44. Chapter 44
Chapter 44
James
“I ’d like to propose a toast, if I may.” Mitchum Hardon raised his wine glass into the air as his eyes scanned the other guests at the table. We were seated in the rather impressive dining room of his former home—now owned by his eldest grandson, Luke, whom I never thought I’d share a meal with willingly.
Then again, there were many things I believed about myself before this summer that turned out not to be true—or at least, they no longer served me.
But none of that mattered anymore—I was done looking backwards. All I wanted was to continue doing the work on myself, so I could be the kind of man I wanted to be. Not just for myself but for the woman I loved. Beyond that, the only thing I cared about was making sure she had the support she deserved.
Like right now, at this dinner party Mitchum had arranged. It was a mere two days after he’d had a private conversation with his extended family about his past with Cora, revealing he’d had a daughter they’d never known about.
I could only imagine how that conversation had gone down—discovering not only a secret family, but three new heirs to the Hardon fortune along with it.
Lizzie had been an anxious wreck the night before, and I had to admit, I was too. It was difficult to ignore the lifetime of beliefs about the Hardons I’d held onto so tightly—some true, others not.
But I had to hand it to them. Despite feeling somewhat awkward, everyone tonight had, for the most part, been kind and respectful. Mitchum’s sons, Robert and Mitchum Jr.—also twins, along with two of Robert’s sons—were naturally less than thrilled about the family discovery. Robert had opted not to attend the meal at all—and given the history GiGi and I had with him specifically, I wasn’t too heartbroken over that. His brother, Mitchum Jr., had decided to show up last-minute and had thankfully been mostly cordial. At least, so far.
But I was surprised that several of Robert’s sons, including Luke, had made the effort to be here tonight—-Will, the second oldest after Luke, along with the twins, Ryder and Chase. Ethan was already chatting up Ryder, interested in his work in furniture design. The other two brothers were traveling, but there was already talk of another dinner in a few weeks. As all of the sons helped to run their third-generation high-end furniture business—Hardon Brothers’ Designs—they all lived in the area. Seeing them around town had always been unavoidable. But I was mentally preparing myself to embrace it, for Lizzie’s sake.
The biggest surprise—besides Mitchum himself—had been his granddaughter, Eve. The only girl born to a huge family of boys, Eve was laid back and friendly right off the bat, the only Hardon not involved in the family business or much interested in the trappings that came with it. She and Lizzie seemed to hit it off instantly—both likely grateful to have another female at this very male-dominated table.
Overall, most everyone had all been gracious and welcoming, despite the fact that this secret had dropped a bomb on their lives as well. There was still a lot to navigate, of course. But for now, this was enough.
Mitchum Sr. continued. “I know this news about our shared connection has been difficult for all of you, especially after so many years. While it will take time for each of us to work through the intricacies of what this means, I am grateful that, for now, we’ve all been able to come together to start finding our way.” He paused, glancing over to where Lizzie and Ethan sat. “The two of you, along with your sister, are an equal part of this family. And I genuinely hope we can continue getting to know one another. No matter what, you will always be welcome.”
I cast a sidelong glance at Lizzie, her green eyes alight with fresh tears. But she was also smiling. I squeezed her hand beneath the table, and I felt her squeeze it back. Seeing her happy and safe was everything to me. And I’d do anything to keep it that way.
Will, seated a few seats down, raised his glass as well. “I want to echo my grandfather’s sentiment. You’re family.”
“To family,” Mitchum Sr. said, smiling.
“To family,” everyone around the table echoed, glasses clinking as the murmur of conversation picked up again. I noticed Luke had been uncharacteristically quiet since we’d arrived, probably still trying to figure out what this news meant for his place within their family dynasty. But he’d opened his home to us today, which was a step in the right direction. I had to give him credit for that.
His friend Sam, whom I’d met briefly months ago when we’d bumped into each other at Loon’s Landing, was seated between Luke and myself. Turns out, he’d been in town fairly frequently lately, having officially purchased—as of last week—the old, abandoned resort property on the south end of the lake. As we all dug into our entrees, he leaned in.
“So, James… this dinner couldn’t have come at a better time. I don’t know if you heard, but I just bought the old Lake View Resort property from Joe and Denise Kinney.”
“Yeah… pretty sure I heard something like that,” I said, before taking another bite of my prime rib—which was perfectly cooked.
Of course.
“Luke said you might have,” Sam said, smiling. “The Kinneys drove a hard bargain, but I think I still came out of it ok.”
“Definitely don’t envy you doing business with those two.”
“Hopefully, I’ll never have a need to again.” He chuckled. “Anyway, I was talking with the guys at Aaronson Construction, but then Luke’s brother Nash mentioned you started your own remodeling business and have been working on Lizzie’s place. I guess he's friends with Lena Nelson, who knows Lizzie? Anyway, the word out there is you’ve done an incredible job on her renovation. And Mel over at Aaronson Construction said you’re one of the best. I know a resort is a totally different beast, but… what can I say. As an entrepreneur myself, I prefer to work with small businesses. Would you have any interest in taking on some work over the next year?”
“Um, sure… what sort of work would you be looking to hire me for?”
“The entire renovation and rebuild.”
My eyes were wide as I set down my fork. “Seriously?” An entire resort? This would set us up with work for an entire year at a minimum, probably more. My head was buzzing, already thinking about what Jesse would say, the subcontractors we’d want to bring on, the scope of the project. This could be career-making, and do so much to bring more revenue to the community of Dearing Creek, too. Combined with building a library, we’d be at capacity and would need to start hiring a handful of permanent employees instead of contracting everything out.
But that was the goal, wasn’t it? To build and grow a business I could be proud of. I knew if Pops were still alive, he’d be telling me this was the moment, to just go for it and not look back.
And an opportunity like this almost seemed too good to be true. I wanted to say yes, immediately. But then, a memory floated to the forefront in my mind. “Thanks so much for the offer, Sam. It sounds really exciting, and I’m definitely interested… but I thought I heard a rumor about an issue with the Kinneys?”
“Yes, they seemed to think they could put a clause in the purchase agreement about who I could hire for the rebuild. But I spoke with my attorney, and he put the kibosh on that one.” Sam rolled his eyes. “Last thing I need is some blowhard like Joe Kinney trying to make a mess of things. Lake Elska deserves a beautiful resort gracing its shores again, but more than anything, I want it to be a good thing for the community. That means hiring the best people who will not only work hard, but also have creativity and vision. Based on what I’ve heard, it sounds like you might be the guy.”
For a moment, I couldn’t speak—-thinking of my old boss Mel, overcome by the generosity he was once again showing me with this massive referral. “Well, thanks… I appreciate it. I’ll need a few days to consult with my business partner, too, but maybe we can start with a meeting next week to discuss the scope of work?”
Sam grinned. “Sounds good to me. Here’s my card.” He handed me his business card, which I tucked into my back pocket with a smile as he turned towards Luke. I stared at my plate for a moment, still not quite believing this conversation had happened.
I’d had so much good come into my life ever since meeting Lizzie that it couldn’t be just a coincidence. Opening my heart up to her had also opened my eyes, making everything appear in technicolor instead of the harsh black and white I’d lived by.
All I could think was how goddamn happy and grateful I felt.
How much I loved her already.
And glancing over at her now, I knew—with Lizzie by my side, life could never be anything but beautiful.
Two days later, Jesse and I had wrapped up three major milestones—first, officially putting our partnership into writing as we sent off the LLC amendment paperwork to the State of Minnesota, as well as adding him to my business account at the bank. The look on his face through all of it reinforced even more that I’d made the right call, having my chosen brother build this business alongside me.
Then the second milestone happened during our meeting with Sam outside of the old Lake View Resort property, which happened to be located only a couple of miles east of Lizzie’s place. After taking a walk through the property and discussing Sam’s vision, Jesse and I were in agreement—this was the project of a lifetime and we’d be idiots to pass it up. After Sam had his attorney email a preliminary contract for all of us to sign, the wheels were set in motion, with a plan to finalize the full contract and scope of work by the end of September and beginning plans for the indoor restoration and renovation by October. Jesse and I celebrated with Lizzie and Tara on Wednesday evening, all of it feeling a little too good to be true.
And then came the third milestone—because our resort project wasn’t the only thing we had to celebrate that night. After Ethan had left to head back to Minneapolis, Jesse and I had spent a couple of days wrapping up the final touches at Lizzie’s cabin. The renovation was now complete, and I couldn’t have been more proud of how everything on Horizon Remodeling’s first project had turned out. We’d done it.
It was probably annoying to everyone how much I smiled these days. Surly James had officially left the building.
Inside though, I couldn’t help but feel it was all bittersweet. Bringing Lizzie’s family cabin back to life had been the catalyst that brought us together, and I would always be deeply grateful for that.
But along the way, this experience had brought me back to life, as well. And now, the thought of not being with her every day automatically felt like a step backwards, even though it wasn’t.
I knew Lizzie and I were built upon a more solid foundation than simply proximity. Even still, it was hard not to feel apprehensive of yet another change.
So once we hit nine o’clock—with our friends deciding it was time for bed—I suggested to Lizzie that we stop by the Thirsty Beaver bar for a drink on our way back to her place. As we wound our way along County Road 3 as the last bit of light faded from the sky, I couldn’t stop myself from taking brief peeks over at her in the passenger seat. Even in the darkness, she glowed, as much about her beauty as the person inside. I doubted I’d ever stop feeling the way I did now—so goddamn lucky.
Ten minutes later we were making our way across the parking lot to the bar when I heard the sound of tires on gravel as a car pulled up behind us. Turning, I saw the tinted driver’s side window roll down, revealing the face of one pissed-off Denise Kinney.
Shit.
“What a pleasant surprise running into you here, James.”
From where I stood, seeing this woman was far from pleasant. But I plastered a smile on my face all the same, my arm looped protectively around Lizzie’s back.
“Hello there, Mrs. Kinney. Nice night, isn’t it?”
“It was .” Denise gave us a simpering look, eyeing up my date. “I see you’re still running around with your clients.”
“Actually, no… Lizzie isn’t my client. She’s my girlfriend. And we’re just enjoying a night out to celebrate.”
“Yes,” Lizzie piped in, now wrapping an arm around me as well, “we have loads to celebrate tonight. Including how incredibly successful James’ business has been as of late.”
“Oh?”
Trying to hold back a smile, I turned my gaze back to Denise. “Yes, Horizon Remodeling just landed a massive corporate project. I assume you’re familiar with the old resort on the south end of the lake?”
Denise’s eyes were blazing. “That’s… not possible.”
But for the first time, I didn't feel defensive or angry. I felt… oddly calm—at peace—as I smiled at her. “Oh, I assure you, it’s already in writing. Sam’s a good man, making sure we moved quickly to get things in place before winter.” I shrugged. “I hear you helped to convince him of my expertise, so thanks for the referral.”
“I did no—”
“Anyway,” I said, interrupting her, “if you’ll excuse us, I want to enjoy the night with my beautiful date.” Walking away, I could hear the tires of her car squeal against the pavement as the black sports car made its way down the road. Pausing before the door, I pulled Lizzie in tighter. “Is it wrong that I absolutely loved every moment of that?”
“Not at all. Though I’m pretty sure she’s headed home for a temper tantrum.”
Laughing, I pulled open the door, realizing for the first time that Denise Kinney and her kind no longer had any power over me. And damn, it felt good.
“Well, lookie here… two of my favorite peeps.” Kait wandered up just as we grabbed the last two seats at the bar. “What’re you crazy kids up to tonight?”
“Celebrating, actually,” I said with a smile, feeling on top of the world. I’d always liked Kait but even more since getting to know her better over the past few months. “A couple of work milestones, and also the completion of Lizzie’s remodel.”
“Well, congrats! And not a moment too soon, considering that Dearie Girls Weekend kicks off in two days,” she said, grinning. “Lizzie girl, you ready for this?”
“God, I hope so.” Lizzie sighed dramatically, but her eyes had a twinkle to them. “What did I put you in charge of again?”
“ Nachos a la Kait, fruit and four bottles of wine. But don’t worry, I also picked up two boxed wines, too. Because you know Tess will bring the fancy shit again, and everyone will feel too guilty to drink it. Well, except maybe for Jules.”
Lizzie snorted out a laugh, glancing back at me. “Remind me to tell you sometime about the truth or dare incident from three years ago.”
“Still can’t get that damn stain out of my carpet,” Kait said, making a face. “Anyway, let me grab you two something to drink… the usual?”
“Yes, ma’am.” As she wandered away, I smiled at Lizzie. “So I guess we better enjoy these last couple of days before I lose you to your posse… and what I’m guessing will be a massive hangover.”
“Probably.” She sighed. “Sorry, Tate, you got stuck with a lightweight.”
“Oh, I think I’ve proven I can handle you just fine,” I said, grinning wickedly as she blushed. I’d never tire of giving her a reason to. But as the giggles faded, she grew quiet while we waited for Kait to return with our drinks, chewing on her lower lip in that way that always drove me mad. Something was clearly on her mind.
“Wanna share what’s going on in that head of yours?”
Her eyes darted back to mine. “Sorry. Just thinking about how I can’t believe the work is done on my cabin. This summer went by so fast.”
“Yeah, I’ve been thinking the same.”
“I love everything… It really feels like my home now. You know how grateful I am to you and Jesse, right?”
“Of course I know. And you took a chance when you hired us. I’m the one who should be thanking you.”
Lizzie gave me a small smile. “Neither one of us is very good at accepting gratitude.”
I chuckled. “Yes, guess so.” I hesitated for a moment. “Can I admit something, though?”
“What’s that?”
“It’s going to be damn hard not seeing your beautiful face every day. I’ve gotten used to being around you.”
She blushed again, but this time, her eyes were glistening. “Me too.”
It was then that Kait walked up with our drinks, setting them on the counter with a wink before darting off to deal with Hank and his friends in the corner. I took a sip from my beer, thinking of all the things I still wanted to say—but deciding now maybe wasn’t the time. We were both exhausted from the past few weeks. This could wait. Even if I didn’t want to.
“So I had an idea… maybe it’s stupid, I don’t know…”
I raised an eyebrow at her. “Knowing how much you think through everything, woman, I highly doubt that.” But I could see her twisting her hands in her lap, which was always her tell. Placing my hand gently over hers, I gave her a quick smile. “What is it?”
She was quiet for a moment, then I heard her slowly exhale. “So I know we only live like four miles apart. We’re going to see each other.”
“Yeah…”
“And I know we’re solid, both fully invested in us. So I’m not worried about that part. But… I want more.”
“So do I.”
She glanced up at me. “You do?”
“Yep.”
“Ok, good. So… if I said I wanted you to move in with me… that wouldn’t freak you out?”
I grinned. “Nope.”
“You’re a man of few words tonight, Tate.”
“You want more words? How about this.” Pulling her hands into mine, I turned to face her straight on. “I love you—your smile, your laugh, your nerdiness, your heart, the way your mind always seems to be racing ahead… even your anxiety. And definitely that body of yours,” I said, grinning as her face grew redder. “All of it makes up the woman I was meant to fall in love with. So of course I want to be where you are. If I’ve realized anything over these past months, home is wherever I'm with you. And I'm done wasting my time pretending that's not the case.”
Her eyes were teary now, but at least she was smiling. “God, I love you. And I’m pretty sure that’s a song, by the way.”
“Well, if it is, it’s a damn good one,” I said, chuckling. “But I mean it. And I was actually thinking along those lines myself… just didn’t know if you’d feel ready.”
“Nothing would make me happier.” Then with a squeal, she threw her arms around me, nearly knocking me off my stool before I caught her, and we both started laughing. As she tilted her head back to look at me, her face was on fire. “Sorry! There I go, getting carried away again.”
“I’m not sorry.”
I mean, how could I ever be, holding this woman in my arms? Nor was I sorry for planting a kiss on her right there, in front of everyone—not giving a damn about the catcalls or the Dearing Creek rumor mill.
After years of never quite finding my way towards happiness, getting carried away with her—no matter where the current led us—was where I belonged.