Page 160 of No Such Thing as Serendipity

“Yeah, your sister is smitten, so Robyn gets her way most of the time.”

I grinned. “I’ve noticed the same. But I also know Robyn would never take advantage of it.”

“You’re right on that account. I’ve never seen Robyn so happy.” Vera motioned for me to follow. “Let me show you to your room. We’ll have plenty of time to catch up this weekend. I should get back to the front desk since more guests will be arriving.”

Vera showed me to the guest bedroom, which was homey like the rest of the suite.

I picked up my suitcase and plopped it onto the bed. “Where did you say Blake was?”

“At the cabins. The crew working on the renovations ran into a problem with the septic system. Blake wanted to check it out before giving them the green light to proceed.”

I chuckled. “She likes to be in the know.”

“But in a good way.” Vera put her hand against her chest. “She cares about this place, and it shows.”

“She still strives for excellence.”

“Always.” Vera smiled. “But she’s won over the workers who respect the hell out of her. She’s a straight shooter who treats them well but still holds them accountable. She wants this place to be top-notch, and it shows.”

“That’s my sister.” Blake had grown so much, but at the core, she aspired to excellence. But I’d come to realize it wasn’t a negative if she didn’t let it rule her life.

After Vera left, I wandered into the primary bedroom to check it out. Since the rest of the suite was modest, I’d half expected it to be ostentatious, but it wasn’t. While slightly larger than the guest bedroom, the only special feature was a walk-out patio. Once outside, I discovered it wrapped around the penthouse, allowing me to see the resort from three directions. Somethingtold me Blake spent plenty of time out here surveying her kingdom.

I stood outside, taking in the view for some while before I re-entered the bedroom. With extra time, I might as well unpack my bags, so I returned to my room.

It wasn’t until I approached the dresser that I noticed the notebook lying open on it. I recognized it immediately. The one that Auntie Bess had given Blake. Had she forgotten to put it away?No.Blake wasn’t one to leave things lying around without a reason.

I glanced down at the open page.

Blake's New Improved Mission in Life

*Live every day to the fullest

*Spend time outside in nature

*Stay open and vulnerable—never be afraid of showing emotions

*Do a job that doesn’t feel like work

*When the workday is over, take time to relax

*Help other people as much as possible

*Remember the ones you love are more important than money

*Dance in the woods to the tune only you can hear

*Read more and learn more

I ran my fingers over the page and blinked back tears. Over the past year, Blake continued to work on herself and expand on the growth she’d begun at the retreat. This was her way of telling me how far she’d come.

I picked up the notebook, clutched it to my chest, and sat on the bed. My mind flashed back to the day I’d found Blake in her home office after she’d lost her job at Fortitude. She never knew how scared I was. I’d always excelled at being the ever-smiling cheerleader. In some ways, I’d hidden my emotions as much as Blake.

I’d felt Blake slipping away from me for years. I just hadn’t realized its origin went back to when Auntie Bess died. It was a shot in the dark, a hail Mary, when I suggested Blake turn over all her decisions to me for a month. In a million years, I never thought she’d agree to it. Andrew had laughed at me when I’d told him Blake called and said she was in. His words echoed in my mind. Now what are you going to do?

The first thing I did was panic. I still ask myself, if I’d known she’d say yes, would I have ever suggested it? Probably not, but I was glad I did. I spent two days surfing the internet for hours, trying to find the perfect place. Thailand. Switzerland. France. Blake had given me enough money that we could go anywhere. The possibilities were endless, and I explored every exotic locale I could find.

The more I looked, the more overwhelmed I became. Distraught, I’d approached Andrew for help and showed him all the websites I’d bookmarked. There must have been seventy-five. He suggested I leave it to fate. When I’d given him a blank look, he told me to go pour us a glass of wine, and he’d handle it. In his methodical way, he cut up paper into tiny pieces. While we sipped our wine and talked, he wrote the name of each resort on a scrap and threw them into a pile.