Chapter 30
CHAPTER THIRTY
“W hy do you really want me to do this?” Lily asked.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I ignored it. This was more important. Lily was more important.
I frowned. “Do what?”
“Talk to my family.”
“I know I don’t understand the circumstances behind the rift in your family, and that’s fine. But I don’t want you to have regrets.”
I couldn’t imagine not talking to my family. Sure, we’d had our differences. But they were my family. Cutting them out of my life would be like cutting off my own hand.
Even though Lily hadn’t told me her reasons for ending communication with her family, I trusted that she’d made the best decision for herself. I was grateful I couldn’t imagine a situation with my own where I wouldn’t find a way to fix it.
“There’s no other reason?”
Her question felt like a trap, and I wasn’t exactly sure why. What was I missing? Where was this coming from?
Before I could ask, my phone vibrated again. When I glanced at the screen, Jasper’s name flashed across it. I was tempted to ignore his call, send it to voice mail, but it was the second time in a span of minutes that he’d called. A niggling in my gut told me to answer it. As soon as I did, I could hear a siren in the background, and I realized how close it sounded.
“What’s wrong?”
“Sloan,” he rasped, and panic raced through my veins at that one word. At the tone of his voice. “Sloan collapsed, and she’s being taken to the hospital.”
“What?” I barked, trying not to freak the fuck out.
“Jackson is with her in the ambulance, and Pierce is driving me over now.”
“I’ll meet you there.” I was headed for the door before I’d even ended the call.
“What’s going on?” Lily asked. “Where are you going?”
“Sloan. Hospital. Now.” I sounded like a caveman, but it was the best I could manage under the circumstances.
“I’ll drive you,” Lily said, racing ahead.
“No.” I tried to snap myself out of it. Force myself into action. “You should stay here. What about the?—”
“Graham.” She glared at me. “I’m. Driving.”
“Fine,” I huffed, tossing her the keys. I knew I was too distracted to focus on driving safely. Lily used the talk-to-text feature on her phone to send a text to Luc and Jo, asking them to take over in her absence. Oh god, les Journées du patrimoine. We hurried to the car, and I called, “Thank you.”
She said nothing, climbing behind the driver’s seat. She’d thrown the car into reverse before I could even reach for my seat belt. She bypassed the main road, taking a shortcut through the forest I’d never noticed. The road—if you could even call it that—was bumpy. But it avoided all the cars coming up the main drive for the festival.
Lily tightened her grip on the steering wheel, twisting, her knuckles turning white. Even so, she was focused on the road, driving as fast as she safely could while navigating around all the potholes and rocks.
I braced myself, desperate for something to do. Worried about how Sloan was faring. If she was in pain. If she was okay. If the baby was okay.
I dragged a hand down my face, wishing we weren’t in a small town in the French countryside. It was a great spot for vacationing, but I worried Sloan wouldn’t receive the same quality of care here that she would in a big city like London. Could the team ready the private plane fast enough to get her to Paris? London? Could we hire a…
“Almost there,” Lily said, pulling onto a paved road that led toward town. “I’ll drop you off at the front, and then I’ll go park.”
I appreciated Lily’s measured tone. Her planned approach. Because right now, I wasn’t thinking clearly.
The car had barely stopped when I threw open my door and sprinted into the hospital. Pierce and Jasper were in the waiting room.
“What do we know?” I asked, hugging my brother. “What happened?”
When Jasper said nothing, Pierce jumped in. “Jackson’s with Sloan. He said he’d update us as soon as he knew anything.”
“Good.”
Lily burst through the doors, scanning the room and then coming over to us. Lily gave Jasper a hug and then volunteered to get everyone coffee after we told her what we knew—which was basically nothing.
“Pierce?” she asked. “Would you mind giving me a hand?”
“Sure.”
After they left, Jasper and I took a seat, and I tried to steel myself for the unknown.
Jasper bent forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “I just keep picturing the panic in Jackson’s eyes. He’s always so calm and cool, you know? And he was totally losing his shit.”
A chasm opened up in my chest, but I tried not to let it show. “It’s Sloan and the baby. Of course he was concerned. I’d be losing my shit too if something happened to Lily.”
He gave me a funny look.
I grunted, the equivalent of asking, “What?”
“Why did Lily’s family seem surprised to discover that you two were married?”
“Because…” I blew out a breath. “They have a strained relationship, and she hasn’t spoken to them in months.”
He cringed, squeezing his eyes shut briefly. “I wish I’d known. Now I feel like an ass for inviting them.”
I patted his back. “It’s not your fault.”
“Does Lily hate me?” he asked.
“No. I’m sure it means a lot to her that you got everyone from our family to come for the festival.”
“Yeah. And ruined everything. Lily. Sloan.” He shook his head.
“Can you tell me what happened with Sloan?” I asked, even though I was scared to hear the answer.
Jasper seemed to curl in on himself. “One minute, she was fine, and then the next, she collapsed.”
Hm. I rubbed a hand over my mouth. “Was she conscious when the ambulance came?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s good,” I said, placing my hand on his back. “And she’s here now. They can help her.”
Jasper stood and started pacing. “I just keep thinking, how can we help her? Could we have done more to help prevent something like this?”
I wondered the same thing, though I still wasn’t sure what had caused it.
“Did you have something in mind?”
He pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes.
“Jas?” I prodded. I knew my brother well enough to realize there was something he wasn’t telling me.
He stopped pacing and locked his hands behind his neck. “All this drama with the board has been stressing her out.”
I frowned. “Did she say that?”
“She didn’t have to. I can tell it’s weighing on her. Hell, it’s weighing on me. Yes, the merger is tabled, for now.” Voting was suspended until the situation with the additional shares was resolved. “But you know Donahue. He’s not going to let this go, not without a fight.”
“And you know me,” I said. “I won’t let him win.”
“That’s just it,” Jasper said. “This battle isn’t good for anyone. Not the company, not Sloan, not you. Aren’t you sick of it? Isn’t Lily sick of it? It’s intrusive and disruptive and divisive.”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean I’m simply going to roll over and let it go. This is our family’s company. Our legacy.”
“ We are their legacy.” Jasper jabbed his chest. “You and Sloan and me and Knox and Nate. Our family was what mattered most to them. Not profits. Not the brand. Us. This family. ”
“I—”
“No,” he cut me off. “I think you’ve lost sight of that. I think you’ve clung to the company because it’s something tangible. Something you can control. But the company isn’t all we have left of Gran and Pops. We have their love. We have one another.”
“What are you suggesting?” I asked, grateful the waiting room was relatively empty and no one seemed to be paying us any attention.
“I don’t know.” He slumped in the chair. “I don’t. But there has to be a better way.”
Before we could discuss it further, Lily and Pierce returned, coffees in hand.
“Any updates?” Lily asked as she handed me one. I shook my head, grateful when she came to stand beside me and placed her hand on my back.
Jasper stepped forward. “I’m sorry if I overstepped by inviting your family. I just—” He swallowed. “I wanted to do something nice.”
Lily glanced to me, and I gave her a subtle nod. It was crazy to me that we could communicate so easily without words. That we understood each other so well. And yet, she’d questioned my motives earlier for suggesting that she talk to her family.
Lily’s shoulders relaxed. “I know.” She gave his arm a squeeze. “It was really sweet of you.”
I was constantly in awe of her. Even now, she calmed my brother and reassured him, all while facing her own problems.
Jasper’s apology made me even more determined to clear the air with Pierce. While Lily and Jasper were talking, I pulled Pierce aside.
“Thanks for being here. I’m sorry about the other night,” I said, referring to our disagreement after the poker game. “I know you were just trying to protect me, and I appreciate it.”
He nodded, twisting the sleeve around his coffee cup. “I was, but I could’ve gone about it a better way.”
My chest warmed at his admission, something inside me relaxing.
“I put you in a difficult position—asking you to be both my attorney and my friend. I’m sure it’s not an easy line to walk.”
“At times, it’s tricky. Like now. How do you want me to approach this situation?” he asked. “As your attorney or your friend?” There was no hurt in his tone. No anger. We’d said our piece, and we could move on.
“Both,” I said. “I know it’s not fair of me to ask, but I need you to be both. And right now, I just need you to be my friend.”
“Okay. As your friend, how are you doing?”
“I’m a fucking mess.” I dragged a hand down my face. “I know I should be thinking about how we’re going to handle this situation with Lily’s family, but all I care about is making sure Sloan is okay.”
Hell, I should’ve told Lily to go back to the chateau. Back to les Journées du patrimoine . But I was selfish, and I needed her here—with me.
“If I’d known what Jasper was planning,” Pierce said, “I would’ve tried to stop it. Or at the very least given you a heads-up.”
“I appreciate that. Just like I appreciate you for being here for me, for my family.”
“Of course I’m here.” He placed a hand on my shoulder. “You’re family.”
“Yes. We are.”
And that was what family did—show up. But not Lily’s family. At least, not without significant inducement—a free trip. I understood that money might be a barrier, but there were other ways they could support Lily, even from afar. It didn’t seem like that had been the case, and it made me even more determined to give Lily my love and support.
After Piece excused himself to make a call, Lily took his place. “Everything okay?”
I placed my hand on her thigh and nodded. “I was an ass, and I needed to apologize to Pierce.”
I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, and she leaned her head against me. It was comforting—having her here. And I was grateful she’d volunteered to come. I would’ve never asked her to choose between the chateau and me, but I now knew that if it came down to it, she’d put our family first. And that helped center me, just knowing that Lily was with me.
We waited for what felt like forever. But every time I glanced at my watch, only five minutes had passed. Still no word from Sloan or Jackson, and I was growing more and more anxious by the minute.
Every time the door from the hospital opened, I looked up, hoping it was Jackson with good news. And in between, I found myself questioning everything. My grandparents’ decision to put me in charge. My plan to marry Lily to gain control of the board.
All I’d ever wanted was to protect my family and our brand, but in my quest to do so, was I actually destroying everything I loved? And if so, how could I keep the company intact but end this fight?
I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t realize Jackson had come through the doors until Jasper shot out of his seat. I tried to get a read on Jackson’s expression.
“How is she?” Jasper asked.
“The doctor said Sloan will be fine,” Jackson said, relief etched on his features. “Baby too. But they want to keep her overnight for observation.”
We all sagged with relief.
“That’s great news,” Lily said, stepping forward to place a hand on Jackson’s shoulder. “How are you hanging in there?”
“Exhausted. Relieved. Grateful,” he said, summarizing my own feelings. I felt as if I’d aged a decade over the course of an afternoon.
“What can we do to help?” Jasper asked. “Does Sloan need anything from the hotel? Do you?”
This was exactly why Jasper was so good at his job. He was always so thoughtful. Always thinking of what would make others feel more comfortable. More at home.
Jackson shook his head. “We’ll be fine, but thanks.”
“Can we see her?” I asked, needing to check on my baby sister. To see for myself that she was okay.
“Actually, can I—” He tugged on his collar then glanced between Lily and Pierce. “Can I speak to Jasper and Graham alone for a minute?”
My stomach plummeted, and I worried that something was wrong. Something he didn’t want Pierce and Lily to know.
“Of course,” Lily said, giving my hand a squeeze. “Absolutely.” She smiled, and I appreciated everything she’d done. The way she’d been there for my family, for me, especially on one of the biggest days of the year for the chateau.
I held her hand, not ready to let her go. When she glanced back, I mouthed, “Thank you.” She nodded, and I knew she understood.
“Sloan is okay, but the doctors have cautioned us that she needs to severely limit her stress for a while now. I keep telling her that she has to slow down. Has to off-load some tasks, and she has. But this situation with the board has been a major stressor.”
Jasper shot me a look as if to say, “See!”
“We’re also concerned the board will deny our request to relocate to LA and refuse to let Graham take over in London.”
The board had been playing hardball on that, and I didn’t see it changing in the near future. Donahue seemed determined to punish me for thwarting Moretti’s merger offer. And until the judge lifted the temporary restraining order to grant me the additional ten percent of the shares I’d garnered by marrying Lily, we were at an impasse.
It was only Jasper, Sloan, and I who had these relocation restrictions. No one else in the company. I understood why the policy had been put in place, even if it was frustrating.
“The last thing I want to do is add stress,” I said, feeling responsible. I was the leader of our company. I was her older brother. And I was the one who’d been flying back and forth between LA and France—putting a strain on everyone. I was the one who’d been stirring up shit with the board. “She should be enjoying her pregnancy. Taking care of herself.”
“Agree one hundred percent,” Jasper said.
I didn’t know what I was going to do about the situation with the board, but Lily’s comments and Sloan’s current predicament had definitely reminded me of my priorities.
It also showed me the importance of trusting others, of communicating your needs. I wanted the people in my life, the people I loved, to know they could come to me. But clearly, I was doing a shitty job of it. If Sloan had approached me sooner about managing her workload, she wouldn’t be in the hospital right now. If I hadn’t been fighting with the board, she—and Jasper—would be a lot less stressed.
“We’ll keep working on a solution,” Jasper said. “We know how important it is.”
Jackson’s shoulders relaxed. “Good. Thank you.”
I called out to Lily and Pierce that we’d be back soon.
Jackson led us through the hallways of the hospital until we reached a room. He knocked softly on the door then opened it slowly. “Hayati?”
She said something I didn’t catch, and then Jackson waved us in.
“Hey.” I smiled at Sloan when I stepped through the doorway. It was a relief to see her awake and sitting up. This was good. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine.” She smoothed her hands over her stomach. “Baby’s good. I’m ready to get out of here.”
Jackson had already told us as much. But even so, I knew she had to be scared. I’d been terrified when I’d heard that she was being taken to the hospital, and I could only imagine how I’d have felt if it had been Lily. I didn’t let myself go there, couldn’t.
Jasper and I shared a look. Sloan might be able to put on a good front for everyone else, but we weren’t buying it.
I needed to make some changes. I needed to show them that we were a team—my siblings and I. And Lily and I. That I would listen to them and work with them, not make decisions for them.
I stepped closer to the bed and took Sloan’s hand in mine. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
Jasper took a seat on the bed next to her, and Jackson excused himself to take a phone call. “Me too, Sloaney Baloney.”
Sloan rolled her eyes at the childhood nickname but laughed anyway. “You guys didn’t have to come to the hospital.”
“Of course we did,” I said. “We’re family. And as a family, we need to make some changes.”
Sloan sighed, her hands resting on her stomach. “I know.”
“You do?” Jasper and I shared a look.
“Yeah. I do. I thought I was handling stress, but clearly, my body doesn’t agree. Landing in the hospital was a big wake-up call.”
“Graham and I are here for you,” Jasper said. “Just tell us what you need. Whatever you need. Do you need to take a hiatus? Work fewer hours? What would help you most?”
“I don’t want to take a hiatus, but I want to work from home several days a week and try to take more breaks during the day.”
“That sounds like a good plan,” Jasper said. “Maybe hire a personal chef or some more help around the house.”
She nodded. “I’ve been interviewing some candidates from the Hartwell Agency.”
“Good,” I said, feeling hopeful.
“And Jackson’s been encouraging me to trust our employees.”
“We have great staff and teams in place, and I don’t think any of us have been fully utilizing their talents,” Jasper said.
Sloan nodded. “Halle is a great asset, and I can definitely lean on her. And you’re right, Graham. I need to learn to delegate more.”
“Exactly,” I said. “You don’t have to do it all. Traveling back and forth to the chateau showed me that. Honestly, in some ways, it’s helped me achieve a better work-life balance.”
“I’m sure wanting to spend time with your wife helps,” Jasper said.
“It does. So, what’s going on with you, Sloan? Because I know you love spending time with Jackson.”
She toyed with the edge of the blanket. “I do love spending time with Jackson. But I think I’ve been so focused on everything I have to accomplish before the baby comes that the due date has come to feel like a ticking time bomb.”
“What do you mean by that?” Jasper asked. “What do you think is adding to that time pressure?”
“I guess I just don’t know what to expect once the baby comes. And I feel this compulsion to finish as much as I can before then.”
“Life won’t stop just because you have a baby,” I said. “It’ll change, yes. But you’ll still be you. And the company will still be here.”
She nodded, and it felt like we were all learning a lesson in trusting our teams more. In taking time away from the company to pursue our passions or spend time with the people we loved.
“What about the board?” Sloan asked. “What if we can’t get the majority of the shares? What if they decline our relocation requests? Not to mention that this battle is hurting the company.”
“Actually, I have an idea,” I said, glancing from Sloan to Jasper. “And I think it will solve everything. But I’m going to need your help.”
Jasper laid his hand over mine. It was something we’d always done as kids. Something we hadn’t done in years. I smiled at the memory of the three of us, hands stacked one on top of the other, swearing our allegiance as the Three Musketeers.
It had always been us against the world. We’d always counted on one another. And while life had changed and the company—and our family—had grown, I knew I could always count on my siblings. I was done trying to control everything. If we were going to succeed, we needed to do this together.