Chapter 34 Emilia
EMILIA
We were all exhausted by the end of the day but no one seemed to want the party to end.
Drew had gone into his father’s retirement announcement meeting looking stressed, and I understood why.
Oliver was handing over the baton and the responsibilities that went along with it, which meant renewed public attention on Drew and his brothers.
That, coupled with needing to smile, shake hands, and small talk for hours at the reception after the meeting was a lot to take on.
But now we all were here, gathered at the family estate for the real celebration, which meant we could finally relax. Mostly.
Did I still get a little nervous being surrounded by America’s most impressive travel and hospitality family? Of course. I’d been welcomed with open arms but sometimes it was a little startling to remember that I was now part of this impressive crew.
Oliver had insisted on bringing all of us back to the house to show off the newly completed greenhouse.
Candace hovered in the background. Even though all three brothers now understood that she was supporting their father as he shifted into the next phase of his life, not pushing him, there were still areas where she knew to give the Ashfords space.
And this space, in particular—in tribute to the late Alicia Ashford—was one that Candace approached with a lot of delicacy and tact.
I admired her for it, and Gwen and I worked hard to make her feel like she was part of the girl crew.
Turns out Candace was an excellent baby-snuggler, so any time Gwen needed a break from little Scarlet she was first in line to take over.
“This greenhouse shouldn’t be empty,” Logan said glumly as he looked around the grand glass space, no doubt picturing what his mom would’ve done in it. “We need orchids and roses and herbs.”
Noah raced by his father, holding a tennis ball and giggling.
“Hey, bud, be careful!” Logan called out. “We can’t damage this place, it’s about to go on the market.”
As one, we all turned towards Oliver, because he’d been cagey about when it was finally going to happen.
“I know, I know,” he hedged. “Soon, okay? Moving on is turning out to be more difficult than I’d imagined. This place is more than just a building. It’s always been the heartbeat of our family.”
We all took a moment to gaze around the latest addition to the Ashford estate. Alicia’s greenhouse fit in perfectly, and even though it was new it felt like it belonged on the property.
Candace squeezed Oliver’s arm and gave him a knowing look.
“I love it so much,” he continued. “Not just for aesthetic reasons, although I defy you to find a more beautiful place. I love it because it’s where we created a lifetime of memories.
Harrison, do you remember when you were in high school and you tried to convince us that you needed to turn the unfinished open space above the garage into your… what did you call it?”
“His lair,” Logan guffawed. “He said he needed a lair, like he was some sort of Marvel villain!”
Drew joined in. “That’s right. I totally forgot about lair-quest. Where did that even come from?”
“I needed to get away from you two jokers,” Harrison said with a teasing scowl. “You wouldn’t leave me alone, and you always got into my stuff, so I figured moving to the opposite side of the house would give me some privacy.”
“He actually brought a sleeping bag in there and camped out on the plywood for a few nights to try to make his point,” Logan added.
“Not a bad idea,” Gwen mused.
Oliver laughed. “Sure, but the kid drew up schematics for the lair that included a hot tub and an elevator!”
“I had a vision.” Harrison shrugged. “Couldn’t hurt to ask.”
Oliver clapped him on the back. “Exactly. The Ashfords are all about moon shots. Sometimes they pay off. Like when Drew brought home that injured box turtle he found in the woods and we wound up keeping it until it healed. We were a no-pet household until Bart forced his way into our lives for those few months.”
I turned to gape at Drew. “Wait. You rescued a turtle?”
I watched his expression as the memory flooded back.
“Holy shit, I totally forgot about Bart,” he exclaimed. “No wonder Winston and I get along so well. Mom loved Bart, too.”
“Mom loved every animal,” Logan added. “Even the bunnies that ate her flowers.”
We all went quiet again, and the warmth in the greenhouse seemed to increase a few degrees.
“Why don’t we head to the house?” Oliver boomed, as if he sensed the melancholy was about to eclipse the celebratory vibes. “We have plenty of food and drink to enjoy.”
We spread out on the lawn as we made our way back.
It was a long walk across the beautiful grounds.
Noah tagged along beside Gwen and Scarlet like he was impatient for his new cousin to be old enough to play with him.
Oliver slipped his arm though Candace’s.
Harrison kissed Gwen on the top of the head.
Drew took my hand in his and gave it a squeeze. “Are you okay?”
I looked up at him. “I should be asking you that. Big day, lots of emotions.”
“It’s been overwhelming,” he agreed. “But as long as you’re by my side, I’m good.”
I bumped closer to him to rest my head against his arm. Who knew life could be this sweet?
Logan caught up to us. “Doesn’t feel real, does it? Selling the house?”
We all gazed up at it, and even though I was new to it, I could already see how easily the place could feel like home.
Sure, it was grander than any place I’d ever lived, with the Versailles-style gardens and a few competing architectural styles thrown together on the facade, but the whole thing was underscored with love.
Especially because Alicia and Oliver had worked together to bring it to life and make every aspect perfect.
Even though there was a huge dining room I knew that we’d spend the rest of the evening spread out on the patio that flanked the pool, and if things went according to plan, at least one of the brothers would wind up jumping in with Noah.
“Yeah, it’s a damn shame to let it go,” Drew replied. “I wish there was a way to keep it in the family, but obviously Harrison isn’t going to take it since he’s already set. And it’s too far of a commute for me.” He glanced down at me. “For us.”
Logan couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away from the house. “It’s way too big for me and Noah, especially when he’s with his mom most of the time. I’d feel like a ghost, rattling around here alone. But I wish …”
“I get it.” Drew slapped his brother on the back. “But it’s just a house. The family that fills it is what truly matters.”
It took a few steps before Logan answered. “You’re right.”
“He’s different now,” Drew said as he jutted his chin towards his father.
I wanted to butt in and point out the obvious—that Oliver was finally moving on to the next stage of his life with someone he cared about cheering him on—but I opted to let them figure it out for themselves.
The three of us watched Oliver and Candace lead the pack.
We were all still dressed for the office party in business attire, but Oliver had his jacket draped over his shoulder and his tie loosened.
Candace had kicked off her pumps and had them dangling from her fingertips.
No surprise, his three sons were still buttoned up, like they were ready to head back to the negotiating table at a moment’s notice.
But that was what they’d signed on for. And I knew that it was the life they loved. The best part was that Drew now knew how to find a balance between his Windsor-knot daily life and his soft t-shirt snuggly couch nights with me.
Which had become our nightly ritual.
For someone who seemed like he never stopped working, Drew clearly loved unplugging the minute we walked in the door. It was almost like having me and Win there reminded him that life needed to be lived.
And yeah, Win and I had basically moved in. Poppy’s house was polished up and waiting for whatever we decided to do next, but for now we were happy to stay at Drew’s.
Noah ran over to us with his shirt now hanging around his neck like a wreath, the buttons half-opened. “Daddy, I want to swim!”
“You know where Papa keeps the extra suits. Go into the cabana and change, then wait for us to get to the pool before you go in.”
“Will you swim too?” Noah clasped his hands under his chin. “All of you?”
I waited for Drew to give an excuse.
“You know it, bud,” he answered instead. “Your dad and uncles will, I’m not so sure about the ladies.” He leaned closer to the boy. “It’s a hair thing.”
I smacked him in the stomach. “Excuse me? When have you ever known me to be prissy about getting my hair wet? I never miss a chance to swim.” I leaned down to look Noah in the eyes as he skipped along in front of us. “Are there suits for grown-up ladies in the cabana?”
Drew huffed a laugh. “You don’t even know. My mom had a connection at Lily Pulitzer and they still send us the latest line every summer, with each suit in their full range of sizes. I’m sure you can find something that works for you.”
“I’m not exactly a Lily girl – too much pink and green – but I’ll make it work,” I answered.
Drew kissed the top of my head again. “And I’m sure you’ll look gorgeous no matter what you choose.”
“Let’s go! Last one in is a stinky poo-poo dog doody!” Noah yelled, then took off running for the cabana.
“Hey, language,” Logan called after him, hiding a smile. He shook his head. “That kid.”
“You’ve got a good one,” Drew agreed. “And I bet little Miss Scarlet is going to be just as much of a spitfire.”
Logan looked over at us. “What about you guys? Feeling that pull to give me another niece or nephew? Noah keeps begging for a little brother, but he’s sure not getting one from me, so I’m hoping to bribe him with some more cousins, instead.”
Drew choked out a laugh. “Whoa, there. Pump the brakes.”
But I knew the truth. Those nights on the couch that turned into epic conversations about our future.
Talking about our hopes and dreams, what we loved, what we wanted to change about our lives, our bodacious, pie-in-the-sky dreams, who we were to one another, and where we saw ourselves in thirty years
And family.
Which was why I knew that Drew was very, very ready to consider fatherhood. The timing wasn’t right yet for what we had going on in our lives, but just knowing that we shared that same vision filled of the future me with hope.
It was down the line, but for now?
In this moment we could both enjoy the warmth of a family finding their way back to one another as we forged our own path together.