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Nolan looked around the room, trying to use his secret agent vibes to sniff out the truth. “Time for what? What’s going on? And don’t you dare tell me nothing because I can smell the BS in the room.”
“He’s right, love,” Kent said, but Jax could tell by his expression that he wasn’t prepared for it to be time. In fact, he looked as if he never wanted it to be time. What the hell was going on?
“Your dad and I wanted to wait until after my birthday party.” Peggy glared at Lucas. “But clearly someone doesn’t know how to keep a secret.” Kent took Peggy’s hand as her eyes filled with tears. “Your father and I have some news.”
Brynn looked at Kent, her expression dialed to scared shitless. “Oh my god, is Nana okay? Is that why she canceled on the party? Is it her diabetes?”
“No, sweetie,” Peggy said. “She’s managing her blood sugar like a champ.” Kent put his arm around Peggy and they both held tremulous smiles. Jax’s gut hollowed out. “In fact, we’re both feeling better than ever. And a big part of that has to do with our decision.” She looked up at her husband with pleading eyes. “I can’t say it.”
Kent squeezed Peggy closer. “After weighing the pros and cons—”
“And trust me, I made a list,” Peggy added.
“—we’re selling the lodge.”
There was a beat of silence where nobody even breathed. Except Lucas who was clearly in on the “secret” news. As if he’d been expecting the bomb to drop and had once again left Jax out of the loop.
“You knew!” Jax accused, unable to hide his disdain.
“Of course, I knew. Unlike you, I’m at that place twenty-four seven. So while it’s your job to play in the snow, it’s Mom and Dad’s job to run the place.”
“Don’t let him fool you,” Peggy said. “Lucas has been running the place for the past few years. Dad and I try our best, but it’s a big job. Bigger than the three of us.”
“This is a joke, right?” Harris asked, his face slack with shock. “Emma thinks of that place like her second home. We all do.”
“We are as serious as a blizzard,” Dad said. “Between social media, marketing, hosting events, needing to really be a brand to make the cut, well, being in the hospitality business has changed so much from our days. It’s just more than we can handle anymore. The lodge needs an executive team, one that has a clear and fresh direction. One that can dedicate the time to really make the place shine. That isn’t us.”
“So we hire a team,” Harris said, and all the siblings nodded in agreement. All except Lucas.
“Hiring leads to managing, and your mom and I are just tuckered out. We want to enjoy our retirement, not work through it.”
“We got an offer we couldn’t refuse,” Lucas interrupted sharply, as if he were the only sibling who was a part of the “we.” “Matrix Resorts approached us a few months back about a buy out.”
“And you’re just telling us now?” Harris said with heat.
“Matrix? This is a family resort. Not fancy, or bougie, but family focused.” Jax looked at Peggy. “It’s been in your family for over sixty years. Why would you want to sell?” he asked, because Peggy and Kent were fixtures in Sierra Vista, and he knew that Sierra Vista was a fixture in the Carmichaels’ genetic makeup. He could tell that the idea of some fancy company turning their mountain lodge into something unrelatable was eating Peggy up inside.
“This offer would set Mom and Dad up for life,” Lucas said. “And that was just the starting offer.”
“What about Brynn?” Harris asked, looking at his little sister who was holding back tears. “She lives on the grounds.” Harris glanced at Lucas and shrugged. “Where will you live, bro?”
Peggy put a supportive arm around Lucas, as if he were suddenly the one who needed protecting from this gut-wrenching news. “I think Lucas needs to run away from home. Go out on his own, instead of being trapped here.”
“I’ve never felt trapped, Mom,” Lucas said, giving Peggy a loving squeeze. “I just know how tired you and Dad are, and you deserve to spend your retirement being retired, in a house on the beach like you always wanted.”
“But you guys love this place!” Brynn exclaimed. “I love this place! We all do.”
“And you still can, just under someone else’s ownership,” Kent said.
“It won’t be the same,” Brynn said. “Not having you here won’t be the same.”
“That doesn’t mean that we’ll be moving permanently,” Peggy said hurriedly, almost pleadingly. “We’ll visit in the off season and holidays.”
“Visit?” Harris looked panicked. “Emma will go from seeing her grandparents every day to drive-by visits?”
“Santa Barbara is but a few hours by plane and just around the corner from Disneyland,” Peggy said. “Plus, there’s the beach and the zoo. And we’ll be coming home often enough that she won’t even miss us.”
“We’ll all miss you,” Harris said, and Jax knew the man had to be panicking. The lodge was Emma’s home away from home. As a single parent and general contractor, Harris sometimes worked long hours and relied heavily on his parents to watch Emma.
