His grandfather arrived at midday, driven by Tyler who was on his way to take a family of six on a guided hike on one of the trails.
Before Sean could stand up and offer help, Élise was there, helping Walter to a table in the shade by the water on the side of the deck that was finished.
Sean watched her, his head full of questions. He wanted to know why Jackson acted like a guard dog around her. And he wanted to know what the hell she was doing in a place like Snow Crystal when she could have been working in Paris. He knew she was talented. He’d eaten her food and seen her passion. She could have worked anywhere, and yet she’d worked for his brother for eight years.
He watched as she slid her hand over his grandfather’s and squeezed. Saw his grandfather return the gesture, his weathered face softening.
Sean tried to think of a time he’d seen his grandfather’s face soften before.
Only with his grandmother, and occasionally his mother and Jess.
Even with Jackson he was blunt and direct.
“I will bring you a drink to enjoy and then one of the new staff will take your order.” Élise rested her hand lightly on his shoulder. “You will tell me what you think of the menu and together we will refine it so that it is perfect. Does it feel good to be home?”
Walter’s hand trembled. “It feels good.”
Sean realized he never thought of his grandfather as frail. Even in the hospital he’d been feisty, barking out orders and refusing to let people make a fuss. But watching him with Élise he saw frailty.
He knew he ought to say something.
They needed to talk about that day of the funeral.
This was as good a time as any, and as good a place. The fact that there were other people around might stop his grandfather from exploding.
Élise walked off and Sean stood up and straightened his shoulders. “Gramps—”
Walter’s gaze met his. “You’re still here? If you’re waiting for me to drop dead you’re going to be here a long time.”
If there was frailty, it was hidden again. Hidden behind layers of fear and fierce determination. Without Élise forcing him to look beneath the surface, he would have missed it.
“Glad to hear it, because I’m off duty. I’m here to finish the deck so that this place can open on time. Seems a shame to cancel a good party. We don’t have that many around here.”
“You wouldn’t have come to the party. You would have been busy. With you, work always comes before everything. Even your family.”
Sean’s gut settled into a tight knot. The impulse to talk about the row vanished. “I’m here, aren’t I?”
Walter looked around him. “Not much progress since I left.”
Sean thought of all the work he’d undone and almost laughed. “Yeah. Going slowly.”
“It’s because you’re out of practice. If you spent more time here, you’d be better at it.”
And that, Sean thought, was how not to mend a row.
Gritting his teeth, he got on with the job, his mind occupied with the task of making the work last four days.
He told himself it was worth swallowing his pride and enduring the digs and comments to watch over his grandfather. Worth it to see his grandmother more relaxed.
And worth it to watch Élise.
She arrived back at the table with a tray of drinks and freshly baked pastries and Sean saw his grandfather smile at her.
The smile tugged at him.
Hell, was he really so desperate for his grandfather’s approval?
Was he six years old?