Page 64 of Here With You

She knew Brie was never invested in the resort and said, “We’re insured.”

Brie took a seat at the picnic bench. “Do you want to rebuild?”

CHAPTERTWENTY-SIX

Over the next few days, Miles helped Emmaline sift through the rubble. The funny thing about fire was it seemed selective at times and completely indiscriminate at others. The entire house had been reduced to a pile of rubbish with the exception of the hall closet that held all the family photo albums. Once the ash had cooled and the fire department said it was okay, she opened the door to find a footlocker full of family mementos. Miles picked it up and carried it to the picnic table.

“Unbelievable,” she said as she tugged at the handle to open it. The heat from the fire had charred the hinges, but the lid popped free, and she pulled out pictures that dated back to when her grandparents bought the property. She peeled one from the top.

The only sign that the photos had been through a fire was the acrid smoky smell that seemed to soak into everything and the mustiness of paper that had met with dampness.

“Is that the land before anything was built?” He took the old black and white photo from her hand and held it up. He could line it up with landmark trees like the giant willow that still stood in the center of the property.

“It would seem so. Look how pretty and pure it all seems.” She ran her finger over the photo of the beach and the sand. “This was before it was touched with greed and ego.”

He laid the photo down and looked into her eyes. “I know you were too emotionally spent to answer Brie the other day when she asked if you wanted to rebuild but what about now? You’ve had a few days to digest the loss.” He leaned in and kissed her gently. “Before you answer, I want you to know that I’ll support you in anything you want to do. My place is beside you.”

She swiped a tear from her cheek. It couldn’t be easy losing everything she held dear. Her dreams had revolved around The Brown since the beginning of time. He knew what she was going through. Though the ranch had never burned down, it had been ripped away from him when he was younger. The property might not have turned to ashes, but his life had gone up in flames. He’d lost everything, and yet, he recovered. He knew she would as well.

“Everything I thought I was, and everything I wanted to be, was wrapped up in this property.” When he went to dispute her claim, and tell her she was not The Brown, she raised her hand. “Let me finish.” She cleared her throat. “This land was a legacy of love for my ancestors. They came here to rest and relax. That was its original intent. It was a vacation home for a wealthy family. Then my family stepped in and turned the place on its head. It was still a place for people to come and unwind but not for The Browns. They took something beautiful and peaceful and turned it into a place where ego and money ruled. Look at the misery this place has caused. It took two lovers and created a divide so wide that they could never cross it to live their dream. They had to live a lie to survive. My poor sister was torn between her love of Cyrus and her loyalty to The Brown. I wasn’t much different. I should have left with you that day, but guilt for the decades of work my ancestors put into this place held me back. This just proves that a heart can’t be divided. I should have let the romantic in me rule my world. Love for you should have been my guiding light.”

“Hindsight is always 20/20,” he said.

“Too bad we can’t always have the clarity that a disaster brings.”

Ollie bound down the cement steps that used to lead to the front desk and ran to where they sat at the picnic table. In his mouth was a half-charred bunny slipper—the left one.

“Ollie seems to have his priorities set.”

In the distance, Brie and Carter walked out of The Kessler and toward them.

“Are you okay?” Brie asked as she approached.

Emmaline nodded. “I will be. It’s a lot to take in but Miles and I were discussing clarity, and I think for the first time in my life, I’m really clear on what I want and what I don’t.”

Brie’s eyes widened. “Have you made a decision?”

Miles couldn’t wait to hear what she’d say. He’d watched her sink into silent contemplation the last few days. He was always by her side but knew he couldn’t help influence her decision. If she chose The Brown this time, it was because she wanted to prove something to herself and not to her family. She’d already chosen him by saying yes to his marriage proposal, so he’d support her no matter what. He didn’t care if he spent his life at The Brown, The Kessler, or the ranch. All he cared about was spending the rest of his days with Emmaline.

“What’s on your mind sweetheart?”

CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN

Em looked around the property. “To rebuild or not to rebuild .” That has been the question on everyone’s minds, including hers. Em’s attention went from the burned down Brown Resort to The Kessler, which now stood proud. It was funny to imagine a property having a personality, but somehow, The Kessler seemed happier now that The Brown was gone. The paint seemed brighter, the foliage greener, the flowers more vibrant. The guests they had moved from The Brown seemed quite content to be shifted over to a new resort where they were spoiled by Em’s staff, Carter, and Brie.

With the help of Charlotte and Marybeth, no one was missing essentials as her two friends hit the community up for whatever the guests needed from clothes to amenities like makeup and books. Tilly was out of sorts since The Kessler kitchen was substandard in her opinion, but there was no doubt in Em’s mind that her feisty friend would whip it into shape in no time.

When Miles reached for her hand, she realized they were all waiting on her to answer. She opened her mouth to say the words, but they seemed to lodge in her throat. Turning her attention away from The Brown seemed the right thing to do. It wasn’t that owning a resort was a bad thing, but since the fire she’d come to realize that the Brown family never truly owned the resort, it owned them. A life lived for someone and something else was never truly a life lived. The biggest conclusion she came to was that she never truly wanted the resort. What she wanted was to be seen and valued and appreciated. Somehow that basic need had gotten tied up into the success of the business. Hindsight truly gave you perfect vision because all along she’d been seen … by her friends, her niece, her townsfolk, and by Miles. They loved her whether she succeeded or not. What she learned this week was to see herself. She didn’t need a thriving business to make her whole. Her friends were right. The Brown would never warm her bed, bring her coffee in the morning, or hold her when she was down.

She considered her answer for another moment before she swallowed the lump in her throat. “No.”

Miles gasped. “What do you mean?”

“This was never my dream. I have another dream that includes a cowboy, a ranch, and a shoe-stealing dog.” She looked deep into his eyes. “What do you say?”

Miles nodded. “I think that’s a fine idea.”

Carter sat next to Brie. “We haven’t had a lot of time to catch up since we hit the ground running. I can’t help but feel like we missed a lot while we were gone.”

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