Chapter 9
Maynard
“My parents—” I started, swallowing hard as I knocked the dust off those painful memories.
“Maynard, you don't have to...” Claire was so quick to let me off the hook. I adored that about her. But I couldn't let myself off that easily.
“Yes, I do.” I needed to hear myself say it out loud and I needed someone to hear it. “I begged and whined my parents for months to go to this crazy expensive summer camp in upstate New York. The resort was on a lake in the mountains, something you'd see in a postcard. This place had jet skis, rock climbing, dune buggies, everything that a fourteen year old boy would've killed for. So of course they eventually caved and I was enrolled.”
“That place sounds magical.” Claire's voice quietly whisked across my chest like a weeping willow tree's branches in a warm breeze.
“It was.” Memories of sunshine and sweaty exertion from countless adventures dragged an old smile to my lips. “Until I fucked everything up. Even back then I was trouble. I was always getting into fights with other boys. And finally, even the camp had enough.
“The camp wasn't kicking me out, they just reduced my privileges. It had done nothing but rain for the past two days. I was waterlogged and pissed off at the world. I still remember the call I made to my mom almost word for word. I didn't have to leave, but I bitched and moaned until they agreed to come pick me up that night. They were always super strict with Bianca, but not me. I always had them wrapped around my finger.
“So, on a rainy evening in July, my parents set off on a six and a half hour drive to pick up their spoiled son. Only they never made it to me.” I took a moment, it was harder to get the words out than I thought it'd be. After a heavy breath I continued. “A tractor-trailer truck lost control in the slick conditions up in the Catskill Mountains and crashed into them. They died instantly. Had I not called them—” My voice choked off. I was done, if I continued I'd have broken down. And I didn't want her to see that.
“I've read that they were really nice people, well respected in the community.” Claire went quiet, but she squeezed me tighter. I could almost feel her groping for some words to say. “But you're the one that knew them. Would they really have blamed you for that?”
I thought on that for a while. I spent so much time avoiding that question that when I finally faced it, I found that it didn't hurt as much as I thought it would. If I could ask them, would they have blamed me for their death?
“No,” I was their son and they loved me. I closed my eyes and let Claire's embrace comfort me. She was a band-aid for my soul.
Then my doorbell rang. Who could possibly be bothering me here? I abandoned my party, but that wasn't new. The staff knew that, they were trained to handle everything that comes up. “Unless the building's on fire, no one should be—”
The doorbell rang again, this time in rapid succession, followed by a distant unlocking sound. I shot up and leaped out of bed, grabbing a towel to cover up as I raced down the short hallway. Was it Chance, pissed off and ready for round two? But how could he get in?
I balled my fists as I rounded the last corner that would bring me within eyesight of my front entrance. The door swung open. If it was him, he was getting rolled out of here on a stretcher.
I slid to a stop, grabbing my towel to prevent it from flying off me. It was Bianca that darkened my doorway, not Chance. I honestly wasn't sure which of the two I'd have preferred. At least I could punch Chance until he went away. I obviously couldn't do that with Bianca.
“What the hell are you doing in my apartment, Bianca?” My fists relaxed, I was in for a totally different kind of fight.
“Your apartment?” Bianca checked her watch. “Despite that... speech you made. You never signed the agreement. Thus, this hotel is mine and that includes the top floor apartment.”
“This couldn't wait another day? Are you really going to kick me out of my house Christmas morning, Bianca? I don't even have clothes on.” I looked down at the towel I wrapped myself in.
“And what was that exactly? What kind of game are you playing at Maynard? All that speech bullshit. What is your angle here?” Bianca narrowed her eyes at me. She really was bothered by what I said in that speech. Her cold glare studying my expression. “Are you trying to win me over with your newfound brotherly love, so I'll cancel the agreement? Is that it?”
I shook my head. That wasn't it at all. I was far from perfect. I was petty and selfish, but Claire taking a chance on me showed me that I didn't have to be that way. No one was the villain in their own story, I still had time to change. I could become the man I wanted to be.
The man my parents wanted me to be.
“Give me the contract, I'll sign it right now.”
“It's too late for that.” Bianca was pure skeptic, she didn't believe it was possible to have an honest change of heart. I couldn't really blame her, in her eyes all I'd ever been was a rich brat. “It's time you learn what consequences are.”
Maybe it really was better this way.
The hotel would at least be in better hands. Why did I fight so hard for it at the end? I didn't know a damn thing about business. If I really did want to honor my parents, I would've given their pride and joy to Bianca a year ago. I could only imagine how much more efficient it would be running right now.
“We'll get our shit.” I sighed, shrugging. I didn't have much experience in the field, but I imagined that being a better man meant accepting my failures and moving on.
“We?” Bianca was taken aback.
“Yeah. C'mon out, Claire.” Occasionally I caught Claire's reflection in the polished metal door. I knew she was hiding in the hallway behind me, listening. It's the same thing I would've done.
Claire stepped out wearing one of my T-shirts, it came down to her mid thighs. It's amazing that she could look so good in everything she wore. Claire dressed up and down, incredibly well. Of course, my favorite look on her was the one without clothes at all.
“Hello.” Claire raised a hand hesitantly and waved. I could tell that she'd made an attempt to smooth her hair out and look as presentable as possible, given the circumstances. It wasn't like she could put the outfit I gave her back on.
“Now that is surprising.” Bianca's eyes went wide. She'd known about my rules and how they were the closest thing I had to a personal code. “Have you finally given up those ridiculous rules you were so proud of?”
“No.”
“Then why is she up here—Wait, does that mean...” With one raised eyebrow, Bianca glanced back and forth between Claire and I. It was obvious that we just had sex, Bianca could probably smell it on me. I could see the realization dawn on her.
What if her reckless, little brother actually met his clause and got seriously engaged?
“Are you actually engaged to Claire?” Bianca seemed more shocked than upset. There was something else in her eyes as well that I couldn't quite place.
The contract said that within one year I had to take on one adult responsibility. Being legitimately engaged was one of the ways I could've satisfied the clause. It would prove that I'd attained the necessary measure of maturity and I would get to keep the hotel.
And as far as Bianca knew, Claire and I were still engaged.
That was a lie of course. I glanced at Claire, she was only my fiancée for the evening. The night was technically over, and Claire had technically met her obligation by not saying she wasn't my fiancée earlier. Even if she spoke up right now and said No, she'd still be entitled to the full five-thousand dollars.
Claire looked at me and pressed her lips shut tightly. She had such a terrible poker face, but she was going to play along for me. She was willing to help me again, when I needed it. I had been alone for so long that trusting someone was difficult.
The engagement was a lie, but one I really didn't want to end. It was crazy, but I could see myself with Claire twenty, or more years from now. That longevity was something I never entertained before her. Maybe this was all special. Our own Christmas miracle.
“No. We're not engaged,” I said, admitting the truth and throwing away my hotel. Claire looked surprised at that, she assumed I'd lie. Twenty-four hours ago I would've lied. Hell, I'd have burned the place down before I gave it to Bianca. “I failed to meet my clause in the contract. The hotel is yours.”
So much can happen in twenty-four hours. A man as far gone as me could take his first few steps toward where he wanted to be. But I couldn't do that if the foundation I built my new life on was a lie.
“I see,” Bianca said softly. Respect. That was what was in my sister's eyes before. Of course, I couldn't place it, she'd never looked at me like that until now. “I will have a new document written up for you to sign on Monday. Until then, nothing changes. You don't have to leave.”
“A new document? Are you still taking the hotel?”
“Of course I am!” The cold edge to her tone came back, then softened. “I would, however, like to keep you on as building manager. Although you haven't met our previous benchmarks, I can see that there's something different about you now.”
“I don't know what you've done to him,” Bianca addressed Claire directly. “But I am impressed with this new sense of honesty and responsibility.”
“I didn't bring out anything that wasn't already there.” Claire shrugged and then added with the a half smile, “Even if it was buried pretty deep. Bianca, you own my college, right?”
Bianca nodded.
Where was Claire going with this?
“Would it be possible for you to open the archives for me tomorrow?” Claire continued, apprehensively. “I have this massive grants audit to finish Monday.”
“Absolutely not.” Bianca's response snapped so quickly that Claire physically took a step back. “It's a government-mandated holiday. And even if it wasn't, those security guards have families.” Bianca's jaw clenched, the action drained the color from her lips. “Brenda is making you work this weekend? That is strictly against company policy. I'm going to have a talk with her, and when I do I better not hear that you did work this weekend.”
I chuckled to myself. Bianca was even harsh when she was trying to help someone. It always amazed me at how she could remember all her employees’ names, even someone as far down the list as Claire's boss. My sister was a hard woman, but she wasn't heartless. She just wanted the world to think she was.
She was a bitch, I was a whore and our parents were dead. Our whole family was a fucking mess.
Having finished everything she came for, Bianca opened my door to leave. But before she did, she turned back to me. There was regret and hesitance on her face, two more emotions I'd never seen in her before.
“What I said to you earlier...” Bianca's cold tone thawed even more. She sounded almost human. “It was unfair. I don't blame you for what happened to our parents, Maynard. I just want you to know that.”
And with that she left.
She wasn't much for heartfelt decelerations, but I could tell she meant it. And that meant a lot to me.
“Your sister is terrifying.” Claire walked over, pulling at her T-shirt gown as if she could make it longer.
“You should see her during a hostile takeover. She's made grown men cry.” When Claire was in arm's reach, I grabbed her and pulled her into a hug. We stayed like that for a few minutes. It was nice.
Hearing that from my sister lifted a heavy weight from my chest. The thought of shedding some of this guilt I carried around was freeing. I pried myself out of the hug to face Claire. I had a long way to go to redeem myself in Bianca's eyes, and in my own, but this was a start.
With Claire by my side, I honestly felt like I had a real shot at happiness.
The only question that mattered now between us was what happens next?