Jasper Vale (The Edens #4)(10)

Besides the Eden family ranch, The Eloise had always been Mom and Dad’s most time-consuming business venture. Dad had always been focused on the ranch, while Mom had managed the hotel. She’d worked here for years until she’d handed me the reins after I’d graduated from college.

She’d put in her time with this business. What she wanted for their retirement was to be at home, surrounded by their grandbabies. So they’d spent recent years trying to settle their affairs. Dad wanted us all standing on our own two feet and the Eden businesses controlled by his children.

My oldest brother, Griffin, was now running the ranch. The love of Griff’s life was his wife, Winn, and their two kids. But the land was a close second.

Knox was the same. Memphis and the boys came first. If he wasn’t with his family, he was happiest in a kitchen, cooking for those he loved most.

Lyla had her coffee shop.

Talia had taken her inheritance to pay for medical school and buy a house. She was a doctor at Quincy Memorial.

Mateo, our youngest brother, was a pilot, flying planes in Alaska. Of us all, he seemed like the one who was still wandering. Still finding his wings.

But as sure as Griffin was about the Eden Ranch, as dedicated as Knox was to Knuckles, I was equally as committed to The Eloise.

More than anything in the world, I wanted this to be my hotel.

I’d gone to college because Mom and Dad had always taught us that a higher education was important. But from the time I was sixteen, working here as a housekeeper in high school, running this hotel had been my dream. Then I’d become the manager.

I’d thought the next step would be assuming ownership.

Except then they’d offered it to Knox.

Partly because he was older. Partly because he had more experience managing a business and more money to cushion hard times. Mostly because I’d gotten into a sticky situation with an ex-employee.

Apparently, I was too soft. Too gentle.

I led with my heart.

Somehow, that had become my greatest weakness. The obstacle keeping me from my dream.

Ironic, considering Mom and Dad were the people who’d taught me to be kind. Loving. Trusting. But apparently for my dream, for this hotel, my personality was all wrong.

I loved my parents. I loved my family. But that?

It had crushed my heart.

When I’d learned they wanted to give the hotel to Knox, I’d been devastated. An epic blowup had ensued. There had been tears. There had been hysterics. Both from me.

Thankfully, Knox had turned them down. He’d convinced them to give me more time to prove myself.

Did I really need to prove myself?

There was a reason Mom and Dad didn’t spend much time here. Me. This hotel ran on autopilot because I took my job seriously.

From housekeeping to maintenance to guest services, there wasn’t a single aspect of this hotel that I didn’t oversee. From the plush slippers we left for guests to the twinkle lights on the elevator’s potted evergreens, I lived and breathed The Eloise.

Yet for whatever reason, it still wasn’t enough. My parents had such confidence in my siblings. Even Mateo. But my brothers and sisters didn’t see this side of Mom and Dad. The hovering. The micromanaging.

Though it was nice to have Mom and Dad say they were proud.

“We just wanted to recognize the changes you’ve made lately,” Dad said. “Maybe it’s time to start talking about transferring ownership.”

Seriously? I reached down and pinched my own leg. Was this really happening? Finally?

“When we came to you about Knox taking over the hotel, we told you that you weren’t ready,” Mom said.

Ouch. I didn’t need the reminder. I remembered every word of that conversation.

“And now you think I am?” I asked her.

“Yes, we do.”

Holy. Shit. This was happening. This was really happening.

“Any time there’s been an issue with an employee, you’ve handled it perfectly,” Dad said. “The guest count is the highest in history.”

Before me, they’d never even kept track of that number. But I could tell you how many guests we’d had every day of the year for the past three years.

“And the magazines and tourist blogs we’ve been mentioned in lately.” Mom’s smile was contagious. “It’s just wonderful.”

“Thanks.”

For tourists traveling to Glacier National Park, Quincy was a popular tourist stop. During the summer months, we were booked solid. The same was true around the holidays. So I’d worked hard to drum up press features for The Eloise that would fill rooms during our quieter months. Spring break. Hunting season. Thanksgiving. And though there were still slow times, our off-peak seasons were getting busier and busier.

“The hotel is flourishing financially,” Dad said. “You’ve really shown us how responsible you can be.”

Responsible. That word was like a knife to my heart.

Responsible, twenty-six-year-old women didn’t get married in Las Vegas on a drunken whim.

Oh, no. No no no no no.

The minute they found out about Jasper, I could kiss my hotel goodbye.

Maybe I should tell them. Get it out there in the open. Apologize and promise to fix it.

“It won’t happen immediately,” Dad said. “But as long as this momentum continues, we’re looking at stepping away, officially, by the end of the year.”