Page 33 of Here With You

Darryl narrowed his eyes. “Then why did I have to come here for my reservation?”

She shrugged. “We are joining forces while my niece and nephew are on their honeymoon. The Kessler isn’t fully staffed.” She rubbed her chin. “May said you need a job, too. We can help with that.”

Darryl rolled his eyes and turned to face Miles. “Mom won’t keep me away from the ranch for too long. She’s too sick to deal with it.”

Miles chuckled. “I’m sure Cormac can handle the chickens and the few head of cattle you’ve got. I’d prepare for the long haul.”

“I’m not staying with you,” Darryl said.

“You’re right. I’m staying in a house. The most I can offer is a room with a bed and a bathroom. It’s got clean linens, cable, and a Keurig coffee machine.”

Emmaline smiled. “I’ll leave you to figure out the details. Remember, no fighting on the premises, and quiet hour begins at ten.” She looked around the lobby. “If you break it, you buy it. You should know that my family has excellent taste.” She stared at Miles while she said that last sentence. “I’m known for quality choices.” She walked to the door, stopped, and turned to Darryl. “They say what goes around comes around. Maybe you should have been nicer to Miles when he needed you.”

Darryl snorted. “Maybe you should have.”

She nodded. “I definitely should have.”

She stood in front of Miles. “The Kessler is yours to operate, and you can turn him away, but he needs you. You can repeat history and banish your brother from the property or turn the other cheek and be a good human. The choice is yours.”

“I always try to be a good human, but Darryl isn’t ever going to change.”

She looked over her shoulder and then back to him. “You told me all we leave is memories. What memories will you leave, Miles?” She walked away and disappeared around the corner to her house.

When he returned to The Brown’s front desk, Darryl was standing there looking like someone had stolen his tricycle. “What’s it going to be?”

Darryl marched over with his fist in the air. “I have a mind to knock that smug smile from your face. What did you say to Mom to get her to kick me off the ranch?”

“You heard Emmaline. No violence. I gave you the first one for free, but you touch me again, and I’ll make sure you never raise that fist again.” Staring at his brother was like looking at a twin of his father. “Do you want the room or not?”

Darryl caved in front of him. “It’s not like I have a choice. Unless I want to sleep in my truck.”

“Marybeth might let you stay. That’s where I landed when you kicked me off the ranch this time.” He couldn’t believe his brother could be so heartless. Their mother was dying, and he made him leave.

Darryl shook his head. “I stopped by the church first, and she’s already got a guest.”

“It would seem that you owe me an apology. Once I get that, I’ll get you a room.”

“It will be a wintry day in hell before I apologize.”

“Enjoy your night in the truck.” He walked out the door of The Brown and moved toward his place. He had painting to do. “Don’t park your vehicle on resort property, or you’ll be towed.”

“That’s right,” Darryl taunted. “Walk away. It’s what you do best.”

He stopped and spun around to face him. “When you’re twisting your tale, don’t forget I wasn’t the one stealing from everyone.”

Darryl’s hands fisted at his sides as he moved closer, but he kept them tightly pressed to his jeans. “You stole from me. You ruined my life.”

“That was never my intention, and I apologize because you were another innocent victim in our father’s scheme to steal from those buying his cattle.”

Darryl stood taller. “You don’t think I knew? I was completely aware of what he was doing, and it was brilliant until you shouted it to the world. We were making bank on our cattle sales.”

“You were hurting those who were helping you. You took advantage of the people who put food on our table.” Hearing that Darryl knew about the fraud only made it worse. He was exactly like their father, and nothing was redeemable.

“My wife left me after we settled all the lawsuits. There wasn’t enough left to maintain the life she wanted to live.”

In that way, they weren’t much different. Emmaline chose security over love, too. He should be furious with her, but he wasn’t. He’d had a lot of time to reflect on what she’d done and what he’d done. Two wrongs never made a right. He meant it when he said their breakup was probably for the best. They’d both had a long time to reflect and grow as people.

“Next time, choose someone who loves you for who you are and not the material things you can offer. I think that a personality is something you have to offer someone.” He was glad he decided not to tell anyone about his lottery win. The people around him were there for the right reasons. As far as anyone was concerned, he was a resort manager, not some guy with twenty-two million dollars in multiple bank accounts.

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