Page 18 of Stuck with Mr. Grump

My dad sighs. “I hope it all works out for him.”

“Hello,” I say, waving my hand in the air between them. “This isn’t a pity party for Sterling Harrington.”

“We’re not pitying him, honey,” Priya corrects. “We’re just sympathetic towards his plight.”

Honestly, I do feel a bit bad about what he’s going through. But any sympathy I could have had for him eroded after our conversation today.

“Be that as it may. Dad, I need suggestions on how to bring him down.”

“You’re really serious about this?” he asks on a smile.

I nod. He takes in my expression before clearing his throat. He pulls off his glasses, which is when I know he’s really getting down to business. He might be blind as a bat without them but hey, visual effect, right?

“How far are you willing to go, hon? The best thing you can do in your position is to delay the project, which will no doubt be a lot of trouble for the company.”

My dad used to be a property manager before he retired, which is how I knew he’d have good advice for me on how best to handle this matter.

“But it’s not like they can force me to sell it or take the matter to court, right?”

“No, I don’t think it works like that. You have a lease agreement that protects your tenancy on the land for a specific period and they can’t illegally bulldoze your shop or push through with the development without your consent. At the end of the day, you currently have the power. You’d be a pretty big thorn in their side if you stand your ground, because they wouldn’t be able to proceed.”

I beam at that. “That’s just what I needed to hear, Dad. Thank you.”

“But if they’re intent on acquiring the land, honey, it could be way more than you can handle,” he adds. “How about you have another conversation with Sterling? I’m sure you can come to a good enough compromise. I say you milk them for as much money as you can for the shop and start anew. How does that sound?”

“Not interested,” I murmur, my back hitting the back of the couch.

I understand he was a businessman and he’s always going to consider maximizing profit; Carson takes after him in that aspect. But I really can’t imagine selling my shop. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. I was so happy to have finally built something, made my mark in this town. I finally felt like I belonged, and losing my shop feels like I’d lose that feeling.

“If you’re really set on keeping your shop, honey, then your dad or Carson could talk to Sterling for you,” Priya suggests warmly. “I’m sure they could get him to back off. Find somewhere else. Edenton’s a big town. There’s always new places to develop.”

“Asking Dad or Carson for help is the same as admitting defeat to Sterling Harrington,” I scoff. “That’s not happening.”

I don’t miss Priya and my dad trading a look. And then she gets this smile on her face that causes me to narrow my eyes.

“What?”

“Nothing, darling,” she replies. “But it does feel like this entire thing is personal. Maybe you’re acting like this especially because of Sterling.”

I don’t miss the suggestion in her tone. I groan softly.

“Please don’t tell me you think this is all because I might like him. I’ve met him twice and both those encounters have left a bitter taste in my mouth. Plus, isn’t he married?” I question. “I met his son the day Nika, Carson, and I went to their estate for a visit. He’s an adorable kid—I’m sure he gets that from his mom.”

“Sterling was married, but I heard he got divorced a while ago.”

“That information is honestly irrelevant to me.” I shrug. “Can we please stop talking about Sterling Harrington now?”

Priya links her arm with mine, her gaze heavy with suggestion. “Just saying, your dad and I didn’t like each other either when we first met.”

“Please, stop,” I say, shutting my eyes to get rid of any mental imagery that threatens to arise.

“Honestly, sweetheart, all I can tell you is that you should do whatever you think is best. We’ll support you regardless.”

“I know you will.”

I have no doubt that there’s nothing there’s wouldn’t do for me. I wonder if they’d go to the same lengths for Anika and Carson. Probably not. I’m sure they don’t think they owe them as much considering they raised them and took care of them throughout their childhood.

A part of me wonders if there’ll ever come a day when my family doesn’t treat me differently because of the guilt they feel. I’m beyond grateful that they care so much, but the reality is that they’ll always look at me through this special lens. They’ve treated me with kid gloves since I showed up on their doorstep four years ago.

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