“Sorry,” she mumbles as I pick up the bottle, hugging herself like she no longer trusts her limbs. “I’m not usually—I don’t do this all the time, or anything,” she says, and I’m horrified to hear her sniffle. “It’s just been the worst week, and everything feels worse without Agatha. Now she’s left this place to me and I…” She pauses, and I watch the profile of her full bottom lip tremble. “I’llnever get to thank her,” she squeaks out, voice tight. “Just like I never got to tell her how much I—”
She stops speaking and puts her face in her hands. I can only tell she’s crying from the silent sobs shaking her back. My hand moves to hover above her tense shoulders, but I hesitate. Right now, I’m fairly sure she’d prefer a back rub from a cactus.
“I’m keeping it,” she whispers as I silently draw away.
Gracie’s voice is quiet enough that I hope I’ve misheard her. “Excuse me?”
She sits up, mascara blurred beneath her defiant eyes. “I know you’re trying to scare me into selling it. But if Agatha left this place to me, then I trust her judgment. She wouldn’t have given it to me if she thought it would be a burden.”
No.Fear slips a cold hand around my throat at the thought of my deal for Larkwood falling through. In a flash of overwhelming frustration, I wish I could explain everything to her. Closing my eyes, I take a much-needed breath.
“I have no doubt my grandmother meant well,” I say with forced calm, before looking at her, “but she was also extremely out of touch with today’s cost of living for people without her means. So, unless you explicitly told her what salary you needed, I can’t imagine she was paying you that well.”
Trying to spare her dignity, I don’t mention that I knowexactlyhow little Nana paid her. But even if I didn’t have access to the estate’s ledgers, Gracie’s empty cupboards and her flush of embarrassment at my words would have given me all I needed to know. What’s less clear is why she never advocated for herself. Loathing myself, I press my advantage.
“I’m talking about tens of thousands of dollars in yearly property taxes and historic preservation costs here.” She visibly gulps, and the squeeze of my airways relaxes the tiniest bit. “But the good news is, I’m prepared to take the cottage off your hands. You wouldn’t need to bear any of the financial responsibility of owning a historic site. Plus, you’d never have to see me again.”
At this, her eyes flick toward me. “Out of everything you just said, that’s the most appealing thing on the list.”
Ouch. But beggars can’t be choosers, so I say, “Have I mentioned I’ll be here all the time until it’s off my hands?”
She wrinkles her nose. “Ew, why?”
“Because I have approximately thirty rooms of shit to sort through and restoration projects to oversee before the transfer,” I say, taking off my glasses and rubbing my eyes.
“Why not just hire someone to do it?”
I look over and catch her gaze aimed at the loosened tie and collar I neglected to redo before coming here. Her eyes jump up to mine, and the honest answer slips past my defenses. “Because I miss her. And as much as I don’t enjoy being here, it feels like… like a way to say goodbye.”
Gracie stares at me for a long moment. “I don’t understand you. How can you love her like this and not want to save what was so important to her?”
My jaw tightens as a rush of pain, family pressure, and love for my nana grates against this golden opportunity for Larkwood. “It’s complicated.”
“Is that grump-speak for ‘mind your own business’?”
“I guess so, yeah,” I say, losing a little of my patience. I shove my glasses back on my face in time to see her frown.
“Well, unfortunately for you, it is my business now. And while no, I can’t afford to pay those kinds of taxes or fees immediately, I don’t see why I should rush to sell to you while I’m figuring out how to avoid living in my mom’s basement.”
“You don’t understand,” I grit out. “The person who’s interested in the estate is looking to acquire a property in August, no matter what, and I intend for it to be Larkwood.”
“And why is it so important that they’re the ones who buy it?” Her eyes skim my outfit, and her mouth hardens. “You’re clearly not strapped for cash. I don’t see why you can’t just make my life the tiniest bit less shitty and wait a few months for another buyer.”
I accept the jab about my privileged financial situation and shake my head as she edges a little too close to the plans I can’t tell anyone about. There’s a reason Larkwood has to go to this particular party and why the transaction has to be made with the utmost discretion,but I’ve already said too much. “I can’t tell you why, but ithasto be them.”
“Then I guess I’ll have new neighbors,” she says sweetly. “I’ll make sure to bake them some welcome cookies to go with my mile-long list of reasons why Larkwood should continue being a wedding venue.”
“Gracie, please,” I nearly growl. “Privacy is crucial to them, and this deal won’t happen without the cottage included.”
She crosses her arms over her chest, brushing my side in the process.When did I move this close to her?“Then I guess we’re at a stalemate because I haven’t given up on saving Larkwood yet.”
“There’s no point in trying to ‘save Larkwood.’ I’ll find a way to sell the estate with or without your cooperation.”
“Unless I can change your mind,” she says with a determination that should be punishable by law.
“I’m not following,” I snap.
“Unsurprising, but listen. I want to make you a proposal.”
