“I just got in. I’ll come park my car and meet up with you.”
Having Aiden here will be a blessing. He’s always been good at reading situations, as well as encouraging people. But what do I need him to tell me?
I’m sure the first directive will be to contact my father.
I sit on a bench and stare out into the sea, wondering what my life would’ve been like if I had stayed in California after college. I’d always known I would inherit the family business, and after college I wasn’t sure if it would make it. Sales had been so low, and employee turnover very high. We’ve come a long way since then, going from three to fifteen stores under Wolfgang’s reign, to over three hundred worldwide since I took over.
When my dad had a heart attack and turned the company over to me, it felt like everything relied on me to keep the family going. When I say he turned the company over, he was happy to give up all the boardroom meetings and discussions about products to include in our grocery stores, but he still tried to assert control over a lot of things.
Would I have become a beach bum? I doubt it. Wolfgang was at my door almost the minute after I graduated from Hawthorne. And that was even before the heart attack that made him give the control to me.
I can’t live in the past. At only thirty-two years old, I have a whole life in front of me, one that I want to take control of. I don’t want to be miserable the rest of my life, so I can’t marry Victoria. But the biggest question of all is, how do I convince my father of that?
I hear Aiden before he gets to me, his hand slapping my back before he rounds the bench I’m on.
“I still can’t believe you’re out here,” Aiden says. “What a great surprise. Are you settling in?”
I smile him. “It’s hard not to settle into this place,” I say with a laugh. “I was actually just thinking about what my life would have been like if I had stayed in California after college.”
“I would’ve stayed with you, and we would have had a great life,” he says. “Not that I don’t love my life already.”
He takes a seat next to me, and we stare out at the ocean. “Where are you planning to stay while you’re here?”
“One of my apartments is open for a few days, so I was going to stay there. Where are you?”
“Well, I started at the B&B, but a pipe burst. I’ve been in one of the apartments above the coffee shop.”
Aiden frowns. “I thought those weren’t finished.”
“The surf shop at the end of town has a surprisingly thorough, if small, area for camping supplies. The air mattress should last me two more days, until Friday, when the furniture arrives.”
Blinking several times, Aiden says, “Are you kidding me? You can stay with me.”
“Where is your place?” I ask, curious.
“Outside of town about five minutes. There’s room and another bed.”
As much as I don’t want to be too far away from town, my back could use another option, at least until an actual mattress is delivered.
“If you don’t mind, I’ll take you up on that.” It will be strange knowing Avery isn’t across the hall, but I’ll still be here during the day, checking on things. “How long has it been since you were last here?”
“Two years ago, for the sale,” he says. “We used to come down every summer as a family and stay for two weeks. It was a tradition that my mom’s family started when she was a kid.”
“What changed?” I ask.
“We all just got busy. Evan and Sophie coordinate weddings in their hotels, and with my sister living in Italy, and my other brother across the states, it’s hard to get everyone together at the same time. My parents still come here and bring a bunch of their friends. I definitely miss it, though. I need to take some time out to come more often.”
“We should plan to have the yearly group trip here thisyear. Those with families will have plenty to do here while we catch up and do business. I’m surprised you haven’t brought us all out before.” I pause a moment and turn to him with a question. “Why didn’t you tell us why we needed to buy the buildings here?”
Aiden raises an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“I guess a few companies are trying to tear down a bunch and add luxury resorts.”
With a sheepish smile, he says, “I felt weird about painting it like that. I mean, a bunch of us are used to buying up companies or land to turn a profit. I figured that helping Penrose Beach keep what they have and polish it would be better.”
“Understandable. Let’s never use Rusty Simms for anything again, okay?”
Aiden grimaces. “From everything you’ve told me, and the little job I had him do in one of my buildings, that’s probably for the best.”
