Page 44 of Homecoming Heartbreaker

Mack rubbed the back of his neck again, feeling his skin prickling. “Yeah, I know. Look, we need to talk but I’m done with this cold war. Can we talk sometime, about you working with me on the brewery?” He hesitated before deciding to dive in. “I also want to talk about the accident, to find a way to move forward?”

Was that relief he saw in Grey’s eyes or was he imagining it? Grey nodded. “Yeah, I think that’s a good idea. Let’s talk, Mack.”

“I’d like to get the renovations to the barn done as soon as possible but I will wait for a gap in your schedule,” Mack told him, feeling a warm wave of relief sliding through him.

“I could work on the design when I take over from you at the end of the month,” Grey told him. “It’s going to be a real pain moving back to Moonlight Ridge but I promised to do it.”

“When you get here, listen to Molly. I mean,reallylisten to her and support her ideas. No one knows the resort better than she does, and her ideas will put Moonlight Ridge back on the map.”

Grey looked amused at his words and Mack saw the he’s-getting-lucky thought cross his mind.

Mack ignored Grey’s curious expression and thought about going back to Nashville, resuming his normal routine, and his stomach clenched. The life he knew two months ago no longer seemed normal; waking up with Molly seemed right; sharing a carafe of coffee on the porch seemed normal; chatting with her throughout the day was what he wanted to do. But he did need to check on his brewery in Austin and to investigate why his Santa Fe operation was experiencing a huge dip in turnover. He had to go back to work. But he didn’t, necessarily, want to return to Nashville.

Asheville, dammit, was starting to feel like home again. That wasn’t what he expected when he made the long drive from Nashville weeks ago.

Grey asked Mack how Jameson was and they passed a couple of minutes discussing Jameson’s health. Mack told him that Jameson fired Giada every other day but his nurse simply ignored their father’s fiery declarations. Giada was also refusing access to his cigars, another battle in an on-going war.

They both agreed that Giada was tougher than she looked and could handle their grumpy, stubborn father.

“Dad wants us home for a Sunday lunch like we used to have,” Grey told him.

“I heard,” Mack replied. “I’d like that, actually.”

“I would, too. But is there any chance his cooking has improved?”

Mack smiled at Grey’s grimace. Jameson loved Sunday lunches and insisted on cooking for his family. Unfortunately, they were always a disaster with burnt duck, undercooked potatoes and overcooked vegetables. Sunday lunches, and Henri, the resort’s previous chef, were the reason Travis started cooking and launched his love affair with food.

“Maybe we can persuade Travis to cook,” Grey mused, “if we can get him home.”

“We both know Trav will find a way to get out of it,” Mack quietly stated.

Grey nodded. “Admittedly, with his insane work schedule, we were damn lucky to get his commitment to do a look-after-Moonlight Ridge shift after me. He won’t come back before he has to.”

Of the three of them, Travis was, by a hair’s breadth, the most stubborn. If, and when, the three of them got together next, he’d find a way to get through to his stubborn-ass baby brother. He was tired of living his life without them in it.

Grey gestured to his desk. “I’ve still got a few hours’ work ahead of me, M. Send me the dimensions and any ideas you have on the barn and I’ll mull over some ideas of my own.”

“Sounds good,” Mack said before grimacing. “But actually, that wasn’t why I called you, Grey.”

Grey’s eyes sharpened. “Then why did you call me?”

“I’ve just emailed you a lot of paperwork, including accounts, payments and reports. You’ve always been great at numbers and I need a second opinion. I hope I’m wrong, but I think someone is stealing from Moonlight Ridge.”

Grey returned his call an hour later and this time Travis was able to join their three-way video call.

“So I hate to confirm your suspicions, Mack, but yeah, from what I can see, money has been taken from Moonlight Ridge.”

Mack winced, wishing that he’d been wrong. This was going to kill Molly.

Mack gripped the bridge of his nose with his finger and thumb. “Are you sure?”

Grey nodded. “Yeah. Look, I did a cursory look at the material you sent through but I picked up quite a few instances of double dipping—”

“What the hell is double dipping?” Travis asked.

“Basically, the thief submits a claim for an expense on a credit card and gets reimbursed. Later, she—he—submits a cash reimbursement request for the same expense. Double dipping,” Grey explained.

“Okay.” Travis rubbed the back of his neck. “And how long has this been happening?”

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