by Karen Booth
Grey forced himself to smile. “That sounds perfect.”
Grey and Rebecca walked back over to Autumn and Delilah. “Grey convinced me that everything will be okay. So if this is what you want, Delilah, I give it my stamp of approval.”
“Really?” Autumn blurted, quickly choking back the question. “I mean, that’s wonderful.”
“Thank you, Mom. And thanks to you, too, Grey,” Delilah said. “I want to bring Archer back to give it a tour, but this is what I want.”
Autumn smiled wide. “Fantastic. If you want to head back into the inn, we can talk some more and I’ll take you in to have lunch. I just need a minute with Grey.”
Rebecca and Delilah trailed into the building. “What did you say to her?” Autumn asked. “You didn’t just become Moonlight Ridge’s new wedding planner, did you?”
“What? No. Of course not. I just told her that the staff at Moonlight Ridge would take care of her and her daughter. That she wouldn’t have to do a thing. I said some nice things about you, too.”
“That was enough for her to change her mind? Five minutes after she looked like she wanted to spit on me? That seems unlikely considering that you don’t like to lay it on too thick.”
“I thought you would be happy about this. We got the booking, didn’t we?”
Autumn blew out a breath. “You got the booking. It’s not going to help with getting you or your brothers off my back.”
So that was what this was really about. Autumn wanted him out of her business. He was a nuisance to her. It was probably for the best. She was a distraction when he needed nothing of the sort. He didn’t need one more thing to be immersed in at Moonlight Ridge. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell my brothers what happened. All the credit will be yours.”
Four
Friday morning, Grey was practically out the door for his meeting at the new brewery space when Mack called.
“Hey. Have you left yet?” Mack asked.
“Just about to.”
“What’s your morning like?”
“Why? Do you have to reschedule?” Grey didn’t want to be irked, but he was. This was so typical for Mack. As the oldest, he had this knack for wanting Grey, and Travis for that matter, to bend to whatever he wanted.
“No. I’m over at Dad’s house having coffee with Giada and him. Why don’t you come by? I’ll drive us out to the site right after.”
Grey wasn’t sure why this all seemed odd, but it did. Probably because the barn destined to become the brewery and Jameson’s house were on near-opposite ends of the Moonlight Ridge property and it wasn’t like Mack to delay any discussion of his business. Efficiency and the bottom line always came first for Mack. Or at least they had before he returned to Asheville and fell madly in love.
“Okay. Fine. I’ll be there in ten.” Grey didn’t see that he had a choice but to acquiesce. Plus, he did want to see his Pops. With his laptop bag slung over his shoulder, he made out on foot for the house, arriving pretty much exactly when he’d said he would. He knocked to announce his arrival, then let himself in. Laughter filtered into the foyer, and for a moment, Grey was once again feeling as though he was traveling between the present and the past.
Giada, Mack and Pops were smiling ear to ear when Grey walked into the kitchen, where the three were gathered at the large center island.
“Good morning, Grey,” Giada said. “Let me get you a cup of coffee.”
Mack beelined for Grey, giving him a slightly awkward hug. There was still uneasiness between them, and Grey was painfully aware of it. “Hey. Thanks for coming by.”
Grey’s first thought was that something was up. He looked Mack square in the eye. “Did I miss something? I feel like I did.”
Mack sucked in a deep breath and grinned. “Molly and I are officially engaged. I gave her the ring last night.”
Grey took a second to digest the announcement. “Wow. Congratulations. I’m so glad.” He knew he was being reserved, but it wasn’t in his nature to gush about anything, no matter how joyous it might seem. It didn’t mean he was any less happy for his brother.
Giada, who was normally far more fiery than frivolous, nearly squealed as she handed Grey his cup of coffee. “It’s so wonderful.”
One look over at his dad and Grey knew exactly how thrilled he was with the news—he looked like he was going to burst open with glee. Grey had never seen him smile like that. “Pops. You must be over the moon.” Grey stepped over to his dad, who was perched on a bar stool at the island, and gave him a hug.
“It’s the best news since I landed in the hospital. I can tell you that much.” Pops held Grey for a few extra seconds, but this was the norm. Everything the man did projected how much love he had for you.
“Did you set a date?” Grey took a sip of his coffee.
“And you’re getting married on the property, of course,” Pops said.
Mack nodded. “It only makes sense. As for the timing, we’re hoping the end of summer. Maybe the weekend before Labor Day.”
“Are we talking a big wedding? That might not be enough time to plan everything.” Grey hardly knew what was coming out of his mouth. Not long ago, these questions wouldn’t have even occurred to him. But that was before he met Autumn and became immersed in the business of weddings at Moonlight Ridge.
Mack laughed. “Listen to the aspiring wedding planner.”
“Screw off!” Grey left it at that. Any detailed talk of business would just make Pops nosy. “What about Travis? I thought he wasn’t coming back until early September.”
“I’ll just have to beg him to come back that weekend. I know he’s busy, but we can’t do it over Labor Day. The inn is fully booked,” Mack said.
This was good news. Moonlight Ridge had been struggling with occupancy, too. Maybe the brothers were making a difference by implementing Molly’s ideas.
“As for the size, we plan to keep it small. Maybe fifty guests. We just want to get married. No reason to make a big deal about it.” Mack cleared his throat and cast Pops a sideways glance. “The venue is the only potential hiccup.”
“How soon can you get the interior of the old barn presentable?” Pops asked.
It took Grey a minute to realize what they were thinking. And asking. “Where the brewery is going? By the end of August you want to have the ceremony in the barn?”
“We just want the building done. We don’t need the brewery equipment installed. I know it’s a lot to ask, but it’s what we want. It’ll be great publicity for the resort and the brewery. Plus, it’s important to Molly and me,” Mack said.
Grey ran his hand through his hair, his mind kicking into high gear with thoughts of everything that would have to happen. “Can our current contractor handle this?” They had two small crews on site, working on the guest room updates in the main inn. They were going to need a lot more manpower than that.
“Yes,” Pops said. “I just got off the phone with Mountain Builders. They’ve got a large crew available and they’re prepared to pull permits as soon as the design is complete.”
“Your father called in some favors.” Giada cast a disapproving look at Jameson. “Although I would prefer it if he didn’t do things that get him so riled up.”
“My son is getting married,” Pops said. “I can’t help it.”
Grey took in a deep breath. There wasn’t really a choice but for him to get on this runaway train. “The design is done, but I want Mack to see the renderings in the space before we move ahead.” He pointed at Mack. “You and I need to get over to the site, ASAP, and talk through these plans.”
“Got it.” Mack took a final sip of his coffee, set down his cup, kissed Giada on the cheek and hugged Pops. “Thanks, you two. I’m excited.”
Pops gripped Mack’s arm and gazed up at him. “I’m proud of you, son. And happy.”
Grey kissed his dad on the
temple. “Bye, Pops. I’ll see you later.”
Mack and Grey strolled outside, both putting on their sunglasses, as the morning rays were intense. “Beautiful day,” Mack said, heading for his car.
Grey couldn’t think about the weather. He was too preoccupied with the timeline and everything that had to be done. Plus, Mack and Grey had more to discuss—Autumn and the forensic accountant. “I’m glad you drove. We need to save every minute we can.” Grey climbed into Mack’s black Mercedes, but as soon as he was inside, he had to fight off the flashbacks of the accident. He and Mack hadn’t been in a car together in years and it was making too many memories come back. Fear. Chaos. The unholy sound of tires screeching, ending with a crash.
“You okay?” Mack revved the engine.
“Yeah. Let’s get over there.”
Ten minutes later, they arrived at the old barn, which was a remarkable building. The first floor was built entirely from local stone, with a second floor above made of timbers. It dated back to around the time of the original inn and would have been incredibly expensive to build at the time. Mack and Grey each grabbed a handle for one of the massive wood doors. The iron hinges squeaked in protest as they tugged them back. Sunlight flooded the relatively dark space, which was dirty, dusty and in need of a lot of attention. There were twenty-foot ceilings, an old hayloft and not much else. It had excellent bones though, and that was all Grey and Mack cared about.
Grey pulled his laptop out of his bag and rested it on his forearm, showing Mack the renderings of the final design. When the project was complete, there would be a stunning view of the lake from three sides of the building. They would situate the brewing operation along the back side of the building, which worked perfectly for access to the road for deliveries. Off to one side would be an open kitchen, serving up pub fare. A massive custom bar. A private dining room. A gift shop for brewery T-shirts. There would be gleaming floors fabricated from reclaimed lumber, and a mix of industrial and warmer furnishings like leather and wood to give a rustic, but upscale mountain vibe.
“Well? What do you think?” Grey asked.
Mack took several long strides ahead into the cavernous space, then turned around. “I work with some brilliant people, Grey, but I still can’t believe what you see in this space. I knew it was doable, but I never imagined some of the ideas you came up with. It’s perfect.”
Grey was relieved. He’d really wanted to please and impress his brother. “Fantastic. I’ll speak to the contractor so we can get this going. We have to run all of the plumbing and electrical before we can start on things like the floors. You’re going to want the HVAC up and running by then, too.”
“Nobody wants to be inside in August if there’s no air-conditioning.”
“Precisely.”
Mack took another look around the space, seeming to understand what a monumental task they had ahead of them. “Do you think it can be done?”
However practical he liked to be, Grey didn’t have it in his heart to disappoint his brother. “I do. I mean, I’ll make it happen.” In a lot of ways, he felt like he owed this to Mack. As to whenever he’d be able to make amends with Travis, he wasn’t sure, but he hoped that could happen as well. The acrimony between them had gone on for too long.
“Thank you. I really appreciate that.” Mack’s phone buzzed with a text, which he glanced at quickly. “I have a conference call in a half hour with my master brewer. I should get going.”
“I do need to talk to you about a few things.”
“We can talk in the car.”
They closed up the building and were soon on their way. “I wanted to let you know that the forensic accountant is making headway. Nothing definitive yet, but she’s seeing some trends.”
Mack glanced over at Grey. “And?”
“We’ll know more soon.”
“Okay. Sounds great.”
“But you should know that some of the staff have talked about the fact that there’s a mystery woman taking one of the cottages for a month. I worry that will send up red flags.”
“Hopefully people will move on to other gossip. We don’t want Pops finding out what she’s looking for.”
“Right. And then there’s the matter of the wedding department.” In a lot of ways, Grey felt like he was only getting started with understanding what Autumn did and whether that part of the business could be improved. But it was clear that Autumn did not want his help. “Autumn booked a very high-profile wedding for next summer. Senator Rebecca Barefoot’s daughter. I really don’t think we need to keep tabs on her anymore.”
Mack shook his head. “I know that you’re the one who sealed the deal, Grey. Autumn told Molly the whole story.”
“What?” Why would she do that? Grey had perfectly paved the way for her to get all the credit. All she had to do was take it.
“Autumn might seem like she’s not a serious person at times, but trust me, she takes her job very seriously. She didn’t want to take credit for something she didn’t do.”
Grey hadn’t expected this at all. He’d let her off the hook, and she hadn’t taken the opportunity to be rid of him. “You’re telling me I need to continue to work with her? She doesn’t want me around.”
Mack pulled up in front of Grey’s cottage, put the car in Park, then killed the engine. “Look. Part of the reason I asked you to step in with the wedding business was personal.”
“Personal how?”
“Autumn is Molly’s best friend and she worries about her. That means I worry about her. Being a wedding planner is the only thing she has and Moonlight Ridge is by far her biggest client. She’s cut herself off from her family. Her fiancé dumped her. If she fails at this, it will be really hard for her to go start over somewhere else. Especially since Molly is almost like her sister.”
Grey nodded, feeling the weight of family responsibility squarely on his shoulders. “I understand. You want Molly to be happy and she can’t be like that unless her best friend is in a good place.”
“Exactly. It’s not just about keeping tabs on Autumn. It’s about making sure she’s successful. Not just for the business, but for her sake as well.”
“I really hope you aren’t holding me responsible for her happiness. That is not my area of expertise.”
Mack laughed. “Believe me. I know you. Mr. Detached. Mr. Calm, Cool and Collected. Forget feelings.”
“You make me sound like a robot.”
“That’s not how I mean it.” There was a slight pause before he continued, “You know I love you.”
That used to be so easy to say to each other growing up. Grey hoped one day things would feel natural again. “I love you, too. I’m glad we’re working together. And I’m so happy you liked the plans.”
“I’m happy about all of that, too. I hope Travis can come for the wedding. I’d love it if the three of us could spend some time together, especially now that Dad is doing better.”
Grey nodded. “I’m sure we can work something out.” He opened his door.
“So we’re good with Autumn? You’re going to continue to help her?”
Funny, but Grey didn’t think of it as the task he had the first time his brother had asked. Not that he was going to share that with Mack. No way. There was zero reason to let on that he found himself enjoying his time with Autumn, even when she didn’t seem to want him around. “Yeah. No problem.”
* * *
Autumn was busy working at one of the tables in the Moonlight Ridge pub. Although she had both an off-site office and an office here on the third floor, Autumn liked working in the pub before it opened because it was quieter and she could spread out and use more table space. Plus, it had lovely light early in the day.
Out of the corner of her eye, Autumn spotted Molly sauntering into the room like she was floating on air.
“Good morning!” Molly practically sang he
r greeting, like a fairy tale princess.
“Good morning.” Autumn noticed that her own voice sounded like a fairy tale ogre. She pushed aside a pile of spreadsheets. She couldn’t stare at them any longer. It certainly wasn’t improving her mood, which was admittedly a bit sour after the things Rebecca Barefoot had said the other day. She still couldn’t believe she’d let that woman get to her. “What’s got you so chipper?”
“Oh. I don’t know. Just excited, I guess.” Molly waggled the fingers of her left hand. The jumbo diamond-and-platinum ring was impossible to miss.
“Oh, my God!” Autumn jumped up out of her chair, unable to contain her excitement. “When did this happen? How did he ask?”
“Last night.”
“Tell me everything.”
“In typical Mack fashion, it wasn’t a big elaborate thing. But it was still so romantic. We went for a walk around the pond at the back of the property, the one we used to swim in as kids, and we stopped to look at the moon. The next thing I knew, he was down on one knee with a box from the jeweler.”
Autumn fought back the tears that threatened to sting her eyes. Some of what she was feeling was pure joy. Of course she was deeply excited for her best friend. But there was melancholy, too. She couldn’t help but flash back to the night Jared had asked her to marry him. Autumn had been taken completely by surprise. They’d only been dating for a few months, and although he had professed his love long before that, she hadn’t been sure of the depths of his devotion. But he turned up one night at her house with a ring, a proposal and a suggestion that they move in together. He’d said he was determined to make a go of starting his own financial services company in Asheville. Autumn had thought that alone was a good sign. She figured that a man like him would only rearrange his life for true love. Little had she known that plan of his would never take flight. No, it wasn’t true love. Even though Autumn had been convinced at the time that it was.
Autumn took Molly’s hand in hers and admired the ring. “I don’t think he needed to make it an elaborate proposal. I’d argue that this ring is doing all the talking.”
