by Ali Parker
I opened the door before handing the key to Harper. “Please,” I said, gesturing for them to go inside.
Parker stepped inside first. “No way,” she exclaimed. “You are kidding me.”
Harper gave me a look before walking inside. She looked around, nodding. I was going to take that as an approval. She liked what she saw. “This is very impressive.”
“Thank you. Not all of the rooms are like this. This is a suite.”
“It’s gorgeous,” Parker said, coming out of one of the bedrooms. “I have never been anywhere this nice.”
I didn’t want to impose on their time. “I’ll be in the restaurant sampling some of the lunch offerings. I’d love for the two of you to join me.”
“That’s very nice, thank you,” Harper said. “I think we could both use something to eat.”
“It’s the informal restaurant,” I clarified. “The fine-dining one won’t be up and running until next week. There are some last-minute details that need to be handled.”
“I think informal is just fine,” Harper said.
“I’ll see you in about thirty minutes. If you get lost, just ask any of the staff and they’ll get you there.”
“Are you going to put up signage?” Parker asked.
“Yes. We realized it is needed. They should be here in the next day or two.”
“We’ll see you in thirty minutes,” Harper said, effectively dismissing me.
I smiled again and left them alone. I had to play it cool. If I came on too strong, she was going to kick my ass to the curb, or rather, she was going to go to the curb. I needed her experience. I needed her help. I took the elevator back to the ground floor and made my way to the restaurant. It was empty, of course. I walked into the kitchen and found the chef barking orders at one of his underlings.
“Are you ready to serve those samples?” I asked.
“Yes, five minutes,” he responded tersely.
I moved through the kitchen, inspecting the fresh ingredients. “These are too soft,” I said, handling a few avocados.
“They are perfect,” the chef argued.
“These people want avocado toast. They don’t want mush slimed over their bread.”
“They are perfect, and these are not the avocadoes that will be served to the paying guests,” he snapped. “These will be used by then.”
I was skeptical, but I reminded myself he was the three-star chef. I was just the guy who liked to eat food. I lifted the lid on a pot simmering on the stove and promptly had my hand slapped.
“What is this?” I asked.
“It is the chicken tortilla soup,” he said with exasperation.
“Can I taste it?”
“You can taste it when I deliver the tasting menu to your table. You told me one o’clock. That is thirty minutes away. You will get the chance to sample all the main courses. I’ve only prepared a few of the sides. You hired me to be the chef. This is my kitchen. I will cook what I know is good. Isn’t that what you are paying me to do?”
I was going to be running the resort myself if I kept hovering over all of my employees. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I’ll leave you alone.”
“Thank you,” he said and gently turned me around and gave me a solid push toward the door.
I walked out, not feeling too guilty for meddling. I couldn’t explain it, but I needed to impress Harper. I wanted her to see I’d grown up and was really good at something. I had not been able to impress her in our youth.
She’d grown into a fine woman. A successful woman. I supposed it was the caveman inside me needing to come out, beating my fists against my chest and proving I could be a real success. All those hours she spent tutoring me were not for nothing.
I used what she taught me and put it to work for me.
Chapter 9
Harper
I was so glad I had Parker with me. She was my buffer. No way would I have agreed to have lunch with Chase if she wasn’t there. It would be too weird.
I found myself paying a little more attention to how I looked than I cared to admit. I didn’t want to primp for him, but after seeing him again, it just seemed natural. He was so damn gorgeous.
He’d changed. He was broader, more chiseled, and had the body of a man. The lanky teenager body was long gone. I didn’t know if it was possible, but he even looked taller. Adonis was a very apt description of the boy I once loved. He was definitely not a boy anymore.
“Ready?” I asked Parker.
She was still smiling. I was happy I could be a part of the reason she was smiling. “This place is crazy. Never in my wildest dreams would I imagine I could ever be in a place like this. I have to send pictures to everyone.”
“Not yet,” I told her. “Remember, this place isn’t open yet. Showing pictures of the unfinished product could hurt.”
“I know, I know, but soon. I want the world to know I got to be one of the VIPs.”
“Let’s get to lunch. This is going to be a working lunch, so bring your thinking cap.”
She rolled her eyes. “You are such a mood killer.”
“We are both getting paid a lot of money to make this thing the best kickoff ever. We don’t have time to be happy.”
After I said it, I realized how ridiculous it sounded. Parker burst into laughter. “Ah, there’s the Harper I know and love.”
I ignored the insult and left our suite. Without Chase watching me, I could take my time soaking it all in. It was a nice place. Better than nice. He had done a really good job and should be very proud of himself. As expected, we did have to stop and ask for directions to the restaurant. The place was sprawling, and with the construction and boxes piled everywhere, it was a little difficult to get my bearings.
When we walked into the restaurant, there was a single table set and ready for guests. A man I had not met before came toward us.
“Hi, you must be Harper and Parker,” he said with a smile.
“We are,” I said, smiling in return.
“I’m Jake Brown, Chase’s assistant. He wanted me to get you guys settled. He’ll join us in a few minutes. He had something to take care of.”
I was relieved to know there would be another person at the table. Less pressure on me to talk to Chase. I noticed Parker wasn’t moving. She was ogling the man. He was an attractive guy, tall, dark, and handsome, but in a less polished way than Chase. There was a scar that cut through his eyebrow and another one just above his lip. I imagined he was one of those wild boys as a kid and literally had the scars to show for it.
I nudged Parker and got her moving. We sat down at the table, and Chase rushed in a minute later.
“Have you been here long?” he asked.
“No, we just sat down,” his assistant answered.
“The chef will be delivering the food shortly,” Chase explained. “Everyone please give your honest opinions.”
An appetizer of bruschetta and freshly toasted bread was delivered. I was starving and couldn’t resist the smell of it. I took a bite and nodded. “Amazing.”
Chase was looking at me, his eyes locked on my mouth. “Then it stays on the menu,” he said in a harsh voice.
I dabbed at my mouth with the napkin, suddenly self-conscious about everything. “We should get right down to business. We have a very short timeframe to work with. My first question is when will the construction teams be out of here? We can’t start working on marketing with all that stuff in the way. I need a better idea of space.”
Chase looked to Jake. “Two days tops,” he answered. “There was a mix up with paint colors.”
I nodded, relieved to know the end was in sight. “Great. Parker and I have been coming up with some ideas we wanted to run by you.”
Chase held up a hand. “You don’t have to run anything by me. Whatever you want, go for it. I’m trusting you, both of you.”
That seemed pretty dangerous. He didn’t even know my work. Before I could tell him some of our ideas, Cori came rushing in.
&n
bsp; “Sorry I’m late,” she gushed.
I wasn’t aware she was coming at all. The more the merrier indeed. It meant I would have more than just one or two buffers. Cori’s energy would keep the conversation going without me having to speak directly to Chase. I was confident it would get easier to be around him. We just needed to get over this awkwardness.
“It’s fine,” Chase said. “We were just getting started.”
“I’ve got a rush on some branded merchandise to sell in the pop-up. It is going to be so cute. Socks, notepads, teddy bears, and ornaments to name a few.”
“Are these all for the pop-up?” I asked.
“Yes, well, they can be in the gift shop as well, but I was thinking the pop-up should have some exclusive items.”
“I agree,” I said. “If you have images of what these things look like, Parker and I can get started on creating displays that will complement them.”
Cori was bobbing her head up and down. “I do. I have them on my iPad.”
“Great.” I turned to Chase, finding him staring at me. I gulped down the nerves. “Do you have anything specific in mind?”
“As far as?”
“Do you want a specific color? Theme?”
He shook his head. “You do whatever you think is right. My only goal is to give guests an experience they can’t get anywhere else. I want them to be comfortable and excited to come back. I want to make sure it isn’t just about spending Christmas here but New Year’s and Easter and so on. The goal is family. The goal is luxury. The goal is unique and inviting with peace and quiet but not staunch. Does that make sense?”
The rest of the table was looking at him like he was crazy, but I understood. “It makes sense. I think we would want to create a softer image of the place. You want families to feel like they are welcome, but you don’t want the retired couple looking to splurge feeling like they are going to be overrun by crying kids.”
“Yes, that’s it!”
“We’ll put some stuff together for your approval.”
“I’m serious. There isn’t a budget. I’m pulling out all the stops for this. When you get an idea, run with it.”
I smiled at him. “We’ll do that.”
“No more shop talk,” Cori said, waving a hand. “I’m starving, and you’ll give me heartburn if you start talking numbers and budgets.”
Our lunch was brought out in waves. Everything was basically sample size. It was all good and I was thoroughly impressed with the offerings. Chase made notes about every single menu item. I had a feeling his chef would be less than thrilled with the critiques but there was no stopping the man.
“I’ll show you guys your workspace,” Chase announced after our lunch was over. “Let me drop these notes with the chef and I’ll be right back.”
I was surprised when we walked out a door leading outside. There was a winding path that led to a cute little chalet tucked into the trees and out of sight of the main guest areas. Chase opened the door and we walked into what looked like an upscale office space. On the outside, it looked like a quaint cabin, but inside, it was all very modern.
“Your workspace will be here,” he announced, opening a door.
“Wow!” Parker exclaimed.
We were shown into a large open room with design tables in the middle and several desks with laptops set up. It was a designer’s dream office. “This is nice,” I said, not wanting to give the man too much.
“I hope it will inspire you,” he said.
“It is very inspirational. How many people do you plan to have working out of this office?”
“This is yours,” he said. “And Parker and anyone else you think you might need to bring on.”
“Do you have art supplies?” Parker asked, opening a drawer in one of the tall filing cabinets along one wall.
Jake walked to another cabinet and pulled open a drawer. “We have these in here. We weren’t entirely sure what supplies would be needed. The storeroom is stocked with more. I’d be happy to show you.”
“Yes, please,” Parker said.
“I want to see,” Cori chimed in.
Before I could say I wanted to see, the three of them were gone, leaving me alone with Chase. I couldn’t breathe. He was standing too close, staring at me in the silence of the room. My heart pounded in my chest.
“This is nice,” I said again.
“I’m glad you like it. I’m really glad you agreed to work here. I have faith in your abilities. I’ve seen what you did at the store and I’m looking forward to seeing what you do here.”
“Thank you, but I have to warn you. Those displays were planned nearly a year in advance. I had months and months to prepare and plan. You are expecting a miracle and I think you need to rein in those expectations.”
“Finding you was the miracle,” he said with a smile. “If I got that, everything else is bound to fall into place. It’s fate.”
He was looking at me far too intensely. I couldn’t be this close to him. It was dangerous. I needed space. I took a step back. “I should probably get back to my room and collect my work stuff. I don’t think there is a minute to spare.”
He offered a small smile. “I understand. I’ll leave you to it. You don’t need to go.”
“My laptop is in the room.”
“Okay. Take a minute to look around. I’ll catch up with you later.”
He left the office. I released the breath that I had been holding. I took a few minutes to really look around. I ran my fingers over the smooth desk that I was going to claim as my own. It was a really nice space. There was lots of natural light and I loved how open it was. Now Parker and I could talk face to face instead of via chat or running back and forth to each other’s offices.
It was a great office and the pay was awesome but there were strings attached. Chase would be my boss. I didn’t think I had gotten over what happened ten years ago. Obviously, I hadn’t, or this would have been a dream job.
I was going to approach it like a temporary gig. It was a long interview for a job I had yet to find. I needed to do well and get offers from other companies. This would be a shining star on my resume if I could pull it off. I wanted to impress Chase, just like he was trying to impress me. We were both trying to prove to each other how awesome we were.
I was confident I could create a marketing campaign that would blow his socks off. He was going to beg me to stay. I wouldn’t. I couldn’t. I could get through the next month or so. I just needed to keep him at arm’s length.
I couldn’t have any more of these moments alone with him. They messed with my head. I would make sure any meetings we had included Parker. After all, this gig was her ticket to something better as well. I wanted Chase to give her a glowing recommendation too.
Chapter 10
Chase
I woke up early after a restless night in bed. All I could think about was the fact she was ten feet away. She was so close and yet so far away.
After ten long years, I had her back in my life and I wasn’t quite sure what to do with that. I wanted her to welcome me with open arms. I wanted to kiss her. Hell, I wanted to do a lot more than that. Unfortunately, it was pretty clear she wanted none of those things from me.
I wasn’t going to give up. I was going to keep my distance but remind her of my presence. Maybe I could remind her about the good times. I knew she wasn’t seeing anyone, thanks to my little spy going in for me. Cori knew she was getting me the details but pretended she wasn’t trying. Cori could pretend all she wanted but we both knew I was going to pump her for information.
I dressed in casual jeans and a button-up shirt before heading to the kitchen to make coffee. I didn’t think the chef would be in until much later. He was going to be training a sous chef and a couple more cooks. After yesterday, I knew better than to bother him again. I was pretty sure the man was having dreams of cutting off parts of me I would rather keep attached.
I smelled eggs and coffee the moment I walked into the empty dining
room of the casual restaurant. Someone was up. I knew it wouldn’t be Cori. I walked into the kitchen and found Harper standing in front of the stove.
“Good morning,” I said.
She turned and looked at me. “I hope this is okay. I wanted to get an early start and I was starving.”
“It’s not a problem. What are you making?”
“Some eggs and toast. I made coffee. Probably too much but I wasn’t sure how to make just a couple of cups in that thing.”
I grabbed one of the clean coffee mugs from the shelf that held the dishes and poured myself a cup. “Can you make me some eggs?” I asked.
She raised an eyebrow. “Are your arms painted on?”
I shook them. “No. Why?”
“I would suggest you use them.”
I laughed, shrugging a shoulder. “I know how to use my arms. What I don’t know how to do is use them to make eggs.”
She rolled her eyes. “You’re how old and you can’t make yourself an egg?”
I probably could if I wanted to, but it would be so much better if she made them for me. “You could show me.”
Another big eyeroll. “For the record, I think you are full of shit.”
I slapped a hand over my chest. “What do you mean?”
“Every ten-year-old knows how to make eggs. There is no way you got to this age without learning.”
“I guess I was sheltered.”
She scraped her fluffy eggs onto a plate. “Fine, get the butter from the fridge.”
I did as she commanded. She handed me the spatula and watched me. “What?”
“Scrape some butter into the pan.”
I did as she instructed. “Okay.”
She grabbed my hand and put it on the handle. She moved the pan side to side, spreading the butter around. “Now crack the eggs into the pan.”
I picked up one of the eggs and smashed it on the edge of the stove. It went everywhere but in the pan. “Oops.”
“I didn’t say smash the egg.” She picked up an egg and gently tapped it on the edge of the pan. “You have seriously never done this before?”
