20. Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

Z ylus

I've waited three months for her anger to fade. After our little interlude in the breakfast room, it's clear that's not going to happen. What did I expect? My brother traumatized her, I lied to her, and we're both preparing for a galactic grudge match over who buys the other out.

I've spoken to an attorney who said it might work in my favor that the property has been in my family's possession for generations. She also said it might work against me, seeing as how my brother not only chose to get rid of it, but did so by breaking the law.

I have no doubt we're going to wind up in court. We both love this place too much to voluntarily let it go.

It's well after dark and all our guests are tucked into their well-appointed suites. Even though the upcoming battle with Misty is hanging over my head, I allow myself a moment to bask in how good it feels to have restored this beautiful mansion.

Most of the remodeling decisions were just as I'd imagined them over the years. Funny, the battles I lost to Misty wound up being improvements over my own ideas. She's got a good head for design. The place is magnificent, which is as much due to her as it is to me .

As I exit the shower, I see my wrist-comm is about to vibrate off the counter. Just as I pick it up to see what's so urgent, I'm interrupted by an insistent pounding at my door.

After wrapping a towel around my hips, I make my way to the door and open it. Who other than Misty would be knocking?

"We have guests," she accuses.

"Yes, twenty-four of them."

"No. Twenty- six ."

Her explanation tumbles out of her mouth, each staccato word making our predicament clear. Neither of us knows how it happened, but a couple just showed up, although their reservation was canceled in the system.

We could spend long moments parsing through the facts so we can find a way to blame each other, but we both know the situation is too serious to waste time on.

About a month ago, we ran out of funds for the remodel. The bank wasn't willing to give us a single credit more in an unsecured loan, so after agonizing about it, I put my little house up as collateral.

The bank made it clear the loan needed to be repaid within sixty days. We ran the numbers and realized that if we could open for business today, and run at close to 100% occupancy, we could pay off the loan—my loan, my house.

Misty even broke her self-imposed silence to thank me. We both knew how much was riding on it.

We can't afford to send these people away. After the briefest discussion of how to proceed, I pull on clothes to go placate the new arrivals while she hurries to her room to clean it so our guests can move right in. She told me to give her ten minutes, and after talking to this Vucillian couple for half a minute, I realize that's all they're going to give me. They're tired from traveling and are grumpy, bordering on rude .

Misty moved into the room across the hall from me yesterday because her room, the master, would fetch a higher daily rate. Hopefully, it won't be too hard for her to neaten it and drag her things into my room; she hasn't done more than sleep there for one night.

Two minutes later, she texts me to bring them up, and two minutes after that, we're both standing awkwardly in my room. Her arms are folded across her chest and we're avoiding eye contact. Vortex, who has taken to sleeping with me every night, is backed into a corner, looking at us with concern. Even he is wondering what's going to happen next.