by Lily Thorn
“Sure.” Ethan grabbed his own flannel. The sun had set, and the night would be chilly. “How much wood do we need to split?”
“I’m guessing the bonfire will last for about two hours. There aren’t enough guests to bother burning it longer. If we both chop ten logs or so, we can probably call it a day.”
“All right.” Ethan opened one of the double doors. “I bet I can chop mine faster.”
Cade rolled his eyes. “You say that every time. And every time, I humiliate you.”
“We’ll see.”
They walked around to the back of the property, past the stables, where the grass was trimmed around the small patio and entertaining area. Most guests got cold on mountain nights even in the summer, so the fire pit was very popular.
Short logs were piled against the lodge, and Cade gathered ten for himself. “Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked Ethan. “You could just admit that I’m the splitting master, and walk away with your pride.”
“I’m going to beat you one day. You’re just scared because I keep coming so close.”
Cade swung a log onto an old tree stump. “If you say so. Ready?”
Ethan raised his ax. “Ready.”
They both brought down their axes, and splinters flew. Cade sliced cleanly through the log, then again through the two halves. Shoving them aside, he put the next log on the stump.
“So what did they say?” Ethan asked.
“We have some money left. $100,000. We can either use half and fix the current system, or use it all on an upgrade.”
“I think that’s the best news I’ve heard all day.” In his relief, Ethan swung too hard, lodging his ax in the stump. “I thought there wasn’t any money left at all.”
“It’s still not a ton, at least when it comes to new lift systems.” Cade swept four more pieces of firewood aside. “Did you know that Wolf Tracks spent three million on their new system?”
Ethan spat. “Mangy mutts.”
“To be fair, it’s a beautiful system. Have you seen it? Their gondolas can carry twelve people at once. Our chairs are kind of pathetic next to that.”
Ethan grimaced as he slid another log into place on his stump. “We’re more than just our chairlift. Wolf Tracks may have a glamorous lodge and swanky lift and pampered guests, but they don’t have Mount Bliss. Our slopes and ski runs are unbeatable. All the money they keep pouring into their lodge and lift just makes it obvious that they’re overcompensating.”
Slicing through the log, Cade swept the resulting pieces of firewood into a growing pile. “I still wish we could have a gondola system. But you’re right, the lift isn’t everything.”
“Not worth spending three million on—at least not when we’re broke.”
“The lift is still important, though. And I want our next one to last for years, not just a few seasons.” Cade took his frustrations out on the logs, which leapt apart beneath his ax. Earlier, he had been thrilled that his parents believed in his ability to make important choices for Bearview’s future. Now, he felt a creeping sense of uncertainty.
What if he made the wrong decision? As much as he wanted the best lift they could get, using all the money would leave Bearview without a cushion for emergencies. One bad day could bring ruin to the lodge.
But installing an inferior lift could have consequences too. What if it broke before they had money to repair it? They also had to compete with the gondolas at Wolf Tracks, like it or not. Some tourists had little sense of which mountain offered the best skiing, especially when all the lodges claimed that they had superior slopes. If Bearview’s lift couldn’t hope to compare, potential guests might be swayed by Wolf Tracks’ overall package.
Cade sighed, putting another log on the stump. Was this what his parents had dealt with all this time? Were huge decisions about the fate of the lodge as numerous and unending as logs that needed to be split for firewood?
He closed his eyes against the splinters as his ax bit into heartwood. One hundred thousand dollars was more money than he’d ever contemplated. His decision could determine all their futures, and whether they got to keep their lodge and their mountain.
Cade breathed deep while Ethan steadied another log.
“What’s it going to be?” Ethan asked. “Have you decided?”
“I have.” Picking up one last log, Cade swung his ax. “We put all our money on the line, because I’m all in. I believe in us, and in Bearview Lodge, and I want the best lift system our money can possibly buy. We’re going to make it through the summer, and this winter is going to be our best season yet. I know that the seven of us can make it happen. A new lift will just be the beginning.”
“That sounds good, Cade.” Ethan slung his ax over one shoulder. “There’s only one problem.”
“What’s that?”
Ethan showed him the pile of firewood at his feet. “My pile’s all chopped. Looks like I’m finally faster than you.”
Cade split his last piece in half in one languid motion. “You might have finished first, but that’s because I stole one of your logs. Count back, little brother—I split eleven, you only split nine.”
Ethan stared a moment, then burst out laughing. “You stole one of my logs? I can’t believe you, Cade.”
“Believe it. And remember that next time you try to challenge me.” Cade winked as he buried his ax in the stump. “I’ll catch you later, Ethan.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to tell the parents that I need $100,000.”
Cade made his way back upstairs, knocking on his parents’ open door. Three full suitcases stood ready by the doorway. Astoundingly, his mother was busy packing a fourth.
“I thought you were only going away for a couple of weeks,” Cade said.
“That’s right.” His mother pressed the top of her suitcase down, straining to fasten the zipper. “Help me with this, will you?”
With one hand, Cade leaned on the luggage. His mother closed it in one quick tug.
“There,” she said. “Would you mind putting it with the others?”
Cade pulled it off the bed, almost dropping it. “What’s in here, lead?”
“I might have over-packed.” His mother shrugged. “I haven’t been on vacation in a while. Years, in fact.”
To be fair, Cade couldn’t remember having ever taken a family vacation. Not that it bothered him. Why leave when Mount Bliss was the perfect vacation spot?
“Don’t think I don’t love Bearview.” Looking past him down the hall, his mother lowered her voice. “It’s just that sometimes I long to see a beach or two.”
“Why didn’t you take us to the beach, then?” Cade frowned. “We would have gone with you.”
“I know you boys love your mountain. I don’t like tearing any of you away from it, least of all your father.”
“What about me?” Coop strode in, carrying a bottle of champagne.
“Cade was looking for you,” his mother said.
“Both of you, really.” Cade couldn’t believe this was happening. Were they really going to let him spend all of their money? “I’ve decided. I want to replace the lift with the best system we can get.”
Coop nodded. “You’ll need this, then.” He dug into his pocket for a checkbook. “This, too.” Taking out his wallet, he handed Cade a black credit card. “I’ll call the bank and make sure you’re an authorized user on the account.”
“That’s it?” The credit card felt weighty in his hand. “You don’t want to discuss it at all, or object?”
“We told you, Cade, it’s your decision.” His father crammed the champagne bottle into one of the suitcase’s side pockets. “We don’t want to make any more. We leave it all to you.”
“Not quite all,” his mother interjected. “I do want to earmark a bit of that money. Not too much.”
“Oh, right.” Coop nodded. “Cade, help me bring these suitcases to the taxi. Your mother can tell you on the way.”
Cade hefted
two suitcases and Coop took the remaining two. His mother carried the champagne bottle, which she’d rescued from the side pocket.
“I want to attract more customers,” his mother said as they walked down the hall. “New customers. I’ve had enough sickness and pain, Cade. I want to see life and love and happiness. I know you’re going to be focused on the lift, but I was wondering if you could also put together a wedding and honeymoon package. I think Mount Bliss would be a great destination for newlyweds.”
That was just what he needed, a bunch of rich people in formalwear running around his mountain. Cade was about to object when he saw his father’s silencing glare. Coop was generally affable, so his glares carried extra weight. Cade understood, though. His mother had been through so much that this was the least he could do to help.
“What kind of package are you thinking of?” he asked, trying to sound cheerful as they descended the stairs.
“Again, not too much. I know you’ll be very busy. But maybe create some kind of ceremony space, and spruce up one of the cabins as a honeymoon suite.”
“Is that all?” Cade asked, desperately hoping that it was. Even those two requests would take a lot of work.
“Just one more thing. I think that for it to be an appealing package, we need to have a dedicated wedding photographer. And it can’t just be Sawyer with a phone camera—I want someone who really knows what they’re doing, who can capture amazing moments. Besides Bearview itself, the photographer will be the most important part of the package, so you’ll probably want to put an ad in the paper as soon as possible.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to wait until you get back?” Cade backed out of one of the double doors, holding it open for his parents.
“No, you need to find someone yesterday.” His mother cradled the champagne in one arm as they walked toward the waiting taxi. “Wedding season is pretty much the opposite of ski season. For weddings, the mountain will work best in summer and early fall.” She smiled. “I trust you to create this package just like I trust you to put in the lift system, Cade. But please don’t pick the prettiest photographer who applies.”
“Why would I do that?”
She laughed. “I’m just teasing you. I know you’ll put everything you have into this—you always do.” Leaning over, she kissed him on the cheek.
Cade slid their luggage into the taxi’s trunk. He didn’t want any part of this wedding nonsense, didn’t want any money taken away from the all-important lift project, but he couldn’t say no to something his mother wanted. Not now.
“I’ll do my best,” he told her.
“Thank you, Cade. I knew I could count on you.”
Helping her into the taxi, Coop gave him a meaningful stare.
Cade had better not mess this up.
Chapter Six
TESS TOOK A practice shot, fiddling with the aperture. The photo was overexposed, the details washed out, but that was what her clients got for getting married at noon.
Biting her lip, Tess brought her camera back up to her eye. She should have been grateful to Gary for getting her this lead, grateful to the bride for agreeing to hire her on such short notice and with no portfolio, grateful that she even had a camera to be able to make this happen. But she still wished she were anywhere but here.
She loathed weddings.
There were about fifty people who had been conned into driving to this park in the valley in the middle of the day. Guests sat in an open field, fanning themselves with their programs. Tess looked at her watch. The groom stood in front of everyone, hands clasped at his waist, and the officiant looked ready to officiate, but the bride was nowhere to be seen. Typical. Tess snapped some more photos of the groom, hoping he could keep his smile pasted on for a few more minutes.
The lucky couple was Amy and Richard, and their names were plastered all over everything in case their friends and family forgot. There were chalkboards, hand-painted signs, and a long banner made up of glittery hearts. Most of these were under a huge white tent that Tess couldn’t wait to return to.
Surreptitiously, she looked at her watch again. It really shouldn’t have mattered how long the bride took—Tess was getting paid for five hours either way—but she couldn’t stand people who weren’t punctual.
Trying to calm herself, Tess adjusted the focus on her lens. She grimaced. The one she had cracked the other day would have been the best lens for a wedding. Too bad all her money was earmarked for rent. It might be years before she could get it fixed.
The sun was hot on the back of her neck. She wished she had put on sunscreen. She just never would have thought anyone would want to get married in a field at noon in early summer. At this rate, though, the bride would barely be in the sun compared to her guests.
Tess sighed, blowing a stray lock of hair out of her face. She had tried to convince the bride to take some pictures later in the day, preferably closer to sunset, but Amy was having none of it.
“Tonight is for partying,” she had said.
Tess wanted to reply that partying wasn’t what made great photos, but Amy was her client, so she held her tongue. Now, she was starting to regret it.
She hoped the happy couple wouldn’t be angry in a few weeks when they got their photos back and saw all the harsh lighting and shadows. Tess rubbed the back of her neck, which she suspected was starting to burn. It was so unforgivably hot. What she wouldn’t give to be in that cool mountain stream again, wrapped in a pair of strong arms…
Furious, Tess pinched herself. She was not going to get distracted. This was far too important. She might not want to be here, but this was a huge day for Amy and Richard. If she missed a pivotal shot, there wouldn’t be any retakes.
Across the field, a tent flap opened. At that cue, the violinist mopped his brow and began to play. Relief seemed to ripple through the guests, though no one put their fans down. Tess snapped a few shots of Richard’s stunned face at the first sight of his bride, then turned to photograph Amy.
She seemed to float above the grass in her dazzling dress. The bride appeared to be blissfully unaware of the heat, her uncomfortable guests, or anything else. She only had eyes for her groom, who looked at her in awe.
Tess felt her stomach knot as she captured the scene. Amy and Richard might love each other, but Tess still felt that they were making a terrible mistake. They’d vow to love each other forever, but forever was a long time. Love couldn’t last that long. Though Amy looked radiant with joy and Richard was close to tears, they wouldn’t live happily ever after. No one ever did.
Tess kept her finger pressed to the shutter as Amy walked down the aisle. She gritted her teeth when Amy finally reached her groom, taking his hands at the urging of the officiant. Tess had seen her parents’ old photo albums. They’d looked just as jubilant in their wedding pictures. Less than ten years later, they hated each other. Tess sometimes wondered if her father went on his photo trips halfway around the world just to get as far away from her mother as possible.
She snapped photos robotically throughout the ceremony. Some women brought out tissues during the big kiss, but Tess felt nothing but dread. She tried to focus on capturing the moment, not on the huge mistake the couple was making.
The orchestra began to play, and Richard took Amy’s hand as they walked back down the aisle together. Tess snapped furiously as they approached. At least she had already decided she was never getting married. She couldn’t imagine putting on a poofy white dress and pretending to be happy.
But if she had to marry someone, surely that huge, handsome man who rescued her earlier that week wouldn’t be too bad…
No. Tess bit the inside of her lip as the guests trailed the bride and groom into one of the huge tents. That was a crazy thought. She didn’t have time for love right now, not that she loved Cade. That would be absolutely insane. She had just met the man, and he had probably forgotten her by now. Besides, there was no point in falling in love. It would just end horribly. Her parents were proof of t
hat.
Behind her, there was a snapping sound.
“Excuse me.”
Tess turned. It seemed the mother of the bride was snapping at her.
“What are we paying you for? It’s time for family photos.”
Tess smiled painfully, willing herself not to bludgeon this woman with her camera. “I thought everyone might want some refreshments first, but I’m ready for whichever group you can round up.”
The mother of the bride stalked off, muttering about no-good, overpriced photographers.
Tess clenched her camera, trying to breathe. She was getting $500 for this wedding. That was what she had to remember. All she had to do was endure a gig or two like this every weekend—she suppressed a shudder—and she might be able to buy plane tickets by the end of the season.
“Botswana. Tanzania. Namibia,” she whispered to herself as the mother of the bride stalked back toward her. “These weddings will be worth it.”
By the time Tess finished the group shots, she wasn’t sure about that anymore. The group portraits had dragged on into the afternoon. Her clients wanted endless permutations, while their family members wanted food, drink, and a reprieve from photos in the blistering sun.
The session went particularly badly with the mother of the bride haranguing everyone, nitpicking Tess’s instructions, and frowning in most of the photos she appeared in. Tess felt drained by the time the group shots were completed, and she still had a few more hours to get through.
She slipped into the tent, hoping that the mother of the bride wouldn’t follow her. Securing her camera at her waist, Tess sidled up to the bar.
“Could I get a glass of ice water?” she asked.
The bartender nodded. “Coming right up.”
She only had time for a single sip of the wondrously cool liquid when there was a tap at her shoulder.
“Ahem.” It was the mother of the bride. Of course.
“Can I help you?” Tess asked.
“Yes!” The mother threw up her hands. “You can take photos, which is what we hired you for! My darling is over there.” She pointed a bony finger at the head table, where Amy and Richard were surrounded by a knot of well-wishers.