Not waiting for an answer, she used her foot to push away some of the snow from in front of the door and then unlocked it. Ethan followed her in, closing the door behind him and removing his boots on the rug. She did the same, trying to ignore the butterflies dancing in her stomach.
“This cottage has two bedrooms, with an open concept kitchen and great room, and a four-piece bath. The vaulted ceiling gives a feeling of space even though the footprint is actually quite compact. The kitchen is fully outfitted with dishes and appliances, and the bedrooms and bath come with linens, towels and extra blankets and pillows.” She pointed to the sofa. “The sofa pulls out into a bed, so the cabin can sleep six. There’s enough room for families to be comfortable, but couples wanting a romantic getaway will still find it cozy. The cottage next door is exactly the same.” Whether Ethan appreciated the cottage or not, she was damn proud of what she’d accomplished.
She’d spared no expense in kitting out the two cabins. The counters in both the kitchen and bathroom were granite, each with a marble backsplash, and the wood-burning fireplace in the great room was tiled in slate. The furniture was chosen for its style as well as its durability, which meant it had cost more than she’d wanted to spend, though she’d been assured it would hold up well over several seasons of use. She was hopeless at decorating, so she’d made a deal with the owner of the furniture store; Harper would do her taxes for the next two years in exchange for the owner’s help in selecting the furniture and all the decorating bits and bobs. Harper had been pleased with the outcome.
She hoped the furniture would have a chance to prove its worth. A quick glance at Ethan gave her no clue what he was thinking. She forged ahead.
After showing Ethan the bedrooms and bathroom, she pointed to the sliding glass doors next to the fireplace, hoping she could finally get a reaction out of him with her favorite part of the cabin. She smiled nervously. “I think you’re really going to like this.”
She opened the curtains, drawing them back with a flourish, to reveal a large snow-covered deck. “There’s too much snow to go out on the deck right now, but you can see how big it is.” She pointed to her right. “That big lump over there under the snow is actually a hot tub. In summer, there’s plenty of room for a dining table, a grill, and a couple of lounge chairs on the other end. The best thing about this deck is that it’s completely concealed by the trees and bushes. Guests can commune with nature au natural, if they’re so inclined, without worrying about prying eyes.”
Ethan’s lips quirked in a smile. “I’m sure they’ll appreciate the privacy.”
“My guests last summer said the deck and the hot tub were their favorite features.”
“The cottage is lovely. It’s beautifully decorated, and I think it’s got everything a guest could need.”
Harper frowned, her stomach clenching. “I sense a ‘but’ coming on.”
“It’s very generic. There’s nothing that screams ‘only available at Solace Lake Lodge’. You could probably find this same cabin at a hundred different lakes in Minnesota.”
She winced and turned away. Unable to afford a truly one-of-a-kind design created specifically for this spot, she’d purchased the architectural plans online. He was probably right in saying this exact same cottage could be found anywhere.
She would not shrink from her duty to save the lodge. She squared her shoulders. “Of course I would have preferred a unique design for each cottage, something that conforms to the exact terrain of each spot. That’s where your investment comes in.”
“What did your guests do here last summer?” He opened a couple of cupboards and pulled out one of the drawers.
“Most of them hung out on the beach or fished in the lake. I have a couple of boats I let them use. My guests came here for the serenity they couldn’t get in the rest of their lives. But it’s not enough. Some guests are going to want something more active or interesting to do. I believe that to make this place truly unique, there’s going to have to be unique things to do.”
“Like what?”
The skeptical note in his voice put another knot in her stomach, but she kept talking. “If we truly want to cater to the eco-friendly crowd, we need to offer bird watching excursions, nature hikes, guided fishing trips, and interesting classes, like lessons on making compost.”
Ethan’s eyebrows lifted. “Making compost? Seriously?”
Harper kept her gaze level with his. “What I’m trying to illustrate is that in addition to facilities, we also need programs and activities.”
She sat on one of the stools at the kitchen island. If she was going to advertise Solace Lake Lodge as an eco-friendly resort, then they had to play the part. But it would require money. “I’d have to hire knowledgeable staff, buy equipment.”
He folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the counter next to the sink. “Yes, that’s true.”
“I’ve been reading up on eco-friendly tennis courts that use recycled and sustainable materials rather than petroleum products. They’re nicely cushioned and they even last longer.”
“Sounds perfect.”
“Sounds expensive.” Harper drummed her fingers on the granite counter. She inhaled deeply. In for a penny, in for a pound. “This is why the investment from Hainstock is so important. I don’t have the money or the expertise to do any of this on my own.”
Ethan nodded. “I know.”
“There’s so much potential to make the lodge totally different from places like Miller’s Golf Resort. Not everyone wants to golf. I’m sure there’s a market for what I want to build, but I need help.”
He nodded again but said nothing more. Harper tamped down her frustration. She wanted him to love this project as much as she did, to be as excited about it as she was. His lack of response made her want to scream. But he wasn’t going to show his cards until he was ready. Until then, she’d keep pushing, selling.
Did she want him to share her enthusiasm simply because of the money, or was her motive more personal? An investment by Hainstock would mean Ethan would remain in her life, at least for a while.
Harper shook her head to refocus. She’d known the man for less than two days. “Let’s go back to the lodge. It’s time for lunch.”
With another nod, Ethan put on his boots and followed her outside to the snowmobile. Harper headed back to the lodge, detouring onto the highway to see if it was drivable. With snowdrifts as high as five feet in some places, it was clear that it wasn’t.
Good. She’d have more time convince Ethan that Solace Lake Lodge and Hainstock Investments were a perfect match.
And if she was honest, she’d admit she wasn’t ready for him to leave.
After dinner that evening, Harper brought a tray with a pot of tea and a plate of cookies into the lounge. Ethan helped himself to one of the chocolate cookies. The delectable combination of fudgy dark chocolate and white chocolate chunks melted in his mouth. “Mmm. The chef at Miller’s has outdone herself once again.”
Harper poured the tea. “I’ll have you know I made these cookies myself.”
“Really?”
“You don’t have to sound so shocked. I do have some cooking skills. My grandmother taught me to bake cookies.”
“Did she teach you to knit, too?”
Harper set her teacup on the table next to the sofa and tucked her legs beneath her. “Yes. She insisted I learn a few feminine skills like baking cookies and knitting. When I first came here to live, I spent a lot time with my grandfather learning to take apart outboard motors and snowmobiles. I think she was afraid I’d turn into a mechanic. The thought horrified her.”
Ethan took a sip of the hot tea. Harper didn’t look like any mechanic he knew. Not with her long blonde hair falling in waves over her shoulders and her delicate fingers with their pink enamelled nails daintily picking up her teacup. “Did she have anything to worry about?”
“I seriously considered small engine mechanics as a career at one point, but I was still enoug
h of a girl that I didn’t like the idea of permanent grease stains under my nails. These days when I do engine work, I use latex gloves to keep my hands clean. My grandfather would laugh at me, but Grandma would approve.” She frowned as she took another sip of tea. “It wasn’t often she approved of anything I did.”
He wondered about that statement but decided to leave it alone, not wanting to upset her. “You actually work on outboard motors?”
“I can do routine maintenance stuff like changing oil, checking spark plugs, and winterizing. If there’s anything more complex, I have to talk to a real mechanic.”
Despite her humility, Ethan was impressed. She fascinated him – a woman who could knit a delicate bonnet for a newborn while changing the oil on a two-stroke engine. “Your grandfather must have been proud of you.”
She flashed him a self-deprecating smile. “I was the grandson he never had.”
“I’m sure he didn’t think of you as a boy.” Ethan certainly didn’t. Tonight, with her baby blue eyes watching him with feminine interest, he couldn’t think of her as anything but a beautiful, desirable woman.
He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He needed to reign in thoughts like that.
“Maybe not. I remember my mother telling me that he’d tried to interest her in the running of the lodge and in small engine maintenance, but it wasn’t her thing.”
“What was her thing?”
“Mom loved to travel. My father took her to Paris for their honeymoon, and she raved about it. She promised to take me one day, but she died before it could happen. I’ve never made it to Paris, but I’ve always wanted to go. To see what made it so special for her.”
She took a sip of her tea, her gaze unfocused as if lost in memories. “She was an interior designer. I remember how beautiful she made our house in Minneapolis. She loved to sew things like pillows and curtains, and she made Scarlet and me several dresses. Drove me crazy because I didn’t want to be dressed the same way as my little sister. I don’t think she ever made matching outfits for all three of us. Maggie was too young when she died, not even two.”
“It must have been tough to grow up without her, without both of your parents.”
“Yeah, it was. Our grandparents tried their best, but it wasn’t the same.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Thanks, but it’s ancient history. I survived.” She bit her lip. “Out of the three of us, I think Scarlet took their deaths the hardest. I sometimes think she still hasn’t recovered.”
He cocked his head to look at her more closely, alerted by the note of sadness he heard in her voice. “What do you mean?”
“She comes across as this tough dynamo, this hard-nosed business person, but inside that independent façade there’s a vulnerable little girl.” She looked up, a conspiratorial grin on her face. “Scarlet wouldn’t like me talking about her.”
“I promise I won’t tell her.”
“I appreciate that.”
“What was your dad like?”
A genuine smile lit her eyes. “I adored him. When he was around, we all laughed. He loved to take us places, like the beach or the playground. But he worked crazy hours and traveled a lot for his job as a corporate lawyer, so his time with us was limited. I sometimes wonder, if he’d known how short our time together was going to be, would he have spent more of it with us?”
“I’m sure he wished he could have been with his children more often. Men often feel they have to trade time spent with their families for earning a living.”
“Yes, you’re probably right. I know he adored my mother. That’s why I’ve never understood…”
Her voice trailed off as she turned to stare into the fireplace. Her sadness reached out to him and made his heart ache.
“What don’t you understand, Harper?”
She blinked, as if she’d momentarily forgotten he was in the room. “I’m sorry. All this talk about my parents is bringing up old memories.”
“I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“You didn’t, truly. I have a lot of wonderful memories of my parents. The thing is, I’ve never understood what happened to them, to their marriage.”
“What do you mean?”
“Something had gone wrong. In the spring of the year they died, my Dad moved out of our house. When school was out for the summer, Mom brought us here to the lodge. I think she needed to get away, to think. Sometimes she would leave us with our grandparents and go away for a day or two, just driving she said. Other times, she’d take her canoe out on the lake. She loved this lake and knew every rock and shoal. Sometimes her friend Abby from Minnewasta would go out on the lake with her. But more often she’d be all alone, drifting on the water.”
“It sounds like she had some things to think through.”
“Maybe. I was too young to make sense of everything I saw. I know she and my grandmother argued, but they were careful not to let me hear what they said. I was afraid we were going to stay at the lodge forever, but when I asked Mom, she kissed me and said everything was going to be okay.”
“Do you think she planned to work things out with your dad?”
“I know he wanted to work things out with her. He showed up unexpectedly at the lodge and I was sure everything was going to be the way it was before. We were going to be a family again.”
“Is that when they had the accident?”
Harper’s gaze skittered away, but not before he saw the pain in her eyes. “Yes.”
“Accidents happen, and sometimes we don’t know why.”
“Yes, I suppose they do.” She didn’t look convinced. The expression on her face spoke of deep sadness.
Ethan linked his fingers together to keep from touching her. They were contemplating a deal that could potentially be worth millions and if he made the investment in her lodge, their business partnership would continue for years. A personal attachment to Harper Lindquist was something he couldn’t afford. He needed a clear head to make his decision, one uncluttered by lust or tender feelings.
But it was damn hard. He wanted to hold her, to comfort her and tell her everything would be all right. Unfortunately, he couldn’t promise that any more than her mother had been able to.
Harper rose from the sofa and moved around the coffee table. “It’s getting late, and I’m really tired. I’m going to bed, but please feel free to help yourself to anything in the kitchen.”
He got to his feet. “Thank you. I’ll let you know in the morning what I’ve decided to recommend to my company.”
She nodded and gave him a tight smile. “Good night.”
“Good night.”
She left the room and closed the French doors behind her. Ethan sat once more, resting his head back against the cushions of the sofa. Though her parents had died over twenty years ago, Harper suffered their loss as if it happened yesterday.
He thought of his own parents, especially his father, something he tried not to do too often. Harper had been right when she’d guessed the lodge reminded him of the inn where he’d grown up in Wisconsin. His father had squandered the inn, drinking away any profits until it was lost. Perhaps a part of him wanted a second chance. Maybe in some deep recess of his psyche he thought that if he invested in Harper’s lodge, it would be like returning the inn to his mother. The inn had been in her family for years, and she’d been devastated when they’d lost it. She’d given up after that, succumbing to her cancer within a year. Ethan had never forgiven his father.
His cell phone rang, jerking him from his thoughts. The sound surprised him since the phone hadn’t rung since he’d arrived at the lodge. When he pulled it from his pocket, he saw his sister Lydia was calling. “Hey, how are you, Sis?”
“I’m fine. The question is where are you? I’ve been trying to call you for days.”
“Sorry. The cell phone reception is a little sketchy out here. This is the first time my phone has worked.”
“Where is ‘out here’?”
“Solace Lake Lodg
e. I came out to meet the owner and talk about buying her land, remember? I’ve been storm-stayed ever since.”
“For two days?”
“What can I say? It was a hell of a blizzard. It’s over now, but the roads are still blocked. I’m here until the snowplows dig us out.”
“Did you secure the land?”
Ethan cleared his throat. “We’re still negotiating.”
“What’s the owner like? What was her name again?”
“Harper Lindquist.” He hesitated a moment, carefully weighing what he said to his sister. “She’s a good business woman.”
“Really? How old is she? We tried to look her up on social media, but we couldn’t find anything. The lodge doesn’t even have a website.”
“She’s my age. Early thirties.”
Lydia went silent, and he thought they’d lost their connection. Then he heard her make a derisive sound in her throat. “I suppose she’s pretty.”
Harper’s beautiful smile and soulful eyes jumped into his mind’s eye. He tried to keep his voice unaffected. “She’s attractive enough.”
Lydia huffed into the phone. “I don’t want you to get sucked in by another pretty face. I knew Graham and I should have come with you.”
“Come on, Lydia. Give me a little credit, will you?”
“You haven’t always made the smartest decisions when it comes to women. I worry about you, you know.”
“I wish you’d stop. I’m a big boy now. I can look after myself.” He took a deep breath to calm himself. He loved his sister, and she loved him. She was fiercely loyal to her family, a mama bear ready to pounce if anyone messed with her brood. It was her legacy from their dysfunctional family. Lydia had been thrust into the role of mother to him and Cam whenever their real mother had been too preoccupied by their father’s drinking. It was a role she still took to heart.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I love you.”
“I love you, too. I’m sorry to be such a pain in the ass.”
He chuckled. “At last, something we can agree on.”
Lies and Solace Page 5
