Up to Snow Good - Kelly Collins Page 0,42
hand to shake, but Sam didn’t take it, a gesture not lost on any of them.
“We haven’t met,” Sam said, “I’m Sam Horn, the Matthews’ accountant and business manager.”
“Max Hunter.”
“What’s going on?” Lauren asked.
“That’s an excellent question.” Sam walked past them and deeper into the lobby, approaching a couch and coffee table under the big antler chandelier. He set his briefcase on the table, flipped it open, and handed a letter to Lauren. At the top of the letter was the name Hunter Properties. At the bottom was a signature she recognized; her father's. As well as one she wasn't familiar with; Eaton Hunter's. Her heart started beating faster as she read the letter, the legal phrasing bringing a sour taste to the back of her mouth. The terminology was intimidating and confusing, with words like herewith, sole possession, and fair and reasonable compensation.
She turned to Max, whose expression told her it wasn’t the first he was seeing of the letter. “Max, what is this?”
“It’s a promissory note,” Sam answered for Max. “It gives his father ownership of the lodge if the debt wasn’t paid by the time your father died. I just received this to my office by a personal messenger because I manage the financial end of this business.”
“Max, did you know about this?”
“Well, um, actually, the subject had come up between my father and me.”
Sam shook his head, and Lauren could feel the blood drain from her face.
Max was quick to explain. “He told me about this thing just a short while ago.”
“Before you suddenly started coming around?” Sam asked.
Max had to nod. “My father had wanted to bring the document after the funeral, but I couldn’t let him do that.”
Sam asked, “Thought you’d slide in for a little something before you brought the hammer down?”
“You stay out of this,” Max said, refocusing his attention on Lauren.
She could barely stand to look him in the eyes.
“I was stalling him,” Max said. “I figured I could turn things around, get him to drop the whole matter.”
“You didn’t come here gearing up to con me out of my lodge?”
“No, Lauren, just the opposite. I was letting my father think we were making a shrewd business move, but the idea was to get him to back off entirely and leave us alone.”
“And if that didn’t work out?” she asked.
“I would think of something. We would think of something.” He gripped the roots of his hair and pulled. “I don’t know, my father must have been lying about giving us his blessings.”
“You think?” Sam asked sarcastically.
Max pointed an angry finger at Sam. “Not one more word, pal, I’m not in the mood!”
“Enough of this,” Lauren shouted, “just get out, Max.”
“No, Lauren, this isn’t how it seems.”
“The lady made herself clear,” Sam said. “Don’t make me take this to the next level.”
Max looked at Sam and then at Lauren, and he seemed to know there was nothing he could say or do. Resignation was clear on his face.
“This isn’t over.” He pointed to her. “We’re not over.”
“Yes, you are,” Sam said, pointing to the door.
Max hung his head and walked out.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Max
He flung open the door of his father’s office and stomped inside. “How could you?” he screamed.
Max was past trying to keep his temper. He’d usually been smart when dealing with his father, who always wielded the power between them, but he no longer had control over Max.
“You left me no choice.”
“How can you blame me? First, you tore up that contract!”
“It was a copy. Use your head, Max. I swear, when it comes to that girl, your intellect goes right out the window.”
“Oh, Pop, how could you be so heartless? You sent me in there as a dupe, a puppet?”
“No, Max, I was on the level until you betrayed me.”
“Betrayed? That blood feud of yours is your own business. Lauren and I love each other, and you will have to accept it.”
“And I did. I turned my back on everything I believed in, everything I knew to be true, and I did that for you.” Eaton shook his head and huffed. “I taught you too well; that was my only problem.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about?”
“My water park!” His father shouted. The red of his anger rose to the top of his head. “You came to me, playing on my heartstrings, hoping to turn me against Jane, of all people, and I discovered you’re talking up plans to convert that crappy old lodge into a water park—my water park!”
“No,