Chapter 2 #2
Kylie had worked her entire four years of college as a server and then bartender at a popular restaurant just off campus.
She didn’t take holding a degree for granted, unlike someone such as Zane Wagner, who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
She had spent plenty of time online, researching both the Wagner family and the corporation itself.
She did know the Wagner wealth was new wealth, however.
Zane’s grandparents lived in the Bay and operated the Driftwood Diner.
The couple’s son had been brilliant, winning a full ride to Harvard.
Alexander Wagner had made impressive connections at the university and married well, starting Wagner Enterprises soon after earning his business degree.
His son, however, would have only known being rich.
He had attended the best private schools and lived in a posh New York apartment.
While Wagner might be a good negotiator, Kylie was fighting for her family and all those like the Mayfields in the Bay, giving her added incentive.
She planned to drive a hard bargain and expected Wagner Enterprises to pay for the new ferries she would be requesting, as well as the operators to man them.
It might mean the family having to let go of the current ferry they had, allowing it to be absorbed by Wagner Enterprises, but she would make certain that Danny would continue to have a job, as well as her parents having a piece of the ferry pie.
Her brothers left with their families, needing to put kids to bed.
Kylie stayed, watching a movie with her mom on Turner Classics.
They had a love of old black and white films. Tonight, they watched the screwball comedy Bringing up Baby, with Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant, for what had to be the twentieth time.
When the movie ended, Mom used the remote to turn off the TV.
“Thank you for spending so much time working on your proposal, honey. I may know numbers, but I would be terrified to talk to someone from the Wagner family. You had a career where you spoke in front of people all the time. I’m so proud you went to college and had a big, fancy job.”
Mom took Kylie’s hand and squeezed it. “Once this deal is done, sweetie, I think you need to move on from the Bay.”
“What?” she asked, caught off-guard. Even though that had been in the back of her mind, she had no firm plan as to when she would be leaving and had never talked about this with her parents. “This is coming out of the blue, Mom. Are you and Dad kicking me out?”
Her mom paused a moment. “He and I have talked it over, and we both know there’s no future for you here in the Bay. You need to be with people your own age.”
“I have made new friends,” she said defensively. “You know I’ve been hanging out with the Three Musketeers.”
The nickname referred to three girls in the graduating class behind Kylie.
Mila Andrews now coached the volleyball team at the high school and was married to the basketball coach and district’s athletic director.
Layne Maxwell had returned to the Bay after her parents’ deaths and renovated the Bay Breeze Inn.
She had recently married Keaton, an artist who owned a gallery near the water.
Piper Roberts, the third of the trio, had been an actress for over a decade and had returned to the Bay not long ago.
She was managing the Bay Breeze for Layne while deciding what she wanted to do beyond acting.
Piper had been seeing Sullivan Shepherd, but Kylie didn’t think it would go anywhere since the handsome architect would be finishing up his work at Tidewater soon before he left for his home base of New York.
“I know you’ve made friends with them, honey. You’ve told me they even refer to you as the Fourth Musketeer.”
Warmth rippled through her at that thought.
She hadn’t stayed in touch with anyone from her graduating class, so it had been nice to come back to the Bay and meet these former acquaintances after so many years away.
The Three Musketeers had offered her friendship, which Kylie had hungered for after feeling alone for so long.
“Your dad and I still want you to leave the Bay, Kylie,” Mom said firmly. “Running boat charters isn’t what you dreamed of doing. Besides, you need to start dating again. Even think about marriage and a family.”
Though she knew her mom meant well, marriage and having children were the last things on Kylie’s mind.
Her marriage had failed, showing just how bad her taste in men was, and Amy Marie’s death had been a devastating blow.
She couldn’t imagine putting herself out there again, opening up and loving someone again, much less giving birth to another child—who might die.
A part of Kylie had died when her daughter did. The doctor said it hadn’t been any fault of hers, but she couldn’t help but think she was cursed in matters of love.
Instead, Kylie had sealed her heart completely shut. She wouldn’t be dating. She certainly wouldn’t have any more children.
“What if I don’t want to leave?” she boldly asked. “Will you and Dad kick me out of here? Fire me?”
Concern filled Mom’s eyes. “Honey, we’d never do that to you.
We love you. We’re trying to support you.
We just believe being back in the Bay permanently isn’t in your best interest. You have so much potential, Kylie.
We want you to be free to live up to it, not tied to Mayfield Charters and the Bay. ”
Stubbornness set in, and Kylie only said, “We’ll see.”
That had been her mom’s favorite phrase when she and her siblings were young. It meant no, of course, but it had always given the three Mayfield children hope that there was a possibility of yes being said somewhere down the line.
“I’ve got to go,” she said, kissing Mom’s cheek. “I’m doing the early ferry shift tomorrow so Danny can sleep in for once.”
Kylie returned to her small apartment and sat on the couch. Tears began to sting her eyes. She hadn’t cried in a very long time—but now she gave into the tears, surrendering for a short while to the darkness which still lived deep within her.