Page 134 of The Last Goodbye

“I think it’s a very fair deal,” Denton said as he leaned back in his chair with a big smile on his face.

“And you’re going to live in that small town and run a hotel?” our father asked.

“I’m going to hire employees to run the hotel, but yes, I will be living there so I can oversee things. The project will probably take a year to eighteen months to get it built and open for business, but I will be there every day, moving things along. So our investment”—I motioned between the two of us—“it’ll be in great hands.”

“And what about your job here? You can’t make partner when you aren’t here.”

“Turns out the partnership isn’t for me. I don’t need my name on any door to validate my worth. I was chasing your approval, and at the end of the day—I don’t need it, nor do I want it. So let me tell you how this will play out.” I reached for my water bottle and took a quick sip as he waited intently for me to finish. “I will continue on with my current salary and benefits at the company, and I will be a consultant for Winchester Investments. As we both know, I’m very good at my job. I’ll continue to find you areas that are profitable, and I’ll propose business plans, just like I did for the hotel project. No one will be the wiser that anything has happened. My name will remain on the website as part of the family at this company, and it’ll just look like I wanted to move to a small town and work remotely.”

“And how do I know you won’t use those letters to blackmail me again?” he asked, his voice quieter now, sounding slightly damaged and broken. Looking at him pulled at my heartstrings for a moment, but I shook it off. He needed to feel the weight of his actions. He couldn’t sweep everything under the rug just because he had a lot of money.

“Because this doesn’t come naturally for me, Dad. I don’t reap pleasure from any of this. It’s been extremely painful, if I’m being honest. And all I’m asking you to do is uphold the deal that you originally agreed to. The deal that you sold to the people who you bought the land and property from in Blue Sky Bay. The deal that I proposed to you, and you agreed to.” I paused. “And yes, I added the ownership piece for myself, but it’s a fair thing to ask for, considering I will be there making sure the business thrives.”

“I also have ownership in one of the downtown buildings as well,” Denton reminded him, and my father nodded. “You can’t show favoritism when you’re out there portraying yourself as this big family man. Now both of your children have ownership in one of the projects that they were involved in from the ground up.”

“I’ll have the contract written up and sent over to you to sign by tomorrow. I guess that brings me to the most important question,” Dad said, his eyes trained on me. “Where do we stand—you and me? I know you’re going to continue working for the company, but are you saying goodbye to me?”

“Do you want me to say goodbye to you?” I asked. It was an honest question.

“I do not. I’m proud of you, Briar. I have many regrets about the choices I’ve made, and I want to have a relationship with you,” he said, his eyes welling with emotion. He was either a fabulous actor, or he truly felt the words he was saying. I wasn’t sure which it was, but I’d tread cautiously with him moving forward.

“I’m open to continuing a relationship, but things need to change. I’m not going to make an effort to attend family events and be mistreated by your wife.” I shook my head. “I understand that your affair hurt her, but that is between you and her. It has nothing to do with me. And perhaps you should be honest with Tabitha, and have a real discussion about the fact that my mother did not know that you were a married man. She was not a mistress who set out to steal another woman’s husband. My mother was honest and kind and genuine. And after reading those letters, it was clear that she ended things with you the moment she learned that you were married. If you actually took accountability for your actions, perhaps Tabitha wouldn’t have so much resentment toward me.”

He nodded, and I was stunned that he wasn’t arguing this point. “I can do that.”

“If you’re asking me to make an effort to make this work, you have to do the same. It’s a two-way street, Dad.” I exhaled. “Denton and I both make an effort, and that’s why it works. I’d like if you and me could do the same.”

“I would like that, too.”

I stood up, and Denton did the same.

My father stayed seated behind his desk.

“Briar,” he called out just as I reached for the handle on the door.

I turned around to face him. “Yes?”

“That was an impressive meeting. You’re much savvier than I realized. Well done.”

I nodded. The compliment didn’t mean what it would have just a week ago, but I’d still take it.

At the end of the day—I was proud of the way I’d handled it. I’d stayed true to my word to the people of Blue Sky Bay, and I’d negotiated a future for myself that I was actually excited about.

I thought of my mom, and I knew in this moment that she would be very proud of me.

I truly was my mother’s daughter, in every way.

And I was damn proud of it.

Denton and I rode the elevator down to the ground floor. We were silent at first, and then he bellowed out in hysterical laughter.

“That was fucking impressive, Briar.” He clapped his hands together. “You just got William Winchester to give you everything you asked for. That is no easy task.”

I chuckled as the elevator doors opened. “I was pretty nervous, but I tried to make my points.”

“It didn’t show at all.” He paused when we stepped off the elevator and entered the lobby. “I also want to talk to you about my mom.”

“Denton, you do not need to get involved in that. It’s something that our father should have handled years ago. I never want you to feel like you’re in the middle of this. That’s your mom, and I respect that.”