He turned around.
It was Wes.
“Eby!” he said, bending to hug her. “Welcome to your party!”
She stuttered for a moment, unable to find her words. She hadn’t realized until that moment how very much like George Wes was. “I … thank you. This is certainly a surprise.”
“Everyone—Eby is here!” Wes called to the crowd, and there was a surge toward her. They sang “For She’s a Jolly Good Fellow,” and some people even gave her gifts. There was a bit of desperation to the crowd, barely noticeable behind their genuine smiles and happy memories. They weren’t just saying good-bye to Eby. There was something more there. Lazlo greeted her, looking ill at ease in his dark suit in this heat. He told her that his lawyer was here and he wanted her to sign the papers today. He was going along with the party for show, but Eby could tell he just wanted to get this over with.
It took more than an hour before she was finally able to sit down. Someone put a plastic plate with a steak on it in front of her. She was a little disoriented. She kept staring at the sign.
FAREWELL, EBY.
Which meant, Farewell, George. Farewell, Suley. Farewell, Lisette. Farewell, fifty years of memories.
All this time, she’d been looking for a big sign. Just not that one. She wished she would have stayed inside.
“Quite a turnout, isn’t it?” Kate said from behind her. She took a seat beside Eby and handed her a bottle of water. She was wearing a strapless celery-colored cotton dress. With her short hair and long neck, she looked stunning. She’d gotten some sun over the past few days, making her look stronger and healthier than when she arrived. Eby was glad that she’d held on to the lake this long, at least, in order to give Kate a week she really seemed to need.
Eby took the water gratefully. She unscrewed the cap and took a long swallow. “Did you know it was going to be this big?” she asked with narrowed eyes.
Kate laughed. “We all hoped it would be. Word slipped out, and everyone wanted to come. Bulahdeen has decided to take credit for it.” They watched as Bulahdeen walked up to the sign. This time the old woman balled it up and marched toward her cabin with it, and the look on her face dared anyone to stop her. “Lazlo brought the sign. She doesn’t want this to be a farewell party,” Kate explained.
“Truthfully, I don’t want it to be a farewell party, either,” Eby said on a sigh, admitting it out loud for the first time. The words felt heavy. She’d been carrying them around for too long.
Kate suddenly smiled. “Oh, Eby. I knew it! It’s not too late. I think I have the solution. I want to discuss something with you.”
Eby was taken aback by her ebullience. “Discuss what?”
“If you had enough money to travel without having to sell the lake, would you still sell?”
Eby put the cold bottle of water to her forehead, then to her chest. “Probably.”
“Oh,” Kate said, and Eby could almost see the wind blow out of her sails. “All right, then.”
“Mainly because there would be no one to run it in my absence,” Eby continued. “Lisette couldn’t, for obvious reasons, even if she wanted to. And it would take even more money I don’t have to hire employees.”
Kate straightened in her seat. “What if I buy Lost Lake?” she asked. “Or at least buy into it? You’d have money to travel that way. Devin and I could even stay here and run the place while you’re gone. That way you’d have something to come back to.”
Eby laughed before she could stop herself. It was so pie-in-the-sky, like some great scheme a child would make up. “Kate…”
“You haven’t signed anything yet,” Kate quickly reminded her. “You don’t have to give this place up. I have money. What if I invest in it? I love it here. So does Devin. A year. Give me a year.”
Eby stared at her, beginning to understand that she was serious. Kate wasn’t that child who used to spin stories any longer. Eby was seeing that now. “Can you really afford it?”
“It’s the money from the sale of my house. The house you bought. It makes sense to invest it here. I’ve been thinking about this for a few days now. I could put a lot of time and energy into advertising and promotion. It’s what I did with Matt’s shop. I even created the logo. I’m good at it. I could get business up.”
Eby smiled at the thought. But then she shook her head. She couldn’t get her hopes up, not this late in the game. “It’s too late. Lazlo and his lawyer are already here. They want the papers signed today.”
“Wait,” Kate said, confused. “If he has a lawyer, shouldn’t you too?”
“No. I just want to get this over with.”
“It’s not too late, Eby.”
“You should use your money on a better investment than this.”
“There is no better investment than this,” Kate said, turning to stare at her daughter on the dock. Three girls Devin’s age had now joined her. They were laughing, their hands animated as they talked. The girls ran back up to the lawn and beckoned Devin to follow them. Devin looked behind her at the lake once, before running after them.
“You need to move on,” Eby said. “We all do. Even Wes.”
That got Kate’s attention. “What does Wes have to do with this?”
“He’s going into business with his uncle, Lazlo.”
“Wait. Uncle?” Kate’s entire demeanor changed. “Lazlo is Wes’s uncle?”
“He didn’t tell you?”
“No. What do you mean, he’s going into business with him?”
“Once my deal with Lazlo goes through, Wes is going to give his land to his uncle as an investment in the development. That’s one of the reasons I can’t go back. Everything is already in motion.”
It took Kate a moment to respond. “So he has a vested interest in your selling this place.”
“I don’t know if I would call it that,” Eby said, picking up her plastic fork and knife, getting ready to tackle the overcooked steak in front of her. Her last meal as owner of this place. At least dessert was going to be good. “Wesley’s relationship to this place is complicated.”
They both turned when Lazlo called out over the crowd, “Can I have your attention everyone!”
Kate stood, then hesitated. “Don’t sign anything. Not just yet. Promise me you’ll wait just a little while today.”
“All right,” Eby said curiously, and watched her disappear into the crowd.
“Thank you all for coming!” Lazlo said, as if this had all been his idea. Bulahdeen, back from disposing of the sign, looked furious that he was calling attention to what she’d been trying so hard to hide. “As you know, Eby has decided to sell Lost Lake.”
The crowd made noises of disappointment, and Lazlo nodded, like he understood their feelings, even shared them. Kate found Wes easily. He was taller than most, and his russet hair glinted in the sun. He was watching Lazlo dispassionately. He didn’t look like someone pleased to be going into business with this man. Not that she blamed him. But still, he was.
“I know, I know,” Lazlo continued. He was sweating profusely, and he dabbed at his face with a paper napkin. “But let’s look at this as a step forward!”
Kate came to a stop beside Wes. He seemed aware of her presence before he even turned, like her closeness caused a change in the atmosphere surrounding him. He turned his head and smiled at her.
She stared straight ahead. “Is he really your uncle?”
His smile faded. He didn’t ask how she’d found out. He turned back to watch Lazlo. “Yes.”