Chapter 135: A Gift

Compliments of Second Life Workshop.

That was what Alexander told his mother when they carried the restored sideboard into the bed-and-breakfast portion of the ancestral home.

Technically, Elias did most of the carrying.

He had driven Alexander from the Workshop with the sideboard secured in the back, then helped one of the workers unload it when they arrived. Considering Elias had recently chosen to remain Alexander’s driver rather than accept reassignment within Vance Holdings, Alexander supposed transporting unsold furniture hadn’t been part of the position he’d originally applied for.

So far, Elias hadn’t complained.

Rosalie stared at the sideboard.

"You’re giving this to me?"

"I’m finding it a loving home."

That sounded considerably better than admitting nobody had bought it.

The sideboard had been restored to its former glory, with the damaged finish carefully removed and the wood’s warm grain brought back to life. Once placed against the dining room wall, it complemented the older furniture Rosalie had chosen for the space so naturally that Alexander almost felt better about the eight hundred dollars Second Life Workshop had lost restoring it.

Almost.

Rosalie ran her fingers lightly over the polished surface.

"It’s beautiful."

"Thank you."

"Why didn’t it sell?"

Alexander sighed.

Apparently, mothers had a special talent for locating the least flattering part of a story.

"Because I spent more restoring it than anyone was willing to pay."

"How much?"

"You don’t need to know."

"That much?"

"Eight hundred dollars."

"You lost eight hundred dollars?"

"I prefer to say the Workshop invested eight hundred dollars in your happiness."

Rosalie laughed.

At least someone was getting a return on the investment.

The excited barking of the Shih Tzus had already announced Alexander’s arrival long before the sideboard made it through the door. Tomas Reyes had followed shortly afterward, greeting Alexander before returning to the handful of guests occupying the dining area.

The earpiece they’d arranged for Tomas had improved his hearing considerably. No more bewildered customers wondered why they’d received something entirely different from what they’d ordered.

They still kept pads of paper and pencils nearby. Some guests preferred having their orders written down rather than dictated, and Tomas liked the system enough to keep it.

Alexander watched him confirm an order before heading toward the kitchen.

The bed-and-breakfast was doing well.

Not spectacularly.

Rosalie had already learned that guests could cancel without warning, supplies cost more than expected, and something inside an old house always seemed determined to require maintenance.

But she was enjoying herself.

That seemed to matter more.

Only then did Alexander remember his manners.

"Mom, Dad, this is Elias Navarro. My driver."

Elias stepped forward politely.

"It’s nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Vance."

Rosalie smiled. "You helped bring that all the way here?"

"Yes, ma’am."

"Then you’re eating lunch."

Elias glanced at Alexander.

Alexander shrugged. "You heard her."

"I did."

There was very little point in arguing with Rosalie inside her own dining room.

One of the vacant tables near the window was prepared for Elias, who finally sat down after making sure Alexander didn’t need anything else.

Rosalie watched him for a moment.

"Is he the new driver you hired after Joe retired?"

"Yes."

"You found someone you trust?"

Alexander glanced toward Elias.

"I did."

He left it at that.

There was no need to explain over lunch that Elias had recently been offered the safer option of remaining firmly within Vance Holdings through reassignment. Instead, he’d chosen to continue driving Alexander during his five-month leave, despite knowing there might not be an executive-driver position waiting for him if Alexander never returned as CEO.

Alexander still wasn’t entirely comfortable with someone else accepting uncertainty because of him.

But it had been Elias’s decision.

The least Alexander could do was respect it.

"So," Rosalie said, turning back to him. "Where’s Giovanni?"

Alexander had expected that question.

"In Italy."

Both his parents looked at him.

"He inherited a vineyard."

Alejandro frowned. "A what?"

"And a villa."

Rosalie stared.

Alexander nodded.

"Yes. I had roughly the same reaction."

Apparently, property belonging to Giovanni’s grandfather had originally been intended for Matteo Mercer. Since Matteo had passed away, the inheritance eventually found its way to Giovanni.

"A villa and a vineyard," Rosalie repeated.

"In Tuscany."

"That sounds terribly romantic."

"He received operating reports shortly after arriving."

Rosalie’s enthusiasm dimmed.

"Oh."

Alexander smiled. "That was his reaction too."

Alejandro caught him alone a little later.

"I heard you’re on a five-month leave."

Alexander nodded. "You heard right."

"And there’s a temporary CEO in your place."

"Yes."

Years ago, the look his father gave him would’ve made Alexander prepare himself for an argument.

This time, Alejandro simply asked, "Why?"

"I needed time to think about what I want to do with the rest of my life."

"Does this have something to do with the Workshop?"

"Partly."

Alexander glanced toward the dining room, where his mother was already deciding what to display on top of her new sideboard.

"I want to see whether I can build something of my own. Something I chose for myself."

"Like your mother."

"Like Mom."

Alejandro smiled.

Rosalie had wanted a business she could own and shape according to her own ideas. She needed Alejandro’s help, particularly with the initial investment and the occasional problem that benefited from his experience, but she’d made one condition very clear.

The bed-and-breakfast was hers.

Alejandro had agreed.

According to him, he was merely a silent partner and investor who worked for the exceptionally generous salary of absolutely nothing.

Rosalie had apparently decided that was still slightly too expensive whenever he offered an opinion she hadn’t requested.

Alexander smiled at the thought.

"And after five months?" Alejandro asked.

"I don’t know."

His father didn’t interrupt.

"I may decide I still want to be CEO. I may decide I’d rather concentrate on building something of my own. Or Vance Holdings may decide the interim CEO is the better person for the position."

"And you’re prepared for that?"

"I’m trying to be."

Alexander looked at him.

"Are you disappointed?"

Alejandro shook his head.

"No. For once, follow your own heart’s desire. I’m done interfering with your life."

Alexander stared at him for a moment, then stepped forward and embraced his father.

Alejandro stiffened in surprise, then hugged him back.

It was a relief.

For most of Alexander’s life, Vance Holdings had been treated as the obvious destination. He was the Vance heir, so of course he would eventually run it.

Now, for the first time, his father was telling him that staying there was a choice too.

"Lunch!" Rosalie called.

They separated.

Alejandro cleared his throat. "Your mother has been experimenting again."

"Should I be concerned?"

"Probably."

Rosalie’s latest experiment was a short-order lunch menu for guests who didn’t want to leave the property midday.

She placed plates in front of Alexander and Alejandro before sending another serving to Elias’s table.

"It’s on the house."

Alexander looked at her.

Rosalie smiled.

His mother was making jokes now.

Apparently, entrepreneurship had changed everyone.

"How’s business?" Alexander asked.

"Some days are better than others. We had two cancellations last week, and one guest complained that the breakfast eggs were too small."

"What did you do?"

"Bought larger eggs."

Alexander laughed.

"Problem solved."

"Not everything needs a Board meeting."

Alejandro nearly choked on his drink.

Alexander narrowed his eyes.

"You’ve both become very brave since I went on leave."

Rosalie looked delighted.

Alexander tried the food.

It was good.

Not luxury-hotel good. Not something designed by consultants after six months of market research.

Just good food his mother was happy to serve in a business she’d chosen for herself.

Alexander looked at his father.

"How about you, Dad? Are you happy?"

Alejandro glanced toward Rosalie.

She was already discussing with Tomas whether the new sideboard needed flowers or would look better with a lamp.

"Never been happier."

"Even without a salary?"

Alejandro scoffed.

"Your mother feeds me."

From across the room, Rosalie called, "You’re an investor."

"See?" Alejandro said. "Excellent benefits."

Alexander laughed.

His mother ran a bed-and-breakfast, along with difficult guests, cancellations, and small problems she seemed surprisingly happy to solve. His father had found a place beside her without taking charge of what she’d built.

Alexander had Second Life Workshop, where $800 could disappear into a beautifully restored piece of furniture nobody wanted to buy.

And at the vacant table near the window sat a driver who had chosen to remain with him even though Alexander couldn’t tell him what his job would look like five months from now.

Apparently, none of them had everything figured out.

Rosalie returned carrying another plate.

"Dessert."

Alexander stared at it.

"I thought this was a bed-and-breakfast."

"It is."

"Now you’re serving lunch and dessert."

"We’re expanding."

Alejandro nodded solemnly. "Aggressively."

Alexander looked between his parents.

"Should I expect a hostile takeover?"

Rosalie placed the dessert in front of him.

"Eat."

Alexander picked up his fork. It was exactly the kind of sweetness he enjoyed.

Some things, apparently, never changed.