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Chapter 1
“It’s urgent, Dane!” Maya Belmont pleaded over the phone to her nephew “You’d better co woman’s voice as she spoke
“Urgent?” Dane Roer of the luxurious, historic Belmont Hotel, leaned forward in his executive leather office chair He was never the type to get excited, even over catastrophic news While on the phone in front of his co an unobstructed view of the sunset on the waterfront through the floor-to-ceiling s His office overlooked Lake Belrandfather
Bel the shores the lake, east of Toronto, which was currently populated by affluent and self- at the hotel in a guest suite, so having his desk face the view of the water was much-needed therapy
“What do you ent?” Dane tried to clarify in a calm, controlled tone
“Oh, Dane, I…” she hesitated
Earlier, Dane had seen a missed call on his cell from his father’s private phone, but when he tried to call it back, the nu to reach out to his other brothers? Just what the hell was going on?
“What’s wrong, Aunt Maya?” He was on the land-line phone with his aunt while at the sa the call back on his cell phone to try to reach his old ht to voicemail
Great Just what he needed right now A staffing crisis at the hotel—and a fah the hotel was the family business
It was already the first of Deces to do The hotel just hosted two practically royal weddings for his long-time friends, two of the Romero brothers Dr Alonso Romero to his new bride and Troy Romero to the family’s press secretary The Romeros and the Belmonts traveled in the saether Dane couldn’t believe all eight of those once-sworn bachelors got hitched in such a short time Normally, he could relate to the Roood for thee would never be for him and he knew his half-brothers felt the same way
Now, he was gearing up for their busiest holiday season yet They were already booked solid—and not just frouests, including the rich and famous from all over the world A-list celebrities reserved their 50,000-a night exclusive Belold-plated faucets and other luxury furnishings While top executives from Fortune 500 companies booked Christmas parties at the hotel The busy holiday season at the Belmont never seemed to stop
He knew Aunt Maya could be dramatic at times, but she was never one to ossip, chew out the boys fros in order at the Bel unless there was a good reason for it
“It’s Jonah, your father,” Maya said, her voice unsteady “He’s…he’s not hi it”
“What do youit?” Dane’s tone hardened
“Well, he’s just come back from the specialist”
“The specialist?”
“Yes, you know? The oncologist?”
“I thought he was all clear now His cancer’s supposed to be in reht?”
“Well…I think he’s received some…bad news”
Dane’s heart collapsed in his chest “Bad news? What did he say to you?” Dane’s tone grew more serious
“Well,” Maya hesitated over the phone She then cleared her throat “The truth is, Dane, I couldn’t quite catch everything he said You know it’s so hard to hear through those darn new French doors he had installed in the study He always closes the on the phone”
Dane rolled his eyes and shook his head “Aunt Maya,” Dane chastised, lovingly, “have you been listening in on other people’s conversations again?”
“Dane! You know your dear old aunt would never do a thing like that”
“Oh, really now?”
“Besides, that’s not the point He said he’s going to see his boys right away and he’s going to es at the hotel He even called his lawyer over to es to his will”