"Basically," Forrest admitted. "I told you, I'm not a criminal mastermind. I am what I said I am. A guy who's made his career in hospitality with a focus on high-end boutique hotels, and for the last few years I've been a damn good CFO." He looked to Tenn and Royal. "I know you're angry and you have a right to be, but at least admit I've been an asset to the Inn."
Royal scowled at Forrest. Grudgingly, he admitted, "You know you have. If it hadn't been for you sneaking off with our sister, we would have been patting ourselves on the back for making such a good hire."
"My personal life doesn't have anything to do with your business," Sterling cut in, looking angry for the first time since I'd walked in the room.
"You're our baby sister," Tenn argued.
Sterling tossed her hair back and raised her chin. "Really? Now you decide to be big brother of the year? Where were you when Dad was still alive and I was alone in this house with him? When I was slowly drinking myself to death? Don't make this about me."
"It wasn't about you," Forrest interrupted. "And then it was. Somewhere along the way, it stopped being about revenge and it was all about you. Sterling, please, give me another chance."
"No," Sterling shot back. "I did a lot of thinking last night. About more than you." Composing herself, she shut out Forrest and turned her attention to Tenn and Royal. "I don’t want you to fire Forrest. Not because of me. I know you've both been happier with him to lighten the load, and I'm quitting the Inn anyway."
"Quitting? Why would you quit?" Royal demanded.
"Marcy is back from maternity leave. You don't need both of us, and I need… I don't know what I need except to work on me a little, I think. I appreciate you giving me the job at the Inn. I really do. I needed that. I needed to know I could do something positive, that I was smart and I could make good decisions. I don't want to go back to what I was."
"What do you want, honey?" Griffen asked, gently.
"I don't know. That's the problem. I need to figure it out. I was talking to Quinn last night and she needs someone to run the office at her guide business. I can do that. I want to do it."
She looked down at her fingernails, scraping at the polish while she worked through her thoughts. Miraculously, her overbearing brothers managed to keep their mouths shut while she did it.
Finally, she looked up, her eyes swimming in tears. "Everything is different now." Her voice hitched and she swallowed hard. "I spent so much of my life hiding from Dad or fighting with Dad and not knowing who I was. And then you guys came back. And I know we're all still a mess, but for the first time, I feel like I have a family. But with all of us living in this house…" She stared up at the ceiling. "I know this is crazy since Heartstone is practically a castle, but I need some space. Some time to myself. I need space, but I also need to know I'm coming home to all of you." She pushed her hair behind one ear and shrugged. "I know I sound nuts—"
"You don't," Finn said, surprising me. "I know exactly what you mean. Being alone is better when you know you have people to come home to. And sometimes you need to be alone to figure shit out."
"Yeah." Sterling shared a smile with her brother. "That's it exactly. I'm not really alone now. And since I'm not, I need some time by myself to think."
"We can give you space," Tenn said, looking a little baffled at her contradictory needs.
"Not really. I loved working with you guys, but it's busy and crowded and there's a lot of pressure when we have an event. I love that, too, but right now, I need a break. And aside from dealing with the groups that come in, there aren't really any people at Quinn's place."
"You have a job with us whenever you want to come back," Royal said softly.
"Anytime, Sterling," Tenn added. "I know Marcy's going to miss you, and so will we."
The wobbly smile she gave Tenn and Royal made me want to wrap them all up in a hug.
"So, that's it for us?" Forrest interrupted. "You're just done?"
"Yeah, that's it." Sterling's eyes were guarded as she looked at Forrest. "Maybe we just had bad timing. Or maybe you shouldn't have lied to me from the day we met. I don't know, take your pick." She crossed her arms over her chest. "One thing I realized last night after I was done crying my eyes out after half a bottle of champagne is that I'm tired of trying to drink away my problems, and the last thing I need is some guy I can't trust. I spent my whole life trying to please my father or at least get his attention. All I got out of it was shitty self-esteem and a drinking problem. When I decide I'm ready for a man, I need someone I can depend on. That isn't going to be you."