Page 53 of Meet Me at the Grand

Dani rushed after him. “But what if this time, you focused on finding a firm that specializes in refurbishing and restoring historical landmarks? That’s who we really need on the job.”

“Dani.” Her uncle stopped in front of the neatly stacked wood pile and turned to face her. Despite the dim light, she knew the look he was giving her. Pity. And she despised it. It made her feel like a victim, but she wasn’t a victim. She was responsible for this whole mess in the first place—at least, the scattering of her family. And she was finally doing something to fix it. Didn’t he understand that?

“What?” Her chin trembled, but she lifted it anyway. Seb the businessman admired strength, didn’t he? But maybe in her brokenness, she was too weak for this battle.

Her uncle sighed and pulled her in for an unexpected hug. At first, Dani stiffened, but then she melted and let his arms embrace her the way her dad’s hadn’t in a while becausehewasn’t here.

But she wouldn’t cry. No. She wouldn’t.

Finally, Uncle Seb pulled back, placed his hands on her shoulders, and looked her straight in the eyes. “The reality is that the hotel will never again be what it once was.”

His words…they didn’t compute. “What do you mean? Isn’t that the whole point of all of this?” To restore what had been.

“No. The point is to build a large enough hotel to house temporary island staff and guests who want to visit Jonathon Island. Honestly, if it was up to me alone, I’d demolish it all and start fresh.” As Dani started to protest, he held up a hand. “But I would never allow that, because I know what that place means to you. And I can recognize that it’s important to maintain some historical integrity for the island’s sake. But that doesn’t change the fact that it can never be exactly what it was. It can be just as good, maybe better. But time and progress don’t stand still.”

“That’s basically what Liam told me yesterday.” Dani folded her arms over her chest and felt her shoulders deflate.

“He’s a smart kid.” Someone called for Seb, and he peeked around her. “I’ve got to go help get things started. Just try to work with Liam again, all right? Give the boy a chance. He might surprise you.” Then he strode away, leaving Dani feeling numb and alone.

And too late.

She’d have to find a way to tell Seb—and the whole council—about firing him. Or find a way to ask him back.

But the last thing she wanted to do was grovel for his help.

“Dad’s right, you know.”

She turned to find Mia standing there, hands on her hips and head cocked. From beside her, Finn and Maggie shot away, zooming off in the direction of the dock, where Nora was watching some of the kids skip rocks across the surface of the lake.

Dani’s eyebrows raised as her cousin approached her side. “Did you just admit your father is right?”

“If you ever tell him I said so, I’ll deny it.”

They walked together down the gentle sloping grass toward the shoreline. “What’s he right about, exactly?”

“Youshouldgive Liam a chance.”

“He didn’t mean romantically. He meant with the project.” She sighed. “But I can’t give him a chance because I kind of sort of fired him yesterday.”

“What? Why?”

“We couldn’t come to any sort of agreement on the hotel project. He thinks everything needs to be super modern, and I still want to take the traditional route.”

“Yikes.”

“I know. But when I told Uncle Seb that, he said the hotel wasn’t ever going to be the same. And now I’m all conflicted. What if I was too hasty in letting Liam go? What if I’ve ruined everything?”

The sound of splashes filled the air, along with children’s laughter.

“Aw, Dani.” Mia hugged her jacket tighter around herself. “The hotel will never be the same becauseyou’renot the same. You have so many wonderful memories attached to it, but what if you were to rebuild it exactly as it was, and none of your family returned? Don’t tell me it would feel the same to you.”

“No. But I have to try, don’t I?”

Without looking away from her kids on the dock, Mia grabbed Dani’s hand in her own. “I know you want your family back, but don’t forget that family is more than just siblings, a mom, and a dad. Even if I weren’t your cousin, we’d be family.”

Dani’s eyes burned, and she blinked back the tears.

Mia continued. “So are Cody and Jill and Tara and Henrietta and every islander. This town…we are a family. And whatever happens with the hotel—whether you put everything back exactly as it was or not—won’t change that.”

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