Chapter 4

four

. . .

Demi

I’d just lockedup for the day, and the business phone rang.

“Magnolia Beans, this is Demi.”

“Hi, sweetheart. It’s Valentina Knight again,” she said with a chuckle.

It had been a few days since her jackass son had asked for the recipe for my pumpkin chai latte. She’d called the very next day, and I’d walked her through how to make it.

“Hey, Valentina. How did it go?”

“Well, it’s fine, but it doesn’t taste quite as good as yours. I did the cinnamon trick with the magical goodness you dropped off, but I think the latte part is where we failed. Mimi said it’s not as frothy as yours.”

I hopped up to sit on the counter and chuckled. “Well, I do have the fancy machine here, so that helps.”

“Yours is definitely better, but making it here will hold us over between visits. I just wanted to call and thank you so much for dropping those things off for us. It’s still delicious. My mom and I are going to bundle up tomorrow and stop by and see you,” she said. Romeo’s mother was much sweeter than her son. I knew they lived just two blocks away because I’d taken her a few pumpkin chai tea bags, and I’d poured a little of my specialty cinnamon in a jar for her. She’d been kind on the phone, and I hadn’t minded at all.

It was called being neighborly.

Unless your neighbor is a pompous bastard.

“Sounds good. I look forward to seeing you soon.”

“Take care, sweetheart. And thanks again.”

“Of course. Bye.” I hopped down and turned out the lights before heading upstairs. It had been a long day and a long week, if I was being honest. I changed my clothes quickly, as I was going to my parents’ house for dinner tonight. Slade had agreed for me to talk to them on his behalf, and I’d broach the conversation carefully. They didn’t trust him, that much was clear, and mending this distance between them would not be easy. Somewhere along the way, they’d lost hope in their son. But he needed all of us on his team if he was going to beat this disease.

I pulled my gray sweater over my head and put on my favorite jeans and my tan boots. I slipped my coat on, as I’d definitely be going out to spend some time in the barn with Teacup. I’d taken her for a long ride last weekend, and I was happy to be home, where I could ride often again.

I slipped out the back door, since I didn’t use the business entrance when the shop was closed. I cut down the alley and glanced over at Knockout gym, and I wondered if Romeo was still working because I could see the light coming from the windows. I shook it off and climbed into my car to make the short drive to my family’s ranch.

We had several acres of land that backed up to the water, and it had always been my favorite place.

It was where I found peace and comfort, even in the darkness. My mom had never gone back on the boat since Slade’s accident. She never went near the water, almost like she blamed the lake for everything that had gone wrong after.

But we’d grown up on the water. My brother taught me every water sport there was. He’d always been so proud that I was a bit of a badass on water skis and a jet ski.

The memories always flooded when I was home, and with Slade showing up for a visit the other night, it felt like maybe things really were getting back on track.

Our family had always been close. My grandparents had a home on the same street. The two properties ran into one another, which meant I could ride for miles between the land shared by the two homes. My grandparents spent more time here now that Gramps had retired from politics. They’d be here tonight, and I was looking forward to seeing everyone. My grandparents were both on the same page as me when it came to Slade. They still had hope. Still wanted to believe he could come back to us. So I was grateful to have them here and hoped they’d back me up when my parents went on the defensive.

I stopped by the barn to check on Teacup and brushed her for a bit before heading out of the barn. I walked toward the house and breathed in the fresh smell of pine and balsam. The sky was starting to darken, and the glimmer of the water in the distance soothed my nerves. When I reached the house, I pulled the front door open.

“Hey, I’m home,” I called out, hearing laughter come from the dining room as I kicked off my boots and hung my coat in the mudroom. Our house was large, too large for only two people to be living in, if you asked me. It was grand for a ranch house, as my mother loved interior design, and decorating was her passion. The dark wood floors ran throughout the home, with large beams on the ceiling and white shiplap accents and woodwork that stood out against the dark features. Family photos and endless floral arrangements were placed throughout the house. It took several people to keep this place up and running.

When I got to the kitchen, the smell of garlic and warm bread flooded my system, and I wrapped my arms around Mariana as she stood at the stove. She’d worked for my family since I was a little girl, and she felt more like family to me than someone who actually worked here. I kissed her cheek, and she turned around and hugged me tight.

“Have I told you how happy I am that you’re back home and here to stay?”

“Only a couple dozen times,” I said, my voice teasing as I reached over to the counter and popped a cherry tomato into my mouth.

“They’re all waiting for you in the dining room. Head on in there. I’ll bring dinner in shortly.”

“Okay. But I’ll eat dessert in here so you can fill me on what Steven and Aubrey are up to.” Her kids were a little older than me, and we’d always been close.

“Perfect.”

I made my way to the dining room, making my rounds and giving everyone a hug. I settled in the chair beside my grandmother, and they all proceeded to fire off endless questions about the coffee shop. I answered each one and was relieved when Mariana brought dinner in, and the interrogation came to an end.

“I like that you invested in a business for yourself, as well as added an apartment upstairs. That was a smart move from an investment perspective,” Gramps said before twirling the spaghetti around his fork and popping it into his mouth.

“Thanks. I think it’s going well, so I can’t complain.”

“I just don’t love that you are living above the business. And it’s such a small space,” Mom said.

“She’s young. She doesn’t need a lot of space.” Grammie winked at me. “And it’s so charming. She really put her own touch on it.”

“Got that right, Grammie. It’s perfect for me. And I love it there.” I took a sip of water and then sucked in a breath. “I actually had a visitor the other day.”

“It wasn’t Ronny, was it?” my father asked, his tone a bit harsh. Everyone turned to look at him with surprise. I’d confided in my father about what had happened with Ronny Waterstone a few months ago, and he’d asked me to keep it quiet because he’d handled the situation. Our families were very intertwined, as Ronny’s father was my dad’s business partner, and our grandparents had been friends since they were young. But Ronny knew better than to come near me after what had happened, or the police would definitely be called. If he wanted to keep things quiet, he’d stay away.

“Is something going on with Ronny? You all went to college together. Aren’t you two friends? I always thought he was sweet on you,” Gramps said.

Nothing about what he did was sweet.

“He’s not my type, and we aren’t friends.” I shrugged. I met my father’s gaze and cleared my throat. “Anyway, it wasn’t Ronny who came to see me. It was actually Slade. He came to town, and he wanted to see the coffee shop and my apartment.”

The table grew silent, and I glanced at Gramps, waiting for him to jump in, but my father reacted first.

“What the hell is he doing here in town? He just got out of rehab, and we paid for an apartment in Boston for him for the next six months. That was the deal. Finish the program and successfully live a clean life for six months, and then we’d talk about bringing him home. But, of course, he broke the agreement.” My father reached for the napkin in his lap and wiped his mouth. His jaw ticked, and I noted the way his shoulders tensed at just the mention of Slade.

“He’s living across the country, and he misses his family. He just came for the weekend. He has a job back in Boston, and he starts work this week. I’d told him about my opening, and he wanted to surprise me. It was sweet, and he seemed like the old Slade. He wants to come visit again soon, and I said that I’d speak to you about it. I don’t think the six-month rule makes any sense. He completed the program. He misses his family. He misses you guys,” I said, my eyes bouncing between my mom and my dad. They hadn’t visited him once in rehab this last time. They’d shut him out completely, and only my grandfather and I had gone to see Slade during this last stint in Boston.

“Were you alone with him?” Dad’s voice was harder than I’d heard it in a very long time.

“Was I alone with my brother in my apartment? Are you serious? Of course, I was. I’m not afraid of Slade, but apparently, you two are.” I leaned back in my chair and folded my arms over my chest. I hated that our family was so divided now.

Gramps cleared his throat. “Let’s all relax. There are things that have happened that you aren’t aware of, Demi. It’s not my story to tell, but Slade has caused this family a lot of pain, and he’ll need to earn your parents’ trust back. I can tell you this… they’ve been in his corner for a lot longer than many parents would have been. He’s depleted his trust fund, and he’s hurt his family tremendously over the last several years.”

They were all in on some big secret that had gone down while I was away at school. But for whatever reason, they hadn’t shared it with me. But something had changed the last time my brother saw my parents.

“And he’ll work hard to support himself now. He’s an addict. It’s not his fault. He’s sick,” I said, as a lump formed in my throat. I was tired of defending Slade. I wished he’d prove me right one of these times. How many times had I insisted he was better and then he’d be gone just as fast as he’d returned?

“At some point, he has to take responsibility, Demi. He’s an addict, and we’ve put him through rehabilitation eight times. We’ve paid for the best programs money can buy. But he’s done some serious damage to this family, and I’m not quick to believe him anymore.” My mom’s eyes watered, and I hated that I’d upset her by talking about him. But I needed to try because she missed Slade, too.

We all did.

“I totally agree. But having our support will help with his recovery.”

“He has our financial support. He’ll have to earn back the rest over time.” My father tossed his napkin on the table as if the conversation had completely ruined his appetite. “We’ve heard you out, and we’ll take it into consideration. And now I’m going to ask you for one favor.”

“Okay,” I said, swallowing past the gigantic lump in my throat.

“I don’t want you to meet with Slade alone. It’s not safe, regardless of what you believe. If he reaches out, you let us know, and we’ll arrange to be there with you.”

It wasn’t perfect, but it also wasn’t the worst answer. He agreed to see Slade at some point. That was progress.

“I can do that. Maybe we can all have dinner when he visits next.”

Dad and Mom shared a look again. I couldn’t read what was happening there, but my mother’s gaze looked almost haunted. I wondered if there’d ever be a time when talking about my brother wasn’t so heavy.

“Let’s see how he does with his new job and take it from there.” Mom sighed. “How about we talk about the white party? The date is on the calendar for the last weekend in May.”

“Oh, it’s my favorite time of year,” Grammie said.

The Magnolia Falls White Party was an event in town hosted by my family, and it had been going on for as long as I could remember. My grandmother and my mother planned the epic spring celebration and charity event, and everyone in town attended. It was something that locals looked forward to all year, and it took place out on our ranch.

My mom spent months preparing, and each year, it grew even larger and grander.

“I’m going to have a few local bands perform this year, which will be fun for all the young people in town.” She chuckled.

“I’m happy I’m living here this year so I can help out wherever you need me,” I said.

“Absolutely. I’m so glad I’ll have you here to help.”

“It sure is nice having our girl back in town,” Gramps said.

It was great to be back home. Now, I just had to find a way to repair my family.

We spent the next hour talking about the white party, and my dad and my grandfather talked about an investment that Patrick Waterstone had brought to them.

Even the mention of the Waterstones made me cringe.

Patrick was my father’s business partner, and his father was a senator for the state of California. He and my grandfather had been political allies for the two terms my grandfather served as governor.

The connection ran deep. Two political families who’d known one another for many years and invested in several businesses together.

The Waterstones had a summer home here, and I hoped like hell that Ronny wouldn’t be visiting. He hadn’t come here often once we started college, and if he was smart, he’d keep it that way.

I hugged everyone goodbye and let my parents know that I would be coming by early in the morning to ride Teacup before I opened the shop. I made my way outside in the cool, crisp air and glanced down to see a text from my brother.

Slade

Did you talk to them?

Yes. It’s going to take time, but they miss you. Just work hard and prove you can stay clean for a few weeks, and then we’ll see if we can set up a dinner when you come visit next.

Slade

Love you, D. I can do that. It’s just hard because I’m making shit money right now, and I’m working hard to get back on my feet.

I chewed my thumbnail as I settled into the driver’s seat of my car and buckled my seat belt.

Do you need money?

Slade

If you could slip me some cash, just so I can buy some clothes and not feel like a complete loser, that would help. A couple thousand bucks would be amazing.

This was not out of character for Slade. He’d always had rich taste, and we’d joked about his outrageous spending habits for as long as I could remember. But then prescription drugs became his first love. I guess I should be grateful that he was interested in clothes and worrying about how he looked again. But after all he’d gone through, I’d expected him to be a bit humbled. But that wasn’t really Slade’s style.

Money is a little tight for me as I’ve put everything into the business. But I could send you a couple hundred dollars to help you get on your feet. I’m sure Gramps would help you out, too.

Slade

Gramps said he isn’t giving me a dime until I’m clean for six months. Fuck, D. It’s hard to fight for something when no one believes in you. You’re the only one left in my corner now.

You know I always will be. What happened the last time you saw Mom and Dad? They seem different now.

Slade

I was fucked-up, and I guess I scared them because I didn’t tell them I was coming over first. I didn’t know they needed a warning before getting a visit from their son. It’s my own fucking house.

Nothing about it added up. It pissed me off that they were all keeping it from me.

I know when you’re lying, Slade. We both know it was more than that.

Slade

I can’t do this right now. I’m taking it one day at a time, and I don’t want to look back. Can we just try to move forward?

Of course. I want that, too.

Slade

So, you’ll Venmo me the cash so I can get a decent meal instead of eating canned food?

Yes, Princess. I’ll do it as soon as I get home. Give me fifteen minutes.

Slade

Love you, sis.

Love you.

I started up the car and made my way around the circular driveway before heading toward town. I turned down the alley and parked behind the coffee shop. I pulled out my keys, stepped out of my car, and headed for the back door that led to my apartment. The sound of a door slamming behind me had me turning on my heels. I glanced over to see Romeo Knight locking up the gym. His gaze met mine, and for whatever reason, I held up my hand, waved, and said hello. He shoved his hands into his pockets, and the light above the building shone down, creating a spotlight on him.

He was tall with broad shoulders and muscular arms. His dark, wavy hair fell over his forehead, and his chiseled jaw clenched as he looked at me.

“Are you not going to say hello back? We are neighbors, after all,” I huffed as I stared at him.

“Hey,” he said, with no emotion in his voice.

“Was that so difficult?” I asked.

“Get inside. You shouldn’t be out here alone this late.”

“It’s nine o’clock at night, and we’re in Magnolia Falls. Are you serious?” I laughed.

He glared. “Just get the hell inside and lock up.”

My eyes widened, and I wanted to argue, but I was exhausted from a long day of work, attempting to repair my family, and now my rude neighbor thought he could boss me around.

“I’m fairly certain that you are the worst person I’ll run into out here,” I hissed, before pulling the door open and then slamming it closed.

I didn’t know why I let him get to me every time I saw him.

But I also didn’t know why I was disappointed that I hadn’t seen him in a few days.

Nothing about Romeo Knight made sense.