Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
“No,” her dad said. “That’s not true at all. There was nothing more I wanted to do with my life than raise you.”
Affection rushed through her. “I love you, Dad.” She pressed a gentle kiss to his temple. “But we’re circling something, and I’m not sure what it is.” She settled back in the chair. “You had a family business of your own, so how did you wind up running Mom’s?”
With a troubled expression, he lowered his gaze to the blood pressure cuff.
Gently, she cupped his bearded chin and made him face her.
“You’ve never spoken a bad word about my mom, and I’m not asking you to now.
I just want the truth. If you’re going to sell my family legacy, I deserve to know the whole story. ”
He nodded, resignation clear in the slow exhale. “Your mom and I dated in high school.”
“Was she different back then? Because you two have nothing in common.”
“No, she was very much the same. Your mom was…uncatchable. All the boys tried to win her, but she wasn’t interested in any of them.”
This was good. She wanted to know these stories. “Did you try to catch her?”
“No, no. Never even considered it. She was too far out of my league.”
“What does that mean?”
“She was like you. Honors student, president of the Future Business Leaders of America, captain of the dance squad. She didn’t have time for a guy like me.”
A guy like me. It pinched her heart. “You’re an amazing man. Everyone loves you.”
I want to know you, Dad.
“I kept to myself. Worked in the shop after school and on weekends.”
“You didn’t have friends?” she asked.
“Oh, sure, I did. And you know all of them. Bob, the guy who delivers our linens? Cal, the guy I go fishing with. You know them. We grew up in these mountains. Hiking, skiing, hitting the rapids.” He drew in a breath, filling his lungs, and she could immediately see the stress leave his body. “It was a good life.”
“And then my mother inserted herself.”
He chuckled. “That’s a good way to describe it.
She barged into my woodworking class—this was after school, when a few of us stayed to finish our projects.
She was a whirlwind of energy and so damn pretty, and she said, ‘I need someone to make a booth for the Maker’s Festival.
’ Most of the guys ignored her—she was intimidating—but I saw the fire in her eyes, and I said, ‘I’ll do it.
’ Didn’t even hesitate. After that, she held on to me.
I was sucked into her vortex.” He chuckled.
“Couldn’t get out. The force was too strong. ”
So, she found someone who would do her bidding. Classic Mom. “Did you have anything in common?”
“Sure, we did. We both had passion. She just didn’t tell me what hers was.”
“Wait, what do you mean? She didn’t tell you about moving to New York?”
“She didn’t tell anyone. Her parents expected her to take over the inn. It had been in the family since 1895, and not one generation had walked away from it. So, when she showed them her acceptance letter to Columbia University, they blew up. Refused to pay.”
“I hardly remember them, but they seemed like good people.” All her memories of them were warm—coming home to fresh-baked cookies and hugs, her drawings taped to the refrigerator, cuddles at night.
“They were. But she blindsided them, and they didn’t take it well. So, I stepped in.” He pointed at her. “That was my choice, not your mother’s.”
Still trying to protect her. “Okay. Go on.”
“Her parents agreed to let her go as long as she studied hospitality and we got married. They’d teach me to run the inn, so when she graduated, I could run it with her. Once she got a handle on it, I’d join my family’s business.”
“But she never came home.”
Once again, he didn’t look at her.
“No. Don’t protect her. I’ve modeled my life after that woman, and I deserve to know the truth of who she is.”
“She’s not a bad person. She’s just driven. Her ambition meant more to her than…other things.”
Other things…like me? Her daughter? Or the man who sacrificed his own dreams so she could pursue hers?
“So, you’re saying that when she married you, she knew she was never coming back.
When she got married, she had no intention of raising her child.
” The truth hit her hard and fast. “She’s unbelievable.
I don’t know that I’ve ever known anyone as selfish as she is.
” Her mind was revving, braiding separate thoughts together. “When did you split up?”
Her dad hesitated. He had to know she was putting it all together. “Senior year of college.”
“That’s when she married Richard.” Kendall’s dad. Her sister was three years younger. This new information altered the landscape of her memories. “She cheated on you with him.”
Her dad nodded.
“And how long after they got married before Kendall was born?”
His pained expression made her want to stop the inquisition, but this was life-altering information. “Six months.”
Her mom was sleeping with the partner of the firm where she’d interned. She got pregnant intentionally. “She’s ruthless.”
He didn’t answer. He didn’t have to.
“She’s lied to me about everything.”
“I don’t think she did. That’s not how she works. Your mom’s extremely intelligent. And crafty. She probably just withheld enough to make it impossible for you to get a clear picture.”
But Willa was caught on one track. “You gave up everything to work in a business you didn’t want to be in.”
“Let’s get something straight. How I spent my working hours meant nothing compared to the time I got to spend with my daughter.
Your mom drew me in with her drive and ambition—and there’s not much more to her than that—but you…
you’re all that plus kindness, intelligence, warmth, compassion.
You’re the whole package, and I got to raise you.
Can you imagine the gift I was given? She can have her Columbia degree and her penthouse views.
She can have all the money in the world—”
“Trust me, no amount will ever be enough for her.”
“Yeah, well, she can make fun of small-town life all she wants, but I have a community here. I have fresh air and wide-open spaces.” He reached for her arm.
“Most importantly, I have you. You might not get it now, but you will. You know that joke about parents hoping their kids have a child just like them? Folks usually mean it as payback. But I mean it as a blessing. Because raising you was the best part of my life.”
Willa leaned over and hugged him, careful of the monitors. “I love you so much, Dad. And I miss you.”
All this time, she’d dumbly accepted her mom’s depiction of him as a slacker.
Shame burned a fiery path along her spine, spreading out to her limbs.
“I hate myself right now.” She pulled away.
“When I saw how much things had changed at the inn, I thought you weren’t working hard enough.
I was an entitled brat, and I gave you—my father, the man who singlehandedly ran the inn in a way that made it the most successful hotel in the entire county—a list of suggestions for how to improve things.
” What a jerk she’d been. “I’m sorry, Dad. You deserved so much better from me.”
“Willa-Bear, you’re the best daughter in the world. You’re the light of my life, and the only thing I want is your happiness. And if you want me to keep the inn—”
“I do. I want to keep it.” There wasn’t a chance in hell she’d sell her family legacy. “But you don’t have to run it. You go make your furniture. You live your dream now.” She kissed his cheek.
“You can’t run an inn from New York City.”
“No, but I can hire the right people.”
The curtain rasped along its track, and Dr. Patel stepped into the bay, tablet in hand. He was young—thirties, maybe—and he gave them a tired smile. “I have good news. We didn’t find anything life-threatening. No heart attack or stroke.”
Relief swept through her. “Oh, thank God.”
“You okay?” he asked her dad.
He was a huge man and barely fit the narrow bed. “Feel like I picked a fight with a freight train and lost.”
“I’ll bet. Well, the second bit of good news is that what you’ve got is very treatable.”
“What does he have?” she asked.
“He had what we call a hypertensive crisis.” The doctor focused on her dad. “Your blood pressure spiked to a dangerous level. It puts a lot of strain on the heart, the kidneys, and the brain. Fortunately, your daughter brought you in when she did, and we’ve got it under control now.”
Willa’s fingers tightened around the arm of the chair. “Is he… Is there any permanent damage?”
“We ran bloodwork, an EKG, and imaging. No sign of a heart attack or stroke, which is what we worry about in cases like this.” The doctor glanced at her dad. “But this is your body telling you something’s not working. You need to take it seriously.”
Her dad nodded. “I’ll do better about taking my medication.”
“That’s good. That’s a start. But you’re also going to have to make some lifestyle changes. That means less sodium and more vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. The nurse will give you a diet sheet before you leave. Once you’re cleared, you’ll need to start exercising. Walking is perfect.”
Her dad let out a breath. “So… less strawberry-rhubarb pie.”
Laughter bubbled out of her—probably more out of relief that her dad was okay. “That was good, wasn’t it?”
“Ate it for breakfast.”
“The whole thing?” She’d only had one slice.
Her dad grinned.
“Dad.” She nudged his leg playfully. “No wonder we’re here right now.”
“Oh, he can have some pie. Let’s not go crazy.” But the doctor’s smile faded. “The real issue here is stress. It can drive blood pressure through the roof. You’ll need to keep regular sleep hours and avoid overexerting yourself, especially for the next few weeks.”
“I can take a break from the furniture business,” her dad said. “It’s more of a hobby anyway.”
“No, it’s not,” Willa said. “You get to keep doing that, and I’ll figure things out with the inn. We’ll hire a manager.”