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Aiden wouldn’t have a home when he visited. Gram had left the property to me, not Aiden. It was a little surprising, but I’d always had a special connection with her, and Aiden couldn’t run an inn while he was gone. He wouldn’t be able to make any decisions or sign any paperwork. It was the logical solution.
As soon as Mom and Dad left, Gram had the trailer towed from the property. She’d said I always had a room at the inn with her, and she didn’t want the reminder of my parents around.
It was one less thing I had to deal with.
Heath nudged my shoulder. “Are you paying attention?”
“My mind is racing with everything I need to do to get the property ready for sale,” I said, skirting around the truth.
“You don’t have to make any decisions tonight.”
“I have to sell it. I can’t be tied to this place anymore.” Especially if Heath didn’t feel the same pull I did. He’d rejected me once. I wouldn’t let it happen again.
In California, no one asked about my past. No one knew that I’d grown up in a trailer on my grandmother’s property. That I’d worked as a maid at the inn all through high school for money to pay for activities, lessons, and college application fees because I refused to accept Lila’s money. I’d wanted to work for it.
All that mattered was who I was now. I liked being anonymous, starting over without any ties to the past. And getting rid of the inn would ensure that no one ever asked about my past.
Because my home would be California, not Maryland. With no one in my family living here, there’d be no reason to come back.
“I can’t imagine the inn not being the Matthewses’ property anymore.”
“You wanted to buy it, so I’m sure you thought about it being sold.”
“That was different. We didn’t want it developed. We like the quiet and the protection of other properties around us. If a developer comes in, the surrounding farms might sell, too. Our property would lose its value as a farm then.”
“I can see that.” He’d only thought about the inn in terms of how it would affect him and the family business. He didn’t want or need me to stay.
I was holding on to something that wasn’t there. Maybe it never had been. When we dated, I was young and vulnerable. I was looking for love from anyone who would give it to me. I wouldn’t make that same mistake again. I was stronger this time.
Six
Heath
Nine Months Later
I hadn’t seen Marley since the night I’d helped her pack Lila’s things and she’d stayed overnight. I thought we’d connected that night, but it only seemed to push her further away.
She was vulnerable that night, and I was glad I could be there for her. But she’d left the next morning before I woke up. I assumed she was running from the emotions that her grandmother’s death stirred up.
I figured I’d give her space. But when I called her to discuss the timeline for renovations on the inn, she was already back in California.
It was like Maryland was just a quick stop before resuming her life. She must not have felt anything for me, or she was avoiding her grief by running as far away as she could.
I researched her business online, and it looked amazing. She had hundreds of testimonials from women raving about how much she’d helped them. Her online videos were engaging and full of helpful tips.
I could see why she had a following. She was captivating and magnetic and had the same qualities that drew me to her when we were teens. There was just something about her I couldn’t forget. But her life was in California, and mine was here.
I had to finish my current project and work on Sebastian’s cabin. I messaged Marley that it would be a few months and was surprised when she didn’t argue or insist that it be completed right away so she could sell it. There were a few delays on my last project with Nolan, and then another emergency came up that I helped with.
Marley was fine with the delay. Maybe she wasn’t as eager to sell as she’d originally let on. I let her know when we were finally able to fit the inn into the schedule, and I offered the job to my team. A few went with me, and a few stayed with Nolan. They probably thought working for Nolan was a sure thing, and I was a gamble.
I called my cousin, Cole, and asked if he wanted to work with me. It would be easier to run a business with someone I knew and trusted. He quickly agreed to help with Sebastian’s cabin and the inn. I needed to decide if he’d be an employee or a partner. Then there was Aiden. He’d mentioned wanting to help me if I started a business, but I wasn’t sure if he was going to stay in the military or not.
I wanted the freedom to make my own decisions and work on the projects that interested me.
Marley left the keys to the property with Mom when she left, so I was able to get in and take a second look, confirming what needed to be done. Her realtor, Alan, asked for closets to be installed, new trim, wainscoting, and crown molding in the rooms.
It meant more work, but I didn’t mind. I wanted the inn to be exactly what Marley wanted. I tried not to think about what it would be like if the inn was sold to someone else and this connection to her was gone.
