Spellbound

Original Edition: Thirty-Three

After my nieces and nephews ripped through their presents, my family prepared to return to Boston. My dad, Hunter, and me helped them to load their vehicles, and we all exchanged kisses, hugs, and wishes for a happy New Year.

Mom and Dad must have talked to Raven, because she informed me that she would be here in two weeks to take over; she of course had loose ends to tie up at her all-important job as a swanky hotel director. She also informed me that it was my responsibility to pay the fines since I'm the one who mismanaged the hotel and never got it in good standing with the city.

I wondered if it ever hurts to constantly act like such a raging bitch.

I waited until the last of their cars pulled out of the parking lot and trudged up the steps of the Reynard. All that was left to do was to get my mom on the road so I could have a moment alone with my dad. If I could make him understand why the hotel was so important to me, then I could turn this around. Nothing was final until the trust was turned over to Raven.

When I walked into the lobby, I came to a quick halt. My dad sat on the antique couch, the glowing lights of the Christmas tree illuminating his face, and next to him was my mother. She looked like she had no intention of going anywhere any time soon.

"Come take a seat, Gemma," my dad said with a firm tone.

I sat across from them in a red velvet chair that matched the rest of the décor and folded my hands in my lap.

Dad ran his fingers through the gray hair at his temples and cleared his throat. "I want you to understand that this isn't a total loss for you. I'll even help you with a new venture if that is what you want to do. But this hotel...it needs too much work and to be managed by someone who has experience. Raven has been successfully running hotels for years now, has a Hospitality degree, and she is very capable. It will be good for everyone."

I kept my composure, holding my head high even though I felt like screaming. "Dad, if you let Raven take the Reynard, it is a total loss to me. It's a loss for this town, too. Aunt Hazel ran this place a certain way, and I know that I've messed up in the past few weeks, but before that, things were going very well. Please don't judge me on the last month. This is a big adjustment for me, and to be honest with you, I was proud of the way everything was turning out." Mom and Dad just stared at me, and I blew out a frustrated breath. "Raven hated this place; Hazel gave it to me for a reason. Every summer and Halloween when I came to stay here, I felt like I really belonged. That wasn't the norm for me." Dad opened his mouth to object, but I shook my head. "Let's face it; I'm not the daughter you hoped for. I wasn't valedictorian or the star athlete, I'm flighty and stubborn, and as you always love to remind me, I can't commit to anything. But I have committed to this. Please, please don't take it away from me. Give me a chance."

If they didn't see it my way after that speech, I didn't know what else I could possibly say to change their minds. This was my heart and soul splayed out on the table and awaiting them to carefully hand it back to me or demolish it until nothing was left.

Dad stood and clasped his hands behind his back as he paced the room. "I hear what you're saying, Gemma, I do. But this place is falling apart. You need funds to fix what is broken and without my help you will have to earn those, and you can't bring in money if you can't open your doors. Raven has the money to get everything up to code already." He looked around the room. "She may even decide to tear it down and build some condos. Or she can keep the bar and this lobby and build something new around the rest of this place. It will be a nice little place where you can come to remember Hazel."

"That's not an option." Soren appeared at the top of the stairs, waving a yellow envelope as he descended them. "Not only is the Reynard considered by the state of Connecticut to be a historical landmark, but Hazel had stipulations in her will about altering the building."