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“I always miss you so much at the Christmas table, Grace,” Charlie added softly. Thoughtfully. “Have you got any plans for this year?”

“Nothing much. I’ll be working, probably.” Grace answered with a flat shrug. “You know I don’t care much about traditional stuff for the sake of conforming. Christmas is just another day on the calendar as far as I’m concerned.”

“Come here,” her aunt invited, pulling her closer.

She was smart and sensitive enough not to push that topic. Grace passed her a forbidden cookie, which made Charlie smile. And she settled back on the couch with one arm resting loosely around her shoulders.

“How are things with the rest of the family?” she prompted. “Chloe was pretty weird on the phone when she called. Like she had a major ulterior motive for doing so.”

“Should I tell you?” Charlie inquired.

Puzzled at the hesitation, Grace looked at her. “Well. Yes, of course. Why wouldn’t you? What’s going on?”

“You won’t like it, my darling. The business is facing some trouble.”

“The resort?”

“Yes.”

“No way!” Grace chuckled in disbelief. “How can a five-star hotel in such a prime location, attached to a Michelin-star restaurant, glorious golf course, and luxury health spa, be facing financial trouble? It’s four businesses into one, all individually successful. The resort has been going strong for, like, forever!”

“Yes, but I didn’t say financial trouble.”

“What then?”

“You won’t like it,” Charlie repeated, though she sounded resigned.

“I never do, do I? Not when it comes to family stuff, which includes the resort. Come on. Give it to me straight.”

“It’s your brother, Reece,” Charlie confided. “Rumor has it that he behaved… inappropriately.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Sexually inappropriate behavior.”

“What?” Grace almost choked on the word. “Reece?”

“Yes, with a massage therapist who works at the spa. She alleges he followed her into a treatment room after closing time when she was tidying up. According to her, he attempted to force her to undress. When she did not comply, he got a little rough. And then, he fired her.”

“Christ.” Grace blinked hard as her initial reluctance turned to dismay and a rush of powerful disgust. “Reece… My brother sexually assaulted a woman?”

“Allegedly.”

“No witnesses?”

“No. He claims the woman is lying, so it’s her word against his, obviously.”

“Obviously.” Grace noted the use of the word ‘claim’. As if Charlie were not convinced of his innocence.

“Even so, there were instant repercussions. Two days later, half the rest of the staff walked out in solidarity. Clients showed up for their treatments and found the place in disarray. It even made the evening news that night.”

“Oh, that’s not good.”

“Not good at all. Then, an assistant bartender came forward to say something similar happened to her. It made everything even worse.”

Grace understood now. There was nothing like a good sexual scandal involving a rich resort owner to sink an established reputation. Add to this the wrong kind of media attention, targeted social media posts... It might not be enough to close the business, but it could do significant damage. Was Reece really that stupid? He could be entitled, yes; she knew that about him. But a sexual predator? The mere thought of it made her skin crawl.

“Is the police involved?”