Page 62 of Love, Lies, and Celtic Knots

I take a swallow of the draft before answering, the creamy texture smoothly gliding down my throat. The flavor profile of coffee, chocolate, and roasted malt, with just the right balance of sweetness and bitterness, is a beer drinker’s dream. Too bad I can’t enjoy it today, given the discussion I need to have.

“What’s going on is, you were right to be concerned about the business finances. Our piece of shit father took out a predatory loan when he was sick. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that he couldn’t just fuckingdie. He was determined to continue his mission to destroy our family and our legacy from the fucking grave. I thought I could handle it on my own like I have every other issue that’s come my way. And I was almost there. But now I know that I can’t.” I stop to take another drink.

My sister leans forward. “What happened?”

“Candace Prescott is what happened. She appeared out of the blue the other day, claiming she’s holding the note on the winery and threatening our family. It’s one hundred fucking percent personal with her. I don’t know what went down between her and Ryan when he left for the Navy, but she’s holding a grudge. Not just against him, but against anything or anyone with the Murphy name attached. Remember you said someone’s buying up businesses all over town? Ten to one, it’s her. This is a full-on war, and we need to prepare for battle.”

“Candace? Ryan’s old girlfriend? The one who used to braid my hair and bring me candy?She’sthe one behind this?” Emma shakes her head in disbelief, but then her demeanor changes.My sister’s Irish redhead temper flares as she pounds her fist on the table, causing some of my beer to spill from the glass. “What exactly is that bitch up to and why?”

“I’m telling you, Em. She’s out to destroy us.”

The beer that was so smooth a minute ago is now burning in the pit of my stomach. “What the hell am I supposed to do? I’m so close to climbing out of the hole the winery is in. The Murphy legacy cannot die now. It just can’t.”

My sister reaches across the table and takes my hand, her tone expressing a sense of urgency. “Brennen. Listen to me. Now is not the time to be too proud to ask for help. We Murphys need to come together and fight for what’s ours. All three of us. Together. I’m tired of being the one in the middle. You and Ryan need to bury the hatchet for the sake of the family before it’s too late. It needs to happennow. I love you both so much. Can’t you see that if we don’t have one another, we have nothing?”

I struggle to keep my voice down, although I can’t keep the sarcasm out of my tone. “So, Captain America is supposed to swoop right in and save the day? That’s the answer? Brennen can’t handle it, so baby sister needs to call big brother Ryan to come and clean up the mess? Thanks for nothing, sis.” I reach for my wallet to leave cash for the beer.

“That’s not what I said, so get your head out your ass,” Emma grinds out through gritted teeth. “I told you I had concerns, and I’ve been looking into things. Now I have a name behind the shell corporations and transactions. I’m telling you something that you apparently just saw for yourself—that woman is fucking dangerous. I want my brothers back together. We’re all we’ve got. I need you both. We are stronger together than we are apart. Do I have to remind you of the significance of the logo Mama designed for the Celtic Knot? She used the trinity knot. Three interconnected knots that cannot be untied or broken. Sheused that knot to show the power of three.The three of us.Her children.”

I rake a hand through my hair in frustration. As much as I hate to admit it, she’s right. I can’t do this on my own anymore. Time to stop playing the martyr. Time to swallow my pride and accept the help. There’s too much at stake. Our mother would not want our bond to be broken. “Fine. I’ll take any help I can get.”

Chapter 7

Joselyn

The Bean & Breezy Cafe is a cute little coffee shop in the heart of Pelican Point’s downtown—if you can call Seabreeze Avenue, with its mix of businesses, historical buildings, and apartments above store fronts—a downtown. The cafe is fairly new; by that, I mean it wasn’t here nine years ago. When Emma called this morning and asked to meet for coffee, my curiosity was piqued. We hadn’t exactly bonded when we ran into each other at the beach.

I pull up to the curb right in front and spot her at a cozy little table in front of the window, furiously typing on her laptop with a large cup sitting beside her. Her coffee addiction started at a young age, and I assume it’s still going strong. I head directly to the counter, order an English Breakfast tea, and after perusing the glass case full of treats, I can’t pass up getting one of the enormous blueberry muffins on display.

As I set my purchases down on the bistro table, Emma looks up from her laptop, seemingly still distracted by whatever she’s working on. As she waves a hand for me to sit, I notice a rock the size of the Hope Diamond on her left ring finger.That wasn’t there the last time I saw her.

She closes her laptop and gives me a half smile. “Hey. Thanks for meeting me.”

I have no idea why I’m here. “Sure. What’s up?”

“I’m wondering if you’ve spoken with Brennen yet?”

Emma doesn’twonderabout anything. She’s asking for a reason. And there’s no reason at this point for me not to be honest with her. It’s the only way I’m going to be able to let go of all the baggage and move on from the past. With or without Brennen. “The short answer is yes. I did run into Brennen and tried to apologize. It didn’t go well. He doesn’t trust me. And I’m not sure he ever will.”

“Do you want him to trust you? What exactly do you want from him?”

Good question. What do I want?I take a sip of my tea, savoring the potent hot liquid before answering. “It’s complicated. I’ve been trying to figure out for a while now how to make peace with my past, and at the least, how to reunite with my father. He and I are taking it day by day right now. I assumed trying to reconnect with Brennen would be a lost cause. After all, it’s been nine years. I expected he would be married with a few kids by now.”

Kids with gorgeous dark hair and eyes. Kids that should have been a mixture of him and me.

As always, Emma doesn’t mince words. “Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. You did a number on Brennen. He’s put up walls that will be difficult to break down. But if your intentions are good, and you honestly want to reconnect, now would be a good time. There’s a lot going on with the winery and he could use someone in his corner. I’m already there, but I’m his sister and his attorney. He needs someone else. He needs you.”

Wait, Brennen’s not involved with anyone?I feel a flutter of hope. I want to be that person for him again. “But how am Igoing to convince Brennen he can trust me? How do I build back that trust?”

“The best friend I remember was not a quitter or one to back down from a challenge. And it likely won’t happen overnight. But I need to know. Are you in it for the long haul? Are you back here for good?”

I nod my head affirmatively. “I don’t plan on returning to Vegas, that’s for sure. There’s nothing for me there. I told my father I’m here to stay. If I can’t start over here, I’m not sure what I’ll do.”

“Youcanstart over here. My brother needs you. The winery needs you. But I’m warning you again, if you hurt him, you’ll have me to deal with.”

“I promise you, Emma, I’ll do whatever it takes to win his trust. Even if there’s not a future for us as a couple, I’m here for you both as a friend, and I want to give back to the winery for everything it gave to me and my father.”

“Speaking of Carlos, you do know that Brennen brought him back to work there?”

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