Wrecked for You

by Mayer, Kristin

  Kory

  “What do you think of my proposal?” Alexa asked after explaining her business proposition.

  It was like a dream come true. “I can’t believe this is happening.” Someone pinch me. Alexa’s brows drew together, and I realized how I might have sounded. “I can’t tell you how thankful I am for this. I never imagined something like this could happen. What made you think of this?”

  Inside, I was screaming with excitement, but I tried to remain calm. My heart pounded double time, and my mind raced with the possibilities.

  Alexa gave me a gentle smile. Her earlier concern seemed to have vanished. “When we were talking about the wedding plans this morning, I saw the fire in your eyes. It gave me the idea to keep this place running… not to mention the additional income source. Drake agreed as long as you were up for it.”

  Drake and Alexa had what I wanted in a relationship. They put each other first and cared what the other one thought. From what Alexa had shared last night, they acted as a unit. That was the kind of relationship I wanted.

  “This… it’s just amazing. It’s an incredible opportunity. I promise I won’t disappoint you.”

  Part of me wondered if Hayden had been involved in this idea. I hoped not, but I’d have to ask him to be certain. I didn’t want to ask Alexa in case it made me seem ungrateful.

  “I know you won’t, Kory. So tell me, what do you think?”

  My mind was awhirl with the possibilities. I ticked off the first few things that came to mind. I could clarify them later. “We could do bridal showers, baby showers, summer parties, weddings, birthday parties… the possibilities are endless. We could rent the space for photography sessions. The landscape is breathtaking. During the summer months, I can see photographers looking for a space that has beautiful grassy areas, mountains, water. It’s magical.”

  “It is. My dad always told me he wanted his home to be the place that brought immeasurable happiness to his kids.”

  Kids. Without thinking, I asked, “Do you have any siblings?”

  “One, but we’re estranged. She’s actually leaving the area with her husband and my mother to start over. It’s hard to believe I’m related to them. We’re like night and day.”

  My heart hurt for Alexa. She was so kind, but I could see the pain in her eyes. I reached out my hand. “For what it’s worth, sometimes the best of family isn’t blood related. Those who want to cause us harm don’t deserve to be part of our lives.”

  As I spoke, the words rang true deep within. If my parents didn’t want what was best for me, they didn’t deserve to have me in their lives.

  Alexa said, “That’s true. Thank you. I needed to hear that. It’s hard, though, knowing people who are supposed to be engrained to love you don’t. The rejection is hard to work through at times. It’s… tough not being able to go to the one person you should be able to.”

  “I know. For me, I wanted to scream and cry out at times. But even if I had, my parents wouldn’t have heard me. These hardships make us stronger people. It makes us want more for our kids.”

  “It does. Thanks, I needed that. Of course, I talk to Drake about it, but his family is fantastic and it’s hard to comprehend when you haven’t lived it.”

  I nodded in agreement. Alexa shook her head like she was chasing away the negative thoughts. “I love your ideas. I won’t be able to devote much time, if any. This would be your thing all the way.”

  I scooted to the end of the leather couch. “I’ll do everything. The income from the events could cover my rent and bills. I could create standard packages and customers could pick and choose options to add to make their event perfect. Then I’d set it up accordingly.” I pointed to the chandelier in the living room and then turned toward the dining room. “This area is perfect for a dance floor or dining room. The three downstairs bedrooms could be used for dressing rooms or staging areas.”

  Alexa nodded approvingly. “Can you make a list of the things we’d need?”

  “Yes, for sure.”

  Alexa stood. “What do you think about lodging?”

  I thought about that as I walked around the room. “I don’t think that’s necessary, and if we don’t go that route, it’ll keep the downstairs rooms available depending on the event. I’d need your help with pricing; I have no idea what’s reasonable for Skagway. We could offer a discount for locals to show support for our neighbors and work with the cruise lines to offer destination events to their customers.”

  For bridal events, we could set up the downstairs bedrooms for changing areas and bridal salons. There was a shed in the back of the house where we could store extra furniture. Maybe we could create a job or two for the people of Skagway if the business took off.

  “It all sounds good. Right now, we only have the community center or the Red Onion, which isn’t necessarily suitable for a wedding reception. I can think of several instances when someone wanted something different, but there wasn’t anything available.” Alexa’s eyes lit up, and she snapped her fingers. “I have a cabin that belonged to my dad and his parents. It’s got three bedrooms. We could add lodging there as part of the packages.”

  I was growing more excited by the moment. We could offer a deal, complete with lodging. If I was going to live here for the foreseeable future, I would rather not have people stay in the house overnight. When I got a place of my own, we could offer rooms upstairs, if need be. “That would be fabulous. We could offer a honeymoon package and have champagne on ice waiting back at the cabin. As part of my hospitality studies, I found that often it was the little things that matter. Customer satisfaction is in the details. It’s what drives the five-star business ratings.”

  “I agree.” Alexa stood, tucking her hair behind her ears. “Put together a budget for me. And regardless, you’ll live here rent free.”

  I gasped, shaking my head. “I can’t stay here rent free.”

  “You’ll be taking care of the house and the cabin. I was going to have to pay someone to do that. Or rent it out to some stranger I don’t trust. I have faith that you’re going to take care of this place like it’s your own. Like I said earlier, there is no way Drake and I could take this on. So, it’s a trade-off and takes a huge load off our minds.”

  This might actually work.

  “I’ve talked to Drake. We can front the money to set things up. Once that’s repaid from the income, what would you say to a thirty percent for me and seventy for you? We’d have to set up a percentage to retain for incidentals, but we can work that out.”

  My mouth fell open. Seventy percent? “What? That’s too much.”

  “You’ll be managing things completely. I’ll provide the initial startup cash and the facilities, but after that the business should be able to support anything needed. You’ll earn that seventy percent. And it’s another source of income for us that we wouldn’t have otherwise. What do you think?”

  I jumped up and down. “I say yes. This is what I’ve always wanted to do. I’d like to talk it over with Hayden, too.”

  “Of course. He dropped by the Red Onion as I was leaving. I told him I had something I wanted to run by you but didn’t share any of the details. I figured you’d want to do that.”

  So Hayden hadn’t been involved. This offer had been made based on the abilities I’d exhibited this morning. It was hard to contain the giddiness inside. I never imagined I’d actually get to follow my dream and have my own career.

  It was a win-win situation. I’d have a way to earn a living, and this created another income source for Alexa. Plus, it kept her extra homes in use instead of empty to deteriorate. I started making a list of to-do s. “When do you think I could see the cabin? And we probably want to make some time to get anything personal you don’t want people touching out of there and figure out where you’d like it to go. Maybe set up an owner’s closet for when you do decide to go there.”

  Alexa said, “Good point. Let’s see… tomorrow is Sunday. What if we go out there before lunch
? That way you’ll be able to work on whatever you need next week. We could also review the initial list of supplies to get started.”

  “I’ll pull some information together.”

  She reached out to give me a hug. “Great. See you tomorrow.”

  I was determined to make this successful. With enough blood, sweat, and tears, anything was possible.

  I waved good-bye as Alexa pulled away. When I was alone, I danced around on the porch with my hands in the air, letting the pent-up excitement finally break free.

  Life was perfect. Absolutely perfect.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Hayden

  I pulled up to our new home and turned off the engine. It was hard to believe the woman I loved was behind those doors. As if my thoughts had reached her, Kory stepped out onto the porch. She was breathtaking, waving to me with an angelic smile on her face. How she managed to be so untarnished after the life she’d had was beyond me. I couldn’t imagine a world where parents didn’t put their kids first.

  Kids.

  I’d never really thought about having a family, but I realized it was something I wanted. Not right away, of course, but for the first time, I saw my path leading toward a family. Before any of that, though, Kory and I needed time to ourselves to ensure we built a solid foundation.

  She took a couple of steps toward me and leaned against the white post of the porch as I got out of the truck. My heart was so fucking full—I never wanted to lose this simple moment. It was beautiful, and I fixed the vision in my brain. When things got tough, I would think about this moment.

  I knew things wouldn’t remain this simple. Our journey had just started, and life always had a way of throwing a wrench in things. Drake and Alexa were proof of that. But with love, anything was possible.

  I grabbed the flowers I’d bought and got out of the truck. Kory’s grin grew when she saw them in my hand. I’d found a small flower section in one of the stores in Anchorage. With winter coming, they were hard to find.

  Kory was so beautiful. The dark circles had vanished, and the stress that had been visible on her face was gone. She looked so different from when she’d been in Seattle.

  “Hey, sweetheart,” I said when I was a few feet away. “It’s so good to be back. I missed you.”

  “I missed you, too.” Before I made it to the top step, she jumped into my arms. The paper wrapping up the flowers crinkled against her back as I held her. Kory brushed her lips against mine. “It’s good to have you home.”

  Home.

  I was home. Moments like these made all the other shit we were dealing with unimportant. I savored her sweet vanilla scent and squeezed her tighter with my free hand. “It’s good to be home.”

  The words should have felt foreign on my tongue, but they didn’t. “I brought you something.”

  I set her down and held out the flowers. Kory’s eyes lit up. “These are beautiful. I love them.” She tipped her head down to smell them. “This is the first time I’ve ever gotten flowers just because.”

  “Consider it the first of many.”

  She stood on her tiptoes and kissed my cheek. “I hope so. Let me get these in a vase.”

  As I watched her sashay back to the kitchen, I knew I needed to come up with a plan pretty fucking fast to be with Kory. “How was your day?”

  “Fantastic. Alexa came by with a proposal, and now I have a job.”

  “She mentioned talking to you about something. I’ve been curious to find out what it is.”

  Kory beamed and animatedly started telling me about Alexa’s business plan and how it came about. Her passion for the idea was clear. It was how I felt about flying. As I listened, I fell more in love with this woman.

  After she finished, Kory took a deep breath and waited expectantly for my reaction. She didn’t want to confirm with Alexa until she talked to me about it. Though I would never stop her, it felt good… like we were becoming a couple that were partners. “That sounds like a fantastic opportunity. If it’s what you want, I say go for it.”

  She squealed. “It is. I can’t describe it, but it’s like everything in my entire life was leading to this. I have a purpose. Now, I need to get a car.”

  And that was the perfect segue to my offer. I knew it was important for Kory to earn her way. She needed this, and I wanted to support her. “I talked to Anthony about your offer to help. He had a suggestion. But don’t feel like you have to say yes.”

  “Of course, I’ll always be honest with you. What is it?”

  “Our temp, Sarah, left when the tourist season ended a couple of weeks ago. Her position had been temporary, but since she left, we realized we need someone, at least part time. It’s been a madhouse keeping up with the paperwork. The office is a wreck. What would you say to working a few days a week for a couple of hours as your schedule permits? In exchange you can use the truck.”

  She cocked her head. “I would help you regardless. You don’t have to pay me.”

  I took a deep breath, hoping this came out right. On the way home, I’d thought about the best way to present this without making Kory feel helpless or useless. “That’s sweet of you. But I also want you in a safe vehicle with winter on its way. The truck has snow tires and chains and can handle the weather. After you experience a winter here, you’ll know better what type of vehicle you want. And Anthony honestly wants out of filing the paperwork. Plus, he sucks at it.”

  For a second, she watched me and then winked. “Deal. As long as you and Anthony are okay with it.”

  “We’re more than okay with it. Trust me. You’ll be doing us a favor. And you can set your own schedule.”

  She jumped into my arms, wrapping her legs around me again. The happiness was contagious, and I spun her around.

  “Thank you.” She gave me a kiss. “Thank you.” And another kiss. “Thank you.” And another kiss.

  Our lips stayed connected this time. I swiped my tongue against her lips and was immediately granted access to her mouth. She tasted of berries. Our kiss grew heated, and when she began to grind on me, I nearly lost all self-control. The kiss broke for the briefest of seconds. “Did you mean what was alluded to in the text last night?” I asked.

  I wanted to be sure.

  “Yes.” Kory’s eyes blazed with desire. I had my answer.

  It took everything in me to pull back. “Then let me make it special for you. It may take some time, but it will be worth it.”

  She searched my eyes and said, “I like the sound of that.”

  I had to figure something out—and fast. I walked us to the couch and sat. She kissed the side of my face and whispered, “Enough about me. How are you? Can I get you anything?”

  I squeezed her tighter. Kory was so considerate, not just concerned with herself, but worried about me. All my life, I’d imagined all relationships were selfish after seeing several of my friends screwed over by girls. I thought my parents and Drake were exceptions to the rule.

  I’d been wrong.

  “This, right here, is all I need, sweetheart.”

  “Oh my, you are swooning me hard, Mr. Foster.”

  “I aim to please.”

  I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and pulled it out with my free hand.

  Mom: We’re going to have dinner tomorrow at the house. Would you and Kory like to come?

  Mom was probably chomping at the bit to meet Kory. I was surprised she’d managed enough restraint to stay away this long. Alexa had mentioned setting up a date for dinner, but I hadn’t been able to connect with her about that yet. If it hadn’t been so hectic, I would have already introduced them. I put the phone down and asked Kory, “Mom and Dad are having a family dinner tomorrow. Want to go?”

  “Yes, I’d love to meet them. Who will be there?”

  I liked that she wasn’t nervous about meeting them like she had been before. Instead, she seemed excited. “Probably Alexa, Drake, and maybe Kane. I’m not sure—he may be on a hunt.”

  “I can’t wait. Let
me know if I can bring anything.”

  “I will.”

  Me: Sounds good. Kory wants to know if she can bring anything. What time?

  Mom: How does 6 work? Alexa’s bringing some cookies. No pressure for Kory to bring anything.

  “Mom said no pressure to bring anything. Alexa’s bringing cookies.”

  “I’ll bake a pie.”

  I whipped my head up to look at her. “The chocolate one?”

  Over the summer, Kory had baked for me a few times. I loved her pie. Damn, her chocolate pie was phenomenal.

  “Yeah, I’ll make that. I know it’s your favorite.”

  “May want to make two. The Fosters can put away a good amount of pie.”

  She giggled. “Two it is. Will you let your mom know?”

  “Later. Right now, I want to focus on me and you.” I gave her a brief kiss before settling into the couch. I was fucking exhausted, but I fought the need to sleep. I enjoyed having her in my arms. It wasn’t too long ago I thought I’d never have her in my life again.

  Kory turned on the TV, and slowly my eyes closed. I could never imagine my life going back to what it had been before Kory.

  Chapter Twenty

  Kory

  We pulled up in front of a log house that looked like something from a movie. The green tin roof was a beautiful complement to the dark wood of the cabin. I bet in the summer it was magical against the green foliage that surrounded it. The colder autumn nights had knocked back most of the vegetation, and it wouldn’t take but one or two frosts to completely kill what was left of the summer greenery. The long days of the summer combined with the significant rainfall created a rain forest with cooler temperatures.

  In Ketchikan, the flowers were three and four times bigger than they were in Seattle. Mornings before working my shift at Maggie’s, I used to take long walks and admire the untouched beauty.

  Maggie. I had enjoyed catching up with her on the phone today. I hoped to go visit her at some point, but it most likely wouldn’t be until the summer, once I got settled. I would fly up with Hayden on one of his flights.