Room at the Inn for Christmas (Second Chance at Star Inn)(6)

“And your dad said what?” Angel sounded skeptical, but Cart saw by Mandy’s hurt expression she was telling the absolute truth. It made no sense, but Lou Star had really told his daughter there was no job here for her.

“He said there was no room at the inn?” Angel asked.

Mandy flinched; then a smile snuck onto her face. Her fists relaxed back into hands. “I can’t believe you said that.”

Angel laughed just for a second; then she said, “Could he have just said that because he thought that was what you wanted? Because I felt a longing in him for you to come back. I guess he never said so, but I always thought that was his dearest wish.” Angel looked at Cart. “Didn’t you think that?”

“Yes, I wondered how long you’d wait. Your dad wasn’t all that old, seventy-two isn’t that old these days, but he was long past retirement age. I figured he was keeping things going until you came back.”

“I think he kept working because the inn was his link to Mom.”

“And to you, Mandy.” Cart leaned forward, the table kept them apart, but he wanted her to hear him. “And this is your link to them.”

Without thinking, he reached across and took her other hand. Now he and Angel both had her. “Your roots are here, and I remember when you were a kid, you loved this old house and you loved the folks that came to visit. You were a natural. I’m sure you’re wonderful at your job. How could you not be? But I always thought you liked the personal connection with visitors and with the staff.”

His voice faded when he realized by “staff” he meant himself. He’d thought she liked the personal connection with him.

Mandy looked at him, then suddenly pulled her hands free. “Go home, Cart or Anthony or whatever your name is now. Your family probably hates this place for keeping you busy late at night.”

Cart narrowed his eyes. “I live out at my ranch alone, Mandy. No one’s waiting for me.”

And the look on her face was nothing short of stunned.

“What do you mean? Dad said you’re married. Surely you have kids by now.”

Cart shook his head hard, like a wet dog, then slowly stood, maybe trying to get a little distance from what she’d said. “Your father told you I was married?”

Mandy opened her mouth, closed it, opened it again. Fish impersonation.

“You aren’t?”

“No.”

“Divorced?”

“Never married.” He’d come close once—well, not all that close as it turned out. The burn had left scars. He liked to think he was a lot wiser about women than he’d been then. But Tara had happened well after Mandy’s decision not to come home.

She sat, her golden hazel eyes locked on his, as if she was looking into his mind—or maybe into the past. Finally, the gaze broke and she looked down at the table, through the table.

“Mandy, he can’t have said—”

“Hang on a second.” She slashed a hand at him and cut him off. “I’m trying to remember what he said. He mentioned you often when we visited, but he told me . . . I-I remember that one time, right before I graduated from college, he said you were engaged. And at the same time he said there wasn’t enough money to support another person in the inn.”

That brought her head up. “Could that be it? I don’t really know anything about Dad’s finances. I’m his sole heir, but I don’t know what that amounts to. Is the Star struggling? That might explain why he-he didn’t . . . want me h-here.”

Cart heard the confused ache.

“The inn is doing well,” Cart said. No sense lying, was there? It might protect her feelings right now, but she was going to see the books pretty soon. “I helped your dad get things in order for taxes this year. I can write checks on the inn for repair parts and there’s plenty of money in the bank. Your dad has significant investments, too. In fact, he has part ownership of the strip mall that went in on the edge of town.”

Angel added, “Remember he donated enough to the new hospital that he got his name on a brass plaque they put up on the lobby. I think those were for donors who gave ten thousand dollars or more.”

Mandy gasped. Cart didn’t blame her.

“I’m on the board at church,” Cart added. “He was very generous there. There’s no debt on the inn and never has been. It was paid for even before your grandad inherited it. And your mom had a large life insurance policy that I know your dad set aside for you and has never touched.”

“Not even when he paid for my college?”

“Nope. That came out of profits from the inn. And structurally it’s in good shape. Well, the boiler’s the same old one, but we completely redid the plumbing and wiring two years back. He got a new roof last year. Your dad paid cash for all of that. I saw it because it shows in the depreciation schedule on his taxes. He had the money to do it.”

“You’re sure about this?” Angel spoke directly to Mandy, her voice so quiet Cart barely heard her. “You didn’t misunderstand, about Cart or about your dad not wanting you here or there being money troubles?”

Slowly, she shook her head. “I didn’t misunderstand. In fact, I’ve been dreading going over the details of the will, worried I’ve inherited so much debt, I’d be lucky to sell the inn and settle all I owe.”