“I can’t see you in a regular job,” I say.
“Me either. Which is, I think, why I’ve stayed in this job for so long. But in another five years or so, I’ll have enough to buy a sailboat, and I’m thinking of opening a dive shop somewhere tropical. Teach scuba by day, chill on my boat by night.”
Chloe nods. “That does sound heavenly.”
“Your turn,” KT says to me.
“Compared to you two, I’m an epic failure in the dreams department. I’m still working for my parents’ hotel chain.”
“But you’ve climbed through the ranks,” KT says.
“I have, and I’ve been able to distance myself from them at work, at least mostly, because, well, they are my parents and my bosses, but I’m still busting my butt to fill someone else’s pocketbook. And
I can’t say my relationship with them has improved by working with them. I keep waiting for the perfect starter property to come on the market, telling myself I’ll jump when it does, but I don’t have enough to buy one even if it did.”
“This place is worth a mint,” KT says. “Why haven’t you sold it?”
“I just… I haven’t even been able to come here since my grandpa died. Selling it just feels… I don’t know how to explain it.”
“Like betrayal?” Chloe asks.
“Yes,” I admit. “It’s not logical, but that’s how I feel. And looking at how run-down it is makes me feel doubly guilty. He would never have left it to me if he’d known I would let it rot.”
“Reality check,” Chloe says.
“Excuse me,” KT says. “Reality checks around these parts are my responsibility.”
“You missed your cue,” Chloe says. “Falling down on the job. I’m just helping you out, sister.”
“Don’t make it a habit.”
“Noted.” Chloe refocuses on me. “Sounds like you’re using this place and your love for your grandfather as an excuse not to jump into an independent opportunity.”
“Oh, snap,” KT says. “That’s seriously sage shit.”
“Right?”
“Look at you, wisdom oozing out your pores,” KT says. “Fuck Bodhi. Build your own spiritual empire.”
All three of us lift our glasses, and KT says. “To building our own empires.”
We drink, then fall silent. After a long moment, KT looks up, brow creased. “That’s all I got.” She lifts her chin to Chloe. “Help a sister out.”
“You told me not to make it a habit.”
“Twice isn’t a habit.”
Chloe makes a face, then to me, “Why do you think your grandfather left you all this?”
I laugh. “You make it sound like he left me a treasure chest of ready cash.”
“From what you’ve told us, it sounds like you loved your summers here,” KT says.
Chloe adds, “I believe the words ‘best times of my life’ were spoken in regard to this place.”
My mind instantly veers toward Levi. But Levi isn’t the only joy I experienced here. I had friends and unconditional love and freedom. So much freedom. Only, my grandfather is dead, Levi isn’t mine, and this place doesn’t necessarily provide the sense of freedom it used to. These realizations bring a fierce longing I don’t understand.
“I don’t really know what he expected me to do with it. There was no message in his will, and he never mentioned it to me before he died. I assumed—as did my parents—that he would leave it to my mom. And, man, was she pissed.”