Page 88 of The Main Event

“First of all, Grandfather started the renovations before he got sick. He had to pause, but the money that he left me for hotel operations was earmarked for this project.”

“Are you saying you can’t touch the money and it has to go for renovations?”

“That was one of the stipulations in his will,” I confirmed.

“I hadn’t realized that.” My father looked momentarily flummoxed. “Well, that changes things, doesn’t it?” He was resigned. “When will the renovations be finished?”

“Spring. We’re hoping April, but you know how construction goes.”

“Yes. You can’t hold a contractor to a timetable.” He dragged a hand through what was left of his hair. It was a rare move offrustration from him. “So, you’ll put it on the market in May or June I’m guessing.”

I could’ve just shrugged it off, and that would’ve been the end of breakfast. Instead, I shook my head. “I might not sell at all.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I recognized they were likely a mistake. There was no hauling them back, though.

“You might not sell?” He was flabbergasted. “Are you kidding me? How do you plan to dole out money to everybody if you don’t sell the hotel?”

“Grandfather left everybody out of his will for a reason,” I replied. “It’s not my job to dole out money. As for not selling, I don’t know what to tell you. I like it here. I like running the hotel. I think I might stay.”

Just saying it allowed me to breathe easier. It felt good to acknowledge the possibility. I might stay. Heck, I think I wanted to stay. Daisy was looking for an answer on my plans, and I was fairly certain I finally had that answer.

“You enjoy running the hotel?” My father’s expression was one for the record books. “Are you kidding me right now?”

“No, I enjoy my job.” I looked up as a figure moved in at the right. It was Tammy, and as soon as I saw her, I knew trouble was brewing. “It doesn’t really matter, though,” I stressed. “You have no say over what I do here.”

“Oh, yes I do,” my father snapped. “Your grandfather cut us all out of the will. That was a slap in the face.”

“There’s not as much money in this hotel as you seem to think there is.”

“I don’t care. I want what’s rightfully mine.” He stood. He hadn’t even bothered to order. That wasn’t surprising. “You are selling.”

“I don’t think I am. I like it here.”

Tammy let loose a hollow laugh, which had me cringing inside. “You mean you like Daisy. That’s what you mean, right?”

My father jumped on the statement like a cat on a mouse. “Who is Daisy?”

“She’s our party planner,” Tammy replied on a sneer. “Apparently, your son and her have been getting to know one another … on the sly.” It was the last part that truly bothered her, I realized. She thought she knew everything, and yet we’d managed to hide it from her.

Now she was going to make me pay.

“So, this is all over a woman,” Dad said, shaking his head. “I should’ve known. You’ve always been weak when it comes to business.”

“Daisy has nothing to do with my decision,” I shot back. “I was telling the truth when I said I liked it here.”

“I will not let you throw this family into disarray over a woman.” Dad’s expression was dark, his tone icy. “Sell it.”

“I’m going to do what I want to do,” I argued. “I don’t know what that is yet, but I’m not going to let you bully me.”

“Bully you?” Dad let loose an eerie chortle. “Give me a break. You’re clearly letting this woman lead you around by the you-know-what. I’m not going to sit here and indulge this fantasy. Sell this hotel. You don’t belong in charge of it.”

“I agree,” Tammy said primly. “He’s showing poor sense when it comes to management.”

I murdered her with a glare. “Nobody requested your presence, Tammy,” I gritted out. “This is a meeting between my father and me.”

She looked taken aback. “I’m just telling the truth.”

“We’re not furthering this discussion,” my father said in his most formidable voice. “You know what’s right and wrong here, Jaxson—and what your grandfather did was wrong. I expect you to fix it.”

“That’s not my job.”

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