Coming Home

by Judith Keim

  “Yes, well, have a seat and let’s get down to business, shall we?” Cami said briskly. “I want to talk to you about my grandmother’s portfolio. We’re about to start a renovation project at the inn, and I’m going to need to sell some more stocks.”

  All confidence seemed to evaporate from him. He sank into a chair and faced her with a look of despair. “We’ve had some disappointments. One in particular.”

  A niggling feeling crept through Cami like a python squeezing her insides. “You’re not talking about the Montague Fund, are you? I directed you to sell that two weeks ago.”

  “Yes, I know. I tried to do that for you and all my clients, but there’s a problem. It turns out that the Montague Fund was basically a Ponzi scheme. Most of the money is gone. I’m working on getting back what I can. I’ve already begun filling out claim papers with the SEC, but it’s going to take time for the Feds to sort through it.” He pushed his glasses further up on his nose. “I was given what I was assured was reliable information on the fund, so I’m not sure what went wrong.”

  Cami’s mouth went dry. She gripped the arms of her desk chair so tightly her fingers turned white. “What went wrong? My grandmother was a very conservative woman. I don’t believe she would have wanted you to invest her money in something like that. Was she aware of what you’d done? Did she approve?”

  “She told me to go ahead and do whatever I could to ensure you’d have enough money to carry on with the inn. The fund promised exceptional returns ....” His voice trailed off.

  She narrowed her eyes and studied him. “So Nonnee didn’t know?”

  He looked at her and then away. “Not exactly.”

  “I could have you reported and perhaps have your license taken away,” said Cami, “but then I guess I’m not the only client of yours who feels that way.”

  “I did nothing wrong,” Dirk countered. “I got the information for the fund from a very reliable source. Believe me, you’re not the only person who has been hurt by this.”

  Cami’s lips thinned. “So that makes it all right?”

  He shifted in his chair and looked away from her.

  “Did everyone in your office suggest their clients invest in this fund?”

  He shook his head. “Mr. Berman didn’t like it, warned his clients against it.”

  Cami leaned forward and gave him a steady stare. “I want this entire portfolio transferred to him immediately. Understand?”

  “But ...”

  “Stay right here. I’m calling him now.”

  Dirk let out a snort of disgust. “You don’t have to do that.”

  “But I do,” she said, with a calmness she had to force.

  Cami scrolled through her contact list and tapped in the number on her cellphone. She was immediately put through to Russell Berman. He listened to her and then said, “I’d be honored to work with Lettie Chandler’s funds, and now yours. I suggest going over everything, making sure that the remainder of the money is placed in safe, conservative funds.”

  “But Mr. Berman, what am I going to do? I need money to pay for the renovation of rooms.” Cami felt like crying, but she refused to break down in front of Dirk.

  “The market is volatile right now. Hold off on spending any money until I get things sorted out. Then, you and I can talk about funding the renovation of rooms.”

  “Okay, but the hotel manager isn’t going to be happy about it,” sighed Cami. As she hung up, she wondered why she felt as betrayed by Dirk as she had been by Bernard.

  “Okay, Dirk,” said Cami, getting to her feet. “I think we’re done here.”

  He rose and turned to go, then turned back to her. “Maybe we could have dinner sometime.”

  Hysterical laughter bubbled inside her. He’d ruined her future and was asking for a date?

  “Really? I don’t think so. Goodbye, Dirk.”

  Later, repeating that conversation to Becca, she said, “Can you believe it?”

  “Yes. Have you taken a look at yourself? Thin, but with curves any guy would go for, you’re a stunning woman with that strawberry-blond hair and dark eyes. I’d kill for your looks.”

  Cami wrapped an arm around Becca. “You’re adorable. Being short isn’t bad, you know.”

  “And being a little round?” Becca said with an arched eyebrow.

  “Cuddly and warm. I’ve seen the looks Jonathan Knight gives you.”

  Becca made a face. “Jonathan is in love with himself. Haven’t you noticed?”

  The two of them looked at each other and laughed. Tall and broad-shouldered, Jonathan carried himself with confidence. His dark hair, green eyes, and strong features were undeniably attractive. His attitude, not so much.

  “For the time being, I’ve given up on men,” said Cami with feeling.

  “Not me.” Becca grinned. “And you have to admit that Dirk Evans is one hot guy.”

  “Yeah, but looks aren’t everything, Becca.” Cami recalled how handsome she’d thought Bernard was. Now, the memory of his face as he leaned down to kiss her made her stomach fill with acid.

  ###

  Cami’s meeting with Jonathan went no better than her talk with Dirk.

  “You can’t tell me the renovation program I’ve planned is kaput,” he groused, sitting in the office he’d assigned her. “The timing of it is perfect. Cold winter months are slow at the inn. And if we’re going to raise rates, we need to refresh the rooms.”

  “I don’t have any answers yet,” Cami said. “But give me time to come up with a revised plan. Our renovations fund has been depleted and we may need to use our cash flow to get anything done.”

  Jonathan’s lip curled with derision that matched his tone. “How can we do all the work I want that way? It’ll take a miracle.”

  Cami held up a hand to stop him. “I’ll get back to you as soon as I can, Jonathan. That’s all I can promise right now.”

  His silence screamed his anger as he stormed out of the office.

  Cami watched him leave, determined to show him just who she was. A Chandler and a Lopez.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Cami sat with Paloma at the pine kitchen table in the cabin and reminded herself to be strong. As her grandfather and she had agreed, life wasn’t simple. This was another instance of it.

  “I wish you weren’t leaving,” said Cami, setting down her mug of coffee. “Nonnee relied on you for so many things. I don’t know how I can ever replace you.”

  Paloma smiled, reached over, and squeezed Cami’s hand with affection. “Lettie and I helped each other and remained best of friends through everything. But, Cami, you’ll find someone like that for yourself. I like Becca. She’s smart and loyal. Give her a chance to grow with you.”

  Cami frowned at her. “I like her too, but it might not work. Jonathan doesn’t think I can run Chandler Hill Inn because I don’t have a degree in hotel management. Neither does Becca.”

  Paloma gave her a stern look. “And that opinion is going to stop you from learning what you need to know? Besides, you can call in a consultant whenever you need one. That’s how Lettie met Abby. Long before she became manager of The Barn, Abby was a consultant to Lettie when she first took over the inn.”

  “For the past several years, Abby’s done an outstanding job of handling all the merchandising for the inn and winery. And now she tells me she’s ready to retire. I feel like the only one left on a sinking boat.” Cami knew there was a whine in her voice, but she couldn’t help it. The Chandler Hill world she’d envisioned not long ago was crumbling before her eyes.

  “Think of how your grandmother felt at age nineteen when she was left the inn and vineyards with no experience to guide her. You, at least, spent your childhood here, know a great deal about growing grapes, and have an excellent business sense to help carry you through. Cami, you’re every bit as capable as your grandmother. You can do what you have to do to keep the Chandler Hill Inn and Winery going. It’s a pity Lettie trusted her new financial advisor to keep her money saf
e, but you can be creative about refreshing the guest rooms and making the inn look nice and inviting without spending all the money Jonathan requested.”

  Cami studied Paloma. Gray streaked her dark hair—a sign of experience and wisdom. Paloma returned Cami’s gaze, her eyes shining with intelligence and unmistakable affection.

  “Thanks. I needed to hear that.” Cami rose and threw her arms around Paloma. “I know why Nonnee loved you so much. I do too.”

  Paloma returned Cami’s hug. “Please understand. It’s only right that I leave for Arizona to be with my family. And it’s good for Rafe to be able to live here in the cabin. He could never leave Lettie. Now, he won’t have to. He can simply walk across the fields to talk to her.”

  “They really loved one another.” Cami’s voice quivered. “I hope someday to find a man as perfect as my grandfather was for Nonnee.”

  “You will.” Paloma smiled. “One often finds a few frogs before discovering the real prince.”

  Cami laughed. “Calling Bernard Arnaud that is about the best thing I can say about him.”

  “Sometimes, love finds a way to you when you’re least expecting it,” said Paloma. “Relax and enjoy finding new opportunities to make Chandler Hill even better. The rest will happen in time.”

  “You’re right. Realistically, I want to be able to do things my own way. Nonnee trusted me to do that.”

  “Indeed. That’s how she succeeded, and that’s how you’ll succeed.” Paloma got to her feet. “Do you want to look around? I don’t think you’ll need to make any changes to the cabin beyond a fresh coat of paint. Heaven knows, it doesn’t look at all like it did when Rafe met Lettie all those years ago.”

  “Sure, let’s do a quick walk-through. I want to make sure he’s going to be comfortable here.”

  Cami had heard stories of how her grandmother, Rafe, and Kenton had used the rustic cabin as a gathering place to taste and discuss wine and listen to music. It had been a humble abode then. Now, after Abby and her partner had expanded it, and with Paloma living there, what once was a simple cabin was a very lovely home in the woods. With two bedrooms, a den, a small office, a modern kitchen, and a large open area for living and dining, it was a comfortable haven for anyone who lived there.

  Cami and Paloma quickly agreed that aside from painting the master bedroom, nothing else needed to be done to the house after Paloma left. Rafe could decide if he agreed with them.

  “Though I’ll miss it, I’m sure Rafe will love living here,” said Paloma. “And it will be nice for you to have him around.”

  Cami kissed Paloma goodbye and headed back to the inn feeling a little stronger. She couldn’t let people like Jonathan undermine her determination to move forward with some confidence. Sure, she’d make some mistakes, but she’d make some wise choices too.

  ###

  Cami entered the inn and went directly to her office. When Nonnee was ill, Jonathan had taken over Nonnee’s office in the inn instead of staying in the one designated for him in the hotel wing. But if Cami was going to oversee the entire operation along with the hotel, she wanted to be in the heart of things where she’d have a better handle on what was going on. Besides, her working in Nonnee’s space was only right.

  Jonathan was on the phone when she walked into the office he called his own, but which was now supposed to be hers. He looked up, frowned, and waved her to a chair.

  She sat facing him as he discussed an advertising program he wanted to implement. As Cami listened, she grew alarmed at the costs Jonathan mentioned. Until things were straightened out, she needed to be very cautious about committing to any large expenditures.

  “Okay, that’s all set. I’ll get the money to you later today,” said Jonathan. He hung up the phone and turned to her. “That was the agreement to go forward with the travel campaign for the airlines.”

  Cami’s stomach knotted. “We can no longer do that campaign. We agreed to do that before I learned about the losses in my grandmother’s portfolio.”

  Jonathan slammed a hand down on the desk, startling her. “You can’t keep undermining me this way. You make me look like a fool.”

  “We don’t have the money,” Cami said as calmly as she could while thinking he was a bigger fool than she’d thought. “Until we can review and agree on both a cash flow forecast and a budget, and while the accountant is going over the numbers, we can’t spend any sizeable amount of money. I thought you understood that.”

  “You need to understand that you have to spend money to make money. It’s time to take the Chandler Hill Inn up a step or two, even if you have to borrow the funds.” He glared at her.

  Cami hated confrontation, wished at times she’d never promised Nonnee she’d come home to this mess. Drawing a deep breath, she gathered her thoughts.

  “Things won’t be easy for the next several months. I don’t think now is the time to borrow money, when we’re entering the slow season. We’re going to have to improvise, be creative. It’s not going to be a case of your making decisions on your own. If you don’t like it ...” She stopped before she went too far.

  His eyes widened. “Are you threatening to fire me?”

  “No,” she said calmly, “I’m merely telling you we need to be a team. I know things were thrown at you when Nonnee was ill. Now, I’ll be back in her office, handling what I can while I assume her duties.”

  “You want me to change offices?” The disbelief in his voice was irritating.

  “I was told that your being in this office was a temporary arrangement.” Cami couldn’t help wondering what other things Jonathan had assumed while her grandmother lay dying.

  Jonathan jumped to his feet. “I’ve got to get out of here.”

  “Okay. I’ll have Becca help me gather your things,” Cami said as calmly as she could. Her mouth grew dry at the thought of losing him.

  “Don’t you touch a damn thing!” Jonathan shouted, shaking a warning finger at her.

  Stunned, Cami sat back in her chair and watched him leave. As soon as he was gone, Cami rose to her feet and went to find Becca. “Please get me the number for Barnes and Associates.”

  “Everything all right?” Becca said. “I heard the yelling.”

  “I don’t know, but I’m going to find out,” said Cami. It was time to call in a lawyer.

  After discussing the situation at Chandler Hill with her, Cami was convinced Jamison Barnes Winkler was the right person to help her. According to her online bio, Lew Barnes’ granddaughter was reputedly as clever and as honest as he had been. In her forties and the mother of teenage twin girls, she was a formidable foe to anyone who dared to challenge her.

  ###

  Two days later, Cami stood inside Portland International Airport waiting for Jamison to arrive. At first, she had been hesitant to hire a woman to handle the situation. Even today in a man’s world of business, it was too easy to dismiss a strong woman for those very qualities of leadership that were accepted in a man.

  Cami scanned the California flight’s disembarked passengers walking through the passenger terminal. When she finally realized the tiny blonde heading toward her with a friendly wave was Jamison, Cami chuckled. The booming voice she’d heard on the phone was that of a large, overpowering woman. This person looked like the kind of woman with whom you’d happily choose to chat over coffee.

  “Cami?” said the woman, approaching her.

  “Yes, and you’re Jamison?”

  Jamison smiled and nodded. “In person. I’m glad to meet you. My grandfather had such admiration for your grandmother.”

  “I’ve been left with big shoes to fill,” admitted Cami. “That’s why I’m glad you’re here. I need to make sure things are in order. After Nonnee became ill, Jonathan assumed a lot of her responsibilities to handle at the inn. After a few conversations with him, I’m concerned about that.”

  “So you mentioned. We’ll soon get everything straightened out. And if your Mr. Knight is not wearing a shining coat of armor, we’
ll take care of him.” Jamison’s blue eyes shown with humor.

  As they waited for Jamison’s luggage to arrive in baggage claim, Cami and Jamison chatted easily. Jamison talked about her daughters, who at age sixteen were a handful. She spoke lovingly of them and Wynton, her husband of many years and an artist who enjoyed some fame for his modern paintings in mixed media.

  When Cami heard Jamison mention her husband’s name, she clutched Jamison’s arm with excitement. “You’re married to Wynton Winkler? Oh my God! I’m such an admirer of his work. I studied some of his paintings in school.”

  “He’d be flattered,” said Jamison. “I love his work too. We’re as different as can be, but we somehow make it work. How about you, Cami? Anyone special in your life?”

  “Besides my grandfather, Rafe?” Cami shook her head. “No, I’m through with men at the moment.”

  Jamison smiled knowingly. “We all have moments like that. Even when we’re married.”

  Cami laughed at the wink Jamison gave her. She liked this spunky woman.

  ###

  On the ride to Chandler Hill, they talked about what Cami would ask of Jamison while she was at the inn and what she wanted her to do going forward. Jamison then asked Cami lots of questions about growing grapes, running the inn, and managing the expectations of guests.

  As she talked, Cami realized she knew a lot more about the overall operation than she’d thought. She glanced at Jamison, and seeing her smile, realized that’s what Jamison had hoped for all along.

  “Sounds to me like you’re not the naïve newcomer Jonathan thinks you are,” said Jamison. “That’s good. I like surprises. Let’s see if he does.”

  Remembering the way Jonathan had dismissed her views on occasion, Cami laughed with delight.

  Jamison looked around with interest when Cami drove up the long driveway to the inn. And when Cami pulled into the parking lot in front of it, Jamison let out a soft whistle.

  “Online pictures can’t compare to this. The inn and the setting around it are stunning.”

  Cami filled with a sense of pride. “It’s beautiful, I know. But like my grandmother and the Chandler men, it’s the land I love most. Probably because she walked me through it over and over again from the time I was little.”