Love Me

by Quinn Ward

  I bolted out of my chair and started pacing around the room. Five hundred fucking thousand dollars. Until I saw that number staring back at me, I’d convinced myself Jen was right, that worst-case scenario, I could buy James out, but I didn’t have that type of money.

  “I know, Dane. And it’s no excuse, but I wouldn’t have done this if I’d known my father had changed his will so you inherited half of the inn,” he explained, his voice strained. He slumped over the desk, banging his head against the surface. “I was stupid. So fucking stupid. I should have just let the contractors come after us in court. Should have fought this the right way, explained that he wasn’t in the right frame of mind to make business decisions. Because he wasn’t. He was so desperate to leave something of himself when he passed that his dreams spiraled out of control.”

  “Seems to be a common problem in this family,” I muttered.

  His head jerked up and he glared at me.

  “Sorry, I’m trying not to be a dick here, but this has the potential to fuck up more than just your life. If either of you had stopped and thought about what you were doing, it might’ve saved a fuck-ton of problems. But that doesn’t matter now because we have to figure out a way past this. Preferably one that won’t lose the inn or wind up with you wearing a pair of concrete shoes for a late-night swim.”

  “They’re not the fucking mob, Dane,” James argued.

  “Well, they sure as fuck aren’t Good Samaritans either.” I stood, swiping the scrap of paper off the desk. I needed to get away and think. Needed to take a step back and pray to everything holy that an answer would fall in my lap. Because I wouldn’t go back on my promises to Brook.

  On my way out the back of the inn, I heard Brook call after me. By the time I reached the bottom step off the patio, Brook’s hand landed on my shoulder. “Where are you going? What happened? I heard you in there yelling at him.”

  “You were right, Brook.” I spun around, gripping his arms tightly. Maybe too tightly. “He didn’t do it for the reasons you might be thinking, but he’s into someone for a whole lot of money, and I have to find a way to clean up the mess before we lose everything. I can’t lose this place. Can’t lose you.”

  “You won’t, Dane.” Brook cupped the back of my head and pressed my face to his chest. With him two steps above me, he was slightly taller than me. His body surrounded me as he promised I wouldn’t lose him no matter what happened, which comforted me. Allowed me to breathe just a little easier. “No matter what happens, what’s happening between us isn’t connected to the Inn. We’ll find a way, Dane. Do you want me to walk with you?”

  “Not right now.” I looked up and hated myself for the sadness behind his eyes. “I’m not running away, Brook. I promise I’ll be back. But right now I need to walk to the end of the island, where no one will bother me, and think. There must be a solution, and I intended to find it.”

  14

  Brook

  When you told me you didn’t want to talk to me, I was devastated. All I wanted to know was what I’d done to push you away so I could fix it. You asked for time, and I gave it to you. Eventually, I stopped trying to reach out to you. After 14 years, I want you to know that I forgive you. I realize there was something going on that might not have had anything to do with me, which is why I couldn’t make it right. I’ll never forget you, but I have to release myself from the anger I’ve aimed at both of us this whole time. Love, C

  I promise I’ll be back. Dane’s parting words echoed through my mind as I tried to focus on preparing for tonight’s guests. My desire to respect his wishes warred with my need to prove he didn’t have to get through life’s struggles on his own anymore.

  James’s mess was something Dane didn’t need right now. He was already stressed out about flying home to pick up his dad when he was released from prison. Although he was eager to have his family back together, I could tell he was trying to tamp down the worry that things between them would never be the same again. And he was right; both of them were different people than they’d been before his dad was arrested, tried, and convicted. Much of the man Dane had become was painted by the events of a boy who needed to know he wasn’t alone in the world. It had left him jaded, reluctant to let people close to him, incapable of trusting that those he cared about wouldn’t abandon him.

  But I wasn’t abandoning him, I was doing my job. I was respecting him by staying right where I was while he tried to find a way to save the inn.

  “I’m sorry, Brook.” James’s apology startled me out of my internal debate. I turned on my heel, ready to lash out because he’d potentially screwed up everything in my life with his idiocy. One look at the bags under his eyes and the hair sticking out in every direction from twisting it in his fists cut off my bitterness.

  It wasn’t for the reasons you thought.

  “If you want to quit, I wouldn’t blame you, but I hope you’ll hear me out first.” Funny, even though I was angry with him for managing to upend both my personal and work life without any consideration, quitting had never crossed my mind. This inn was my life, even more now that Dane was here. Walking away from my job would feel too much like walking away from him, and I wouldn’t do that. Couldn’t, no matter what happened.

  “You don’t have to tell me anything, James. From the sounds of it, this is a family issue.”

  “True, but it impacts you too.” James’s shoulders slumped forward as he hung his head in shame. “I was so set on keeping everything my father had worked for alive that I made some poor decisions.”

  That was one way of putting it. I pursed my lips to keep from saying anything, because it was obviously important to James that he filled me in on what was going on.

  The more James explained what had led to the decisions he made, the more my anger receded. Dane was right; this was nothing like I’d originally assumed was going on.

  “The problem is, I made a lot of mistakes in my life, and no one would grant me a loan when the building wasn’t technically mine. My attorney advised me to wait until I tracked down Dane, see if he was on board with updating the inn, and go from there.”

  “But you didn’t,” I interjected.

  “No.” James slowly shook his head from side to side, letting out a deep sigh. “I resented being told I needed to wait for someone who was family only because of a genetic bond, before doing what I knew my father had dreamed about. I should have listened to him….”

  “You’re a stubborn ass, James,” I lashed out. I had no clue where the balls to speak so frankly to my boss came from, but I didn’t regret it. The inn had been my first job, and I was the only employee who’d been there more than a year. I’d missed out on family holidays to help the Montgomerys, skipped my senior trip because it would have put them in a bind. I might not own the place, but that didn’t mean I felt any less strongly about its success than he did. “You were hell-bent on proving to your father that you weren’t a colossal screwup, even though he was dead. And now it sounds like you’ve managed to mess things up so royally no one may be able to save what your father built. Was it worth it?”

  James was silent for nearly a minute. “I want to say no, but I couldn’t give up. I couldn’t. I don’t expect you to understand what it was like growing up with her. This was the one thing Dad had that was completely his own.”

  “Then you’d better hope like hell your nephew, the same man you resented before you even knew him, can figure out a way to save your sorry ass.”

  As much as I’d love to sit around making James feel even worse about his bad life decisions, there was work to be done. He and Dane needed to figure out where to come up with the money to save the inn, which left me to make sure the guests had no clue there was a storm brewing behind the scenes.

  By midafternoon, there was still no sign of Dane. Between check-ins, I slid my phone onto the desk and tapped out a quick message.

  Worried about you. It’s hot out there, and I doubt you grabbed water or sunblock.

  I ha
dn’t expected a response, but the little bubble appeared at the bottom of the screen, telling me Dane was typing. Then it went away. Came back. Gone. I stared at the screen, waiting for his reply, but then the front door chimed.

  “Welcome to Bird Island Inn,” I said, pretending to type something into the computer while I slipped a stack of papers over the phone.

  My blood ran cold when I looked up. No way was the man standing before me a guest. He was dressed in a black button-down and slacks, mirrored glasses hanging from the pocket of his shirt. I wished he’d put them back on, because his dead eyes bored into me, causing me to shrink back.

  “I’m here to speak to James Montgomery,” he said flatly, looking past me to the office door.

  “I’m sorry, but he’s not in right now.” It dawned on me that this was the same man I’d seen James arguing with in the parking lot in the past. He seemed taller from a distance, but his shorter-than-expected stature didn’t make him any less intimidating. He had broad shoulders, and the threads of his shirt looked ready to burst under the strain of his bulging biceps.

  “Perhaps you could check, just to be sure.”

  “I suppose, but seeing as he has to walk past me when he enters or leaves his office, I can assure you, it’s empty.” Getting mouthy with the goon probably wasn’t my smartest decision of the day, but it seemed my brain-to-mouth filter had taken the day off.

  “Check.” He narrowed his eyes, never blinking, as he nodded toward the office door. Praying he’d leave once he had confirmation James wasn’t here, I made a show of swinging the door wide.

  “See, empty.” I stayed near the office, putting a safe distance between myself and the goon. “He left about an hour ago. Didn’t say when he’d be back.”

  “I’ll wait.” He stalked his way across the lobby to the library. I didn’t want to challenge him again, but it wasn’t good for business to have a loan shark, or his muscle, hanging around where families could see him.

  “Sir, I understand that you want to meet with James, but we’re trying to run a family establishment here. Perhaps it’d be best if you waited in your vehicle.” Or got in the car and drove far, far away from here. Damn James and his stupid fucking loans.

  “You’re pretty ballsy for a little guy.” The goon sneered at me as he stood. “Better watch it. Little boys with big mouths tend to attract big trouble.”

  I gripped the edge of the desk tightly, willing my body to quit shaking before my knees gave out. I couldn’t be certain, but his parting shot sure as hell felt like a threat. Once the goon was gone, I reached for my phone and typed out a frantic message.

  I know you wanted to be left alone, but I need you back here. ASAP.

  This time, Dane’s response was immediate.

  OMW

  Every time the door chimed following the goon’s departure, my stomach flipped. I’d texted James to let him know someone had stopped by to see him, deleting the bit about what an asshole he was to put me in the middle of his bullshit. I wasn’t sure whether I hoped he’d race back to take care of his mess or heed the warning and disappear for a while. My overactive imagination wanted him to get his ass back here and take whatever they had to dish out, but my heart kept reminding me that he was Dane’s family.

  The doors to the patio opened, revealing Dane in silhouette. Finally I felt my chest loosen, and I was able to breathe again. I wanted to run to him, but at that same moment, the front doors opened to a family whose kids were squealing in anticipation.

  “Welcome to Bird Island Inn.”

  Dane leaned against the doorframe, watching as I checked in our newest guests, directed them to their room, and told them where they could find some beach toys for the kids when the time came. So far, that had been one of the best suggestions I’d made; families often didn’t think about the little things when packing their vehicles for a road trip and having some on hand cut back on the number of abandoned tools when guests checked out. Sure, there were still some, but now we added those to the tote on the back deck for anyone to use.

  Once the family headed to their room, Dane sauntered across the lobby and behind the desk. I sank into his embrace as he wrapped his arms around me from behind.

  He kissed the side of my head and a bit more of my panic melted away. “What’s wrong?”

  “Someone came by to see your uncle today, and I’m pretty sure he wasn’t an old friend looking to reconnect.”

  Dane’s hold around my waist tightened. “Shit. I’m sorry you’re stuck in the middle of this, babe.”

  “It’s fine,” I lied. It wasn’t, but it also wasn’t Dane’s problem. He was just as thrown into this as I was. “Don’t suppose you had an epiphany while you were out thinking, did you?”

  “I have a few ideas,” he admitted. “But I need to make some calls before I say anything. I’m going to run up to the room and grab my laptop so I can work down here. I don’t want you alone until we figure this out.”

  I turned in Dane’s embrace, reaching up to grab his chin and force him to look at me. “I appreciate the concern, but you can’t be here every minute. I’ll be fine. I held my own and made him leave once he knew James wasn’t here.”

  “What do you mean you made him leave?” Dane seemed more pissed off than proud. “Brook, tell me you didn’t do anything stupid. Please. These aren’t the type of guys you can fuck around with.”

  “And I didn’t,” I insisted. “All I did was tell him he couldn’t wait in the lobby because we’re trying to run a family establishment. I didn’t think it’d be good for business to have someone who looked like he just stepped out of a mob movie lurking around. If you have work to do, anything that’ll keep them from coming back here, do it. If I need you, I have no doubt you’ll come running down the stairs.”

  “Or maybe saying I’ll work down here to make sure you’re okay is just a cover because I like watching you work.” It was a stretch, but flattery went a long way toward soothing my chafed ego. Even more when Dane nibbled at my ear as he ground his hips against me. “Can’t blame me if I like watching the way you dance around when it gets busy. Some people would get flustered, but it’s like the chaos fuels you into motion.”

  “Or maybe, if things get that busy, you could step behind the desk and help out,” I suggested. The more Dane talked about staying down here to help run the inn, the more I allowed myself to think about what it’d be like if this was our place. I wanted to work side by side with him, making sure we ran the best damned inn in town. But first, we had to make sure the goon and his buddies didn’t torch the place out of revenge or some shit.

  “If you need me, holler,” he told me. “I’m going to grab the computer and make some calls. We will figure out a way to fix this.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “Me too, babe.”

  15

  Dane

  Fifteen lonely years I spent with my husband. Lived and learned. Got my heart broken and felt used. I’ve come to realize everything he put me through was a blessing in disguise. It’s because of him that I met my current boyfriend. I’m falling in love more and more every day. Love is worth the risk. It’s worth all the pain and lonely nights because sometimes it leads to much bigger, better things. -B

  “Tell me you’ve got good news for me, Jen.” I fought to keep her from hearing how frustrated I’d become. She didn’t have to spend every minute she wasn’t working or taking care of her family trying to save my ass, but she was.

  Unfortunately, I was running out of time. I didn’t want to head back to New York without some sort of resolution. I’d tried convincing Brook to take his first vacation in forever to fly back with me, but he’d sensibly pointed out that someone needed to stay here to run the inn. If it’d been up to me, I’d have called every guest and apologized for some nonexistent maintenance emergency, but he wouldn’t go for that. I pressed to the point he stormed out of our room and slammed the door behind him. That’d been a cold night alone in our bed, and I wasn’t lookin
g for a repeat performance.

  “I do, but it’s not as simple as signing a check,” she warned me.

  I threw a pen across the room, pissed that James had gotten us into this mess. Angry with my grandfather for not reaching out to me before it was too late. Upset for my father, who’d never forgive himself for not getting to say goodbye. So much about this situation was beyond fucked-up.

  “Don’t get pissy with me. I warned you it was going to take time. Lucky for you, I have a friend who specializes in this type of transaction, and she’s going to help us out. By the end of the week, she’ll have a contract for you to show James. If he agrees to the terms, we’ll get the ball rolling.”

  “Not good enough, Jen,” I hissed through gritted teeth. I was getting on a plane in two days, and I needed this wrapped up before then. Needed to know no one was going to come around and fuck with Brook while I was gone.

  “Sorry, bud, it’s the best I can do. I’m not a miracle worker, but if we pull this off, I’ll come pretty damn close.” I could hear her acrylic nails tapping against the keyboard, which meant she had me on speakerphone. “If you’d like, I can get the ball rolling on liquidating the investments we’ll need to make this happen. That way, the money is already in your account and ready to transfer as soon as James agrees. He will agree, right?”

  “Not really sure he has much of a choice at this point. If he wanted to hang on to the inn, maybe he shouldn’t have made deals with back-alley loan sharks.” I’d done some digging into the men James borrowed the money from. There wasn’t much on them, but from what I’d gathered, they were small players trying to establish themselves. In some ways, that didn’t ease my mind, because there was no telling what measures they’d take to prove they meant business.