Juniper Hill (The Edens #2)(73)

Not longer hours in town.

“I’ll take over the hotel,” I said, reaching over to put my hand on Eloise’s knee before she could bolt off the couch, “until you’re ready. If Mom and Dad want to settle their estate, pass it down, then I’ll take it until you’re ready.”

She scowled. “I’m—”

“Not ready.” I gave her a soft smile. “You know you’re not. Not yet. But you will be. There’s no rush.”

“No, there isn’t a rush.” Dad sighed. “If Knox doesn’t want it, we can keep on with things as they are. This whole mess with Briggs, his dementia getting worse, it has me spooked. We just didn’t want to leave anything unsettled in case something bad happens.”

“We know you love this hotel,” Mom told Eloise.

“Then don’t take it from me,” she pleaded and faced me. “Are you worried about me ruining it?”

“No,” I admitted. She’d work herself to the bone before that happened.

“We’ll leave it,” Mom declared. “We’ll give it time.”

Eloise’s shoulders fell. “Thank you.”

Memphis dropped her chin, but not before I caught the ghost of a smile on her lips.

She’d been right. This was Eloise’s hotel.

The bell at the front desk dinged and we all looked over to see a guest at the counter.

Eloise wiped at her eyes and rushed away.

Mom shook her head. “That went well.”

“You were right.” Dad sighed. “We shouldn’t have brought it up today.”

“Brought what up?” I asked.

“We had a conversation with Mateo this morning. He’s moving.”

“What?” I sat up straight. “Where? Since when?”

Mom dabbed the corner of her eye. “He’s been looking for jobs in Alaska. He came over this morning to tell us he was hired as a pilot.”

Shit. We were finally all in Quincy and now he was leaving.

“Mateo’s a pilot?” Memphis asked.

I nodded. “He got his license in college.”

“We came to tell Eloise,” Dad said. “She said she knew. He told her about it but asked her not to say anything. I got frustrated and might have said something I shouldn’t have said about her communication skills.”

“It digressed from there,” Mom muttered.

And in it all, they’d told her that they’d asked me to take over the hotel.

“Come on, Anne.” Dad stood from his seat. “Let’s go home before I get myself in more trouble.”

Mom stood and followed him away from the fireplace, but he stopped before he could go too far, turning to look at Memphis.

“We’re so glad you’re here. I don’t know if Eloise has told you that or not.”

Memphis nodded. “She has. Almost daily.”

Dad glanced over at my sister, who looked as happy and cheerful as she did any day. Like this argument had never happened. Later, when the guests were gone, she’d let down her fa?ade. But right now, she would smile for the guests because this was her place.

“I think maybe I haven’t been in here enough,” he told Mom but his gaze was locked on Eloise.

“I think we’ve both missed a few things.” She took his hand, then pulled him toward the door.

“Damn.” I rubbed my hands over my face. “Didn’t expect that today.”

“For what it’s worth, I think you made the right decision.”

“I do too.” I watched my sister hand the guests their room keys. “Are you done for today?”

“Pretty much. I’ll see what Eloise needs. Do you still want to stay here tonight?”

“Yes.” Maybe I wouldn’t wait until Christmas to give her this ring. Maybe I’d just do it tonight. “See if Eloise will let you go home early. I’ll skip out too. We’ll go to the house and pack for tonight. I haven’t talked to Mom about babysitting yet, but I think after all this, I’ll call Talia instead.”

“Are you sure?” she asked. “We can postpone it.”

“I’m sure.” I stood and retrieved our coffees. “Roxanne is handling the restaurant tonight. I’ve got the wedding and dinner tomorrow. Let me just talk to my staff. Make sure everyone’s good.”

“Okay.” She walked with me to the counter, waiting to talk to Eloise while I returned to Knuckles.

Fifteen minutes later, we were outside and heading to her car. I stole the keys from her hand and opened the passenger door to the Volvo.

We’d be about an hour and a half early to pick up Drake, but that would give Memphis more time with him before we came back to the hotel. More time for me too. The chaotic holiday schedule had kept me from them both.

It wasn’t sustainable long-term. I wanted more nights at home than away, which meant I’d have to promote Skip and hire another line cook, but it would be worth it.

“How was Eloise?” I asked as I drove across town.

“Mad.” Memphis shrugged. “I would be too. She feels like everyone doubts her. But she won’t quit. She wants the hotel too much.”

“Good.”

“Will you do me a favor? I don’t want to tell her about my wedding planner thing. Not yet. I don’t want to quit the housekeeping crew. Especially now. What Eloise said . . . I won’t let her down.”