Page 12 of Here With You

“Don’t remind me.” Em covered her eyes. “I remember. We had the housekeeper steal it when he was out, so no one else had to be subjected to that view.”

“It’s probably in lost and found. Maybe you can pull it out and ask Miles to wear it. You think he could rock that daisy?”

“You’re torturing me, right?”

Tilly shrugged her shoulders. “It seems only fair since you’re making him do stuff you wouldn’t do.”

“Not true. I’ve scraped plenty of gum.”

Tilly laughed so hard that her staff stopped what they were doing. She was a stoic woman, so laughter was out of character. She turned and pointed at them, giving them a stern look. “Back to work.” She returned her attention to Em. “The only gum you’ve scraped is what ends up on your shoe. Why are you being so harsh? It’s been decades. Let it go.”

“He ruined my life.”

Tilly sipped her coffee and stared at Em. “You ruined your life when you refused to go with him.”

“Seriously? It’s not like I had a choice.”

Tilly turned red from her neckline to the tips of her ears. “You always have a choice, and you chose the resort. Let me ask you this … is it warming your bed at night? Does it hold your hand when you’re sad?”

“Me? What about you? You’re married to this resort, too.”

Tilly stood. “No, ma’am, I’m not. I stay because of you. Don’t forget, Edelweiss is my dream.”

“That’s the second time you’ve mentioned leaving. If you want to go, then go!”

“I stay because of you. Imagine this kitchen without this table and our talks. If I’m gone, they end.” She pointed to Miles. “You had a future with him and let him down.”

She couldn’t believe her ears. “Miles screwed it all up.”

“What’s wrong with you Browns? One sister couldn’t let go of the man she loved and ruined lives by keeping him. The other tossed the man who loved her aside. I’d have left with him if he’d been into short, stocky German women.”

“He could be.” She waved a dismissive hand. “He’s all yours if you want him.”

After a long, exaggerated sigh, Tilly hugged Em. “Stop lying to yourself. You never got over him. It’s why you never married.” She nodded to where Miles stood, pulling dead fronds from the palm trees. “He never married either. He’s back because he’s not over you.”

“He’s back in town because his mother’s dying.”

“He could have stayed at Marybeth’s, but he’s here. And I’m sure that has everything to do with you. So, Emmaline Brown, you’ve got a decision to make. Will you let him in, or will you chase him away like you did the last time?”

“That’s not fair.”

“Life’s not just, but we keep living it. How will you live yours? You know, there’s more to life than the resort.”

“It’s all I know.”

“Oh, honey, it’s all you’ve allowed yourself to know.” She stared at Miles struggling to pull a dead frond free. “When was the last time you landscaped?”

“Okay, I’m punishing him, but he broke my heart.”

“Imagine how he felt when he came to get you, and you sent him away.” Em opened her mouth to defend her actions, but Tilly shook her head. “He did the right thing. He lost everything to be an honorable man. Put yourself in his place when you’re alone, lying in bed tonight, and imagine what his life has been like. You lost him, but he lost every single thing in his life.”

Tilly moved behind the stainless-steel prep counter and looked at the orders. It was nearing dinnertime, and she was back to business, which meant Em was dismissed. She might own the resort, but Tilly was the queen of the kitchen.

As she made her way outside, she asked herself what it would take to forgive Miles. She’d had decades to think about it, so she marched over to him to get the answer to the question that had haunted her for years.

“We were supposed to get married. We were supposed to be partners. Why didn’t you make me part of your decision?” Just asking released thirty years of fury. “Why did you ruin everything?”

CHAPTERSIX

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