Chapter 9

NINE

Diana couldn’t concentrate at work. Now that the official announcement had been made, the whole office was buzzing about Harrison’s upcoming promotion. And while Diana had seen a few sympathetic glances tossed in her direction, for the most part, the mood at Devlin Hotels headquarters was celebratory.

“Harrison will make an excellent COO,” Mike Franzini, the director of research and development, had said. “Just last weekend while we were golfing together, he told me…”

That was where Diana tuned out. She didn’t want to hear any more about Harrison. He would be a good COO. She could have been a great one. On that sunny July afternoon, she sat at her desk, fighting a growing sense of discontentment. If there was one thing Diana was not good at, it was stagnating in place. Answering to Harrison for the remainder of her career sounded unbearable.

She opened the email Eva and Mary Chambers-Benoit had sent when they declined her offer, rereading their reasons for turning her down. “We’re concerned that the Inn at Crescent Falls might lose its way if someone from the Devlin Hotels’ marketing department who’s never even seen it in person was making decisions about its future.”

If Diana ran her own company, she could have given the Chambers-Benoits the reassurances they needed. She could have closed the sale.

Was she really thinking about this? She’d mostly been humoring Carter when he first brought it up, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized her nephew might be on to something. She’d be more of a small business owner than a corporate CEO—at least, at first—but she’d be her own boss.

She could build a company from the ground up, make it into exactly what she wanted it to be. She wouldn’t have to work within the constraints of a company founded and run by men. She could focus exclusively on what she loved most: independent, unique hotels.

It could be a dream come true.

Or she might fail spectacularly.

When she got home that evening, Carter was waiting for her with the results of another day of research. He was more focused and productive than she’d ever seen him. Over the last few weeks, he’d prepared charts, spreadsheets, and even an estimated budget. He’d even called her lawyer—with her permission—and talked through the legal aspects of forming a new company.

In short, she was beyond impressed with him. And she was having an increasingly difficult time not saying yes to his idea. It could be amazing. It could be perfect. It could crash and burn and leave her broke and unemployed at forty.

As driven as Diana was, she had trouble pivoting. She chose a path for herself and didn’t stray from it, no matter what distractions came along. Now that she’d reached a dead end on her chosen path, she was having an exceedingly hard time choosing a new direction.

“Come on, Aunt DD. Let’s do this,” Carter said, giving her an impossibly hopeful smile. “You know you want to. Let’s make it official already.”

She sat at the kitchen table, head in her hands. “I want to, but…”

She’d considered her options a dizzying number of times. She could accept her position as number two at Devlin Hotels while Harrison became CEO. She could look for a position at a rival hotel chain, which might prove difficult given her last name and the noncompete clause in her contract. Or she could grab hold of the parachute Carter had given her and leap…hoping she stuck the landing.

The possibility of landing flat on her face was unacceptably terrifying.

“I’m scared, Carter. If I do this and fail, I could lose everything .”

She’d never dipped into her trust fund. She hadn’t needed it, had always had more than enough money to support herself on her salary at Devlin Hotels. The money in her trust fund, plus an inheritance from her grandparents, would be enough collateral to launch a new business, but she would be investing everything she had into the venture.

Not to mention, she would drive a wedge between herself and her family.

“Don’t forget your mantra,” Carter said. “The one you’ve been telling me for as long as I can remember…”

“Feel the fear and do it anyway.” As Diana said the words out loud, something clicked into place inside her. Fuck fear . She exhaled as a smile stretched her lips. She thrived on a challenge. She could do this. Now that she’d let go of the fear and made a decision, it felt like that metaphorical weight had been removed from her shoulders. She could breathe again, and it felt amazing. “You’re right. Let’s do this.”

Carter clapped his hands with a whoop. “For real? You mean it?”

She arched an eyebrow. “Am I in the habit of saying things I don’t mean?”

“Nope. Wow, okay. We’re really doing this.”

“We are.” She walked to the liquor cabinet and pulled out her most expensive bottle of whiskey, then poured a generous amount into two tumblers. “This calls for a toast.”

“Fuck, yeah.”

She handed him a tumbler of whiskey. “I’m going to call my new company Aster Boutique Hotels.” Inspired by the flowers in the painting on her wall. Inspired by Emily. “And my first purchase will be the Inn at Crescent Falls.”

“Damn, when you make a decision, you’re all in.” Carter clacked his tumbler against hers. “Cheers to Aster Boutique Hotels.”

“That’s right.” She’d done her own research and planning, even when she hadn’t been sure she’d go through with it. She tossed her whiskey back in a single gulp, feeling the burn all the way to her toes. Her body blazed with renewed confidence, the sudden certainty that she could do this, that it might even be better than running Devlin Hotels.

It was time to hand in her resignation.

“Is this a joke?” Edward Devlin held her letter of resignation as his blue eyes—so similar to her own—drilled into her.

“No, it’s not.” Diana sat in the guest chair before his desk, hands clasped loosely in her lap, back straight. Her stomach was in knots, but he didn’t need to know that.

“Of all the ridiculous…” He trailed off, looking at the letter again and then back at her. Apparently, she’d rendered him speechless. For a long minute, neither of them said anything. Then his lips twisted as if he’d tasted something bad. “This is your reaction to Harrison’s promotion? I expected better from you, Diana. Honestly, this is an embarrassment.”

His words landed like a physical punch, knocking the air out of her. “I’m sorry you feel that way.”

“The first time things don’t go your way, you quit? I raised you better than this.”

Diana lifted her chin. “You raised me to want what’s best for myself. You’re one of my biggest inspirations, Dad, and that’s why I’ve decided to launch my own business.”

“That’s so incredibly foolish and na?ve. Do you know how hard your grandfather worked to build the Devlin brand? How many new businesses fold in the first two years? You could have been second-in-command of the entire company!”

“And that’s the problem.” Diana met his gaze unflinchingly. “I want to be the CEO. I hope that in time, you’ll come to respect my decision.”

His expression was stony. “I wouldn’t count on it. From where I’m sitting, you’re disrespecting me and tarnishing the family name.”

“That’s truly not my intention. I just need to take my career in a new direction. I have to look out for myself.” Diana stood, brushing her hands over the front of her skirt as she worked to keep her expression neutral. “I’ve given two weeks’ notice. I trust you’ll be able to fill my position in that time.”

Without waiting for his response, she strode from his office. Her heart was racing, a mixture of exhilaration and anxiety. She’d done it. She’d quit. There was no changing her mind now. The reality of what she’d done was starting to catch up with her, though, and she detoured toward the restroom.

Inside, she rested her hands on the counter and took several deep breaths. She wished she had her key chain with its calming strip, but in its absence, she rubbed her hands over the fabric of her skirt, letting the slight roughness of the weave provide the sensory feedback she needed. She couldn’t have a panic attack right after she handed in her resignation. How would that look?

Like she was running scared.

Diana was not afraid. She was fearless, or at least that was the image she upheld at work. She drew in another slow breath, then wet a paper towel and pressed it against the back of her neck.

And then she left the restroom with her head held high.

Luckily, she’d had the foresight to schedule the meeting with her father at the end of the day. When she reached her office, she packed her briefcase to go home, aware Nancy was at her desk just outside Diana’s office. She ought to tell Nancy the news before she heard it from someone else, but maybe it could wait until tomorrow morning.

Diana was too anxious to do it now. Her body twitched with restless energy, making it difficult to hold herself still. Briefcase slung over her shoulder, she headed for the elevator. Five minutes later, she had donned a face mask—because if the pandemic had taught her anything, it was that public transportation was germy as hell—and boarded the subway.

Ordinarily, she didn’t mind the noise or the close quarters, but right now…she was wound too tight. Her anxiety was spiking. She needed fresh air and a few minutes alone to decompress.

So she got off a stop early and headed for the Fens, a nearby nature preserve. It wasn’t much to look at, originally having been little more than a salt marsh, but there was a nice park with a fountain and benches where she sometimes liked to sit. It was also one of her favorite spots to go for a jog, but she wasn’t dressed for that today.

Her mind drifted to the scenery in Crescent Falls, the peace she’d felt when she sat on that rock on the mountainside, overlooking the valley. This felt like a poor substitute in comparison. She removed her mask and settled on an available bench, sensory key chain in hand, and let the tinkling sound of the fountain soothe her nerves.

After a few minutes, her muscles began to loosen. That twitchy feeling receded, and she blew out a long, slow breath. She’d quit her job. Not just any job. She’d walked away from a career where she had been poised to become second-in-command of a Fortune 500 company, not to mention the financial security that came with it. That was a big fucking deal.

As she blew out another measured breath, she realized why she’d come to this park instead of going straight home to celebrate with Carter. Yes, she was excited about her new venture. Hopefully, it would be everything she’d dreamed of, but first…first, she needed this moment to grieve what she’d given up.

Suddenly, the sense of loss was almost overwhelming. She pressed a hand against her chest, gasping through it. Her eyes were dry, but her heart wept for the way her father had treated her today. It hadn’t been unexpected, but God, it still hurt. She wasn’t sure their relationship would ever recover.

A dull buzzing in her ears alerted her that she was starting to hyperventilate. Using a technique her therapist had taught her, Diana breathed through her nose, counting a full five seconds on each exhale, until the fuzziness had receded from her brain.

Then she sat straighter on the bench. Eyes on the future from here on out. As soon as possible, she would send a new purchase offer to Eva and Mary Chambers-Benoit. If all went well, Diana would return to Vermont. And to Emily, although this time, everything would be different.