Page 11 of Falling Inn Love
“This is Hamilton McGraw at the Freedom Valley First National. I was wondering if I could talk to you for a moment.”
Seriously? Could this day get any worse? I do not want to talk to this guy. He’s the biggest tool, and I don’t need this. Not today.
“What can I do for you?” I say curtly. I really do not like this guy. Neither did my dad. He treated my dad like he was beneath him. A typical small-town pretentious man who golfs, ass-kisses with prominent people in town, and treats other business owners like garbage. I don’t care if you are a janitor or a CEO. Respect everyone. This guy is not good people. Why my family banks with him, I have no idea. My dad was big on keeping our money in our town and supporting local businesses, so I guess that explains it. Now that I’m in charge, though, things will be changing.
“I know the inn hasn’t had a good go of it lately and that you’re struggling, son.” I try not to lose it. This guy does NOT get to call mesonlike I’m a child. I’m a grown man, a business owner. He adds, “I wanted to confirm our meeting on Monday morning. I have some very important things to discuss with you. Will your mother also be present?”
“Thank you for the unnecessary reminder. I can confirm our meeting. Thank you for calling. I will see you Monday at 10 a.m. Thanks,” I say as I disconnect. I toss my phone onto my desk. “Son of a bitch.”
I text Pete.
Evan:Can you come to my office? Are you busy?
Pete:I’m in the kitchen. Headed your way.
In less than a few minutes, the door opens and Pete enters. “What’s up, man?”
Pete came to the inn when I was a scrawny twelve-year-old getting picked on in middle school. He encouraged me to take up running and taught me how to work out and defend myself when some of the relentless bullies just wouldn’t quit. The middle school years were not my best years, that’s for sure.
Sometimes I would ask him to tell me stories from when he was in the Marines. He didn’t like to talk about a lot of it, but he did like to talk about his buddies and the brotherhood he was a part of because of it. I loved that he had that, and I desperately wanted that for myself. He’s still close to a lot of his former Marine buddies, and they’ve even visited and stayed at the inn off and on over the years.
He was also close with my dad and always gives the best advice. With Pete, sometimes it feels like I still have a piece of my dad when hard decisions have to be made and I can turn to him.
I’ll never forget the day we were fishing in the back pond and he said I’d make a great Marine. His encouragement and friendship mean everything to me. He’s twelve years older than me, but given our history and us both being former Marines, we have an unbreakable bond. I feel like I have that brotherhood with him, and I don’t think I’d be half the man I am today without Pete’s friendship.
“I’m screwing this up,” I tell him. “I feel like I’m letting everyone down.” I cross my arms and lean forward.
“You’re not your dad, Evan. This inn will run differently with you, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Things are hard right now, but you’ll get things back on track. I know you will. I’ll help you any way I can. What can I do?”
“I don’t know. Mom and Sasha seem to think the fall festival would be a great idea. We haven’t done one since before Dad. That was always his passion… But now, it’s overwhelming and brings up a lot of hard memories.”
“If it helps, I think the community has really missed it. It’s a great idea to bring it back.”
“I don’t know how my dad did it all.”
“He didn’t. He had us to help him, and we can help you, too.”
“That’s true,” I relent.
“Well, I hear you also have a pretty lady here who might be willing to stick around and help out with it, too.”
I smirk at him. He holds up his hands and says, “What? I can’t help but notice that all of a sudden, a pretty woman around your age has fallen into your lap at our inn.”
“She is really pretty. But she’s got some pain behind those eyes. I wonder what her story is.”
“That’s something for you to figure out while she helps you put on the fall festival and bring this community back together. And get the inn out of the red and back into the black.”
I nod. “I have a lot of work to do.”
“Wehave a lot of work to do,” he says as he stands and puts his hands in his pockets.
“Thanks, Pete. I am really hoping that we can pull off a miracle and get things turned around quickly.”I draw a sharp breath, my gaze shifting across the room to my dad’s framed family pictures. “I can’t lose the inn.”
“You won’t. You’ve got this. I know you do. And we’ve got your back.” He starts to leave, then turns to ask, “Does your mom know what’s going on?”
“No, she’s got enough to worry about with Allie and Caleb.”
“Whatever happens, we’re here for you. With you. Got it?”
