“That would be wonderful,” Abby said with a huge smile.
“Trent, I think that’s very wise.” Griffin’s dark eyes were warm as he said, “I’m proud of you. That must have been a very difficult decision.”
“Actually, once I realized what I really wanted, all the things that had been standing in my way became crystal clear. Speaking of which…” He pulled out the legal documents from Chandler and handed them to Griffin. “Grandfather must have had his own revelation recently. He’s deeding the resort to us, effective as soon as the paperwork is processed.”
Griffin looked stunned as he read the document. “I can’t believe it.” He lifted his eyes to Trent. “How did this come about?”
Derek held his hand out for the papers, and after reading them, he passed them around the table to their other siblings. “It’s got to be a game of some kind.”
“No game,” Trent assured him. “And he actually thanked me for my hard work, too.”
Their eyes widened again with disbelief.
“Chandler thanked you?” Ethan asked. “You sure you weren’t in the wrong office?”
Trent laughed at that. “I couldn’t believe it either. He also gave me a bit of advice about Reese, and then he said that Grandma Caroline’s love for him didn’t dismiss his rotten behavior toward her.”
“He’d never say something like that,” Derek grumbled. “I’m not buying it.”
Griffin’s brows knitted together, as well. “Is there any way you misunderstood any of this, Trent?”
After Trent shook his head, Quinn said, “Remember what I overheard him saying to Didi in his office when we first came back to the island? How he’s proud of us and respects our determination. I think the heart attacks might have rocked his brain—in a good way.”
“Well, I don’t care what caused it,” Sierra said. “I think it’s wonderful. I have always hated how cold he was. Maybe we’ll see another side of him in our lifetimes after all.”
“You know what I think?” Abby’s eyes trailed lovingly over each of her children. “I think he brought you all back to the island because he needed us all here. He may seem cold in many ways, but he is also a loyal man who was married to the same woman his entire life. I believe he does know what love is. He just has a hard time showing it.”
“And he definitely has a hard time allowing himself to feel loved by others,” Griffin added. “When his first love turned down his proposal, I think he shut part of himself off in order to protect himself. But if we continue to treat him like we’d like to be treated, then hopefully he’ll come around more and more.”
“I’m still not buying a word of it,” Derek said.
Sierra shot Derek a narrow-eyed glare. “You don’t have to buy it. Just try to be nice. Heck, maybe you should ask Didi to the dance. We all know you want to, and if she actually says yes, maybe that will make you sweeter, too.”
“Speaking of sweet,” Ethan said before Derek could jump down Sierra’s throat for egging him on, “the mural is incredible. I see Reese out there most mornings when I’m heading down to the marina. She always looks so intent on painting that I’m afraid to interrupt her, but she’s doing a fantastic job.”
“I’ll pass that along,” Trent said, damn proud of the woman he loved. “She’s really thankful that she was chosen for the project.”
Abby and Sierra exchanged a smile before his sister said, “She was really the only person we could have chosen for the job.”
Reese is the only person I could have chosen for me, too.
Trent looked at his watch and told his family, “If we’re done here, I’ve got to get going.”
“I’ve got to head back to work, too,” Derek muttered as he pushed away from the table.
“I’m not heading back to the office,” Trent told his brother. “I’m going to go see Reese.”
Something that looked like envy passed over Derek’s face before he quickly covered it up with a smirk. “Two down, two to go.”
“You really think you’re going to dodge love’s arrow, don’t you?” Trent said.
“If I ever found a woman who could keep up with me and my adventures, I might change my mind,” Derek said. “But I’m pretty sure she’s not out there, so I’m happy going solo. In fact, what the hell. I’m going to fit in some rock climbing before I chain myself to my desk for the rest of the night.”
How, Trent wondered as his brother headed for the rocks, could Derek not get that falling in love with a great woman made everything so much better?
Then again, Trent knew all too well just how easy it was to keep the blinders on where true love was concerned. And he also knew it was something he would never make the mistake of doing again.