Their Family Blessing

by Lorraine Beatty

  “How long do we have to wait?” Lucy looked up at him with a frown. “Maybe the fish aren’t hungry.”

  Mack smiled at his niece’s serious tone.

  “Are you sure they like worms, Mr. Mack?” Ella asked.

  Lucy glanced up at him. “Maybe we should go out in the boat and fish. Wouldn’t that be better, Uncle Mack?”

  “Maybe next time. Ella, put your line back in. The fish can’t find the worm if it’s not in the water.”

  Mack let the girls’ chatter swirl around him. How long had it been since he’d taken a few moments to relax? Since becoming Lucy’s guardian his life had grown more hectic. He’d had no idea how much time and thought went into raising a child. And a girl at that. He might have been less stressed if Lucy had been a Luke. But he had to admit he was captivated by her little girl ways and the way she would climb into his lap and make his heart melt like an ice cube on hot concrete.

  His admiration for single parents had grown exponentially. Carly was doing a great job with Ella, but he was concerned about her financial burden. No wonder she wanted to sell the lodge. He understood completely, and if he wasn’t so emotionally attached to the place he’d go along with her wish to sell out. But his heart was tied up with Longleaf lodge. It was his home in many ways, even more than the one he’d shared with his mother. He also knew how important the business had been to his friend Wade. He’d wanted the legacy for his niece. He couldn’t simply let it go without a fight.

  “I didn’t know we were having a fishing tournament.”

  Mack turned his head as Carly came toward them along the dock from across the lawn. The sunlight bounced off her silky hair and brightened the brown in her eyes to gold. The simple green sundress she wore fluttered around her calves. She was even more beautiful than he’d remembered. Each time he saw her he was captivated.

  “Mommy, I’m fishing. Mr. Mack put the worm on the hook, though. It was too yucky for me.”

  She stopped beside Ella and sat down on the wooden dock, dangling her feet like the rest of them.

  “My dad and I used to fish from this dock a lot.”

  Lucy grinned. “Next time we’re going out in the boat, aren’t we?”

  Mack glanced at Carly. “If that’s okay.”

  Carly touched the little life jacket her daughter wore. “Thank you for taking precautions.”

  “I wouldn’t let anything happen to either of the girls.”

  “No, of course not. I should have realized that.”

  Mack looked past Carly. “You expecting company?”

  Carly turned her head. “No.”

  A balding man in a button-down shirt approached across the grass. “I’m looking for Mrs. Hughes.”

  Carly quickly got to her feet and greeted the man. “I’m Mrs. Hughes.”

  “Russell DeLong. We spoke earlier.”

  Mack watched Carly’s shoulders stiffen before she glanced at him and then quickly started toward the house. “Yes. Of course. Why don’t we go into the office.”

  Something in the way she carried herself set off alarms in Mack’s head. He ended the fishing as quickly as he could and sent the girls on to Thelma, then went in search of Carly.

  He found them in the lodge office, and from the look on her face Carly was liking what the man said. Which meant he wouldn’t.

  He took a moment to calm his anger and concern, then stepped into the room.

  * * *

  Carly looked up, the blood draining from her face when she saw Mack come into the room. He was the last person she wanted in on this conversation. Before she could speak, he stepped forward and extended his hand. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”

  “I’m Russell DeLong. I’m very interested in acquiring this property for development.”

  Mack tossed a hard glare in her direction.

  “Mackenzie Bridges. I’m the other heir to the Longleaf Lodge.”

  Carly’s hopes faded. She pressed her lips together.

  DeLong glanced between them, obviously confused. “I understood that I was dealing with the owner’s daughter.”

  “And me. We’re both listed in the will Mr. Porter left. His daughter inherited the lodge, but I inherited the land. Makes for a sticky situation, don’t you think?”

  “Indeed it does.”

  Mack took a seat beside DeLong and crossed his legs, assuming a casual posture. Carly knew him well enough to read below the surface and see that he was covering his irritation with a veneer of friendly interest.

  DeLong shifted his attention to Carly but cast a glance at Mack, as well. “I was telling Mrs. Hughes that my partner and I are looking to create a family-oriented resort on this side of the lake. Something that will offer an alternative to the high-priced options of the chain resort.”

  “Well, that’s exactly what we already have here. Longleaf has always appealed to families and those who want a quiet outdoor experience with time to reflect and enjoy their kids.”

  “Yes, but we’d like to do more than offer a pool and hiking trails.”

  “Such as?”

  Carly cringed at the challenging tone in Mack’s voice.

  “Well, for starters we’d build a water park with a lazy river feature and wave pool, then we’d triple the number of rooms available at the lodge, as well as increasing the current campsites and RV pads.”

  “And what are you offering for the property, Mr. DeLong?”

  Carly bit her lip. Mack was not going to be happy. DeLong made his offer and Mack smiled slowly. He stood and held out his hand. “Thank you for coming, Mr. DeLong, but I don’t think we’re interested at the moment. We appreciate you stopping by.”

  DeLong stood, looking a bit stunned and confused. Mack deftly steered him toward the door, walking with him to the front porch. Carly lowered her head into her hands, dreading the confrontation to come.

  Mack entered the office and closed the door. “What are you doing?”

  She set her jaw. “I was trying to sell the estate. The way we agreed.”

  “Selling is one thing. Giving it away is something else. Why didn’t you talk to me first? Why did you go behind my back?”

  “I didn’t intend to. He called and I told him I’d hear his offer. He saw the listing I had posted online before I took it down. His offer was a solid one.”

  “No. He was trying to steal the place. Carly, he wants to doze everything and build a whole new complex. There won’t be anything left of Longleaf. Is that really what you want?”

  “Why are you being so stubborn? We agreed that this was the best plan.”

  “No. I didn’t.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I only agreed to look for a buyer so you’d stay here. I won’t ever agree to sell your dad’s business. It wouldn’t be right.”

  “So all that talk about understanding my position, my need for money to pay off doctor bills, that was all a lie?”

  “I didn’t know about the medical bills at the time. I do understand, but there has to be another solution.”

  “What? The way things are going we’ll never get the lodge open in time to meet the deadline. Nothing is going on schedule.”

  “Yes, we will. I haven’t given up.”

  “You lied to me, Mack.”

  “I’d say we’re even.”

  She couldn’t argue with that. “I told you it all happened rather quickly. There wasn’t time.”

  “I’m sorry, but I couldn’t just let you hand this place over to some stranger. It’s your family legacy.”

  She wanted to deny his words but for some reason she couldn’t. Longleaf had been in her family for three generations. Did she have the right to turn her back and walk away? “I understand what you’re saying, but look around. We’re not making a whole lot of progress here. The young man Thelma hired to run t
he snack bar can’t start for weeks. Not to mention the electricians and plumbers who keep missing their appointments. We’re already three weeks into our timeline, and all we have is a few maids and an arrangement with the local bakery. Oh, and thanks to the rain, we haven’t even cleared the trails yet.”

  “But, on the plus side, we have a new roof on a cabin, the canoes are being repaired, and the campsites are all set. I’ll get to the trails this week.”

  “Mack. No matter what you say, I’m not going to change my mind. I don’t want to run the lodge. I want my life back in Atlanta. Sorry if you don’t believe me, but that’s the truth.”

  “I don’t believe you. I remember how much you loved this place. We talked about it all the time. You had ideas for making the place better.”

  “I was a kid with silly dreams.”

  “Not silly, Carly. It was a vision for a future.” He came closer. “As a matter of fact, I remember you drawing up a plan for adding several attractions to the grounds not too different from what that DeLong guy mentioned.”

  Carly turned away. She remembered. They’d huddled in one of the pavilions, and she’d drawn out her ideas for making the grounds more exciting. She’d even shared her ideas with her dad and he’d been enthusiastic, as well. He was always looking for ways to improve the campgrounds.

  “That was a long time ago. Right now I just want to get through this mess my father left behind.”

  “Fine. Then I need to get back to work. I’ll be at the big cabin if you need me.” He turned and strode out.

  Carly covered her eyes, trying to sort through the mess. Mack had agreed to sell only as a ploy to gain more time. Hoping she would change her mind. If he was serious about never letting the lodge go, then she had a problem. Now she had to find a way to change his mind.

  * * *

  Scooping Spackle onto the trowel, he spread it smoothly along the seams in the drywall, feathering it out across the surface. His emotions still stung from Carly’s meeting with the prospective buyer. He’d always thought he and Carly were on the same page when he worked here, but now he found they were not only working against each other, but doing so with animosity. He didn’t like fighting with Carly.

  A distant roll of thunder broke the silence. There was band of storms heading this way. He welcomed the weather. It suited his dark mood. He’d be trapped in the cabin alone to do his work without interruption. The harder he worked, the easier it was to keep thoughts of Carly at bay.

  Once again he sent up a prayer of gratitude for Thelma. With all that was going on, he didn’t have to worry about Lucy. He knew she’d be happy as long as she was with her surrogate granny and her friend Ella.

  Mack heard the crunch of gravel as a truck pulled up outside. He glanced over his shoulder as Dwayne strode in. He made a quick survey of the space. “Coming along good.”

  “I guess.” He filled his trowel again and spread it over another section of seam. He could sense his friend’s concern from across the room.

  “Something got your hackles up?”

  Mack smeared another trowel of Spackle, fighting the urge to tell the older man to back off. But Dwayne understood Carly better than anyone and it would accomplish nothing by being curt. He set the trowel and tray on the sawhorse and faced his friend. “Carly had a meeting with a potential buyer.”

  “And she didn’t tell you.”

  The understanding in Dwayne’s voice eased Mack’s irritation. “No. She went behind my back.”

  “It’s logical, don’t you think, considering you’re not being honest with her about selling? Maybe it’s time to clear the air and let her know your true position.”

  Mack crossed his arms over his chest. “I did. She didn’t take it well.”

  Dwayne shook his head. “I can talk to her if you think it will help.”

  “I doubt if she’ll listen to anything either of us would say.”

  “She needs more time.”

  “Not sure there’s enough time in the universe to make her change her mind.”

  Dwayne patted his back. “Give it a little longer. She has a lot of hurt to dig through.”

  Mack nodded, returning to his work after Dwayne left. What about his hurt? The hurt Carly had left behind had never gone away. Having her back at the lake had forced him to realize that his love for her had never faded.

  Maybe he should get on board with her plan and let the lodge go. He could still provide a good home for Lucy. He had his job with the sheriff’s department in Gulfport and he could find them a small house to live in instead of his small apartment. Logically it made sense, but his heart shouted it was wrong.

  * * *

  Carly closed her eyes, replaying the moment Mack had stormed out of her father’s office, his shoulders squared, his neck stiff and each step revealing his anger. She’d made a mistake by not telling him about the meeting with DeLong. Foolishly she’d thought the man would make a decent offer, and she and Mack would be happy with a quick settlement. She’d underestimated Mack’s affection for the campgrounds. His love for the lodge ran as deep as her father’s. She’d have to apologize. Having Mack as an enemy wouldn’t help either of them.

  She’d been wrong about that day when she had seen Mack and her dad go off together. She was beginning to wonder if she’d been wrong about other things, too. Perhaps Mack had a point. Maybe she should dig a little deeper into the reasons behind her parents’ divorce. All she really knew was what her mom had told her. It had been a long time ago and her mom had been married twice since then. Maybe she was ready to open up about the end of her marriage to her father and help her understand.

  Plus, there was the slip of the tongue last time they spoke when she had mentioned Richard. Who was Richard?

  It took Carly a half hour to gather up the courage to call her mom. Their phone conversations were usually tense and awkward. She’d tried FaceTime with her, but it made her mom self-conscious, and texting was too impersonal.

  “Hi, Mom. It’s me. How are you?”

  “Fine, dear. I can’t talk long. Sanford and I are going to a cocktail party with friends. Are you back home now?”

  “No, Mom, there’s still a lot to do here at the lodge before we can settle the estate.”

  “It’s just like your father to force you to keep that business of his. He was determined to hang on to that money pit.”

  “He loved it, Mom.”

  “That’s all he loved.”

  “Is that why you got divorced? Because he ignored you?”

  “He cheated. Again and again. I’d had enough.”

  “Did you catch him?”

  “I didn’t have to. A woman knows these things. Besides, I saw him talking to that Bonnie person once too often. I knew what was up.”

  “Bonnie who?”

  “I don’t want to talk about this with you. It’s over and done.”

  “Mom, who is this Richard you mentioned?”

  Her mother inhaled a sharp breath. “Where did you hear that name?”

  “You mentioned it to me the last time we talked. You said if Richard had been where he was supposed to be, things would have been different.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I need to go. I need to get ready for the party. Hurry and finish up down there so you can go home.”

  Carly made vague promises before hanging up. She was more confused than ever and more determined to find answers. At least now she had a name. Bonnie. The Lake Hope community was small and close-knit. If she could find someone who had been living here around the time of her parents’ split, maybe they could fill in some blanks.

  A part of her wanted Mack to be right—that her father hadn’t been unfaithful. But if that were true, then she’d been horribly unfair to him—and she had a long overdue confrontation with her mother in her future.

  Coming home ha
d not only unearthed her long-buried emotions, but now it was uncovering things she wished she didn’t know.

  The conversation with her mother left her edgy and restless. She sat at her father’s large rustic desk, her mind seeing her dad sitting here happily going over every detail of his beloved campgrounds. He used to draw out his ideas on legal paper, things like new trails he wanted to add, a better design for the dock or a special launch pier for the canoes.

  One by one she opened the drawers but found only normal business files. Her gaze drifted to the large cabinet in the corner. He’d stored old blueprints there. She sorted through things and found a long roll of paper different from the rest. Spreading it out on the desk, she saw it was a layout of the lodge and the campgrounds, but very different from the way it was right now.

  The lodge was bigger, the number of RV pads had been expanded, the camping sites upgraded. Two new playgrounds, a climbing wall and volleyball court were new. A fitness obstacle course had been added, along with a hedge maze and additional cabins. A note about adding a new plot of land was scribbled in the upper right-hand corner.

  Her dad had plans to expand and make the Longleaf more appealing to a wider range of families. Yet nothing had been done. Why? He had the money, why didn’t he do these things?

  She was growing tired of the mounting number of questions and contradictions. Her mom always claimed she was shorted on her child support. If that were true—and he had the money—why didn’t he go through with the improvements?

  Carly went in search of Dwayne, but he and Thelma had taken the girls to the marina for ice cream. That left Mack. Not her first choice given the recent disagreement, but she needed answers. Now.

  Thunder rumbled across the sky as she hurried out to the golf cart. A storm was coming. Perfect. It matched the one brewing inside her. Pressing the accelerator, she steered the small vehicle toward the cabins, keeping the throttle full.