Previously:

Upon her return to St. Laurent, Giselle immediately threw Vincent out of her home and out of her life.

Kerri remained suspicious after her kidnapping, concerned that Beau and Miles knew more than they were saying. After firing Miles, her brother began working retail at the Highwind's pro shop, clashing with his new supervisor, Kev. At the same time, Kerri discovered she was pregnant but kept the news from Beau.

Charlie distanced himself from his family and friends, unable to deal with the damage his wife's crimes had cost them all.

After his drunken display at the Highwind's fundraiser, Vincent's actions left the business on shaky ground with some of its wealthiest investors.

 

The Highwind - Giselle's Office

Nearly a week had passed since Giselle Ormand's return to St. Laurent, and the first thing she had done was to seize the reins of her empire. She'd followed through on her promise and effectively kicked Vincent to the curb. Despite his protests and declarations of love for her, he was out of her life and out of the Highwind, as well.

She reverted to taking Gerard Ormand's name and made it no secret that she was finished with Vincent Guthrie. An impending divorce wasn't something to be embarrassed of, as some would think. In her case, it felt empowering, as if someone had suddenly removed the blinders from her eyes. She was stronger on her own, anyway.

As she settled back into daily life at the Highwind, Giselle had never been more thankful for all that she had. Often times, she was too busy or preoccupied to appreciate what she'd achieved, but she knew that she couldn't simply rest on her laurels. There was still much work ahead of her.

For starters, that work included repairing the damage Vincent had done to the Highwind in her absence. Now, she met with Elena Halstrom and her sister, Regina, in her office to discuss their options.

"How on earth did Vincent manage to make such a mess of things in just a few short months?" Giselle questioned, sifting through a stack of papers on her desk.

"He was distracted," Elena said. "All he talked about was you. How he was going to help you. The Highwind wasn't very high on his list of priorities."

"As evidenced by the drunken spectacle he made of himself in front of your investors," Regina piped up.

"If he really wanted to help me, he wouldn't have run my business into the ground. And what about you?" she turned to Elena. "What were you doing all this time?"

Elena flushed with anger. "I was arranging your stupid Casino Cruise! I offered to help Vincent with his duties so many times, believe me, but he wanted nothing to do with me."

Of course he didn't. He was always so stubborn. "I see," Giselle said, straightening her papers. "Which only reinforces my decision to be rid of him."

Regina placed a hand on her sister's shoulder. "Are you sure you're okay with him leaving?"

"He didn't leave!" Giselle snapped. "I'm the one who left him, and I've never made a wiser decision, from the sound of things I've heard since returning."

Not only had Vincent betrayed her heart, he'd also damaged her professional reputation. She wasn't sure which felt worse.

"Elena, I owe you an apology," Giselle said, surprising the younger woman. "I'm sorry for leaving you in the lurch here and forcing you to deal with that man. I wish I could have been here to help you with the Casino Night and everything else."

Elena was stunned into silence, but Regina spoke for her. "Elena handled everything with true class while you were away. Vincent's shenanigans aside, the event was actually quite a success."

"The only catastrophe this time was Vincent's behavior in front of Claudia Crane-Shaw and Bruno Bossi. They weren't impressed," Elena said ruefully.

"So I've heard." Giselle looked down to her desk to focus on a sharply-worded letter she'd received from Claudia Crane-Shaw. Some of the resort's biggest backers were threatening to pull out of the X-Limit and all future projects in light of the Highwind's poor business practices. "That's why I've invited them to the dinner party I'm hosting tonight."

"A little wining and dining?" Elena asked, a devilish smile on her lips. "I guess it can't hurt."

"I'm certain they'll see that everything's under control, now that I've returned to power. And with any luck, that will be enough to begin working my way back into their favor."

 

The Highwind Pro Shop

"Sleigh bells ring, are you listenin'?" Remy Ormand sang to himself, strolling through the aisles of apparel at the Pro Shop. He carried a clipboard and a pen, the latter of which he stuck between his teeth while using a free hand to lift the sleeve of an anorak for his inspection.

"Stop caroling. Christmas is still a month away. It's annoying," Miles Burke said, following him.

Remy dropped the coat's sleeve and turned to cast a warning glare at his naysaying pal. He narrowed his eyes and hummed the next few bars of the song in defiance.

"Your family owns this place. You can just take the jacket if you want it, can't you?" Miles asked him.

"I don't care who he is, the Highwind doesn't give freebies." Miles's supervisor, Kev, appeared beside them. "That's not how retail works, hombre."

"Besides, if I just got it for myself, what would my mom buy me for Christmas?" Remy shrugged, writing something down on the notepad he carried.

Kev walked away from them, back to the cash register but still keeping a suspicious eye on the two of them.

"You're making a Christmas list? Seriously? Aren't you a little ... old for that?"

"Hell no, are you kidding me!" Remy handed his Christmas list to Miles for review. "Our family always makes lists like these. How else would we know what to get each other? Christmas is the prime opportunity to get a shitload of free stuff."

"Expensive stuff," Miles noted, looking over Remy's wish list.

"Oh, this is nothing. I've barely even started," he said, a wide grin on his cheeks. He continued to the snowboards, removing one from its display to get a feel for it.

"Will you stop touching everything? You break it, you bought it, dude," Kev called from across the store.

Remy ignored him, and Miles sighed. "He's the only high-strung stoner I've ever encountered. How is that even possible? I don't think I can take working here another day. Especially with him."

"Yeah, what's the deal with that, anyway? It's kinda shitty that you'd get removed from the X-Limit project right before it's debut. Who's egg nog did you piss in?"

"My sister's. We had a misunderstanding." Remy waited for him to elaborate, but all he said was, "I think I'm pretty much the black sheep of the family forever now."

Remy couldn't help but smile. "Welcome to the club," he said clapping a hand on Miles's back.

"Miles! What the hell did you do to this cash register?" Kev yelled, trying to open the cash drawer.

"I didn't do anything!" he called back. "I swear, I'm going to jab a ski pole through his heart if he tries to blame this one on me," he whispered to Remy.

"Dude. Just quit," Remy suggested, not seeing why Miles subjected himself to this torture. "Come work at the club or something. If you really need a job, I can hook you up with something." His eyes wandered to the big blond oaf hunched over the cash register. "Even if I have to make up some new, fake job for you to do."

"Thanks. I'll think about it," Miles said, half a smile finally appearing on his face.

"I gotta go get a new tie for this stupid dinner my mom's hosting tonight. Catch you later," Remy said, leaving Miles to fend for himself against his shaggy supervisor.

He looked back at them arguing and laughed his way out the door. He was sure Miles would be calling him about that job offer very, very soon.

 

The Guthrie Home

Charlie Guthrie was sprawled on the sofa in the middle of his living room. The curtains were drawn against the mid-afternoon sunlight, and Charlie's eyes were covered with a hot, damp cloth. At least they were, until Martine Guthrie stormed through the door. She dropped an armload of shopping bags to the floor, and Charlie bolted upright at the racket, his warm compress falling to the floor.

"Ooh, sorry. I didn't know you were home," Martine said, chewing at the end of one of her nails. "Did I wake you?"

"It's okay," Charlie said, leaning back to rest his head into a stack of throw pillows.

"Are you all right? Can I get you anything?" Martine asked, crossing the room to retrieve the dropped washcloth.

"I just have a headache, that's all." Charlie opened his tired eyes to give her his attention. "A headache which isn't going away any faster with my mother continuing to call me incessantly, demanding to know how I'm doing." He gave Martine a pained smile. "I'm glad she's home and everything, but seriously, she doesn't understand that I need some space from them ... from everything right now."

He reached over and pushed a button on the answering machine to show Martine what he was talking about.

"Charlie! I know you're there! Answer the phone this second!" Giselle's voice barked over the airwaves. "Fine, be that way. I understand this is a difficult time for you, but would it kill you to come say hello to your mother after she's just been released from a nuthouse?!"

Then, another, separate message: "I know you're avoiding me ... Charlie, please. We need to talk. I'm worried about you. We may not have always had the best relationship, but I want that to change. If you'll just speak to me!"

And finally: "Charlie, I'm hosting a family gathering tonight at the manor. I know I shouldn't expect you to be there, but I do hope you'll attend. If not for me, do it for your brothers. Please. We would all love to see you."

Charlie punched the delete key, and the messages were erased. "It's been like this all day. No peace, no quiet."

Martine folded her arms in front of her. "Are you going to go see her tonight?"

Charlie sat up suddenly. "Are you kidding me? Why should I?"

"It sounds like she's really concerned for you."

"She only cares about herself. That's how she's always been."

"She said she wants things to change between the two of you. Maybe you should give her a chance?"

"Ha! She's incapable of change. It's one thing to say the words, but another thing entirely to actually follow through on them. Don't tell me you actually believe what she's saying?"

"No," Martine said, her eyes widening. "God, no. I've had more than my fill of Giselle and her manipulations. But I still think it'd be best if you went to the dinner tonight." While Charlie tried to follow her line of logic, she explained, "It's the only way you're going to get her off your back. Your family is worried about you. If you play along and prove to them that you're handling things, they'll leave you alone. They'll see there's nothing to worry about."

Charlie considered her words and saw the value in them. The more he cut himself off from everyone, the more concerned they became and the more they smothered him. "Maybe you're right." If it would get them all off his back and allow him to concentrate on what really mattered -- getting his daughter back -- it was worth suffering through a pulsing headache and a few hours of dinner conversation.

He wasn't as fragile as they thought. They'd see that.

"So you're going?" Martine asked, optimistic as Charlie dredged himself up from the couch.

He nodded. "I'm going to grab a shower and some aspirin. Thanks for the advice. I think you're right on the mark," he said, his headache beginning to subside a bit as his spirits lifted.

 

Beau and Kerri's Apartment

In the bathroom mirror, Kerrigan finished straightening her hair and fastened two glittering diamond earrings into her ears. She was wearing a wine-colored dress, a bow affixed to the left shoulder strap.

After applying her eye makeup with a light touch, she headed to the adjoining bedroom to examine herself in the full-length mirror there, taking her entire ensemble into consideration.

She turned to one side, eyes drawn first to the bow at her shoulder, then traveling down to her waistline. She smoothed the dress over her stomach, trying to determine if she could notice any difference there since discovering her pregnancy. Of course it was too soon to tell, but she tried to imagine what she would look like in a few months' time...

"Are you almost ready to go?" Beau Ormand asked, walking into the bedroom. He wore a suit the color of dark chocolate and wrapped his arms around her as he approached from behind.

Kerri watched the two of them together in the mirror, as Beau left a trail of soft kisses down the side of her neck.

"I'm sorry for the way things have been lately," he murmured, straightening to meet her eyes in the mirror. "I know this thing with your brother isn't easy. I know you've been trying to power through it when we're working, but I can tell you're upset."

Kerri stood silent while he kissed her cheek lightly. She knew he was waiting for her to open up to him, but if he knew so much about her and about the way she was feeling, then he should know that Miles wasn't the only one she was upset with...

"I don't have time to worry about my relationship with my brother right now," she said, pulling away to collect her handbag. "At least until Miles is ready to tell me what I need to hear." She rifled through the purse. "Until then, I've got other concerns. The X-Limit's grand opening, for example. There's still so much to do."

"And I'm sure my mother will ask us for a detailed prospectus over dinner. There's no way she's going to let us plan this opening without her seal of approval."

Kerri frowned. "I hope she doesn't overextend herself. Or overextend us. You know how she can be, especially when she thinks she's got something to prove."

"I know," he said shaking his head, "that's just how she's wired. But, maybe it will be good to have her back, to take some of the pressure off of us."

"I don't want her to take over for us."

"Of course not. That's not what I meant. It's just ... after all you've been through and then rushing right back to work ... I only want what's best for you. For us."

"And you think having Giselle back will make things easier for us?" Kerri said, her tone clipped and colder than she'd intended. "When has your mother's involvement ever made things any easier?"

"Good point," Beau said, smiling.

"I like what we've done with the X-Limit. Giselle's mostly stayed out of it, and I don't want that to change now. I'm not about to take a step back, no matter what else I've got going on."

Beau held her close. "You're right. It's ours. It's been our baby from the ground up, and it should stay that way."

Kerri flinched at his words, but being in his arms, he didn't notice. She knew she'd have to tell him. Even if things were still unsettled between them, she couldn't keep this a secret for long. She only wanted an open line of communication, but Beau always thought he knew what was best for her -- that it was his duty to protect her.

Maybe it was time to come clean and lay her cards on the table ... and hope he would do the same.

 

Ormand Manor

A short time later, Giselle Ormand greeted the first of her guests in the foyer. She was effervescent. She loved hosting events, and she loved being in the limelight. God knows, it had been quite some time since she'd had the opportunity to do so.

While Remy and Regina talked to one another, Giselle attempted to work her magic on two of the Highwind's biggest investors. She'd invited the severe Claudia Crane-Shaw, a towering woman with a perpetually predatory look in her eyes, and Bruno Bossi, Claudia's stocky business partner, who carried an air of pipe tobacco. She knew Vincent's behavior had damaged her once-close business relationship with these two, but she hoped to turn that around this evening.

At the door, Giselle's longtime butler, Horace, opened the door to Beau and Kerrigan. "Good evening!" Beau called, carrying a bottle of wine, and shaking hands with the guests. Kerri smiled and followed suit, with Giselle introducing her to her investor friends.

"You look lovely," Giselle complimented Kerri.

While Kerrigan chatted up the crowd, Beau stood aside with his brother and Regina. "I thought this was a family thing? To celebrate Mom's return," he added, casting a wary glance at Bossi, who was practically salivating over Kerri.

"I guess you thought wrong," Remy said, laughing at his brother's annoyance.

"Your mother's doing damage control," Regina explained. "Vincent was drunk and rude at the cruise, and now she has to clean up his mess. They're threatening to pull out of the Highwind."

"Oh, I remember them. They were a big part of the X-Limit's startup," Beau said, considering them more carefully now.

"I'd better get back to my fiancée," Kerri said, politely excusing herself from Claudia and Bossi, who was still leering at the bodice of her dress. She put her hand to her chest and spun away from them in retreat.

"My family is privileged to have you with us tonight," Giselle said sweetly to the duo once Kerri departed. "Things are much different, much happier now that Vincent is out of the picture, as you can see. Choosing to remarry him was a mistake I'll never make again, and leaving him responsible for my business, unfortunately, wasn't a decision in which I had any say."

The investors nodded sharply, agreeing with Giselle in their distaste of Vincent Guthrie.

Giselle caught Remy smirking at her from across the room, and she turned to her guests. "The two of you have met my youngest before, haven't you?" she asked, trying to recall if they'd ever been formally introduced. She was irritated that Remy hadn't approached them earlier upon their arrival, instead of lurking in the corners as he was so apt to do. "Remy, will you come over?"

He grudgingly approached and extended his hand to the visitors. He'd thought this evening was about celebrating their family being united once again, but he now realized he was simply set decoration for whatever Giselle was trying to achieve with these people. After a few minutes of agonizing chit-chat, he excused himself. "I'm going to get a drink."

Remy left the group, and Claudia leaned in to Giselle. "Is he the drug-addicted one?" she whispered.

"Nonsense! That was a malicious rumor. None of my children are addicts of any sort," Giselle said, barely masking her offense.

"Of course not. My apologies," she smiled insincerely. "But he was dating that stripper girl, right? The one you killed -- Oops!" she covered her mouth. "-- I mean, the one you were accused of killing...?"

"Oh, God no!" Giselle said, a hearty chuckle in her throat. "They never dated. My son would never!" she said, horrified. "The two of them were accidentally photographed together once at Vincent's bachelor party, and Monique Champlain imagined the entire romance, trying to sell her pathetic story to the tabloids."

"I see..."

"She was practically stalking my son. We nearly filed a restraining order, but then she was killed," Giselle said. "Which I had nothing to do with, by the way!"

"Claudia, give the poor woman a break, yes? We are here for a good time," Bruno Bossi said, extending his arms in the threat of a hug.

Giselle backed away from them before Bossi could grope her. "So as you can see, my family's recent troubles ... they're all regrettable misunderstandings. Blown entirely out of proportion."

"Perhaps," Claudia conceded.

"Don't you worry. Now that I'm back and all of this has been cleared up, you can be sure the Highwind will be restored to its former glory. As you know, I've always done whatever it takes when it comes to the business, and I don't intend to stop now."

"I remain confident in your abilities," Bossi said, wearing a broad smile.

But Bruno Bossi, for all his flaws, had always been warm-hearted, an easy pushover. Something told Giselle that Claudia, with her haughty smile wouldn't be such an easy sell.

 

Ormand Manor

The dinner party had moved to the dining room now, partaking in appetizers and, more importantly, the freely-flowing wine. Most of the guests were generously befriending their alcohol, counting on its effects in hopes it would make the rest of the evening more bearable.

Giselle subconsciously glowered at the empty chair she'd left for her son, Charlie, to join them. She'd been trying so hard to make some headway with him. He was the most stubborn of her children and the most disconnected from her. Even when she was at her worst with Beau and Remy, she still kept a close watch over them, whereas she could go days or even weeks without hearing from Charlie, even when they were on good terms.

And she doubted Charlie was on good terms with anyone at the moment, all things considered.

That's why she was pleasantly surprised when he showed up, after all. He was slightly late, but Giselle couldn't contain her proud smile. It meant a lot to her that he was here to see her with everything he was dealing with.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Charlie apologized, taking his seat at the table. He was freshly-shaven, dressed in a crisp suit and tie.

"Thank you. Thank you so much for this," Giselle said. "I'm glad you made it." She would have liked some time alone with him, some time to talk, but that would have to wait for later. "This wouldn't have been the same without all of my children present. It truly makes me realize how grateful I am to be back home where I belong."

Charlie, embarrassed by all the undue attention, swallowed down his drink to avoid having to say any more.

"Yes. Family is the most important thing," Bruno Bossi agreed, lifting his nearly-drained wine glass in agreement.

"I think we can all toast to that," Kerrigan chimed in, surprising Beau by standing from her seat. She held a glass of water, instead of wine. "To family," she said. "To this wonderful family. I'm honored that you have accepted me and welcomed me into your hearts." She smiled down the table to Giselle, then to Beau.

"We're just as honored to have you," said Giselle.

"Thank you, Giselle!" she chirped, smirking to herself. "In that case, I hope you'll be happy to hear that your family will soon be growing even more." She rested a hand on her confused fiancé's shoulder. "I'm pregnant!"

It took a moment to sink in, but Giselle was the first to clap her hands at the spectacle of it all, the two investors joining in. Beau sat in stunned silence, Kerri smug and satisfied as she savored his reaction at having the rug pulled out from under him.

"That's ... that's great news!" Beau said, an admirable attempt at recovering from his complete and utter shock.

Kerri threw her arms around his shoulders and spoke to Giselle's friends. "I don't think we could be any happier!" she said, meeting Beau's wide, searching blue eyes.

 

Ormand Manor

As the evening wore on and the alcohol settled in, the dinner party became less formal and stuffy. It seemed all of the earlier excitement had served to break the ice. Between courses, little conversations sprang up as the guests mingled with one another.

Beau looked to his side. Kerri hadn't said more than two words to him since shouting her apparent pregnancy from the rooftops. He had no idea what had gotten into her. Was she serious? Maybe she was just playing up to the investors, the same as his mother. That still didn't explain why she couldn't have told him this earlier...

"So, how does it feel?" Remy asked his brother. "You just got engaged a few weeks ago, and now this? Who are you and what have you done with my brother, the bachelor?"

"Good question." Beau looked over his shoulder once more to Kerri. "It's definitely been ... an unexpected couple of weeks, that's for sure. I guess it's time to make some adjustments."

"You'll figure it out. You're good at that," Remy said, more confidence in his brother than Beau bring himself to have.

"How are you?" Kerri asked, taking Charlie's clammy hand. She knew how stupid it sounded to even ask. Of course he was miserable, and he had every right to be. He'd lost his wife, his daughter ... everything really. There was no way to fix this, and for a man like Charlie, who was used to taking the weight of the world upon himself, Kerrigan knew he must be devastated.

Charlie mopped cool sweat from his brow with a cloth napkin. "I'm getting through the days. That's all I can do. Day by day," he said slowly, as if every word was a chore.

Kerri's heart ached for him. She'd been in love with this man, once upon a time. But their story had ended all too soon. She'd always care for him, want the best for him. And she never wanted to see him like this. Now, it was easy for her to see why it had taken him years to move on from her, to finally open himself up enough to let Erin into his life.

But when he'd finally found that strength, he'd only opened himself up to being hurt again. It wasn't fair.

"I know how hard this is. I know how much you've gone through," she said, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze, "but please don't put this all on yourself. I know how you are. Don't close yourself off."

Easy for you to say, she berated herself, knowing how hollow her words must sound to him. She appeared to have it all, while his life was crumbling before his eyes. His hands jittered as he cut into his game hen. He was so far from all right that it scared her, but nothing anything could do or say could make things any better for him.

Charlie said nothing, but Kerri hoped her words resonated with him. He stared ahead blank, expressionless while their family and friends finished their meal.

"Everything was delicious. I couldn't have asked for a better evening," Bruno Bossi said, leaning back in his chair. His plate was immediately removed by a server.

Even Claudia Crane-Shaw seemed to have warmed to Giselle over the course of the meal. "Your family has been perfectly lovely," she complimented. "Thank you for sharing them with us."

"You're very welcome," Giselle said, wearing a relieved smile. She looked across the table to Regina, who was pleased at her sister's success.

"I hope you'll accept my apology," Claudia said. "My remarks before dinner were out of line and inappropriate. And I'm sorry to hear of the way Vincent treated you. I'm glad you were strong enough to see what is best for you -- and the Highwind."

"I am, and I do," Giselle said, watching with amazement as she cracked Claudia's tough shell.

"From what we've heard tonight -- your plans for the future -- I have every confidence the Highwind will regain its luster," Bruno said.

"It was hasty of us to consider severing our ties with you and your business," Claudia agreed. "But you must understand, we had no way of knowing what would become of our investment with you ... incapacitated the way you were."

"I'll see to it that nothing of the sort ever happens again," Giselle said, adamant in her belief that it wouldn't. "You have no reason for doubt."

Giselle had them right where she wanted them.

At least she did until Charlie dragged himself up from his seat, stumbling and grabbing his chair for support. Sweat dripped from his skin, his face haggard, devoid of life.

"Please, excuse ... excuse me for one..." His words trailed off. He staggered back, then jutted a foot forward to compensate, tripping over himself.

Giselle's oldest son crashed down into the table, leaving a hail of scattered foods, shards of broken dishes, and the shrieks of those around him in his wake.

And with that, the party came to its abrupt ending.