“Happy to.” I smile. Poor Fernando almost threw his back out lifting the first bag of flour.
“That’s the attitude I want to see!” Delia tips her cowboy hat and swoops away.
With Delia gone, I return to my mission: Food.
Nath stands near the foot of the table, plate in hand. She’s talking to a girl from Edendale High — Stefanie?
“Jonathan? And he’s not on the field or wearing cleats? Something must be wrong.” Stefanie looks at me skeptically and pretends to rub her eyes as if she can’t believe what she’s seeing.
Nath laughs. “Nice to see you, Jon — can I call you Jon?”
“Oh, Jonathan’s fine.” I say with a smile. Only my teammates call me Jon.
Nath nods, smiling. “Jonathan it is. Stefi was telling me that you were the MVP for the state championship? That’s very exciting! Go Eagles!”
“Thanks, totally a team effort,” I say, laughing sheepishly. I wish that star label wouldn’t follow me around. “How’re you doing, Stefi?”
Stefi runs with the high-achieving crowd at Edendale High. I don’t know the group well, aside from when we share the occasional group project.
“Good, excited to work here this summer,” Stefi says, looking around the room. “We’re lucky to have these positions!”
“Definitely.”
Nath takes a slice of cheese bread. “What kind of work will you be doing at the Inn, Jonathan?”
Stefi and Nath look at me expectantly and I freeze. I’m racking my brain trying to voice my answer when I’m saved by Vin. He’s motioning from across the room for me to meet the guy he’s speaking with.
“Oh, ya know, just helping out,” I say as I step away. “Anyway, guys, it looks like I’m being summoned. I’ll catch up with you later.”
I’m filled with relief as I make my way towards Vin. It’s not that my job here is a secret, but I don’t feel ready to see their faces and deal with the confusion. The older staff here at the Inn won’t be a problem, but the kids from school? They’ll have questions. And I’m not ready to answer those yet.
In the corner of my eye, I see Kiara enter the event room, bringing a late spring frost with her. She wears shorts and a hoodie, her hair tied into a strict ponytail. It trips me up to see her in shorts. It implies that she enjoys something other than photography — maybe she actually likes summer.
If only I’d properly checked the list of students coming to the Inn. There wasn’t much holding me back from coming here, but Kiara the Queen? I would’ve stayed away from her palace to avoid the chopping block.
10
Kiara
The Welcome Bash is well underway by the time I set off from my cabin. I’m not exactly punctual at the best of times. But for a party? My arrival time hedges between fashionably late and not bothering to show up at all.
Ava and I attend the odd party at Edendale High, but it’s a very different scene. Those gatherings consist of a small group of art students discussing life, politics, philosophy and other high-minded topics. The more musically inclined take up their guitars, harps, flutes or other instruments to provide a soundtrack for the evening. The gatherings are chill. A guy like Jonathan Wright would never come to one of our parties.
I’ve heard the big blowouts put on by the Eagles get crazy. Jonathan and his group of friends seem bent on destroying their livers and wasting their weekends, regardless of the consequences.
The Welcome Bash won’t be anything like those big blowouts, but it won’t resemble the small art gatherings I’ve attended, either.
The event room is exactly as I envisioned it. Fairy lights rise and fall between wooden beams on the ceiling, casting the room in a delicate glow. Lanterns and paper flowers hang from hooks and make everything feel like summer. A fresh mountain breeze flows through the space, courtesy of the propped open balcony doors.
I’m enjoying the scene right up until Jonathan crosses my path. He glares at me, so I glare right back. I will not let him distract me from my goals this summer.
On that, I lift my camera and start taking photos of the event as it unfolds.
“You must be Kiara,” a warm voice says. I turn to look into the brown eyes of the lady from the garden. “I’m Nath, it’s a pleasure to meet ya.”
“Me too,” I say brightly, and then immediately regret my choice of words. I give her a sheepish smile and unclasp my hand from my camera, extending it to her. She laughs and shakes it. Nice one, Kiara.
She eyes my camera. “So, you’re doing photography this summer?”
I reluctantly release the camera and let it hang from the neck strap, awkwardly placing my hands on my hips. I smile. “That’s right.”
Nath and I stand in silence. I’m not sure what to say next, or if anything needs to be said at all. Small talk is a skill I have no desire to master. My eyes linger on Jonathan and I glare as he speaks with people at the far end of the room. They laugh at something he says.
Must be nice to be able to charm your way through everything.
“You go to Edendale High, Kiara?” Nath asks, drawing me from my thoughts.
“Unfortunately, yes,” I say, smiling slyly. “I’m excited to graduate.”
Nath laughs, “I know a couple of Edendale kids pretty well. I just met a lovely girl — Stefi. And there’s the boy over there, Jonathan. Are you friends with either of them?”
My smile falters. The golden boy strikes again, charming everyone with his act. I’ll give him this — he’s very good at putting on a front. I suppose it must be easier to act charming when you have everything you want given to you on a silver platter.
“Stefi seems sweet,” I respond, my eyes back on Jonathan. He’s chatting to a couple of guys with a big smile on his face and not a care in the world. How I’d love to paste a “kick me” sign to his back. “But Jonathan and I are definitely not friends.”
Nath chuckles and her voice drops low, her next words an afterthought. “I remember when my husband and I were definitely not friends. Which reminds me, you should come and meet Vin.”
She drags me across the room, and if it isn’t just my luck, Vin is one of the people Jonathan is speaking with. I don’t recognize the other guy, but he looks about my age.
“Vin, this is Kiara. She’s the last of the Edendale summer students.” Nath positions me in front of Vin. He’s a slight man with kind eyes and a big smile.
“Welcome to Legacy Inn, very happy to have you here.” Vin shakes my hand. “I was getting caught up with Jonathan and Wes here. Wes’ll be going to Edendale High in the fall.”
Wes’s tanned face crinkles into a smile. He has clear turquoise eyes and blonde, sun-bleached hair.
“Surprise, surprise, you still have your camera.” Jonathan’s voice drips with sarcasm.
“Almost as surprising as seeing your face without Isabella attached to it,” I reply.
“We all make mistakes,” Jonathan says. “But, now that my face is unoccupied, figure I’ll go stuff it with some of that cheese bread. You in, Wes?”
They say their goodbyes and stride across the room. Vin and Nath seem nice, so I spend a few minutes chatting with them. They’re long-time staffers at the Inn and they actually met here years ago.
“Can I take some photos of you guys?” I ask on a whim. They’ve both got a dreamy, romantic look on their faces as they rehash how they met.
“Only if you get my good side,” Vin says.
Nath pats his arm. “Oh, honey, that photography trick only works if you have a good side.”
Vin frowns. “But dear, I thought that you were my good side?”
Nath rolls her eyes and sighs. “Ever the charmer.”
They look into each other’s eyes and giggle like they’re school kids with a secret crush. It’s the perfect moment to capture.
We part ways and I circulate, taking more photos as the crowd unwinds. It’s a beautiful setting and I’m incredibly inspired. I can’t wait to take photos of the events and other special
occasions happening here over the summer. Double feature in Glacier Journal, here I come!
As I move about the periphery of the room, I avoid Jonathan. He’s in the heart of it all, meeting and chatting with everyone. He has this undeniable charisma — this charm — that captivates everyone around him. I can only imagine how easy life must be for a guy like him.
I consider my own past, such a contrast to Jonathan’s. When my father left, we fell on hard times and we had to buckle down and save every penny we got. My mom finally got a job with Echo as a project manager and she quickly worked her way to the top.
It’s pure luck that working in construction has always been her dream. But it sure wasn’t an easy path to get there.
Delia claps her hands, bringing everyone’s attention to the front of the event room. She stands on the lip of the fireplace, a friendly smile on her face. Her colorful flowing dress, black vest, and black cowboy hat accentuate her long, white hair.
“Good evening, everyone!” Her voice carries easily through the room. “And welcome to another summer at the Legacy Inn!”
Small whoops erupt from the crowd.
Delia tips her cowboy hat. “We’re delighted to have you here this summer. Vin and I have been hard at work planning this Welcome Bash, and we couldn’t have executed it without all of your help! So thank you, one and all, for making this event such a success.”
More applause. I drop my camera for a second to clap along.
“The guests arrive tomorrow. There’s nothing like summer at the Legacy Inn. This is going to be a busy, hectic, wonderful three months. I can’t wait to experience it with all of you.”
Delia explains some ground rules for the summer, but I tune them out. Jonathan is standing just ahead of me and I can now see that he’s holding a little black bag with a white label. The bag looks familiar and my stomach churns uneasily.
Is that what I think it is?
“And now, we’ll introduce our student workers for the summer. Many of you have already met, but in case you haven’t, here they are!” Delia says.
She starts announcing the list of students from Edendale High School, but it’s hard for me to focus when my curiosity is pulling me towards golden boy’s little black bag. I slowly approach, trying to glimpse the label on the side.
“Kiara Garcia!” Delia calls my name and I snap to attention. Darn, just missed my chance.
I make my way to the front of the room and stand next to the other students. I count five of us, so I wonder where Jonathan fits in.
“At the last minute, we decided to hire a sixth student this summer — Jonathan Wright!” Delia answers my question and Jonathan walks through the crowd.
My heart sinks to my toes. Jonathan Wright will be working here. It’s like having your best dream invaded by your worst nightmare. How could this get any worse?
Jonathan comes to stand in the spot next to me and I refrain from stepping away from him.
“The Inn has been doing extremely well in recent years,” Delia says. “It’s a testament to all of your hard work. We thought it was time to hire another student to help out.” The older staff members, the ones who are here full-time, cheer and applaud.
Delia goes on, a big smile on her face. “Given how successful the Inn has been, we’ve decided…” Delia pauses for effect, gesturing towards Vin. “We want to take entirely new photos of the Inn and revamp our marketing and branding. We’ll also be posting new photos on our social media accounts daily!”
I’m sorry, what? I had no idea Legacy Inn was considering a rebrand. I can barely contain my excitement.
New photos of the Inn? Redoing all of their brochures with new images? Posting photos to their social media? This is the kind of exposure that can launch me into my future.
My heart races. This project is exactly what I’m looking for.
As my mind fills with images and possibilities of what I can do to capture the spirit of the Inn, I barely hear Delia’s next few words.
“For this reason, we thought it would be fun to hire two student photographers this year.”
My jaw drops and my hopes come violently crashing down around me.
No.
No no no.
Delia pauses again, the room silent.
My thoughts are an angry storm.
Delia gestures towards me. No, not towards me. Towards me and him. “Jonathan and Kiara will be working together this summer to redo all of our imagery!”
This can’t be happening.
Jonathan opens the little black bag and takes out his very own camera. The same camera that I worked so, so hard to afford.
My face turns white as a sheet and my legs go numb.
Do I seriously have to spend my summer working with Jonathan fricking Wright?!
11
Jonathan
My camera strap sits heavy around my neck as Delia continues on with her announcements. Oddly, I feel shy and uncomfortable standing at the front of the room.
I’m no stranger to being in the spotlight. After every Eagles game, the school reporters come out to interview the team and take photos. Ironically, most of these game photos are taken by the very same person I’ll be working with this summer. She might be the only one who doesn’t make a big deal out of the Edendale Eagles.
Meanwhile, the rest of the reporters are shameless. As the reigning MVP, I’m top of the list for an interview and I’ve been well-groomed to answer their questions. If I’m honest, I don’t feel I deserve the attention — my teammates are extremely talented players, many of them better than me. But, after every game, Lucas, Troy and I — the top striker, defender and midfielder — have microphones shoved into our faces from overeager student writers hoping to get a scoop.
My MVP status really hit home, though, when people around Edendale began identifying me in the streets. It’s a small enough town that people follow the Eagles throughout the year, and more than a few times, I’ve been approached by strangers asking for photos or commenting on my game.
The remoteness of Legacy Inn — located a 45-minute drive from Edendale — was definitely a perk.
Now, instead of feeling breezily confident, if not a little bored, I’m nervous standing at the front of the room. I remind myself why I’m here — to pursue something that I’ve never had the chance to pursue. My parents are way too overbearing during the year to give me the chance to practice my photography. Working here as a photographer was the perfect, safe option.
I glance down at my Fujifilm X-T4 and smile despite the rush of emotions. My grandad got me the camera a couple of years ago as a reward for my hard work at school. He was probably the only person who recognized that I’m more than just the star soccer player. In fact, he’s the only one that I shared this part of my life with.
After what happened last fall, I shoved the camera into the back of my closet. But, when grandad passed away in the spring, I dug it back out. He always told me to do what I loved and his words are part of the reason I called the Inn on the off-chance they had a position as a photographer.
I glance down the line of students as Delia rambles on. To my relief, none of them look shocked or surprised or confused. In my mind, I could picture their outbursts.
“Jonathan, what are you thinking?”
“You’re here to take photos? Hilarious!”
“You’re a soccer player, stick to what you’re good at.”
My tense shoulders fall as I register their smiling, or bored, faces. Maybe they don’t care.
There’s only one grimace, and it comes from the person next to me. I can hear icicles forming around her. Everyone I’ve spoken with tonight is kind and welcoming, and their warmth is strongly contrasted with the chilly breeze emanating from Kiara.
A feeling of discomfort tugs at me and I finger the buttons on my camera absentmindedly. Over the years, we’ve taken shots at each other whenever we get the chance, but I have no clue how she will react to this news. I keep looking at her to make sure she isn
’t having a stroke.
Finally, Delia steps off the stage. I turn towards Kiara, but before I can extend an olive branch, she stalks off.
So that’s how it’s going to be.
The crowd disperses into smaller groups, all happily chattering away.
“Congrats, Jonathan!”
I turn around to face Bree, one of the students from Edendale. She hangs out with the Eagles on occasion, but doesn’t seem particularly tied to any clique at school.
“Thanks, Bree.”
“I thought you were here to teach the kids soccer or something. This is not what I expected.”
I chuckle, grasping my camera. “Maybe next year.”
Bree laughs and we head for the food table talking about the Inn. My stomach rumbles as one of the staff sets out a new plate of cheese bread, salami, and other appetizers. Any tension I was carrying melts away. Maybe my schoolmates won’t be quite as discouraging as I feared.
Most of them, anyway.
12
Kiara
How did I not know about this?
I follow Delia’s colorful dress through the crowd, trying to catch her. I didn’t hear a word of her speech after she announced that Jonathan and I will both be photographers this summer. I couldn’t move a muscle and my mouth dried up. I saw him shoot a few glances in my direction, but I was frozen.
As soon as Delia left the stage, he turned to talk to me, but I had no time for his words. He was probably going to say something snide anyway, and I have much more pressing matters.
Delia heads towards the DJ booth.
I cut her off. I need answers. Now.
“Uh, Delia?” I ask, my voice more hesitant than I intend.
The Complete Legacy Inn Collection: Four Sweet YA Romances Page 52
