He shot her a raised-eyebrow look over his shoulder.
“Okay, then. Well, I really appreciate you doing this. I know you’re busy, and all of this must seem pretty crazy to you, but—”
“Don’t worry, you can make it up to him later.” Her grandmother grinned, looping her arm through Ellie’s. “Now let’s go save the inn and Joe.”
Fifteen minutes later, as Ellie sat across the desk from her mother, her sister, and Richard in the office, her hope that she could reason with her family was dwindling fast. So far, the only thing that had gone right was her father agreeing over his wife’s objections to have tea with his mother. They’d left them in the dining room surrounded by women her father had gone to school with, reminiscing about the good old days. Her mother hadn’t been happy about the turn of events and was taking her bad mood out on Ellie. She clearly blamed her for Agnes being there.
“No. I don’t want tea or sandwiches.” Her mother rejected the offer Ellie had just made with a dismissive wave of her hand. “This isn’t a social call, Elliana. I’m here to speak to my father.”
“I realize that, and Grandpa will be here soon. I just thought you might want something to eat while you wait.” She glanced at her sister. “Bri, would you like—”
Richard cut her off. “No, she doesn’t want anything to eat. She wants the same thing your mother wants. To get this meeting underway.”
Shocked at the level of anger he’d directed at her, Ellie leaned back in the chair. She tried not to read people’s thoughts. Not only did she consider it an invasion of their privacy, she’d found out the hard way that it was better not to know what people thought of you. Thankfully, she’d become exceptionally good at blocking them out. But when she was stressed or emotional, as she was now, her barriers went down. Richard wanted her gone. He was angry she was there. Afraid she’d blow the deal he’d put together.
But it was Bri shrinking in her chair in response to her husband’s anger that caused Ellie to snap, “My sister can speak for herself, Richard.”
“Elliana! Apologize to your brother-in-law this instant and then you can leave us. This has nothing to do with you,” her mother said.
“Excuse me. It has nothing to do with me? I’ve been the one running the inn and looking after Grandpa since he had his stroke.”
“You were here for one reason and one reason only. You needed a place to hide and to lick your wounds after Spencer left you at the altar,” her mother said.
Despite what everyone believed, Ellie’s fiancé, actor Spencer Dale, hadn’t left her at the altar. She didn’t contradict them because the truth was worse.
“What you should have been doing instead of hiding out here is fighting to get Spencer back,” her mother continued. “He was the best thing that ever happened to you. You actually showed some initiative and drive when you were with him.”
“Contrary to what you seem to believe, Mom, I started Custom Concierge before I met Spencer.” Her personal shopping business had barely been breaking even before she started dating Spencer, but it had nothing to do with a lack of initiative or drive.
It wasn’t easy getting a business off the ground—many small companies failed in their first two years. Hers might have too if not for Spencer’s connections and friends becoming her customers and promoting her services. But they hadn’t been as loyal as she’d thought they were. They’d abandoned her not long after she and Spencer split up.
“I didn’t realize you were still running your company while you’ve been here. That must be very difficult for you.” Her mother glanced at Richard, who raised his eyebrows. Ellie didn’t need to be psychic to know that they’d come prepared. They’d looked into Custom Concierge.
“I’m no longer taking on new clients. I have a stable of loyal customers I shop for online.” She had twenty-five. Lucky for her they were very wealthy clients. Still, she barely made enough to pay the bills. She’d managed to keep the lights on at the inn and cover the property taxes without dipping into her limited savings, but it was getting harder to do the longer she was here.
“It’s admirable you’ve been able to keep your company afloat under the circumstances. I’m sure you’ll be able to attract new customers once you’re back in New York.”
A warm bubble of happiness expanded in Ellie’s chest. She knew better than to take her mother’s rare compliment at face value, but it seemed she couldn’t keep herself from seeking her approval.
“I’m not moving back to New York,” Ellie said, surprising herself. She’d planned on staying just long enough to get the inn and her grandfather back on their feet, but lately she’d had a change of heart. She enjoyed the slow pace and natural beauty of Highland Falls and loved the sense of community that came from living in a small town. But until that moment, she hadn’t realized she’d made up her mind.
“You can’t mean to stay in Highland Falls once the inn is sold and your grandfather is in a home?” Her mother’s eyes narrowed. “This doesn’t have anything to do with the vulgar display we witnessed when we arrived, does it? You’re fooling yourself if you believe a man like that would want you for more than a—”
“It was a kiss, not a vulgar display. But Nate has nothing to do with the reason I’m staying.” Because who would want to be with a woman who hears other people’s thoughts in her head? Her mother had said it to her before; now she was just thinking it. At one time she’d convinced Ellie she was mentally unstable. But Ellie was an adult now, and that tactic no longer worked on her. Nor would she allow her mother’s thoughts at that moment to throw her off balance.
Her nails biting into her sweaty palms, Ellie forced herself to meet her mother’s combative stare. “Grandpa asked me to stay and help him run the inn, and I’ve agreed.”
“The inn is as good as sold, Elliana. There’s nothing for you here. Go back to New York.”
“Grandpa won’t sell the inn, Mom. It’s the only home he’s ever known. It’s been in his family, your family, for five generations. That might not mean something to you, but it does to him. And to me.”
“This is your mother’s decision, Elliana, not yours.”
“Actually, Richard, it’s my grandfather’s decision. He’s not selling the inn, and he isn’t going into a home.”
Richard looked ready to explode. Her sister rubbed his arm, her eyes pleading with Ellie as she said, “I know how much you love Grandpa, but this is the best decision for everyone involved. You’ve given up eight months of your life to take care of Grandpa and run the inn, and we’re all grateful that you stepped in. But you’ve sacrificed enough.”
“How is this the best decision for everyone involved? Grandpa is happy here, and so am I. As you can see, the inn is doing well, and once the new website is up and running, we’ll be—”
Her mother slapped her palms on the arms of her chair. “Stop it right now, Elliana. We have an agreement in place with a development company who will be building high-end vacation homes on the property, and—”
“They’re tearing down the inn?” Ellie said past the ball of emotion swelling in her throat.