As he stood across the desk from Chandler now, he found himself wondering how thick—or thin—the sheet of ice his grandfather wore like armor really was.
“Trent, did you bring me the paperwork?”
“Yes, as well as the extra copies you asked for.” Trent handed him the documents and smiled at his grandfather’s nurse. “How are you today, Didi?”
“I’m well, thank you.” Her long blond hair cascaded over her shoulders. She wore a tan dress that stopped just above her knees and was belted around her slim waist. She looked regal standing beside Chandler as she put a hand on his shoulder. She did that often—checking in with his grandfather without saying a word—and Trent noticed that his grandfather’s eyes momentarily softened as he looked up at her before returning to the documents and narrowing once again.
“Your message said not to bring the notary to your office. Is there an issue you’d like to discuss?” Trent asked.
“No. No issue. I’ll see to it that the proper documentation is filed.” Chandler set the paperwork on the desk and met Trent’s gaze. “Thank you for putting this documentation together, Trent. I appreciate your efforts.”
Trent was knocked off-balance for the second time in five minutes. Chandler hadn’t thanked Trent once since he and his siblings had taken over the resort. In fact, in two months’ time, he’d received nothing more than snarls and commands from his grandfather.
“You’re welcome,” Trent finally managed as Chandler gripped the arms of his wheelchair and shifted his attention back down to the paperwork on his desk.
When Chandler slipped right back into his tight-lipped persona and didn’t lift his eyes again as Trent took a step toward the door, he wondered if he’d imagined the entire exchange. For a brief moment, he could have sworn they’d really connected.
Damn it, he thought as he stopped and turned back to face his grandfather, they were going to connect this afternoon whether Chandler wanted to or not. He’d told Reese that he wanted his family to know they were back together—and suddenly, the person he most needed to know was his grandfather.
“I’d like to thank you, too, Grandfather.”
“For what?” His grandfather looked as surprised as Trent knew he’d looked just seconds ago, when Chandler had thanked him.
“I may not have ever moved back to the island if it weren’t for you. Thank you for opening that door. You managed to help me see what was really important,” Trent continued, “and to get my priorities straight. I should have never let Reese go. I should have fought for her with everything I had. I wish I’d been able to see it sooner, but thankfully, it’s not too late, because she and I are together again now. And I’m going to get it right this time, no matter what it takes.”
As he bent to hug his grandfather, Trent noticed Didi’s eyes were damp. And then, for the first time in as many years as he could remember, Chandler’s frail arms encircled him in an answering hug.
“I’m proud of you, Trent,” Chandler said.
Trent froze, blinking his damp eyes.
“Go on,” Chandler grumbled a moment later, though the glassy sheen of his own eyes gave him away. “I have work to do.”
As Trent left Chandler’s office, he gave silent thanks that it had turned out his grandfather didn’t have a heart of stone after all. It truly gave Trent more hope than anything else ever would.
Still reeling, Trent stopped by his office to pick up the flowers for Reese. A few minutes later, he found her working on the mural. She was talking with a woman and a little dark-haired boy who couldn’t have been older than three or four, with big blue eyes and a mop of dark hair. The little boy tried to touch the wet paint, and Reese crouched beside him and smiled.
“I’m sorry, sweetie. We can’t touch the wet paint, but you can touch this part.” She touched the part of the mural that had already dried.
The cute little boy pressed his fingers to the dry paint.
Reese handed him a clean, dry paintbrush. “Would you like to paint?”
He grinned and nodded enthusiastically, sending his dark bangs flopping on his forehead. Reese guided him to a blank part of the wall, where he enthusiastically began painting. She glanced up at Trent, and when their eyes held for a moment, he couldn’t keep his brain from running away with him, already imagining the kids they’d have together. A little girl and boy who had her big smile, amazing talent, and deeply loving heart.
When the woman and child walked away a few minutes later, Reese suddenly noticed the vase of flowers he was holding. She immediately pressed her nose to the pretty purple petals and inhaled. “Mm. I love that smell, like vanilla and almonds mixed with cherry pie.”