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On that long ago summer, Kent had dated her sister for months, and then suddenly he stood Cari up for their cousin’s wedding. No phone call. No explanation. He was just gone. Cari had been so upset that she wouldn’t speak of it.
Sara had sought him out at his parents’ furniture store. She wasn’t about to let him treat her sister that way. When she asked him why he’d dumped her sister and he wouldn’t answer, she told him he was an unfeeling jerk and a few other things. Unfortunately for both of them, the outburst took place in front of his parents and some customers. It definitely wasn’t her finest moment.
At the time, she’d told herself she was defending her sister—just like her sister had done for her ever since their mother died. But all of these years later, she wondered if it was more than that. Had she taken her anger over her mother’s death out on him?
She hadn’t taken their mother’s death well. She’d acted out at school—fighting with anyone that even looked at her. She had been so full of anger over the unfairness of it all. And her father had seemed to check out of life.
Ever since then, there had been a distinct chilliness between her and Kent. She didn’t know how she was supposed to convince him to rent the apartment to her sister, but she would give it her best effort.
Chapter Two
Whatwasitgoingto take?
Kent Turner sighed as he stood in the office of Turner Home Furnishings. He’d been having a meeting with his parents to discuss expanding the services of the furniture store. It wasn’t his first time to have this conversation. Over the last couple of years, he’d proposed various ideas from patio furniture to lighting fixtures.
This time he’d come to the meeting with a slideshow presentation with graphs and charts. They smiled and nodded. They told him how proud they were of him. For just a moment, he thought he had finally sold them on his vision.
His parents’ response was the same as it had been in the past: why change what works? Frustration had balled up in his gut. He tried to tell them that it was what they had to do if they wanted to grow. They didn’t seem interested in growth. They were content with their steady business as they were the only furniture store on the island.
Once again, they told him how proud they were of him and what a professional presentation he’d made. In the next breath, they told him the venture was too risky. Now that they were looking ahead to retirement, they didn’t want to take any chances.
And that was it. No further conversation. No nothing.
For a while now, he’d been considering that he just didn’t fit into the vision his parents had for the business. Perhaps it was time he moved on just as his siblings had done. It was a thought that tempted and teased him.
Still the thought of leaving the island—of leaving his family and friends—well, it was a daunting thought. Perhaps he was more set in his ways than he’d thought. Still, he couldn’t just give up trying to have a bigger role in this business or perhaps another business.
He had a couple of weeks of vacation time starting tomorrow. He would use that time to figure out where he went from here. He couldn’t just keep settling.
“I’m sorry, Kent,” his mother said. “It truly does sound like a good idea, but we’re just not in a place to take on risky ideas right now. I hope you understand.” She made her way out of the office.
Once his mother was gone, Kent turned his attention to his father. “Do you agree with her?”
His dad didn’t immediately respond. “You have to understand that at our stage in life, we don’t want to take any risks.”
“But without risk, there’s no chance for growth.”
“I understand. Really I do. And when this business is yours, you can do with it as you please.”
“But when will that be?”
His father’s bushy brows rose. “Well… Uh, I don’t know exactly.”
“This year? Next year?”
His father frowned. “Are you that anxious to push us out the door?”
“It’s not like that and you know it. After working here for years, I just need to feel like part of the business is mine too.”
“But it is. Your name is on the door.”
“No. That’s the family name.”
A long awkward pause ensued. Kent didn’t like being at odds with his parents, but being amenable wasn’t getting him any closer to his goals. If it were up to his parents, nothing would ever change with the business.
“Maybe the vacation will do you good.” His father had a hopeful look on his face. “We can talk when you get back.”
And then he had to say the one thing that he’d been dreading. “You should probably know that I’m considering leaving the business…and the island.”
