by Ali Parker
“You let him in here!”
“Him who?”
“Nick. You know we’re not open for business. You can’t let the riffraff come traipsing in here and soiling the floor.”
I slapped a hand over my mouth. Jake folded his arms over his chest as he made a big show of looking down at the pristine floor. “Did he pee? Poop? What exactly did he do?”
“Don’t you get cute with me!”
“I can’t help it. I was born cute.”
Parker burst into giggles. I could see Cori’s hackles go up. “Oh, now you think you’re funny? Nick is not allowed in here. We don’t need his kind coming in here and stinking up the place.”
“Um, actually, we like the way he stinks. He’s exactly the kind of client we are appealing to.”
“What are you talking about? The way he stinks? What does that even mean?”
“He smells like money,” Jake answered smoothly. “That’s the goal. We want big money. Big money brings more big money.”
Cori’s mouth dropped open. “You’re disgusting.”
“I don’t think so. Don’t you want your family to make more money? This is how it happens.”
“Not with him,” she snapped.
“Rich, handsome, popular. What more could we ask for? He’s free advertisement. He’ll bring the other rich kids around. We’ll soon be one of the most popular resorts in the country. Hell, maybe even the world.”
“Not with him,” she growled.
“Don’t get your panties in a bunch. He won’t stay for long.”
Cori lunged forward, but Parker acted fast, stepping between the two of them. Now that Parker had things under control, I could focus on the remaining measurements for the tree I ordered. I was afraid it was going to be too big. Not anymore. I was certain it would fit just right.
“Cori, why don’t we go get some coffee?” Parker said, playing the peacemaker.
“Yeah, Cori,” Jake said. “Go get some coffee and take care of those bunched-up panties.”
I winced, my back to the trio, but I could imagine the look on Cori’s face. She was not the kind of girl that got pushed around. She only looked sweet and innocent. Those that knew her well knew she kept that great figure in shape by kickboxing. I had only rekindled my friendship with her but I knew she was still actively kickboxing.
I heard an oomph followed by Parker’s shriek. “No, Cori!”
I laughed to myself and kept working.
“You’re insane!” Jake shouted before I heard his retreating footsteps.
“Cori, that wasn’t nice,” Parker scolded.
“He isn’t nice.”
“He’s very nice,” Parker defended. “He was only teasing.”
“I’m not in the mood to be teased.”
“Now that we’ve got that out of the way, can one of you help me measure the distance to that far wall?” I asked.
“How big is this tree?” Cori questioned.
“This is for the white trees that will form a path to the tree,” I explained.
Cori’s mouth dropped open. “Seriously?”
“Yes. There will be lots of white lights and more gold and white trimmings. Trust me. It’s going to look beautiful.”
“I do trust you,” she replied. “My whole family trusts you.”
That gave me a boost of confidence. Now, it was up to me to follow through. I needed to get everything in place to judge whether it was too much or not enough. There was a fine balance. I was grateful for the program I used to do mockups. I had all the pictures loaded into my computer, and now that I had the exact measurements, I was hoping to come up with a solid plan.
“Thank you. I need to take all of this back to the office and start running scenarios.”
“What about the dining room?” Parker asked me.
“Crap,” I muttered. “I forgot about that.”
We packed up and moved to the formal dining room. We were doing something small there. Nothing too over the top. We wanted to keep it classy without crowding the space too much. We spent another ten minutes taking pictures and measuring the corner where we would be placing a tree.
“I think we have it all,” Parker said.
“We do,” I agreed. “Now it’s time to do the real work.”
“The real work?” Cori exclaimed. “We have been busting our ass since this morning. Can we break for lunch?”
“We can order a pizza. We don’t have time to stop and eat.”
“You are crazy.”
“I’m on a deadline.”
“But we still need to eat,” she whined.
“Eat and join us when you’re finished.”
She put a hand on her hip. “I’m sure Parker would like to eat.”
I glanced at Parker, who looked caught in the middle. “I’m fine.”
“I’ll order pizza and bring it in. Sheesh, you could really learn how to relax.”
I didn’t stop to say another word. I really did have a lot to get done and not a lot of time.
Chapter 14
Chase
I looked over the final plans for the grand opening. The chef was taking care of the food order, but I wanted to make sure there was plenty. We were running an open bar and I expected the alcohol to flow freely. I wanted my guests to feel spoiled. I wanted them to feel like they were royalty. When they remembered their visit to my resort, they were going to remember feeling like they were spoiled rotten.
I signed my name to a stack of invoices, refusing to look at the numbers. I knew the grand opening was going to blow the budget out of the water. I had given myself a generous budget and I was still going way over it. I spared no expense. I hoped it didn’t blow up in my face.
I heard a knock on my office door. “Come in,” I said, expecting it to be Jake.
Nick walked through, looking around the room. “This is quaint,” he said with a laugh.
“I don’t need a top-floor office in Denver. I need to be on site. I can’t be like you and sit in an ivory tower while a windfall of cash rains down on me.”
“It works for me,” he said and took a seat.
“What brings you here?” I asked him.
“I needed to see what this was all about. You’ve been off the radar for months. I was beginning to get worried about you.”
“I’ve been doing this. This stuff doesn’t just happen. It takes time and work. What are you really doing here?”
“I was going to see if you were interested in making more money.”
“I might need to after I get done with this grand opening. This is going to bury me.”
“You’re going all out, huh?”
I grinned, excited to tell him about all of our plans. “It’s going to be huge. It’s going to be unlike anything anyone in our circle has seen before. I want them to be impressed.”
“I saw your little squad in the lobby. Cori’s involved?”
“She is. She has some really great ideas. She wants to do a pop-up shop.”
“Really?”
“Yep. She’s been a huge help.”
“Who are the other two?”
“My new marketing manager and her assistant.”
He gave me that look. “Bullshit.”
“What do you mean?”
“I saw the girl with the auburn hair. I know you’re hot for her. Is that why you hired her?”
“You are such a jackass. No. She’s very good. You can’t see it now, but she has some pretty wild ideas. I’ll let you in on a little secret, but you cannot tell anyone. Not yet.”
“Just tell me.”
“We’re going to offer a Santa concierge service. Every room will have their own personal Santa to deliver gifts, food, whatever they want. They will get pictures and the whole nine yards.”
“That isn’t cheap. Was that her idea?”
“Yes, actually.”
“I knew it.”
“What? Why?”
He grinned. “Because that’s a brilliant idea and I
know you didn’t think of it.”
“Harper did. She had an inside lead on some Santas that needed work. It worked out for me.”
He leaned back in his chair, crossing his leg over the other. “Do you know you haven’t stopped smiling since I walked in here?”
“What do you mean?”
“This is going to sound pretty cheesy, but you’re glowing. You have this weird look about you.”
“Shut up.”
“I’m serious. What’s going on?”
“Nothing. I’m happy. I’m looking forward to the opening.”
“Liar. Who is she?”
He knew me too well. I couldn’t get away with saying she was just my marketing manager. He was right about the smiling. I couldn’t stop smiling. It was her. She made me smile. “Her name is Harper Lincoln. We went to school together. She was Cori’s friend and my girlfriend back in the day.”
He slowly nodded. “I knew it. Are you two a thing again?”
“No.”
“Do you want to be a thing again?”
I thought about my answer. “I do.”
He groaned, rolling his head back. “No!”
“Stop.”
“I’m kidding. You know I think you should have settled down years ago.”
“Like you?” I shot back.
“I’m still looking for Mrs. Right. Are you sure you’re ready for that step?”
“I am. I’ve done this single thing for ten years. I’ve chased women and lived a life I’m not all that proud of. I’m over it.”
“Good for you. It’s about damn time. Think about how much money you made before and you weren’t even trying. You’re really going to do well now that you can focus on your job.”
I chuckled. “I suppose you’re right.”
“It’s a miracle. A real Christmas miracle. I wasn’t sure I would ever see the day you wanted to settle down.”
I smiled, shrugging a shoulder. “We have all kinds of miracles going on around here. It was a miracle I ran into Harper and a miracle she got fired the same day I decided I needed her here. All the pieces are falling into place. It’s good. All good.”
“Since we are on the subject of miracles, I have another miracle in the making. You can’t pass up this opportunity.”
Nick always had another get-rich-quick scheme. He was already rich. He was born rich, but he was the kind of guy that wanted to make his own money. He wanted to make a lot of money. We’d gone in together a few times and made damn good money, but that wasn’t my thing. I wanted the stability of the family business.
Still, I was going to have to listen. I owed him that much.
“What is it?”
“You are already in the resort business,” he started.
“Nick, I can’t afford to buy out a chain.”
“No, no, hear me out.”
I took a breath. “Go ahead.”
“This is a small chain in the Caribbean. It’s glamping. The focus is on being totally eco-friendly. People pay a lot of money to live like they are destitute. They get a tent or a bamboo shelter that is all made from recycled material. The bedding, the chairs, everything. They have a kitchen that provides organic, vegan meals. Even the fucking wine is organic. This is exactly what the millennials go for.”
“Aren’t we millennials?” I asked.
He waved a hand. “Not like that. The kind that ride bikes and have man buns. The kind that have a lot of money but want to pretend they are poor. Why not take their money and give them an experience they won’t forget?”
“I am rebranding the resorts. I’m going for luxury and family friendly. Glamping isn’t exactly in line with my current business model.”
“But it could be. You could take glamping to the next level.”
I shook my head. “That would be a learning curve. I’m pouring almost all of our resources into this place. I’m going big because I want that to be what our name is known for. I would be pissing all over the work I have done here if I slapped our brand on a shack.”
He let out an exaggerated sigh. “I had a feeling you would say that after I saw this place.”
“I’m sorry, but I’m completely invested in this one resort right now. If this is as big a hit as I think it will be, I want to upgrade and renovate our existing resorts. That is going to suck up all my time and capital.”
“I get it,” he mumbled.
“It is a good idea and it does appeal to a particular niche of clients. Why don’t you hop on it?”
He grimaced. “I don’t know shit about running a resort.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “Then why were you looking into it?”
“Because I’m always looking for the next big thing.”
“I think you should do it,” I told him.
“You’re missing the point. I want to get into business with you. We always do well together.”
“Nick, you do well on your own.”
“Not the same.”
I laughed. “I’m not saying never again, but I want it to be the right one. I’m not going to hop on to just anything that comes up.”
“Opportunity is what you make of it.”
I burst into laughter. “Did you read that in a fortune cookie?”
“Maybe, but it doesn’t make it any less true. Take this place for example. When you first found the property for sale, did you think it would be this?”
“Yes,” I said without hesitation.
“Okay, bad example. You’re hustling the hell out of this place. Your Santa thing and the lavish décor? It’s all part of the hustle.”
“I’m not hustling anything. This is a business.”
He held up a hand. “Let’s go back. You saw the land for sale and you got the idea. You jumped. You hustled until you got it all moving along. I admire that, and I want to be a part of that again with you. You saw an opportunity and jumped at it. What do you think would have happened if you let that opportunity pass you by?”
As he was talking, my mind went elsewhere. I thought about Harper. Running into her again was the opportunity. If I didn’t seize the opportunity to get back together with her, I would never forgive myself. I was not going to let her walk away from me without a fight.
“I hear you, and I will listen to your next wild idea, but this is not the one for me.”
“Fine, I get it. You going to show me around or what?”
I smiled, thrilled to show off what I had built. “Absolutely.”
I turned off my computer and put the invoices in the right box before getting to my feet. “Let’s go.”
I was hoping I would run into Harper. Since we’d been back, I had done a good job avoiding her. It went against every instinct I had but I didn’t want to remind her of that kiss. Now was not the time. Once things settled, I would work to remind her how she’d reacted to the kiss. It wasn’t one-sided. I knew she felt it too.
We walked outside, light snow falling and dusting the ground. “What the hell?” he said, looking down at the sidewalk. “It’s melting.”
“Heated.”
“What?”
“Heated sidewalks. I can’t risk someone slipping and falling on the ice. I have to take care of my guests and I don’t want their sleep disturbed by the sound of a snowblower.”
“You really have thought of everything.”
“I hope so. Time will tell.”
We walked into the main lobby. I was a little disappointed to find Harper wasn’t in the lobby still. I swore I could smell her in the air. “What about the spa part?”
“Through here,” I explained. “We’ve got the pool and more of the family area. The spa is like a safe haven. We offer daycare so moms and dads can take advantage of the spa without feeling guilty. At the end of the day, they can all hang out together and do something with the family as a whole.”
“What about the adults without kids? What if they want to get away from kids?”
“That’s why we have plenty of separation. Obviously
, we’ll listen to feedback and make adjustments as needed, but the ultimate goal is to create a luxury family experience.”
“Nice tagline.” He smirked.
“I’m sticking to it. I’m riding that pony all the way to the bank.”
“You’re going to do great. I have no doubt in my mind. Whatever you touch turns to gold.”
“I hope so. If I fail, I will never be able to look at my father again.”
“You won’t fail.”
I hoped he was right on all accounts. It wasn’t just the hotel I didn’t want to fail at.
Chapter 15
Harper
I was frantic. I had that frazzled feeling. I hated it and I loved it at the same time. It was like a painful electric shock that I couldn’t get enough of. It kept me going. It made me feel alive and drained at the same time. I kicked off my heels, my feet aching from the long hours on my feet. I left them sitting in the hallway. I’d get them when I came back through.
I walked barefoot into the lobby and took a step back to check out the tree. I ditched the other trees after going through the trouble to install them. It had been too much, which left us scrambling to complete the scene. That was how it always was in the days leading up to a holiday or a big sale.
“I’m doing the gift shop,” Parker hollered, rushing past me with her arms full.
“Meet me in the dining room when you’re done,” I hollered back.
I was still racking my brain with how to place the trees I ordered. They were too pretty not to use but I just wasn’t sure where I was going to use them at. I had three days. Three days to finish decorating the massive tree in the lobby and get the stupid train to stay on the tracks.
“No!” I practically shouted when I walked into the dining room. “Move those tables away from the tree. We don’t want people tinseled!”
I was losing my patience. I was grateful for the extra help, but more people meant more people for me to watch. I felt like I was running a daycare. I was growing more frazzled by the minute. I couldn’t be everywhere at once. I needed a megaphone. I was hoarse from shouting across the massive lobby or trying to get the attention of someone three hundred feet away from me. It was a constant battle. I kept telling myself it would all get done but damn if it didn’t feel like the work was endless.
