upset with me. You know how I feel about this hotel. Control should remain in our family.’
‘And it will,’ Sophie shot back. ‘Because Mylesisfamily.’
David shook his head. ‘You should be happy, Mom. Myleswilldo a far better job of running the place than Jonah ever would have.’ He flicked me an apologetic look. ‘No offense. I just mean that he’ll probably do a better job because he actuallywantsthe job,’ he clarified.
I held up my hands, touched that my siblings were sticking up for me, even if it had taken their spouses being insulted for it to happen. ‘None taken. I completely agree.’
‘I know that Myles will be more than capable,’ Mom said. ‘I’m not disputing that. But that doesn’t change the fact that it should be Jonah.’
Mae stepped forward slightly. ‘Eleanor, with all due respect, you’re lucky Jonah still talks to you after the way you’ve treated him.’
My mother reeled back, her normal composure slipping under her shock at being spoken to in that manner. ‘Excuse me? What would you know about anything? Are you a mother? No. So don’t you dare to presume you know anything about how I’ve raised my children.’
‘You’re right, I’m not a mother. But I don’t need to be to know that’s not how you treat someone you love.’
Eleanor stared at her impassively. ‘Are you going to let her talk to me like that, Jonah?’
I took a sip of my drink and shrugged. ‘It’s not up to me tolether do anything, Mother. She’s her own person. She can do as she wants.’
‘If you think I’m being disrespectful, that’s fine,’ Mae told her. ‘I can live with that. What Ican’tlive with, is watching you treat this man, your son, as if he’s a failure.’
‘Now you’re just putting words in my mouth.’ My mother stood up, signaling to my father. ‘Come along, Gray. We need to get back in there and socialize, before people start to think something’s wrong.’
