Finding Family Page 9

  “Look at me!” said Darcy. “We’re not going to abandon you. We’ll stick together to make the hotel a better place, and yes, we’ll need to divide the time, so one of us isn’t stuck with this project all the time.”

  “That will give you time for the baby and allow you to do the work you love at the hotel. Even though I’ll be working with Mo, I can still devote some time to the hotel,” said Regan. “Brian will be busy working with Tony on their projects.”

  “And travel can’t be my main focus. Austin can’t leave his work for too long anyway. I’ll help at the hotel, too,” Darcy quickly added.

  Sheena looked from Darcy to Regan and drew a deep breath. The Sullivan sisters would somehow come through for one another. Wasn’t that Uncle Gavin’s greatest lesson?

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  DARCY

  Lost in thought, Darcy sat with her sisters in the restaurant Regan had chosen in the North End for their celebration dinner. What at first had seemed a wonderful triumph had turned into another challenge she hadn’t expected. Gone were the ideas of world travel, glamorous events, a fancy car. A large amount of the money she would inherit had to be set aside for the hotel’s future use. She knew Sheena was right; it was the right thing to do, but still ...

  Gazing across the table at Sheena, Darcy was struck by the emotional turmoil she saw on her face. Michael had been a surprise that had changed Sheena’s life. How would this baby change her? She and Austin wanted children, but Darcy didn’t like the idea of being surprised. She wanted time with Austin as husband and wife before they ventured into parenthood.

  “When is the baby due?” Regan asked Sheena.

  “The doctor and I guess sometime in June.” Sheena sighed. “In time for the summer heat.”

  Darcy reached across the table and squeezed Sheena’s hand. “It’s not like you to be so pessimistic. That’s a good time to stay inside, anyway.”

  Sheena agreed, but remained silent.

  “On a brighter note,” Darcy continued. “By then, you should be in a house of your own.”

  “We were going to build a nice, small house in the neighborhood where Brian and Tony are working. Guess we’ll have to change plans for the house, make it bigger.”

  The waiter returned with their drinks—a margarita for Darcy, a glass of red wine for Regan, and bubbling water and lime for Sheena.

  After placing their dinner orders with the waiter, Darcy raised her glass. “Here’s to us!”

  “The Sullivan sisters!” said Regan, clinking her glass against Darcy’s and turning to Sheena. “And here’s to the new baby! I hope it’s a girl.”

  “Yes, so Meaghan can have a sister,” added Darcy, finally bringing a smile to Sheena’s face.

  Regan turned serious. “I hope we’ve met this final challenge. I was going to speak to Mo and Kenton to see about renting the cottage on Kenton’s property, but if the money is ours, Brian may want to use some of my money to build a house. That, and having a car of my own would be a dream come true for me.”

  Sheena gave her a long look. “It’s amazing Uncle Gavin did this for us. What a kind, interesting man he was.”

  “Are you sure you want to stay at Dad’s instead of at the Boston Harbor Hotel with us?” Darcy said.

  “I’d made those plans thinking I’d have to stay on for medical tests, but now that I know I don’t, it’s too late to change them. He’s expecting me,” said Sheena. “Besides, I promised I’d go through some paperwork with him. He’s thinking of selling the house, after all.”

  “He’s moving to California?” asked Regan.

  “Nooo, he wants to move to Florida.”

  “Wha-a-at? No way,” said Darcy. “I thought he decided not to move there.”

  Sheena laughed. “Guess the whole dang family will end up there.” She sobered. “With everyone planning to get married and raise a family, he told me he doesn’t want to miss out.”

  “Wait until he hears about your baby,” said Regan. “He’ll be as surprised as we were.”

  Sheena gave Regan a warning look. “Remember, don’t say a word to anybody else. I have to tell my family first. And I’m pretty sure they won’t be as excited as the two of you.”

  ###

  At ten o’clock the next morning, Darcy sat with her sisters in the conference room hoping they’d done the right thing. She’d tossed and turned all night, wondering if Uncle Gavin had wanted them to put all the money back into the hotel. She was going to invest most of her money for the time when she’d be able to leave the hotel work, spend several months abroad, and write a whole series of novels. In the meantime, she hoped Allison and her literary agency could find someone interested in her short stories.

  Archibald Wilson entered the room looking bright-eyed on what was another gray, snowy morning in Boston. “Good morning, ladies. I hope you had a pleasant evening,” he said, taking a seat at the head of the table. “What information have you come up with for me?”

  Darcy, with the others, turned to Sheena.

  Sheena smiled nervously at Archibald. “We tried to think like Gavin and have come up with a plan to invest 55% of his estate back into the hotel project, giving us an additional one and a half million dollars to completely restore the hotel. In addition to completing the rooms, we need to take care of deferred maintenance of the buildings, including air conditioners and some electrical and plumbing work. We also want to make the living quarters of Gavin’s people nicer, including construction of a private, outdoor patio and an indoor community room.”

  Grinning, Archibald jumped up out of his seat and waved his fists in the air. “By God! You’ve done it! You’ve actually done it! I’m so proud of you!”

  Darcy felt her jaw drop and turned to her sisters. Their mouths had formed perfect O’s.

  Archibald seemed to realize what he was doing and stopped. His cheeks were bright red as he took his seat again. He gave them a sheepish look. “I’m sorry to get carried away, but when I first met the three of you, I wasn’t at all convinced you’d make decisions like this.” His eyes watered. “Gavin was betting the Sullivan genes would come through, and they have.”

  “What exactly was this challenge?” said Sheena.

  “After spending a year working on the property he loved, his challenge was to get a commitment from you that you’d continue to work on it, that you would see the same promise in it as he had.”

  Sheena arched an eyebrow at him. “And ...?”

  “And you’d see life at the hotel was good for his people.” Archibald grinned and slapped a hand on the table. “And you came through, just like he thought you would.”

  “What would have happened if we hadn’t?” Darcy asked.

  Archibald chuckled. “In addition to the hotel, you each would have inherited one thousand dollars. That’s all.”

  Darcy gaped at her sisters. “Oh my Gawd! All that work for nothing?”

  “But I thought we were to get the money regardless,” said Regan.

  Archibald shook his head. “Only the opportunity to win the money. A fine line, but one that always existed. Gavin was a very interesting man.”

  “That’s exactly what Sheena said last night,” said Darcy. “I wish I could really have known him.”

  Archibald gave her a funny look. “But you do know him—through his actions and the people he’s helped. I understand you’ve interviewed everyone in his group.”

  “Yes, you’re right. In his own way, Gavin was the biggest angel of all,” Darcy said, feeling a sting of tears.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  SHEENA

  Still shocked by the news she’d received in the last two days, Sheena sat aboard the plane bound for Florida. After winning and then learning the details of the final challenge of Uncle Gavin’s will, they’d sat with Archibald figuring out the best way to handle the funds. They each opted to invest the bulk of their money with Blackie Gatto. He would also handle the money set aside for the hotel. They settled outstanding legal bill
s, signed documents, resolved the note for the money they had borrowed for Gavin’s restaurant and got everything in order for the transition.

  Now, the plane took off with a roar of its engines and lifted into the cold air, taking her back home and to another phase in her life.

  Sheena stared out the window, observing the clouds that blocked the sun as the plane climbed through them to a higher, smoother altitude.

  Above the clouds, the blue sky shimmered with sunshine. Sheena sat back in her seat. The flight from Boston to Tampa would seem extra short because she dreaded telling Tony about the baby. Last night, sleeping in her childhood home, the memories of crying and hiding in her bedroom after she’d learned she was pregnant with Michael filled her mind, making it impossible to sleep well. There was no question of her not having this new baby. She loved her children, and she’d love this little one too. But she couldn’t pretend to be happy by this turn of events.

  She focused her thoughts on the future. She was so very grateful to Uncle Gavin. The money she’d received from his challenge would cover Michael’s and Meaghan’s college educations and would replace the funds Tony had used to buy into Brian’s business. And if they ran the hotel well, she and her sisters could draw a sufficient income from it to cover other expenses. Having this financial security would be a relief to Tony, who worked hard to provide for his family. At the thought of him and his reaction to her news, a nervous shiver tap-danced across her shoulders.

  ###

  In the baggage claim area of the airport, Casey greeted Sheena holding a sign that read: “Sheena Morelli.” Sheena laughed, remembering all their expectations of just a year ago. Life had turned out so differently for all of them, so much better.

  “Tony asked me to pick you up in the hotel van,” said Casey. “The kids are back in school, and he and Brian are on the job.”

  He helped her with her bags and led her to the van. After they got settled in their seats, Casey took off, wending his way through the airport traffic before heading toward the Salty Key Inn.

  “How was your trip?” Casey asked in a conversational tone.

  “Nice,” Sheena said. “But it was cold. I’m glad to be back in Florida.” Even sitting in the car with the windows rolled up, she was able to smell the salty tang of the air. In the warmth of the sun shining through the windows, she felt some of the tension leave her shoulders. She’d have time to unpack and walk the beach before Tony came home from work.

  ###

  Sheena was changing into jeans and a T-shirt when Tony called her.

  “How’d it go, honey?” he asked. “’Thought maybe I could come by for a late lunch before the kids come home from school. I’ve missed you!”

  That, thought Sheena, was why she was in the state she was in—late lunches, early morning romps. A flare of irritation surprised her, but she held it back. “Okay, there’s something I need to talk to you about.”

  “Something good?” he teased.

  “We’ll see,” she answered cryptically. “See you soon. I’m going to take a walk on the beach.”

  Sheena disconnected the call, grabbed her flip flops, and left the suite. Outside, she hurried through the hotel grounds, across Gulf Boulevard, and onto the stretch of white sand. In the crisp January air, her flip flops made slapping sounds against the moist, compacted sand along the water’s edge as she walked along.

  It felt good to stretch her muscles, get lost in the regular movement, and free her mind. The breeze tossed her hair around playfully. She stopped, closed her eyes, and lifted her face to the sun, drawing in a deep breath and then slowly letting it out. She could do this—have a new baby, take care of her family, and oversee the hotel. Her thoughts flew to Rosa and Paul Morelli. Tony’s parents had moved to Florida to have a new, fun lease on life. But, surely, they’d be happy about another Morelli, wouldn’t they? Rosa had been an enormous help in caring for Michael and Meaghan. Would she be willing to start all over again, helping her with this new baby?

  Head down, Sheena headed back to the hotel, wondering how she was going to break the news to Tony.

  At the sound of her name being called, Sheena looked up. Tony was heading her way.

  Sheena lifted her hand to return his wave. Her stomach fluttered nervously.

  Smiling, Tony trotted toward her. “Glad you’re home!”

  When he reached her, he swept her up in his strong arms. “I missed you, Mrs. Morelli!”

  She smiled at him. “I’ve been gone only three days. Everything all right?”

  “Great,” Tony said. “I’ve been working on plans for the house, and though it’s small, it’ll be perfect for us after the kids are gone. How did it go in Boston? You’ve been very quiet about things.”

  “We didn’t know how it was going to turn out until yesterday morning. Then, we had to complete all the legal and financial details. Darcy, Regan, and I decided not to say anything to our men until we were home, and we could talk privately with you.”

  Tony slung an arm over her shoulder. “Yeah? So, did you get the hotel?”

  Sheena gazed into his dark eyes. “And then some.” She gave him the details of the financial arrangements. “And now we have enough money to set aside for Michael’s and Meaghan’s education and to put toward a new house.”

  “Great! Like I said, I’ve been working on the house plans the couple of nights you’ve been gone, and I think you’re going to like them.”

  Sheena came to a stop. “About that. We need to talk, because three bedrooms aren’t going to be enough.”

  Tony shook his head. “With my parents living here in their own home, we don’t need a guest room, do we?”

  “We do if our guest isn’t going to leave for at least eighteen years,” said Sheena, unable to keep her eyes from tearing up.

  Tony frowned at her. “What are you trying to tell me, Sheena?”

  She let out a long breath. “I’m pregnant.”

  Tony’s eyes widened. He stared at her in shock. “Pregnant? You can’t be. You took care of protection a long time ago.”

  “Apparently, there’s a one percent chance of a woman my age getting pregnant after having her tubes tied.” Sheena swiped at her eyes. “And we’ve been pretty active the last few months. Her voice trailed off ...

  “Aw, honey,” Tony said, wrapping his arms around her and bringing her close. “We’ll get through it. Just like we did before.”

  Sheena couldn’t hold back her sobs. It was exactly like the conversation they’d had over eighteen years ago.

  Tony lifted her chin. “Look at me, Sheena. It’s not the end of the world. With the other two kids grown, we’ll have a chance to really enjoy this new one.”

  “Yeah? Well, you’re not the one going through the pregnancy and childbirth. And you’re not the one who’ll get stuck with all the work of caring for it.” Sheena lowered her head and covered her face with her hands. “Oh my Gawd! Listen to me! I sound awful. Simply awful.”

  “Sheena, honey, we’ll work together on this. And Michael and Meaghan can help too.”

  Sheena lifted her head. Thinking back to the times when they were young, she remembered how it felt to rock a baby in her arms. A new feeling of excitement rose in her. Maybe, she thought, Tony is right, and I’ll be able to enjoy this baby in a new, different way. She looked at him and gave him a shaky smile.

  “That’s my girl,” said Tony, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

  “You’re really okay with this? I thought you’d be upset we’ll lose our time alone after Michael and Meaghan are gone.”

  The corners of his mouth tilted into a roguish grin. “Okay with it? I think it’s great. I guess the old man hasn’t lost his touch, huh?”

  Sheena pushed him playfully. She wouldn’t be surprised if he started to crow like a rooster. Darn him anyway; she never could resist him.

  “So, when is this baby due?” said Tony.

  “The doctor and I guess sometime in June. I can’t be sure when it happened. We we
re fooling around a lot.”

  “Yeah, it was fun,” said Tony, grinning at her again.

  “Next time, you can take care of the situation. After this, I’m done,” she warned him, erasing the smile on his face.

  As they were walking up the beach toward the hotel, Tony pulled Sheena to a stop. Gazing at her, he said, “I want you to know how much I love you, Sheena. And I always will.”

  “Even when I’m nine months pregnant and unable to tie my shoes?” Sheena said, giving him a dubious look.

  Tony laughed. “Yes, even then.”

  “I wonder how the kids will take it?” Sheena asked.

  Tony checked his watch. “We’ll find out soon. They’re due to be home from school any time now.”

  ###

  Michael sat on the couch as he was asked. Meaghan sat next to him, eating an apple. Every crunch of her teeth into the apple set Sheena’s nerves on edge.

  “What did you want to talk to us about? Did you and Darcy and Regan get the hotel, like you wanted?” asked Michael.

  “Do we have lots of money for your beating the challenge?” said Meaghan. “That’s what you were hoping for, right?”

  “To answer both of your questions, yes,” said Sheena. She explained about the finances and how much added work would be done to the hotel. “And your college educations can be taken care of. That’s a big relief to Dad and me.”

  “Sounds good,” said Michael, starting to rise.

  “Hold on, son. There’s more news,” said Tony, giving Sheena a look of encouragement.

  Sheena gulped, feeling like a teenager telling her parents she’d kissed her first boyfriend. Or worse.

  “Yeah? What is it?” prompted Meaghan.

  “In June, probably early in the month, you’re going to have a baby sister or a baby brother,” said Sheena bluntly. She watched her children’s eyes round in shock.

  “You’re kidding! No way,” said Michael, giving her a horrified look.