“The point is you deserve to be happy.” His voice was quiet, undemanding. “The point is there is no point to living if you aren’t alive.”
“It’s selfish.”
“To want to be loved and love in return?”
I tried to look down, but he caught my chin and held it firmly so I had to look at our reflection.
“No, sweetheart.” He leaned forward and kissed the outer rim of my ear. “Didn’t we decide we weren’t going to do this? We weren’t going to hide and cower. No more running, no more giving up what you want and who you are because of Perry Crone.”
“I’m scared,” I whispered.
Liam nudged me around, capturing my lips with his. The kiss was ice to a screaming burn, a dash of rich cream to a strong cup of coffee. A hiccup lifted my chest as he suckled my lips, but the motion of it only seemed to push me closer against him. Both arms encircled me, making me feel so small but so protected.
When he finally nudged away, my brain was heavy and foggy. My eyes felt like they were weighted down with sand.
“What if we lose everything?” I whispered, my greatest fear bubbling out.
“What if we don’t?”
But what if we did? What then?
Liam sighed, cupped my face in his palms, and stared intently into my eyes. “Would it have been worth it?”
Of course. “Yes.”
He smiled, and butterflies crowded my belly and under my ribcage. “Welcome to the family business, sweetheart.”
I couldn’t stop the smile from forming on my face. Even with traces of tears still there and fear still in my heart, I was happy.
Wasn’t that the point of life? Finding happiness despite the obstacles?
“Can we go back to the table now?” Liam asked, stepping back. “I love you, boo, but this shit is interrupting my eating.”
I laughed. “Heaven forbid!”
He held out his hand, and I took it. We walked through the house hand in hand, sitting in our seats, still clinging to one another.
I finished the dinner I cooked with my family.
It was a happy night.
Still, I couldn’t help but pray deep down that this family I’d fallen so fast and so hard for wouldn’t be ripped away.
Liam
“Yo!” Alex announced as he pushed into my father’s office without knocking. I glanced up from the pile of papers on my father’s desk. “You called. Here I am.”
He was still dressed for skiing, with just the heavy jacket removed showing a long-sleeved thermal T-shirt in his favorite color, red. As he moved farther into the room, the fresh scent of outdoors and snow wafted toward me. I took a deep breath, and a sense of longing tugged at the deepest part of me.
I missed it out there. In the powder on the mountain with the wickedly cold air blasting my face and the sound of snow crunching and yielding under my board.
Alex seemed to sense the way I felt because he commented, “Everyone misses you out there.”
“Feeling’s mutual,” I murmured, glancing back at the piles of paperwork.
God, the paperwork. It was endless. Keeping a resort this successful and large running smoothly required a small fucking forest of paperwork.
It sucked ass.
“Thank you so much for coming in,” my dad said, standing up from behind his desk to extend his hand to Alex. After they shook, he gestured to the vacant chair beside me. Alex plopped down, sprawling back into it like the chair was blessed with his presence.
I grinned. I fucking missed him, too.
Being around all these suits and ties with their stuffy, near prim manners and no real sense of what BearPaw was all about was stifling.
“How’s the knee?” Alex asked, glancing down at my sweatpants-covered lower half.
I smirked. The looks on all those suits’ faces when I rolled into meetings with my sweatpants and hoodie was fucking priceless. The horror they didn’t even bother to hide when my father announced I would be taking over soon was laughable.
Imagine! A bunch of number crunchers taking orders from a washed-up snowboarder who couldn’t even dress nicely for the job!
I cackled gleefully before answering Alex. “It’s still attached to my body.”
“Got a brace on under those highly stylish pants?”
“The execs here are beside themselves,” I said scandalously. Alex and I shared a gleeful chortle. “But yeah, knee’s all strapped in beneath here.”
It was one of the reasons I was wearing sweats. They were loose enough to cover the brace. Honestly, if it wasn’t for that, I would have at least put on a nice pair of jeans.
‘Course, now that I saw how scandalous it was to wear sweats, they might have to become part of my normal wardrobe rotation.
“Givin’ ‘em hell!” Alex reached out, and we bumped fists. “That’s m’boy!”
I chuckled.
My father cleared his throat, and I glanced over. “Sorry, Dad. It’s been a couple days since I’ve seen Alex.”
“I haven’t seen you smile like that since you started coming into work,” Dad mused.
“I smile like this every day!” I rebutted. That was offensive to Bells.
Dad rolled his eyes. “At home with Bellamy, yes. At the office? No.”
I made a sound. Now that he pointed it out… I guess he was right. “I’ve been focused on learning the ropes. No time to joke around.”
“Hmm.” Dad considered my words. “Here I thought it was because everyone on the executive floor is at least double your age.”
“Well, there is that,” I muttered.
“So what’s up?” Alex asked.
“Besides the age of everyone on staff here?” I quipped.
Alex laughed.
“I’ve been considering something that Liam proposed to me last week.” Dad began.
I sat up a little straighter.
“At first, I wasn’t sure how it would work, but spending the week here with him and the other executives, I do see there is a very glaring gap.”
A fissure of excitement kicked up inside me. A flame of passion even ignited. Yes, I’d always planned on taking over BearPaw. No, it wasn’t really my passion.
But it could be.
With the right people.
With a team I could trust.
“I’m not really sure I know where I fit in,” Alex replied, glancing at me with a question in his eyes.
I grinned, sat forward, and smacked him on the back.
“You want to clue me in?” he asked, amused.
“I’d like to offer you a position here at BearPaw, on the executive team.”
A stunned expression froze Alex’s face. After a moment, he recovered. “Um, what?”
I laughed low. “Hell yes!”
Alex turned to me. “You knew about this?”
“It was Liam’s idea,” Dad replied, drawing the attention of my best friend. “I think it would be a good idea to shake things up around here a bit, get a younger demographic in to help keep the resort fresh and prevent it from falling into a rut.”
Alex turned to me. “They hate your sweatpants so much you already gotta hire on someone to watch your back?” He whistled low. “Damn, Liam. Put on a suit.”
“They don’t hate the sweatpants,” I said, laughing.
“I beg your pardon,” Dad interjected.
I laughed some more. “Fine. They hate them. But not me.”
I glanced at Dad, and he nodded. “It’s true. Liam is well liked, but his attire is not. Really, Liam, would it kill you to put on a suit?”
“It might,” I said, grave.
Alex glanced at me, serious. “So why would you want to hire me, then?”
“You’re my best friend. I trust you way more than anyone else in any of these offices.”
Alex narrowed his eyes. “You want a yes man.”
A rude sound ripped out of me. “If I wanted a yes man, I wouldn’t hire you.”
“As I said, a younger generati
on of executives might be good to mix along with the more experienced here. You and Liam both have worked among the employees, you frequent many of the resort restaurants, and you’ve mingled with guests.”
“Alex likes his snow bunnies.” I agreed.
“Yes, well, as a BearPaw exec, I would caution the amount of, ah, bunnies that you spend your free time with.”
“You mean I’d have to say no to bunny tail?” Alex was forlorn.
I nodded sagely. “Just say no.”
“This is a really generous and surprising offer…”
He was going to say no?
Oh, hell no.
“We both know you are way overqualified to be a ski instructor.” I deadpanned.
“I like my job.”
“You can still pick up some lessons,” my father told him. “It would actually be good to keep your finger on the pulse of the resort.”
“I’ll be picking up lessons as soon as I can, too.”
“How the hell you gonna do that running this place?” Alex asked.
“Because I’ll have a team to help me, a team that hopefully includes my best friend.”
Alex sat back and blew out a breath. “For real?”
I nodded.
His next words were directed at my father. “I’m not qualified.”
“The skills you have will benefit this resort. Your army background would be useful with the security team. Your skiing experience here would be of use to the slopes management. And your fresh perspective would be refreshing on the board.”
“The board!” he exclaimed.
I chuckled. “As an exec, you will have a seat on the board.”
“And a pay raise,” Dad added.
Alex blew out his breath again. “This is unreal.”
“C’mon, man. You know I can’t run this place without you. I’ll go stir crazy.”
“What if it don’t work out?” he asked.
“It will.”
Alex glanced away from me and turned toward the sprawling view out the windows. He was silent a while, and I actually started to think he was going to turn down the offer. Alex liked his freedom. He didn’t like feeling boxed in, and hadn’t I just basically said sometimes I felt suffocated?
Disappointment was a bitter pill to swallow.
Alex glanced at me. “Can I wear sweatpants, too?”
I burst out of my chair, laughing. “Hell yeah!”
Alex stood up, and we hugged it out. I squeezed him tight because I was so fucking happy he was going to be by my side for this. “Thank you,” I said low.
He hugged me a little tighter in response.
“There is no reason for Alex to wear sweatpants,” my father said, exasperated. “He doesn’t wear a large brace on his knee.”
“But, Dad…” we both whined at once.
My father’s lips shook, but he managed not to smile. “I mean it, boys. This job offer is not so you can torture my entire staff. This is a place of business. I expect nothing but professionalism from both of you. Liam, you’re out of the sweats as soon as the brace gets smaller.”
“Yes, sir,” we both answered, morose.
“This place is my legacy,” he said, turning to look out his window.
He looked formidable standing there in his three-piece suit, poised, gazing out at the snow and mountains.
It hit me in the middle like it sometimes did when I least expected it. He was a sight I wouldn’t be seeing forever. This man at the helm of the great place he’d built wouldn’t be in charge much longer.
The joy I knew at bringing on Alex fell aside, and grief unlike anything I’d ever known welled up to swallow me whole. I wasn’t sure how long I was going to be able to hold it back.
Alex and I moved simultaneously, going around opposite sides of the desk to take up a spot on each side of my dad. The three of us stood there gazing out at the winter wonderland.
“We won’t let you down, Dad,” I told him.
“We’ll make you proud,” Alex echoed.
“I know you will.” He agreed, spreading his arms to place one on each of our shoulders. “You boys make me proud. Nothing honors me more than passing down BearPaw to the next generation of this family.”
We stood there a while longer. No one said anything because the emotion in the room was palpable. After a bit, my father cleared his throat and lowered his arms. “I think I’ll call it a day. Training Liam all week has been quite the exercise.”
I frowned. “You feeling okay, Dad?”
He waved the concern away, but didn’t meet my eyes. “Of course. Just a little tired.”
“I’ll drive you home.” I began, but he shook his head.
A swift knock on the door was followed by my father’s assistant letting herself in. “Mr. Mattison, here are the notes for tonight’s meeting.”
“Tonight’s meeting,” he repeated. “Ah, yes. I forgot.”
My father never forgot a meeting.
I went around him and extended my arm for the notes. “I’m taking the meeting tonight.”
His assistant seemed surprised. “You are?”
“If I need anything else to prepare, I’ll buzz you.”
“Of course,” she replied, her surprise covered by professionalism. “I’ll be at my desk.”
“Thank you.”
She offered me a small smile. “Of course, Mr. Mattison.”
“Liam.” I corrected. “Mr. Mattison is right here.” I pointed at my father.
She nodded and excused herself.
My father seemed to wilt a little the second she was gone. How exhausting was it for him to pretend to be at top form so his employees didn’t worry?
He wasn’t just the head of this place. He was a pillar. A leader. Someone everyone looked to for strength and assurance.
That was my job now.
“I’m taking the meeting,” I declared, heading over to the phone on his desk.
“That’s my responsibility,” he argued.
“There’s no better training than on the job. This meeting is the perfect opportunity.”
“Son, you haven’t been briefed.”
“I’ll read the notes. I have a couple hours to prepare. If I need anything, I’ll call your assistant.”
“Call me.” He relented. “Or your mother.”
“Was just going to,” I quipped, dialing.
Mom picked up her own extension. “Mom,” I said.
“Liam, honey.”
“I’m making Dad take off early. I’m gonna practice being him.” I joked. “I think you should take off, too. Spend the evening with him.”
“How is he?” she asked, her voice dropping.
I guess she heard what I didn’t say.
When I didn’t reply, she rephrased the question. “Is he very tired?”
“Yes, I think some takeout from The Inn would be perfect.”
“I’ll have them pull the car around,” she said.
“Sounds good.”
“Liam?” she called out before I could hang up.
“Yeah?”
“Thank you for calling.”
I hung up because saying anything would tip off my father that Mom knew he was in a bad way.
“She’s having the car pulled around.”
“Are you sure you want to take this meeting?”
“I got this.” I assured him. I really hope I got this.
He agreed. And that right there was proof he wasn’t doing as great as he wanted everyone to believe.
It took everything in me not to walk him down to the car. I knew if I tried, it would hurt his pride. So I stayed in the office, and when he was gone, I turned to Alex and blew out a breath.
“I’ve been losing my fucking mind up in this wing without you.”
He grinned. “We’ll shake it up in here.”
“I need you to do something for me.”
“You mean putting on a suit on the daily and being your exec wingman isn’t enough?”
“You can wear jeans.” I assured him. “But you might have to get bunny tail somewhere else.”
“Let it never be said I ain’t loyal,” Alex announced. “‘Cause I love me some bunny tail.”
I chuckled. His first paycheck would make up for it.
“So what’s up?”
“Suddenly, I’m working late. So is Bells. I need you to pick her up and take her home. I don’t want her wandering around the resort at night, alone.”
“Sure thing.”
“Thanks.” I went back around the desk and set down the file the assistant had just given me. I had a very short amount of time to get up to speed on whatever the fuck this meeting was about.
Alex paused at the office door and turned back. “This place, it ain’t just your father’s legacy no more.”
I looked up from the papers. “Yeah. I know.” I agreed. “It’s a family legacy now.”
Our family.
Bellamy
I didn’t want people to think I didn’t deserve this job.
Because of that, I stayed late. A lot.
Right after the dinner when Ren offered me a position at The Inn, I had my official interview with the head chef. I’d been incredibly nervous, not only because this was another shot at my dream job, but because, generally speaking, head chefs were often temperamental and hard to please.
If this man didn’t like me, then it didn’t matter who recommended me for the job because even if I worked here, my career would be doomed.
Chef Jon D’alessio definitely ran a tight kitchen, and I could tell that some of the staff was intimidated by him the second I walked into the sprawling, amazeballs kitchen of The Inn.
I also noted that people were immediately intimidated by me. Seemed bizarre and unfounded really, until I realized how it looked. I was being escorted through the place by Renshaw and Liam Mattison.
Yeah. Hindsight on that decision.
Their presence definitely-probably helped me look like a favorable hire in the chef’s eyes, but to everyone else? I looked like a spoiled, untalented kitchen brat who was only getting the job because I was boning the boss’ son.
Regardless of how it appeared, Ren introduced me to Chef D’alessio and then left. Liam left, too, after he glared at my maybe boss and was dragged out by Ren.
Blizzard (BearPaw Resort #2) Page 16