Mia stepped away from the desk, waiting off to the side with her hands clasped loosely in front of her.
Elliot focused on Ashlyn, offering her his winning smile. “If anyone else from my family arrives, will you tell them I’m just heading down to Hal’s to grab a bite to eat?”
“Of course, Mr. Elliot.”
He casually slung his hands in his jeans pockets and dipped his head before leaving the lobby.
Mia began fanning her face with her hand. “Wow it’s stuffy in here. What is the heat set to?”
“Seventy-one,” Ashlyn said, “like always. Are you doing okay?”
“Yes,” Mia answered right away. “I’m not overwhelmed. Just thrown off my equilibrium.”
A woman stepped out of the elevator with a perfectly round, white head of hair, trailing her tiny dog behind her on a long, thin, red leash. Mia snapped to attention. “Hello, Mrs. Bruin. How are you enjoying your accommodations?”
“The room is just lovely, dear,” Mrs. Bruin said as her terrier wandered toward the large Christmas tree set before the front windows. “I will be so sad to leave tomorrow.”
“And we will be sad to see you leave. Is there anything I can do for you?”
“Not now. But maybe I’ll call down a little later.” Mrs. Bruin sent a wink and Mia smiled until the woman gathered her dog and left the building. Mrs. Bruin had called down for chocolate cake every evening since her arrival last week. They’d grown to expect the call right at eleven, sharp, every night. Mia had had to run out and get some for the older woman, because chocolate cake in the evening was not something they offered. But Mia wanted everything to be perfect while Janice was away.
Once the lobby was clear again, Mia turned to Ashlyn. “I’m going to find Marco to check on the backup generators.”
Ashlyn saluted her and she left.
Marco was extremely helpful, locating the backup generators and explaining how they functioned. “They’re already set up to kick in if the power ever goes out, so you don’t need to panic. Who’s on night shift tonight?”
“Me,” Mia said. “I’m covering for Ashlyn.”
“The worst of the storm is supposed to pass over us tonight. So you’ll be here if there are any problems.” He shook his head. “We’ve dealt with a lot of snowstorms, Mia. It’s going to be fine. And if it’s not, you know where to find me.”
“I know,” Mia said, her voice unnaturally high. Marco and his wife, Rosa, lived in a house just down the street and together they ran the behind the scenes functions of the hotel. Rosa cooked, and Marco covered everything else. “I just want to make sure I know what to do in a worst-case scenario.”
And internally panic about everything going horribly and Janice deciding that Mia was unfit for the position of manager. But of course, she wasn’t about to admit that to anyone but herself.
Her hip buzzed and she pulled her phone out, reading the text from Ashlyn.
Jennifer is here.
“I’ve got to run. Thanks, Marco!”
She heard the barking before she left the stairwell. When Mia made it to the lobby, she knelt down on one knee and put her arms out for the rambunctious pug. Jennifer let go of the dog’s leash and he raced across the small lobby and leapt into Mia’s arms. Hugging him to her chest, she craned her neck to avoid Pug’s slobbering as he showed her just how glad he was to be reunited.
“Thanks, Jen,” Mia called as the teen-aged girl carried in a reusable grocery bag full of Pug’s things. “How bad is it out there?”
Jennifer lifted one shoulder in a stereotypically teenage manner. “It’s snowing.”
Which Mia could see from looking out the window. “Thanks for watching him today.”
“No problem. Just Venmo me.”
“Right,” Mia said. “I’ll get right on that. Be safe out there.”
She turned her attention back to Pug, rubbing his forehead with affection.
“A dog! Mommy they have a dog!” A little girl ran into the lobby, her wet boots making muddy footprints across the wooden floor. “Can I pet it?”
“Sure,” Mia said, holding Pug’s little body as she searched behind the little girl for a mom, but no one was there. “Just let him smell your hand first.”
The little girl had two long, brown ponytails and red ribbons tied to each one. She put one pudgy little hand forward and held it still while Pug sniffed at it and then proceeded to lick her fingers.
“What’s your name?” Mia asked.
“Taylor,” the girl said through giggles. “And my brother is Boston.”
Mia glanced at the door again but there was no brother to be seen. Or parents, for that matter. Something about this girl tugged at Mia’s memory and she felt like she knew her from somewhere.
A woman came through the front doors then with long, black boots and highlighted hair curled back away from her face, searching the lobby with frantic eyes. “Taylor,” she said sternly. “I asked you to wait in the car.”
“But it was so cold outside,” Taylor whined.
As soon as Mia heard the woman speak, she knew it was Elliot’s sister, Amy. Mia grounded herself, preparing for a slew of questions, and said, “Hi, Amy. Welcome to Powder Peaks.”
Amy seemed to notice her then for the first time. Her eyes narrowed as she scanned her memory and finally lit with understanding. “Mia,” she said simply. “Wow, it’s been so long.”
Mia came to a stand, holding Pug under one arm to keep him still.
Amy crossed the lobby, taking her daughter by the hand. “You work here? What a coincidence.”
“Yeah, really. I can get you checked in and show you up to your rooms if you’re ready.”
Her face wrinkled apologetically. “Oh, actually…I mean, this has nothing to do with you or anything, but I think we might try to get back home tonight.”
Mia didn’t know if there was any wisdom behind that plan. Amy and her family lived in the same small town Mia had grown up in—she got updates on the family from her mom whether she wanted to hear them or not—and their house was a good hour and a half away, at least. Longer in this weather.
“Do you know if Ell—” Amy cleared her throat. “If my brother has arrived?”
“Yes,” Mia said, doing her best to look and sound professional. “Elliot checked into his room and left a while ago to grab dinner at Hal’s.”
“Perfect.” She gave Mia a pitiful smile. “I better go track him down. It was good to see you,” Amy said, dragging her daughter away.
Mia tried not to read too much into the farewell or how it sounded like Amy didn’t expect to see her again.
Once the door shut behind them, she turned to Ashlyn. “Find the current weather report, please. I need to know if Parley’s Canyon is open.”
“Right away.”
Chapter Three
Elliot sat at the bar of the small restaurant, the remnants of his meal congealing on the plate in front of him. His phone buzzed repeatedly with texts from his agent.
You will agree to the commercial, right? It’s easy money, man.
Elliot scanned the next eight texts that all said variations of the same thing. Frank was on his case every few days with a new opportunity he simply couldn’t pass up. Elliot had specifically told Frank not to bother him for the week. His phone buzzed again and he opened the text message.
It was a photo from his mom of his dad wearing a Santa kitchen apron and reindeer antlers. His parents were goofy, and he missed them. He’d spent long enough away, and he was ready for a change. Of course, no one knew of these thoughts but him. And the chances of the producers letting him out of his contract were slim.
He opened the message thread to Frank and typed.
I’m not talking business until after Christmas. I’ll see you in a week.
Elliot felt his phone buzz as he slid it back into his pocket but he ignored it. Frank could wait.
“Elliot!” a familiar voice said behind him, causing him to turn on his stool. His sister,
Amy, was crossing the restaurant with a harried expression, dragging his niece by the arm. “Let’s get out of here. I think if we hurry, we can probably make it home before the storm.”
Home. Amy lived a few blocks from his parents. He could go home for Christmas. They hadn’t done that in quite a few years.
“Hate to break it to you, babe,” the bartender said, eyeing Amy, “But Parley’s Canyon is closed. Just saw it on the news.”
She cast the bartender a perfunctory glance before settling her determination back on her brother. “Then we’ll go through Heber.”
The bartender clicked his tongue. “Can’t go that way either, sweetheart. It’s a total white-out out there. Hope you’ve got a hotel, because like it or not, you’re staying in Hidden Hollow tonight.”
Amy looked between the bartender and her brother. Elliot watched with amusement as her gaze settled on him.
“Where’s Brandon?” Elliot asked.
“In the car with Boston. He’s not feeling well.”
“Boston?”
“No,” she corrected, “Brandon is not feeling well. He started getting nauseous on our way out of Salt Lake. I’m hoping he hasn’t caught the flu that’s been traveling around.”
“My dad’s gonna throw up,” Taylor announced in her perfectly seven-year-old candidness.
Elliot got down from his barstool and swept his niece up into his arms. “Maybe we shouldn’t announce that in a restaurant where people are eating, huh?”
“Okay, Uncle Elliot,” she said. “But it’s true.”
“I’m sure it is.” He set her down and tousled her hair. Pulling out his wallet, he flipped through his cash, selecting enough to cover his meal and the tip. Tossing it on the counter, he took Taylor’s hand and began walking toward the door, Amy falling in behind him.
Amy’s gaze was so strong while they walked down Main Street that Elliot could feel it. He hazarded a glance at her. “What?”
“I ran into someone at the hotel you might know.”
Ah. So she’d seen Mia. Elliot was still trying to wrap his brain around having his ex-girlfriend run the hotel he was staying in. But he’d gone over the issue and determined the best course of action was to just leave her be. She clearly hated him still and he didn’t want to make things worse. He would stay in his room or steer clear of the hotel completely. And she would likely give him the same wide berth she had in his hotel room.
“She looks really good,” Amy said.
Yeah, she did. “What are you getting at here?”
“I just wondered how you felt seeing her again. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
Try six years. Elliot refused to answer. His sister was just being nosy.
Amy sighed. “But I guess she’s no Sophy Grant.”
Elliot paused on the sidewalk. He tried to cast a stern look at Amy, but he didn’t know if she was buying it. Her innocent blue eyes blinked back at him like she had no idea why he was bothered.
And now was not the time or the location to hash out his love life. “So where’d you park?”
Amy rolled her eyes. “Just up here.”
Their breath clouded before them as the cold permeated their layers. Snow fell in quick, fat flakes and gathered along their shoulders. And the top of Amy’s head, from what he could see.
They stepped up to the black Expedition parked on the road and Amy flipped the passenger door open to reveal Brandon laying back in the seat with the heater running full blast.
“The roads are closed,” Brandon said, his voice groggy. “I’ve been listening to the radio. There’s a massive wreck on the eighty and everything’s shut down.”
Lying back on the seat with his face hidden from view, Brandon’s voice sounded disembodied. Elliot released Taylor’s hand and peeked inside the car to find Boston in the backseat, his eyes glued to the DVD player.
“Have you checked in yet?” Brandon asked, his eyes squeezed shut.
“I’ll go do that right now,” Amy said before heading toward the hotel.
Mia knelt down and pushed Pug’s bed further under the front desk. Ashlyn had just gone home for the day and Mia was left to run the front desk and the other major hotel operations by herself until the next shift began at seven in the morning.
“Hello?” a voice rang out in the lobby. “Anyone here?”
Mia placed Pug on the bed and gave him a reprimanding finger, hoping he’d be obedient and stay put. She hopped up, giving Amy a bright smile. “Right here. Ready to check in?”
Amy nodded, tucking her hair behind her ear as she plopped her purse on the counter. “My husband is in the car sick, so I’d like to get him upstairs as soon as possible.”
Mia sat at the computer chair and pulled up their reservation. “Your family has four suites reserved next to a single room. You’ve got the entire third floor. Would you like to be next door to Elliot’s room or further down the hall?”
“Next door would be fine,” Amy said.
Nodding, Mia began filling in information and sending documents to print for Amy’s signature.
“So, Hidden Hollow, huh? I didn’t know anyone else even knew about this tiny town,” Amy said, leaning forward on the counter. “And driving up here was no joke.”
“Yeah, the road up the mountain is a little windy. Probably not the best combination with a sick husband.” Mia placed the printed pages before Amy on the counter. “If you could sign here, and initial there.”
Amy scribbled on the pages before handing them back. “That’s an understatement. I think I’ll get my family up to the room and then sleep for a week.”
The front doors opened and wind and snow trailed into the lobby behind the Kirkpatrick family.
“Here are your keys. It’s room number 302 and the elevator is just down that hall.” Mia pointed toward the narrow hallway to the left of the desk and waited for Amy to take the keys from the counter. “Let me know if you need anything else.”
Amy shot her a grateful smile.
Once she’d turned for the door again, Mia faced the Kirkpatricks. “How was the powder today?”
Their younger teenage son grinned at her, his cheeks still red from the cold and the wind. “Epic,” he said.
“The slopes were fantastic,” Mr. Kirkpatrick agreed, slapping his son on the back.
“And the lodge was so warm and cozy,” Mrs. Kirkpatrick added, her squat, round build opposing her husband’s tall, wiry form. “I even finished my book.”
“Be sure to check the lending shelves in the parlor if you need any more reading material,” Mia said brightly.
Mrs. Kirkpatrick’s eyebrows rose in delight. “I believe I shall. Erin?” she turned toward her teenage daughter, who didn’t look as though she’d spent anytime outside but rather sat in the lodge on her phone. Her face was glowing an eerie white color from staring into her phone, which caused Mia to glance to the windows and notice how quickly the night had come. It was pitch dark outside.
“I’m good,” Erin said, not taking her eyes from her screen.
“Well,” Mrs. Kirkpatrick said quickly, “I can always look tomorrow. Goodnight, Mia.”
“Goodnight, Mrs. Kirkpatrick. Feel free to call down to the front desk if you find yourself in need of anything.”
They crossed the foyer and loaded into the elevator just as Elliot and his sister’s family came through the front doors.
Amy wasn’t kidding. Her husband looked horrible. He was tall with a dark beard and messy hair, his skin pale and drawn.
Elliot shot her a glance before hastily looking away. He carried his nephew while his sister led her daughter by the hand and her husband stalked behind them.
Mia should have called out some sort of greeting or offer of assistance, but her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth. Elliot’s short gaze had glued her to the spot. And she was doing her utmost to push down the anger and hurt that seeing him brought her. Feelings of despair pricked at her body until she physically turned away from them, trying
to catch her breath.
Old, buried betrayal and anger rose to her throat, threatening to claw its way into her heart. She coughed, startling when Pug nudged her leg with his wet nose. A small laugh escaped her throat and she bent down to pick him up, backing up until she was half sitting on the front desk, her back to the lobby.
“It’s you and me, boy,” she whispered. “And we are going to watch Christmas movies all night long.”
“Are the rest of the hotel guests invited to this party?”
Mia spun around to face the guest waiting at the desk. Elliot.
“Can I help you with something?” she asked.
He regarded her closely before clearing his throat. “Amy just wanted me to ask if you’ve got extra trash cans. She wants to set them around the room in case…well, in case Brandon needs them.”
Mia nodded, putting Pug on the floor and walking with all of the confidence of a woman who was not reliving her biggest heartbreak just moments before. She led Elliot to a closet at the end of the hallway, across from the elevator. Pulling the hotel keys from her pocket, she unlocked it and scanned the contents on the shelves before selecting a stack of garbage cans and handing a couple of them to Elliot.
Locating the garbage bags, Mia grabbed a roll and dropped it inside the buckets Elliot held. She caught his gaze. “Just in case,” she said.
“Thanks. This is great.” He looked as though he wanted to say something more and Mia warred with herself over whether or not she wanted to hear it. The lies, excuses, or whatever he had to say to explain his behavior would never make up for what he had done to her.
But part of her still wanted to hear it, all the same.
Chapter Four
Elliot stood in the narrow hallway beside the elevator and watched emotions change like waves across Mia’s face. He felt the desire to reach forward and brush a loose lock of blonde hair behind her ear but forced his hand to stay on the trash cans he held in his arms.
“Listen, Mia,” he began. “I just want to say—”
Snowed in on Main Street Page 2