Page 66 of A Whisper of Summer Magic

“It really was a diva moment. I think I get that from my mom. But I’m choosing happiness and focusing on what I have and y’all should do the same, so after I get naked and clean, this is gonna be a party, Maye sisters.”

The door closed again, and the water went on, and Meghan felt like they were all holding their breath.

“I’ll get the bottle of Roshni Reserve,” Jessica said after a long pause. “You heard the bride. This is a party, and we are celebrating.”

*

Chloe’s words—choosing happiness—echoedin Meghan’s head the next morning as she walked through the garden checking that the paths were still clear, the chairs were dry, and the floral arrangements were in the correct place—Jessica had given her a map.

The cake was at the Wild Side and Rustin’s team, along with some of Chloe’s choir students, were decorating the deck for the brunch, and according to Jackson, who was helping over there, it was all under control, and he’d sent her a few pictures.

Chloe made it look so easy to throw herself in Rustin’s embrace, trust his love, but Meghan felt like she was still holding a piece of herself back from Jackson. Was it really just making a choice and throwing yourself all in?

Just as Meghan was about to head back to the house to see if Jessica needed help placing the flowers in Chloe’s hair, although Jessica had always had mad skills with up-dos, she heard Sarah’s voice clearly through the open French doors of the office-library.

“Father. You came. I’m surprised. I thought Chloe said…”

“I’m not here for the wedding. Chloe caused enough problems yesterday.”

Meghan’s blood boiled and she took a step toward the French doors that opened out into the garden.

“Chloe didn’t cause any problems, Father. You did.”

He sighed heavily. “I did. I did.”

There was silence and Meghan wondered what she should do—stand with Sarah or give them privacy—but surely this was family business.

“Why are you here? Guests will start arriving soon.”

“I’ll be quick. Your mother and I are leaving this afternoon. We’re flying to London for a week and then to Oslo for one of those fjord cruises your mother’s always wanted to take, and then we’ll go to Basel, Switzerland, to take a cruise down the Rhine River. I owe her and want some of the gossip from Chloe’s big drama yesterday to die down.”

“You caused that too.” Meghan couldn’t hold back. “If you’d met her privately like she asked, you wouldn’t have been confronted during a board meeting.”

“One lapse of judgment.” He shook his head. “It was a month of madness, like I was possessed, and then when that woman told me she was expecting—she was so excited. Your mother had just lost a baby—a son, born too soon.” He lowered his head. “I couldn’t break her heart again.”

Now they both stared at him, shocked to the core.

“I’m sorry, Papa,” Sarah whispered, touching his hand. “I didn’t know we’d lost a brother.”

“Couldn’t be helped. Your mother was… in a precarious emotional state, and physically frail. I was terrified for her. And God forgive me, but I was weak and made mistake after mistake.”

“But I’m not here to mea culpa. Too late for that.”

“It’s never too late, Papa,” Sarah said softly.

He slashed his hand in the air. The gesture was so dismissive and familiar, and Meghan’s anger burbled again.

“I’m here on business. I’ve looked in my mother’s safety deposit boxes. The safe at the office. And in here, but I can’t find the deed to the five acres that abuts the farm property. My mom had bought it from the Roberts family after his injury—it had never been theirs, not legally, but your grandmother was always soft on that family. The girls had been best friends. But that’s not part of the farm anymore and the grandson’s asking about the deed. Claims my mother promised it to them free and clear. Unbelievable. No one gives away real estate. That dead beat—didn’t even go to college though he graduated with a 4.0—is trying to take something that’s mine.”

“What?” Meghan spun around to look at Sarah and then her father. “Did you know about this?” she asked Sarah. “When?”

“I told you I was looking for something Jackson had asked about.”

Meghan felt her world tunnel. “When?”

“Finally. I knew one of my daughters would have the Maye financial sense and killer instinct. That kid actually had the nerve to come to my office to see me. He was in uniform so of course my PA Miranda let him in. He wanted to know if I’d stolen the deed. Stolen. My own property.”

“Papa,” Sarah said calmly. “We don’t know if it’s yours.”

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