Page 13 of Visions of You

“Not the specifics.”

I rubbed a hand over my scruff, my eyes returning to those red numbers. “We need to get together and make some decisions. Evan especially needs to be brought fully up to date, whether he enjoys it or not.” Evan hated dealing with money, and I had more of a natural inclination for finance. But I wasn’t going to keep the general manager of the resort in the dark.

“I agree,” Dad said, crossing an ankle over his opposite knee. “But I don’t like the idea of worrying Maia. She’s got enough going on.”

I nodded. “Let’s keep her out of it for now. I don’t want her to stress out over whether April has a permanent position or not. We can inform her after we get some plans made.”

I wasn’t pleased by the powerful, visceral attraction I’d experienced when I met April yesterday, and that had made me gruffer than I should have been. That hair,those eyes.

Those lips.

When she’d turned around and spoken to me, it only got worse. She was sweet, upbeat, and helpful… everything I was not. Tied up in an irresistible, unrelenting, legs-forever package.

But hurting employees’ feelings was the least of my concerns right now. Keeping them employed was.

Warm, dry laughter came from the doorway. Dad and I looked up in unison, which only made Nona laugh harder. My grandmother’s long, snow-white hair was plated into its usual braid, and she wore a white button-down shirt with an elaborate turquoise and silver necklace tucked under the collar. Smiling, her gaze bounced between the two of us before settling on me.

“Oh, Gabriel, it is so good to have you back home. Seeing the two of you together like this just made my day. You aresoalike!”

I sat back in my chair and glanced at Dad, grateful for her interruption. Sometimes I wished she took a little less interest in our personal lives, but Nona would fight to the death for us, and we’d do the same for her.

Dad clapped me on the shoulder. “Well, Mom, at least Gabe got the brains you so helpfully passed down to me.”

A reluctant smile rose on my lips as I shook my head.

Nona pointed to me. “That’s better! You two looked so serious when I arrived. I won’t keep you—don’t worry. But I expect to see you and Hailey at supper regularly, Gabriel. Don’t break an old woman’s heart.”

“Never,” I said softly. “We’ll be up tonight.”

“I’ll let the chef know,” she replied, inclining her head. “You two enjoy your numbers.”

She disappeared from the doorway, which brought Dad and me back to the reason we were there. I sighed as I lifted my phone off the blotter. “I’ll text Evan and ask him to meet us for lunch by the pool. That work for you?”

Dad nodded. “Of course.” Then he stood and folded his chair,placing it against the wall. “I’ve got a couple of things to do. See you soon.”

After he left, I swiveled the big chair back to his computer terminal. The red numbers were still there, and I began turning over possible solutions.

An hour later,Dad, Evan, and I sat around a circular glass table on the expansive slate patio behind the Big House. A rectangular inground pool sparkled in front of me, but at least the umbrella was up, giving us plenty of shade from the noontime sun. Tall shrubs screened the pool area from curious eyes and also hid the adjacent manicured lawn area. A chef from Dorado rotated each week to cook meals in the Big House, and we were finishing up our lunches of blackened fish sandwiches.

We’d made small talk during the meal, pointedly not discussing why we were here. Instead, I filled them in on Hailey’s successful first day of school. She’d had no problem assimilating into her classroom and had been eager to ride the bus this morning. I tried not to feel a pang at that.

Evan tossed his napkin on his plate and sat back in the chair. “Looks like we’re done eating. I’m assuming this meeting has something to do with finances? Unless you just couldn’t wait to see me again?”

He smiled at me, which was good because we’d had a few tense conversations since I returned. As much as I tried to stay away from the operations side of the resort, Evan thought I was stepping on his toes. And him gleefully poking me about my night in jail didn’t help my irritation any. I just wanted to put the whole thing behind me.

“Gabe and I spent some time this morning going over the numbers, and he wanted you brought into the conversation,” Dad said.

Evan’s smile disappeared. “Oh? The Great Oz has spoken. I’m honored.”

My temper frayed. “Cut the crap, Evan. You’ve done a great job managing this place, and I’m no threat to you.”

My brother and I stared at each other, neither backing down.

Dad scowled. “Both of you—knock it off! Evan, you’re the manager of the resort. Gabe is now the CFO. There’s plenty of work to go around, I assure you.”

Evan pressed his lips together, then nodded, accepting my compliment as he broke eye contact. “I take it we’re not doing well?”

“No, we’re not,” I said. “The resort’s been losing money most months for several years, and the reserve fund is almost gone.”

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