“Wow. That must have been very special.”
“It was.”
“Kyle, you know I try very hard to just let you live your life without commentary from your mother, but,” she said, pausing and taking a deep breath, “if a woman is showing you a piece of her history like this, she is try
ing to tell you something.”
Kyle rolled his eyes and let out a little laugh. She had a point—she was pretty good at letting him live his own life. She’d helped him along the way when he asked for her opinion, like in choosing a college, but overall she stayed out of it. When he’d come home with the job offer from Grayson and told her he was thinking of accepting, the only response she had given him was “when can I come visit?” For her to be slipping in her opinion now meant something; it also meant she’d been thinking about it for a long time.
“Just how long have you been holding back an opinion about me and Drea?” he asked her.
“Since just about my first visit down there,” she said with a yawn. “The two of you look at each other like Romeo and Juliet.”
“Mom, are you okay? You sound off.”
“I’m fine, just a little tired,” she answered, dismissing his concern. “Now, are you going to officially confirm my suspicions?”
“We’re,” he paused. Was it fair to tell his mom when he had asked Drea to keep it from her uncles? “We’re testing the waters.”
“Well, fine, be coy,” she yawned again,
“Really, Mom, are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes, yes. Really, I’m just tired, I promise.”
“You’d tell me if something were wrong though, right? You’re taking your meds and all that?”
“Kyle, who is the parent here? I told you I’m fine. Now, if you just got home you must be exhausted, and I could certainly use a good night’s sleep. So, how about we just catch up later this week?”
“Sounds good, Mom,” he said. “Love you.”
“Love you, too, baby,”
He ended the call and slumped back on the bed. It concerned him to hear her sound so tired, but he trusted that she knew herself well enough to know that she just needed some extra sleep. She’d never been one to not take care of herself, so maybe his concern was for naught.
Grabbing his phone again he sent a text to Drea saying to let him know when she wanted him to head that way. He wanted to make sure she had enough time with her uncle. After hearing more of the family history this weekend he realized just what role each one of them played in her life and he wouldn’t dare take away from that.
Her reply came almost instantly, telling him she was heading to see Miller, and that she needed to find Simone about wedding stuff, but she should be home in about an hour and she’d see him then. He felt like this could be the longest sixty minutes of his life.
After dropping her stuff off inside the cottage, taking a quick rinse-off shower, and changing into a clean sundress, Drea made her way to the resort’s kitchen. She opted for what she considered the long route, walking through the main lobby of the resort, stopping for a moment to take in the space. In her head, she could see it all so clearly, how they could redesign the lobby to house an entrance to the spa. It would lead off the little hallway that currently led to the office, but instead it would just veer to the right, before it reached the employees-only area.
The long hall entrance would be dimly lit, with soft lights highlighting the jewel-toned walls, and the sounds of a water feature luring guests toward the spa desk. Once checked in, they would be led to locker rooms where they could change before stepping into the luxury waiting room, complete with plush couches and instrumental music. She could see the treatment rooms, saunas, and pools all mapped out as well. It was easy to picture guests lounging about, relaxing and taking in the beauty of the view from the resort.
She loved the idea of creating a menu of services and finding the best staff to come and make this dream of hers a reality. It would do so much for the resort to offer something like this, not only for their guests, but if it were open to the public they could take advantage of some of the vacation rental traffic as well. The increase of vacation rentals had been a major topic of conversation between her uncles and Simone the last couple of years, and while Vaughn wasn’t sure it was hurting their bottom line too badly, Drea knew that something like the spa could really go a long way to opening up new lines of revenue.
Finally tearing herself away from the lobby, she made her way through the dining room and into the kitchen. True to form, Miller was flitting about the kitchen, throwing things in pots and pans, oblivious to the world around him. One of his kitchen assistants caught her eye as he dodged her uncle, just trying to keep up with his erratic movements. She shook her head, laughing to herself as she watched the scene. She felt bad for the kid on some level, but on another, she was aware that Miller knew himself and his behaviors well enough that the position of kitchen assistant paid accordingly. Another moment or so later, Miller looked up to find her standing there.
“Hey there, baby girl. I just made Kyle a grilled cheese to go. You want one too?” Miller asked.
“I’d love one, but mine can be for here.”
“You want the works?”
“Yes, please.”
“Just the way your mom and aunt would have liked it! One grilled cheese with bacon and tomato coming right up!” he said, reaching for a loaf of bread.
The kitchen assistant who had been scurrying around Miller a moment ago appeared by her side with a small basket of Miller’s hand-cut kettle chips. Just the sight of them made Drea’s stomach growl—she was hungrier than she realized. Grabbing the basket from him, she thanked the kid and made her way over to the family table, turning in the chair to still face her uncle.
