Eric played climbingvideos for Charles and James, doing his part to help with Thanksgiving dinner by keeping them out of the way, the scent of roasting turkey making his mouth water. Victoria and his mother buzzed about the tiny kitchen together, stirring, basting, tasting, talking—and sipping chardonnay.
“Dinner will be ready in about fifteen minutes,” Victoria said. “Robin, do you want to set the table while I mash the potatoes?”
Her brother got to his feet, a smile on his face. “I could probably fit this entire cabin into my living room—no offense intended.”
Victoria rolled her eyes at her brother. “I’d take this over a pricey Manhattan condo any day—no offense intended.”
Eric chuckled at his wife’s response. He didn’t give a damn what her brother thought. “I’m going to carry in some wood to build up the fire.”
To his surprise, Charles followed. “I’ll help.”
They put on their coats and stepped out into the twilight. A cold wind blew from the north, the sky overcast, the scent of snow in the air. Already, flakes had begun to fall.
Eric walked to the woodpile and began to fill his arms.
Charles did the same. “I wanted to have a private word with you.”
Why was Eric not surprised?
He knew what the man was going to say next. He bit his tongue and prepared himself mentally for a speech about postnups. “I want you to know that Victoria and I have agreed that her trust fund is to be used only for emergencies. We plan to live off the money we earn so that we can pass that gift on to our kids.”
Charles gave a nod. “Thanks for sharing that with me. I think you should spend some of it, don’t you? Have a little fun. Travel. That’s what money’s for, right? But that’s not what I wanted to talk about.”
Oh? This ought to be interesting.
“First, I want to apologize for how I reacted to news of your marriage.”
Okay, well, that’s not at all what Eric had been expecting.
“Victoria is my pride and joy. God knows I have my shortcomings as a father, but I love my children. James is a lot like his mother, but Victoria is special. I’ve been setting money aside since the day she was born for a big society wedding. I always imagined a few hundred people at Trinity Church and a big reception. I’ve been looking forward to walking her down the aisle. Because you went to Las Vegas, I didn’t get that chance.”
Eric hadn’t thought of that. “I’m sorry.”
Charles picked up another piece of firewood. “I have myself to blame. I didn’t support Victoria the way I should have during her recent hard times. Naturally, she pulled away from me.”
“It would mean the world to her to hear you say that.”
“I plan to talk to her before I go and make sure her brother apologizes as well.”
Eric was happy to hear it. So far, this conversation was going a lot better than he’d imagined.
Charles went on. “I hope I can persuade the two of you to come back to Manhattan when your duties allow. I’d like to host an informal reception—a chance for our friends and relatives to congratulate you both.”
“We can probably work something out.”
“And now I’ll get to the point.”
Here we go. Postnups.
“I’ve taken the money I saved for her wedding and made it part of my wedding gift to the two of you. I don’t want to offend you or intrude in your lives, but she is my only daughter, and you are my son-in-law.”
Eric wondered what this gift might be and how much money Charles was talking about, but didn’t ask. “I’m sure we’ll be grateful.”
Charles picked up one last piece of wood. “For what it’s worth, I think you’re exactly what my daughter needs—a man with his feet on the ground, someone who can encourage her and keep her safe, someone who isn’t impressed with money. I know what she sees in you, and I’m proud of her for choosing a man based on his character and not his bank account or social standing.”
Eric was stunned into silence for a moment. “Thank you, sir.”
“I know you and your mother have had a hard time of it. Yes, Victoria shared that with me. The world isn’t a fair place, that’s for sure. I hope that over time I can become a father for you in some small way, just like Robin has become a mother for Victoria.” With that, Charles turned and walked up the stairs.