Page 18 of Meet Me at the Grand

Did Dad know about this? Seb wasn’t one to lie, was he? Had he lured Dad—Liam—out here under false pretenses?

“Excuse me. I need to make a phone call.”

* * *

Liam Stone was in way over his head.

Dani had known it from the first moment she’d seen him standing there in his fancy suit and charming dimples. She didn’t care how experienced he claimed to be or how handsome he was with that heart-shaped face, that clean-shaven jaw, and those deep chocolate eyes.

He was way too young to handle this massive of an undertaking.

Maybe he realized it too, given the fact he’d just spent fifteen minutes on the phone with his dad, arguing in hushed tones before marching back, that fake smile in place as he rubbed his hands together and said, “Let’s get this show on the road.”

Unfortunately, whatever her objections, Liam Stone was all she had. No other developers had agreed to Uncle Seb’s terms.

Which meant it was up to Dani to make sure he understood her vision for the project—and just how much was at stake.

Now his appraising eyes were back on the hotel, taking it all in. Four stories high and built of strong, white Michigan pine, the Grand Sullivan Hotel stood sentinel on a grassy bluff overlooking the harbor. Its slim lines and curved roof, the veranda that ran along the third story, the white columns lining what had once been a six-hundred-foot summer porch—they all served as reminders of what the hotel had represented, both to Dani and the community at large.

But where once there had been symmetry on either side of the hotel, now one half was charred or missing, merely ruins thanks to the decade-old fire.

“You said this was the Sullivan hotel…as in Dani Sullivan?”

Liam’s question jarred Dani from her thoughts. “Yes.”

His frown was enough, and he didn’t have to even say it—this was another failed family property. Though the reasons for her Uncle Bryan, Aunt Mary, and three cousins abandoning their farm were a lot less complicated than the situation with the hotel.

He scratched the back of his head. “And you’re Seb’s niece?”

“I am. On my mom’s side. She’s a Jonathon. My dad’s a Sullivan.” She pointed to the hotel. “And this ash heap, as you called it, is my family’s legacy.”

Liam winced. “Look, I’m sorry about that. I was just taken aback. The only recent article I could find about the hotel claimed there was a small fire, but not…this.” His hand swept toward the structure, which had once been so magnificent, but now bore the marks of greatness on one side alone.

“The fire was an embarrassment to the community, as was the fact we had to cancel so many reservations and could no longer house seasonal employees or most of the tourists who wanted to visit.” Dani started walking the perimeter. “We didn’t exactly want to advertise that fact to the world at large. The people who needed to know, knew.”

Liam quickly caught up with her. “I’m assuming that includes you. You know what happened here, right?”

“I know enough.” The memories were an ice pick to her heart. “But that’s in the past. I’m more interested in what we can do to rebuild. To bring this place back to its former glory so that all of Jonathon Island can be restored.”

And so her family would have a path to come home.

“I like that. I’m all about creating a better future.”

She frowned. “The past is still important. I didn’t mean that. Just…”

“I understand.” He smiled at Dani again with those dimples of his. Did that really work on others? This guy sure was slick.

“Basically, there was a fire ten years ago. As you can see, it burned down or damaged half of the main building. The half without visible outer damage still has some water damage on the inside due to the sprinklers. Thankfully, the ballroom and gazebo were spared because they’re separate from the guest room areas. But essentially, this renovation would be a nearly complete reworking of the hotel at large.”

“Good to know. Will you show me around? I’d love to see the extent of the damage to get a feel for the scope of the project.” He paused. “To be honest, it’s much larger than what I expected.”

“I gathered.” She cocked her head. “Does that mean you’ll be calling in the big guns to help?”

He blinked. “No. I can handle it. It’s just a shift in expectations is all.”

“You sure?”

“Absolutely.”

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