by Ava Miles
The next generation.
Arthur’s mind started to spin. Clara wanted to live until they were a hundred, and because he loved her, he’d agreed to do his best to make it happen. He already had great-grandchildren of his own, but until now, he hadn’t thought about the next Merriam generation.
“Do you think I might live long enough to matchmake for them?” he asked.
Shawn only smiled. “If anyone can do it, it’s you and Clara.”
My, how wonderful that would be.
Chapter 29
His brothers were here. Here being the rental house he’d only moved into earlier today.
Flynn couldn’t get over it as he hugged J.T. and Connor, who’d apparently met at the Columbus airport and driven up together.
“How did you—” He was stuttering. “Why—”
“Uncle Arthur rallied everyone,” J.T. said, rolling his eyes. “Except moi. Seems Trev and Connor have more Machiavellian minds than me. I didn’t make the cut, but when Trev told me, I insisted on coming, especially since Caroline is holiday shopping with her sisters this weekend. Flynn, you aren’t the only one who’s good with the ladies. I hear Annie has three daughters, and I imagine they need someone besides you and Caitlyn to keep their spirits up. Caitlyn mentioned they like fashion.”
“I’m so glad you’re here,” he blurted out, meaning every bit of it. But where in the hell was he going to put them?
His new rental house would be bursting at the seams with Annie moving in with her three girls. He owed Hargreaves a case of the finest Cuban cigars or something for arranging the house. Who could have foreseen all of this?
His heart had ached for Annie and the girls, but it felt like a gift to have them all under the same roof. Although he knew Amelia would start feeling the separation from Carrot keenly, she’d jumped on all the beds in the house before dinner. But Iris and Eloise, whom Annie had talked with separately, had taken it hard. They had some idea of what was going on, and their sad faces had done something to him. June’s presence at dinner had been a godsend. Before she’d left for Gertie’s, the woman was putting on a brave front, a unified front, and she’d told the girls Tom was acting so unkindly that even she wasn’t staying with him anymore.
“Trevor is on a plane over as well,” J.T. said, laying a few bags down and shrugging out of his cashmere coat and laying it over everyone else’s in the chair Flynn had set up in the corner. “And Becca is with him! Can you believe it?”
“I can,” Connor said, smiling easily, so easily Flynn almost didn’t recognize the former Big Bad Wolf. “When I last saw her in Ireland, I told her that I knew in my gut she’d make it.”
He had? Flynn shook his head. “Wow. My brain feels like I’ve eaten a bunch of ice cream too fast.”
His whole family—well, most of them—were currently in his house. In Ohio. Life was so weird.
“Louisa sends her best,” Connor said, also removing his coat. “She wanted to come, but there was too much going on at the shelter with the holidays.”
“Same for Caroline with the museum,” J.T. said.
“Hello, boys,” Flynn heard their father say. “I thought I heard your voices. Good to see you both. Thanks for coming.”
“You got it,” Connor said. “I talked to Quinn. He won’t be able to make it, of course, but he wants us to call him so we can figure out our strategy. Flynn, he said to tell you he has your back.”
He stared at his brothers in astonishment, feeling more connected to them than he ever had before. They were with him, and they were going to use their badass business abilities to help Annie. Then a high-pitched girlish squeal filled the air, the kind that could break glass, and he slapped his hands over his ears as Caitlyn rushed down the stairs, launching herself first at J.T. and then Connor.
“What are you doing here?” she cried out.
“Circling the wagons,” Flynn heard Uncle Arthur say as he stepped forward and hugged his brothers.
“What’s the matter?” Annie asked, appearing at the top of the stairs. “I heard a scream.”
Flynn held his hand out to her. “Babe! Come meet two of my older brothers. They’re here to help.”
She smoothed her blond hair and made an attempt at a smile. Her eyes were still puffy from crying in his arms earlier, and he felt his heart swell as Connor met her halfway up the stairs with his hand out to help her down the rest of the way.
“I hear you’ve had a tough go of it,” he said, giving her a quiet smile. “I’m Connor. I hope we can make tomorrow and the days after that better.”
“Oh my God!” Caitlyn said. “He’s turning into such a softie. I can’t believe it.”
“Thank you so much, Connor,” Annie said, pressing her hand to her mouth. “I didn’t expect all of this.”
“I’m J.T.,” his brother said, “and I hope you don’t mind a good old-fashioned hug as an intro. Flynn isn’t the only charmer in the family.”
She laughed. “Two in one family? Impossible.”
“Mom!” Amelia called from the top of the stairs in her Rapunzel nightgown. “Who are those guys?”
“They’re my brothers,” Flynn called. “Come on down and meet them.”
“Are they the twins?” Amelia asked, holding the rail and going down the stairs. “Iris and Eloise! Flynn’s brothers are here.”
“They’re getting ready for bed,” Annie said, gesturing upstairs as if the whole idea was still new. “It’s been a big change for them.”
“I imagine so,” J.T. said as Amelia reached him. “Yes, I’m one of the twins. Trevor is coming too, probably in the morning. But he’s not as handsome as me.”
“Smarter though,” Flynn joked, and J.T. playfully put him in an arm bar before shoving him gently aside.
“You must be the twins,” J.T. said when Iris and Eloise appeared at the top. “I’m one too. Come on down. I have a treat. I brought some famous cinnamon rolls and French bread from the town where Arthur and I live.” He leaned down and rifled through a bag, bringing out a large pastry box.
“I believe I live there too,” Aunt Clara said, appearing next to Uncle Arthur. “It’s good to see you both.”
“You girls are in for a treat,” Uncle Arthur said with a wink at Amelia. “Those cinnamon rolls are some of my favorite treats.”
J.T. opened the box for Amelia to peek into, and she gasped. “Oh my goodness. Those look delicious. Can I have one?”
“Is your mom going to kill me since you’re getting ready for bed?” J.T. asked, glancing at Annie for permission.
“Those look like a special treat,” she said as Iris and Eloise headed down the stairs and came to a stop next to her. “Girls, would you like some?”
“Yes!” Amelia shouted, jumping up and down. “Me, me, me!”
“They do look good,” Eloise said. “You want some, Iris?”
“Yeah,” she said, lifting her shoulder.
Hargreaves suddenly appeared and took the box from J.T. “It’s good to see you, sir.” He turned to Connor and nodded as well. “I will take these if that’s all right.”
“I’ll help you, Hargreaves,” Amelia said, grabbing the hem of his suit and leaving with him.
They settled into the dining room again. Flynn’s brothers carried the conversation, telling Annie a little more about themselves, keeping everything light, something J.T. was especially good at. Their father was usually quiet, but he had his arm around the back of Caitlyn’s chair and smiled often. Hargreaves brought out coffee for some, whiskey for others, and tea for Aunt Clara and Annie. Caitlyn surprised him by popping some champagne.
“It always lifts my spirits,” she said, pouring herself a glass, “and seeing everyone together deserved a toast. To family.”
Annie’s hand settled on his thigh under the table, and they shared a look. “Your sister is right,” she said. “Having your family come does deserve a toast. Caitlyn, I’d like some too.”
More people joined in, Hargreaves apologizing for th
e lack of enough proper glasses.
“I rather like my champagne in a coffee cup,” Arthur said.
Aunt Clara rolled her eyes.
“Thank you all for coming,” Annie said, lifting her glass at his siblings first and then his father. Lastly, she turned to him. “To the people who love and support you. Cheers.”
“Cheers!” Amelia shouted over everyone’s murmurs, lifting her glass of milk.
Afterward, Annie had the girls say good night. Amelia had a streak of cinnamon on her cheek, and Arthur fought a smile as he took his napkin and wiped it off. “You’re sweet enough without it.”
“I’m the sweetest,” she said, hugging him and kissing his cheek and then running to his uncle. “Mr. Hale, I just love you.”
He patted her back and harrumphed, “I love you too, little one. Sleep well.”
“I will,” she said, holding her hands up. “I’m sleeping in a princess bed.”
Flynn waved to Iris and Eloise as Annie led them out. They stared back at him, their eyes still so sad, and he felt that ever-constant pressure in his chest over wanting to like them and wanting them to like him. When they all disappeared, he slid his champagne glass to Connor. “Fill me up.”
“Whiskey in a champagne flute,” Connor said, pouring him a dram. “It might catch on.”
“Lucky thing about the house,” Caitlyn said, lifting her glass and drinking. “Who would have imagined it would end up being this important? If I’d known, I would have decorated it differently.”
“You did great,” Flynn said, blowing her a kiss. “We can always make some additions. Amelia seems to love the brass bed.”
“Any idea how long they’re going to be here?” J.T. asked. “It sounds like there’s some rocky terrain ahead.”
Flynn kicked back, holding his flute over his lap. “No idea. From the sound of it, Tom isn’t going to cooperate. Uncle Arthur here heard it all.”
“It’s ugly straight down the line,” his uncle said, “but she and the girls have us. It will be hard on June too, but it sounds like her decision to leave him has been a long time coming. He’s a hard man.”
“So hard he’s made me consider any number of angry responses,” Flynn said. “I have a new appreciation for playing hardball, and I have a better understanding of why it’s necessary sometimes. I want to apologize for all the times I’ve accused you of being too intense. J.T., you not so much.” He made sure to look Connor in the eye before turning to his father, who inclined his chin.
“Thanks, I think,” J.T. said with a laugh.
“My, how you’re growing up, Flynn,” Caitlyn said, kicking back in her chair. “I like where this family is headed.”
“Feeling pressed up against the wall isn’t pleasant,” his dad said, “and like you, I’d like to think I’m a reasonable fellow. But when someone threatens you or yours—”
“The gloves have and do come off,” Connor finished for him. “Louisa is showing me there are plenty of effective responses to challenging people. But some people… Reason and kindness doesn’t work.”
“Connor’s right,” Annie said, stepping into the dining room again and taking her chair next to Flynn. “I tried that with Tom. Now, I want to hear what else I can do.”
“Trevor said to call him on the plane if we started tonight,” J.T. said, pulling out his phone. “He’s already looked into things.”
“Quinn also wanted to be called,” Connor said, following suit.
Annie clutched Flynn’s knee as his brother FaceTimed Trevor and Quinn on their phones and positioned them around the table.
“Hey!” Trevor said, picking up. “Looks like the party started. Are those Margie’s cinnamon rolls from Hot Cross Buns? J.T., man, you’d better save one for your twin brother.”
“Hey, Annie,” Quinn said, coming on the line. “I’m Quinn, Flynn’s better-looking brother. I’m sorry to be meeting you under these circumstances.”
Her smile fell flat. “Me too.”
“I was going to say I was the better-looking brother,” Trevor said. “Also, this is my wife, Becca. The bravest woman ever.” He panned the screen to her and she waved, her face noticeably pale. “She’s still doing her breathing exercises, but so far so good, right, babe?”
“Yeah, the hardest part was getting on the plane,” she said in a tense voice. “Oh, and takeoff. That was quite unpleasant.”
“All I can say is way to go, Becca,” Uncle Arthur called. “I have a whiskey with your name on it when you arrive.”
“Thanks, Arthur,” she said, waving again. “Annie, I can’t wait to meet you. I know you have some things to discuss. See you soon.”
“Okay,” Flynn said, taking her hand. “Who wants to go first?”
Shawn held up a hand. “I came up with a couple of suggestions on the lawyer front, but I know Arthur has a candidate in mind.”
“My Hale nephew in Dare Valley, who’s our mayor as well as one hell of a lawyer. He can practice in Ohio, and he’s agreed to take the case pro bono if you want to go that route.”
“Matt, huh?” J.T. said. “He’s the man.”
“At this point, Annie,” Shawn continued, “I believe it would be wise to select someone. Regardless of Tom’s position, you still own forty-nine percent of Bilberry & Co. You will need a lawyer to handle those interests for you.”
She nodded. “Thank you for the recommendations. What are my options here?”
“I’ll take this one,” Trevor said. “Annie, you can sue for fraud, but it’ll be hard to prove his name was added after the fact. Now, I know both of them admitted it to you, in front of witnesses, no less, but I suspect they’re going to realize they shouldn’t have confessed. Lying under oath is a crime, of course, but so is fraud. What about the accountant? Will he talk?”
Annie’s face was turning green all over again. “The three of them have known each other for a long time,” she said. “They’re not going to turn on each other.”
“Unless they can be persuaded,” Trevor said, his mouth turning grim. “This is the unpleasant part of my work. Eric has a small loan for his business. Nothing on your accountant or Tom. We could put some pressure on Eric’s bank to call in the loan. Maybe inquire whether he would change his testimony to keep the bank happy. Like I said, it’s not pretty, but it could be effective.”
“I used to do things like that,” Connor said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m not convinced it’s the best play here. It would be best to avoid ugliness, even if it comes at a financial loss. I say someone offers to buy the company from Tom and then sells it back to Annie. We have friends who would do that for us.”
“Yes, we do,” Trevor said, “and Annie would at least receive forty-nine percent of the sale price after taxes, assuming Tom would sell. Then she could buy the rest of the shares back.”
“What?” she asked, her hand clutching her throat. “Even if he did sell—which I’m not too inclined to believe after today—wouldn’t that take a long time? I need to be able to take care of the girls. Can Tom stop me from collecting revenue? Right now, I’m taking one hundred percent of the profits, but he could insist on taking his share, right?”
Flynn took her by the shoulders. “I’m going to help you, okay? Don’t start shaking your head at me. Did we or did we not talk about getting married as soon as the girls get used to the idea?”
Caitlyn’s gasp filled the silence. He hadn’t told her they’d talked marriage, although she couldn’t be surprised things were heading that way.
“Don’t make me take you up on the offer to elope,” he said, watching as tears filled Annie’s eyes. “I love you, and when you love someone, you help them. No matter what. Right, Uncle Arthur?”
“Right, my boy,” his uncle said. “Love has made you a wiser man.”
Annie looked like she was about to break down, so he leaned closer and put his arm around her. She hugged him and then sat back, inhaling deeply.
“If I may,” Aunt Clara said, sipping from her c
hampagne flute. “Annie, I would recommend having your lawyer talk with Tom’s. Until you know what to expect of him, you should continue with business as usual. We will finish the baskets and ship them out. If he wants to make trouble, we’ll handle it.”
“You can tell him from me that I will sue the hell out him if he cancels our order,” Quinn said. “As in, I will make it so expensive he’ll have to put his farm in hock to keep fighting.”
Annie gulped. “I don’t want him to lose the farm. It’s…all he has. Oh, God, this is so complicated. All I want is my company.”
“You need to decide how far you’re willing to go if he won’t budge,” Uncle Arthur said, drawing her attention to him. “Today you had to walk away from your home and lab. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that he might bar you from them tomorrow.”
She looked dazed, and Flynn’s sense of helplessness tore at him. He’d spare her all this if he could.
“Technically, he owns fifty-one percent of all your products and ingredients,” Trevor said, “but what’s worse is the law is currently on his side. Fighting him will take time and cost money. For him too. He might settle, sure, but it could be a long fight. I’d be happy to talk to his lawyer when I arrive tomorrow to see how he’s thinking. Very informal. I always start out nice. I only bring out the stick if I need to.”
“Trev’s good at that,” J.T. said while Connor and his father nodded.
“So I might have to start a new company,” Annie said, her voice resigned. “Because Bilberry could be tied up in litigation for who knows how long. What about all the proprietary formulas I created?”
Flynn’s father said, “Tom could be counseled to insist that Bilberry owns the formulas you’ve created.”
Her hand shook as she pressed it to her mouth, and for a moment, Flynn was afraid that news might break her.
“Annie, I know it’s hard to hear,” Shawn continued, “but you might not be able to use them while everything is in litigation.”
