Page 77 of Just One Chance

"It's like Mom and Dad don't trust me to do my job," Callum said under his breath.

"I think we have to just go along with whatever they want until they officially retire. Then you'll be free to make your own decisions." I hated that it was the answer for his situation. I wished we had more autonomy, but what if they never retired?

"Their retirement can't come soon enough."

"I'm not part of the business like you are. But I've decided to do things on my own terms. I'm building my business separately from whatever choices Mom and Dad make."

"That's smart. But the inn has been their domain for so long." He sighed and then asked, "How did you come to terms with Kennedy being here? You were angry at first, and now you seem fine with it."

"I realized I couldn't fight it. She was just doing her job. I'd been waiting for Mom and Dad to make a decision. But I don't need to wait for their approval; I can build the business on my own terms."

"I need them to leave me in charge of the inn. You know, everyone has something. Malcolm runs the restaurant, Rowan has the brewery, and Hunter is in charge of the outdoor activities. I'm the only one still working directly under Mom and Dad."

"It won't be much longer now. They hired Kennedy so they could feel comfortable retiring. Now it sounds like they're ready to move forward with the renovation."

"I hope you're right, because I'm ready for the next step. I don't want to rush them into retirement, but it's not like they're giving us a lot of time and space to make decisions."

"It will happen eventually." And if not, maybe we needed to stage an intervention and find out what was holding them back. It was time for the next generation to take over.

"Now that work is done on my house, I'm thinking of renting out the apartment over the garage. What do you think?" Callum asked.

"Do you want a stranger living on the property?" We already had guests wandering the trails. Did we want someone living in one of the family's homes?

"We're spread apart from each other, so they'd only be a problem for me, and I'd like the extra money coming in."

"It's not a bad idea."

Callum needed something to focus on, and it was better that he be worried about a tenant than when my parents were going to officially retire.

He blew out a breath. "I can't wait until this renovation is over and done with."

"How are you feeling about the snow room?" I asked him, curious since it was in his domain.

He shifted in his chair. "I'm cautiously optimistic. I hope it's not one of those things that's constantly breaking down. You know what I mean? It might become a headache."

"Kennedy hired everyone who had experience in building snow rooms, so I would hope that wouldn't happen."

A crease appeared on his forehead. "I'm just thinking of the worst-case scenarios."

"I had my doubts about the room myself. But now that it's coming together, I'm excited to make my mark on it." I'd come around to the idea that the room would be photographed often, and if it made its way into a newspaper or a magazine, surely someone would mention that I'd made the log benches or the trees."

Callum looked around the room filled with people and the story of our childhood on the walls. "We built something amazing here, didn't we?"

"I think so." But my gaze was on Kennedy who was walking toward the table, talking and laughing with Clara.

She fit in here. She was friends with my sister, and even my brothers respected her. I just wished that she could see that too. Unfortunately, she'd probably always think of herself as a city girl.

I wanted to get her home, to have her to myself. We didn't have much time left. As much as I enjoyed spending time with her and my family, I wanted alone time too.

I'd wait for her to finish her drink, and then we could get out of here.

A band started playing on the stage at the front of the room, and several people moved toward the dance floor, which was really just the empty floor space in front of the stage. A few couples ventured out and then a group of women.

"We should dance," Clara said to Kennedy.

The women headed toward the dance floor, shaking their hips as they went.

Callum leaned in. "You cross a line with Kennedy?"