The Inn at Eagle Point (26 page)

19

I
t
was midmorning on Wednesday, and Abby was paying bills on her first day back at
the inn when she heard some kind of heavy truck lumbering up the driveway.
Walking to the window, she spotted a delivery van from a high-end appliance
company. Instantly, her pulse kicked up a notch. What had Jess done? Since it
involved that particular store, it couldn't be good.
She headed for the door, shouting upstairs to her sister as she went.
"Jess, get down here, now!"
She was already across the yard and standing behind the van by the time the
driver emerged.
"Mind if I take a look at your delivery instructions before you take
anything off the truck?" she asked, trying to keep her voice calm. After
all, the driver and his helper were just doing their job.
The driver handed over his clipboard and she skimmed through the paperwork.
When she saw they were delivering a top-of-the-line range for the kitchen and
glanced at the cost, she saw red.
"Sorry," she said flatly. "There's been some mistake. I didn't
order this."
Jess came flying out of the inn just then. "I did, Abby. It's okay."
Abby whirled on her and dragged her a few steps until they were out of earshot
from the drivers. "It is not okay," she said tightly. "It's
going back. It was an unauthorized purchase."
Jess faced her down, hands on hips. "
I
authorized it. It
stays."
The driver, who'd easily picked up on the tension, looked from Abby to Jess and
back again. "Look, ladies, is it going or staying? We don't have all day
while you all settle your turf war. And this is our second delivery attempt.
The next one will cost you."
"What do you mean it's the second delivery attempt?" Abby asked.
"No one was around when we came by on Monday."
So, she thought, fuming, Jess had intended for this outrageously expensive
range to be delivered and put in place while she was away, making it that much
harder to send it back. Obviously, though, she'd gotten distracted by something
and missed the delivery. For once, Abby was relieved by her sister's lack of
attention to detail. In this instance it had probably saved them from an
expense they couldn't afford.
She gave Jess a look that told her she knew exactly what she'd been up to.
Jess's determined expression didn't waver. There wasn't so much as a hint of
guilt or remorse.
"The range is staying," Jess said stubbornly.
"Take it away," Abby said just as determinedly. "Jess, there is
no way the inn can afford a range like this one, not now, anyway. The kitchen
appliances we have are just fine. They're all in working order. I've had them
checked."
"But I went through the kitchen with Gail to analyze what we'd need to do
the kind of events I want to host here," Jess argued. "She says this
range is the best for that. She went with me to pick it out. She's the
professional. She knows what she's talking about."
"I don't doubt it, but you weren't spending her money. It's unfortunate
you didn't invite me along. I would have told you no on the spot and saved
these men a trip."
"Come on, Abby, even you have to see that it's a smart, long-term
investment."
"I'm sure it is. And it is a chef's dream range, no question about that,
either. Unfortunately, we can't afford it. Period." She turned to the
driver. "Take it now, please."
Jess got between her and the truck, her cheeks flaming with color, though
whether that was due to fury or embarrassment was hard to say. "If you
send it back, I will never speak to you again," Jess declared in a fierce
undertone. "I mean it, Abby. We're through. I've kept my mouth shut while
you've taken over around here, even though it's my business, but I'm drawing
the line now. I know there's enough money in the account for this. I checked
before I ordered it."
"And once we write a check of this size, exactly what do you intend to use
to pay your staff?" Abby asked quietly. She managed to keep her tone
reasonable, even though she was tempted to shake her sister. "Every penny
of that cash is committed for the foreseeable future unless you're planning to
do all the work around here on your own and for no pay, and that includes
covering for your new chef, whom you'll no longer be able to afford."
Jess faltered slightly at that, but she didn't back down. "We'll have cash
flow in another couple of weeks."
"Not enough," Abby said flatly. "And I'm not pouring one more
dime into this place unless you show some evidence of fiscal responsibility.
I'm done. Do you get that? And if I pull out, the bank may pull out right
behind me."
Jess's eyes grew round, but her fighting spirit didn't diminish. "You
wouldn't do that to me."
"Watch me," Abby said, refusing to relent. This was the last straw.
For once she intended to stick to her guns, no matter how upset Jess got with
her. Her sister couldn't get a free pass on this. If she did, she'd never
understand that there were consequences for acting imprudently.
Jess blinked back tears, but with her chin held high, she turned to the driver.
"Take it away," she said quietly. Then she turned to Abby. "And
from here on out you stay the hell out of my way. Whatever work you need to do
that's related to the inn, you can do at Gram's. I don't care how much of your
money you invested, this place is still mine and I don't want you near the inn
when I'm here. Since I live here, that means you don't set foot on the premises
again, ever. I swear I'll have you arrested for trespassing if you do."
After uttering the mostly empty threat, she took off across the lawn, climbed
into her car and tore away from the inn, gravel flying in her wake.
Abby stared after her and sighed, then faced the bewildered deliverymen.
"I'm sorry."
"No problem," the driver said. "Looks to me like you got your
hands full. You change your mind, just call that number on the invoice and
we'll bring it back out here."
"I won't change my mind."
Unfortunately, she knew with absolute certainty that Jess wouldn't, either. It
was going to be a tense couple of weeks leading up to the inn's opening. After
that, who knew?

*
* *

Jess was barreling down the shore road when her cell phone
rang. She ignored it. She wasn't about to talk to anyone when she was in her
current mood. For the first time in her life she actually hated her sister. She
hated her for humiliating her the way she had in front of those drivers. She
hated her for the position she was now in with Gail, forced to explain that
they wouldn't have the new stove. She hated her most of all for being right.
Once again she hadn't thought things through. She'd gotten caught up in the
moment, in the dream, and completely ignored reality. She should have realized
that money was earmarked for salaries. She should have paid more attention when
Abby tried to talk to her about the budget, but frankly all that talk of
numbers bored her to tears.
Which was exactly why she needed a business partner, she conceded with a sigh.
It couldn't be Abby, though, not for the long haul. She didn't want to be at
odds with the one person in her life who'd always been there for her, the
person who'd believed in her even when she'd been screwing up. And despite Abby's
threat today that she would walk away from Jess and the inn, Jess knew without
a doubt that her big sister would never abandon her.
There was a drawback to all that devotion. Jess had never had a success she
could really call her own. Abby or one of her other siblings had always been
eager to jump in and help her out. They'd fought her battles, coached her
through tests. They'd all thought they were doing her a favor, protecting her
from humiliation, but they'd kept her from succeeding on her own, too. She
loved them for caring so much, but she hated the way she wound up feeling, as
if not one single accomplishment was truly her own.
And here it was happening again, she thought with a sigh.
With the top on her car down and the wind blowing through her hair, she was
calmer now. By the time she got into town, she could actually see Abby's point
of view, as much as it grated. Not that she intended to tell her sister that.
Abby needed to understand something, too, that she couldn't snatch every decision
out of Jess's hands. They had to work things out together.
Of course, even as that thought came to her, she realized that she was the one
who'd carefully avoided just such a conversation about the stove, precisely
because she'd anticipated exactly this outcome. Worse, she thought with a
wince, the new rugs were yet to come. At least those hadn't cost a fortune, but
they had cost more than the budget could probably afford.
"I should probably call and cancel them," she murmured to herself. It
would forestall another showdown with Abby.
At the same time, though, she wanted those rugs, needed to have her own way
about something. She'd have to think about that.
Pulling into an open space on Main Street, she decided to take a walk along the
water, maybe stop in someplace and have lunch, give herself—and Abby—time to
cool down before she returned to the inn. Because even though she'd told Abby
to get out, she had a hunch she'd find her sister still there and ready to have
this out. Unlike her, Abby didn't run from confrontations.
She was thinking about that as she stepped out of the car and bumped straight
into her father, of all people. The scowl on Mick's face gave her pause.
"Dad, I had no idea you were back in town." She gave him a peck on
the cheek, but his scowl just deepened.
"Where the devil did you think you were going flying down Shore Road like
that?" he demanded. "Did you even see there was another car on the
road?"
"I didn't hit you, did I?" she retorted defensively. "Of course
I was watching for traffic. Have you ever known me to get a ticket for reckless
driving?"
"It only takes once to have an accident that could end your life or
someone else's." He whipped off his sunglasses and studied her. "You
been crying?"
"No. I got something in my eye," she lied. "You know what it's
like when you drive a convertible."
"Nice try, but then only one eye would be red and swollen. Both of yours
are red." He tucked a hand under her arm and turned her in the direction
of Sally's. "We'll have lunch and you can tell me about whatever's on your
mind."
Since he didn't seem likely to release her, she allowed herself to be steered
toward the café. She sat down, folded her arms across her chest belligerently
until it dawned on her, thanks to Mick's smirk, that she probably looked like a
stubborn kid. She tried to make herself relax and drink the diet soda that
Sally brought to her along with Mick's coffee as soon as they were seated.
Heaven forbid a regular actually wanted to order something different.
"What can I get you?" Sally asked. "The meat loaf's real good
today, if I do say so myself. It comes with mashed potatoes and green
beans."
"I'll have that," Mick said, his gaze never leaving Jess's face.
"Nothing for me," she said.
Mick rolled his eyes. "She'll have a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich on
whole wheat toast. Bring her fries, not chips."
Now it was her turn to scowl. "You don't have to order for me like I'm
five."
"I do, if that's how old you're acting."
Sally chuckled. "Nice to see some things never change. You two have been
squabbling since Jess was a baby. I'll have that order back in a sec." She
cast a look at Jess. "Unless you'd like to make any changes to
yours?"
"No, a BLT will be fine."
Mick took a slow sip of his coffee, watching her over the rim of his cup and
waiting. That was the thing about Mick, as impatient as he was about most
things, he'd always been able to outwait one of his stubbornly silent kids. At
twelve it had been disconcerting. Now, it was annoying.
Jess finally risked meeting his gaze. "What are you doing home
already?"
"I killed the San Francisco project and decided to get back here for a
while."
"Really?" She felt a little flicker of delight. "Because of the
inn's opening?"
He nodded. "That and the stuff that's going on between Abby and Wes."
Jess frowned. "What's going on between them?"
Her father gave her an odd look, clearly surprised that she didn't know about
what was happening in her sister's life. "He wants custody of the
girls," Mick said. "It'll be a cold day in hell before he gets it,
though. Didn't Abby fill you in when she got back from New York?"
Jess winced. She'd hardly given her a chance. She'd hidden away upstairs when
Abby had first arrived at the inn this morning, then they'd had the blowup over
the stove. No wonder Abby had been in such an impossible mood, she thought,
then corrected herself. No, sending that stove back had nothing to do with
whatever was going on between Abby and Wes. She knew her sister well enough to
know that.
"We didn't have much time to talk this morning," she told her father.
"But enough time to have an argument, I'm guessing," he said to her.
"Is that what sent you flying down the road? You and Abby have a
difference of opinion over something at the inn?"
She nodded. "She was right. I was wrong."
Mick looked as if he'd never doubted that much. "You tell her that?"
Jess shook her head. "Of course not. She just made me so darned mad with
her high-handed attitude. How could I admit she was right?"
"You'll have to tell her sooner or later."
"I know."
Her father's expression turned uncomfortable. "Look, Jess, I know there
have been times, quite a few of them I suspect, when you've thought I favored
Abby over you."
"I know you love me, Dad." She meant that, too. She did know that he
loved her in his own, distracted way.
"But that's not the same as thinking that I support you or believe in you,
is it?"
She sighed. "Not really."
"Well, just in case I didn't make it clear when I was here before, I
support what you're doing with the inn and I believe you're going to make it
work. That doesn't mean I don't think you also need to listen to outside advice
from time to time, whether it comes from Abby or someone else. This is a new
venture for you. Like anyone else starting something for the first time, you're
not going to know everything right off the bat. I sure as hell didn't when I
started my company. I met with every architect who'd see me, tried to work for
a few developers to figure out how they did things. I didn't waltz out of
college, stick a fancy sign up outside my office and become a success the next
day."
"Point taken," Jess conceded, then felt compelled to add,
"Abby's never run an inn before, either."
He grinned. "No, but she does have a financial expertise that neither you
nor I have. I've got her looking into some investments for me because of that.
You should be grateful she's watching your back on the financial side,
too."
"I am. I'm the one who begged her to come down here, remember?"
"But then when she gives you advice you don't like, you blow a gasket, am
I right?"
"Yes. Okay, Dad, I see what you're saying."
"You'll make peace with her, then?"
She nodded.
His eyes sparkled with knowing amusement at her lack of enthusiasm.
"Today?"
"Okay, yes, today," she said, a note of impatience in her voice.
"If she's still at the inn when I get back, I'll talk to her and
apologize."
He clearly caught the out she'd left for herself. "And if she's gone back
to our house, you'll come over there," he said, making it a statement, not
a question.
"You're a worse nag than she is," she grumbled.
"Family trait," he said unrepentantly. "Don't think for a minute
that you don't have the same gene."
She laughed at that. "Guilty," she admitted just as Sally set her
lunch down in front of her. She picked up the sandwich and bit into it. It was
the first real tomato of the summer and the flavor burst on her tongue. It
reminded her of countless summer picnics on the beach with Abby, Bree, her
brothers and Gram. Carefree days spent with the people she loved most in the
world. She met her father's gaze and saw that he'd known exactly what he was
doing when he ordered it. "Thanks, Dad."
"Anytime, kiddo. Sometimes we all need to be reminded of the memories that
make us who we are."
"Okay, an excellent BLT will do it for me. What does that for you?"
she asked curiously.
"The scent of lilies of the valley," he said at once. "That was
the perfume your mother always wore. Sometimes when I walk outside on a spring
day and they're in bloom, I can imagine Megan right there beside me."
Jess blinked back the unexpected sting of tears at the nostalgia in his voice.
"You still miss her, don't you?"
"Don't tell another soul," he said, leaning closer. "But I miss
her every single day of my life."
Jess reached for his hand. Warm and callused, it wrapped around hers. "Me,
too," she whispered. In fact, she wondered if there would ever come a day
when she grew out of being the scared little girl who'd stood inside at the
window, Abby holding her hand, as they watched their mother drive out of their
lives.