by Lily Thorn
“What else is there?” Aubrey took off her oven mitts. “Getting back in bed with your man is all the advice you need.”
“I still feel terrible for saying that Olivia and Henry wouldn’t last.”
Aubrey frowned. “Is there any way you can contact them?”
“Easily. They’re staying in the honeymoon cabin at Bearview. Which is why I haven’t gone outside all day.”
“Hmm.” Aubrey began moving her cookies onto a cooling rack. “Do you think they’d listen if you talked to them?”
“Maybe if I talked about glamorous internet pictures. That’s the only thing I know Olivia likes. What would I even say?”
“That you’re sorry?”
Tess straightened. “No.”
“You’re not going to apologize?”
“Oh, of course I am. But I just got an amazing idea.”
Aubrey set down her spatula. “What is it?”
Tess jumped up. “I’ll tell you later. By the time I get back up the mountain, it’ll be getting dark.”
“Tess! You just got here.”
But she was already halfway down the stairs. “Thanks, Aubrey!” she yelled over her shoulder. “Good talk!”
Tess got in her car, revving the engine. She felt better already. All she needed was for Olivia to listen for one minute. She could make everything right.
***
Even a few hours later, Cade still felt stunned. Tess had been perfect. He’d loved every moment with her, and he’d thought she liked it too. So why had she vanished like that?
After a quick shower, Cade tried to get back to work. He couldn’t think about Tess when he needed to focus on the lodge. He pored over the monthly budget, wondering whether there were any expenses they could cut. But it was hard to concentrate when all he could think about was how good she felt in his arms.
Cade pushed the ledger away. Within him, his bear paced, insisting that they needed to go after their mate. Cade growled, trying to quiet the animal. Tess had driven off the mountain, and his bear feared she wouldn’t return. But if the animal had its way, it would charge into town on all fours. Cade shook himself. Maybe a swim in the lake would calm the beast inside him.
The phone rang, making him jump. Cade took a breath. He hadn’t realized how tense he was.
He picked up the phone. “Hello?”
“Cade? It’s Joe Collins.” Cade could practically smell cigar smoke wafting through the phone as Joe paused. “I’ve worked out how we can get you a lift system for 95 grand.”
“Oh? How?” Cade dug his nails into his palm, bracing for the worst.
“You let us take your old equipment off your hands. You need to get rid of it anyway, and I know a new lodge in need of a lift. It’s family owned, great people. I think they deserve a chance.”
“They want our old equipment?” Cade was incredulous. “Can you even fix that pile of rust?”
“My crew and I can fix anything. I’ve never met a bullwheel I couldn’t wrestle into submission.” There was another pause, and Cade was almost surprised that smoke didn’t pour through the speaker. “Besides that, there’s not much to discuss. I can get you the double chairs with heated seats like I promised. We’ll keep the same line as the old system. And it’ll take a few months, but we’ll have everything ready to go in time for the season.”
“Really?” Cade was glad he was already sitting down. “Thanks, Joe, that’s a real relief.”
“All we need is that fifty percent deposit. Send it over as soon as you can.”
“I’ll do that right now,” Cade promised.
“Sounds good. I’ll bring my crew over on Monday, then.”
“All right. Thanks, Joe.” Hanging up, Cade dug out the family checkbook. He waited until the pen steadied, then wrote out $47,500 on the solid line. His mouth felt dry. Soon, he would be signing away the Boone family’s remaining money.
There was a knock at the door. His heart leapt. Was it Tess?
“Come in,” he said.
It was only Ethan. Cade tried not to show his disappointment.
“Is everything okay?” Ethan asked.
Cade shrugged. “Just signed a check to Joe Collins for half of our savings.”
“So the new lift is on schedule?” Ethan picked up the check, inspecting it.
“Yeah. I just have to get that check to Joe.”
Ethan folded it in half. “I was actually thinking of heading into town. I could take it over for you, if that would help.”
“That’d be great. Thanks.”
Ethan hesitated on the threshold. “Are you sure you don’t want to come with me?”
“I’m going to go over our budget again, see if there’s anything I missed.”
“Well, that sounds fun too.” Ethan fidgeted, then sighed. “You know, I’m sorry if we were too harsh earlier. About Tess, I mean. It’s just…”
“Just what?” Cade growled.
“You’ve never been this way about a girl before. But I trust your judgment. If you want to give her another chance, she should have one.”
“Thanks, Ethan,” Cade said softly.
“I know it’s surprising, but the rest of us care about Bearview too.” Ethan smiled, removing any animosity from his words. “Well, I’ll drop this off at Joe’s. Hopefully we can get a functional lodge out of it.”
“We’d better, for 95 grand.”
“Don’t worry so much, Cade. You’ll get a twist in your tail.” Grinning at the use of their grandmother’s favorite expression, Ethan strode into the hall.
Cade watched him go, trying not to think too hard about the fact that Ethan was taking half of the family’s savings with him.
He turned his attention back to the ledger, determined to find places to make even the smallest cuts. It wasn’t a fun task, and the monotony was only slightly broken by the sandwich he made himself for dinner.
He forced himself to stay awake as the sun sank behind the mountains. As much as he attempted to care about the numbers, he had to admit that he was just waiting for Tess to return.
He was starting to get worried when at last he heard the door next to his creak open. But then it closed again, and her footsteps vanished down the hall. Cade’s shoulders slumped. He hadn’t even gotten a chance to ask her if she was okay.
The clock ticked on, the hours whiling away, but she didn’t return. Where had she even gone? Cade tried valiantly to fight his heavy eyelids, but it was no use. Around midnight his head fell to the desk, and he gave in to sleep.
***
Cade filled his plate with mac and cheese, trying to ignore the uneasiness that had settled in his stomach. Tess’s door had been closed when he’d walked by that morning, and he wasn’t sure whether she was even on the mountain. He was beginning to fear that she’d bought her plane ticket early.
It seemed he wasn’t the only one having a late lunch today, as his brothers were still at their places around the table. Cade took his usual seat, digging into his food. He was starving.
“I dropped off the check,” Ethan said. “Joe says he and his crew will start work on Monday.”
“Thanks again, Ethan.”
“What are we getting?” Dean asked. “A moon bounce?”
“No,” Sawyer said, “let’s get some blackjack tables and turn this place into a casino.”
“We’re getting a new lift,” Cade said, “so we can have a ski lodge.”
“We’d make more money with a casino,” Sawyer said.
“Tell you what.” Cade took another bite. “You can buy all the blackjack tables you want with the extra money.”
“Really?”
“Sawyer.” Dean laid a hand on his shoulder. “I don’t think there is any extra money, bud.”
Sawyer looked at Cade, shaking his head. “How could you deceive me like that? You really let me down, big bro.”
Cade rolled his eyes. “I hope you won’t be upset for too long, seeing as a casino would be illegal.”
“Min
or details.” Sawyer waved him away. “We’d figure something out.”
“Like what, bribing the cops?”
“Nah, too much work. I’d just set you up to take the fall.”
“Thanks,” Cade said. “I appreciate that.”
He was considering reaching across the table and cuffing Sawyer’s ear when Tess walked in, a messenger bag at her side. Seeing her, Cade forgot all about his brothers.
She stood next to him, gripping her tray of food. “Can I sit here?” she asked quietly.
Cade pulled out the chair immediately. She sat, picking up her fork and pushing her food around.
“Did you just wake up?” Sawyer asked.
“Sawyer!” Cade snapped. Tess looked a bit bleary, but that didn’t mean she needed to answer to his rude youngest brother.
“What? It’s just that she looks tired is all.”
Adam elbowed him in the ribs. “You don’t tell women they look tired.”
“But she does. I’m not making that up!”
Tess’s mouth turned up at the corner. “It’s okay. I am tired.”
“Sleep in?” Sawyer asked, dodging another elbow from Dean.
“Not really.” Tess set down her fork. “I was up until four this morning taking photos.”
“Of what? Bats?”
“Not exactly.”
What was she hiding? She seemed pleased with herself.
“What, then?” Logan asked.
“Olivia and Henry.”
Around the table, they all winced.
“You talked to Olivia again?” Cade asked. He would rather talk to a rattlesnake.
“I asked her if she would be willing to put on her gown one last time. I barely finished the sentence and she was already changed. She forced Henry into his suit.”
Jake frowned. “But why?”
“I told them I could get an amazing picture of them.”
“And?” Cade asked. “Did you?”
“Well, I used the last of my ink to print them an 8 x 10. If you heard any high-pitched screeches earlier, that would have been Olivia.”
“Can we see this amazing picture?” Jake asked.
Tess pulled a laptop out of her bag. “Read the review Olivia left on Bearview’s website first.” Opening it, she slid it in front of Cade.
“We have a website?” Sawyer asked.
Adam shushed him.
Slowly, Cade read. “‘My wedding at Bearview Lodge was PERFECT.’” He looked up. “That’s in all caps, by the way. ‘Everything was great, but the best part was the photographer. Thank you, Tess, I look so beautiful in my photos!!!!!’” Cade counted. “That’s five exclamation points, so you know she’s serious. ‘I would recommend Bearview Lodge, but mostly TESS to ANY bride. I can’t wait to hang these photos on my wall. Best wedding ever!’”
Cade blinked at Tess. “What did you do to her?”
“I just told her that I had an idea for a good photo. Do you guys know what long exposures are?”
They all stared at her.
“They’re when you leave the camera shutter open for a really long time. You can really play with the available light. Anyway, I took them to the lake and got some pictures of star trails last night.”
She reached into her bag and put a photo on the table.
It took Cade’s breath away. There were the bride and the groom standing on the dock, with the peak of Mount Bliss in the background. But the night had been transformed. The couple was surrounded by concentric circles of light, evidence of the stars wheeling around them. They embraced, the entire scene reflected in the still lake below.
Cade passed the picture down the table. He wasn’t the only one to have his mouth hang open.
“Olivia seemed much less stressed when it was just her, me, and Henry,” Tess said, as if she was unaffected by the work of art she had created. “She’s very nice, actually. I think she was just overwhelmed on her wedding day.”
Sawyer held up the photo. “You’re saying that you actually took this picture? Like, yourself?”
Tess laughed. “To tell you the truth, there was some editing involved. I only had Olivia and Henry pose for about ten minutes. When they left, I took photos on a tripod for a few hours, then stacked the images on my laptop.”
Sawyer slid the image back toward her gingerly, as if he was afraid he’d ruin it. “I don’t know what any of that means, but whatever you’re doing, keep it up.” He looked at Cade. “Good call. We seriously need to keep her around.”
Tess was practically glowing. Cade suppressed a grin.
Slowly, the conversation drifted. Tess ate steadily, until her tray was clear.
“Let me get that for you,” Cade said.
“Thanks.” Stuffing her laptop and the photo in her bag, she followed him to the kitchen. “Did I do good?” she asked once they were alone.
Cade leaned in to kiss her cheek. “You did phenomenally.”
She blushed a deep red. “Are you busy? I’ve been doing so much work, I think I need a break.”
“Sure. What did you have in mind?”
She twisted her fingers through the bag’s strap. “I was wondering if you’d like to go for another swim?”
“Definitely.” Cade closed the dishwasher. “Someone has to make sure you don’t get too cold.”
They walked out of the lodge and into the sunlight, hand in hand. Cade knew that they had things to discuss, like what yesterday’s weirdness was about, but they could do that later. Right now, he wanted to celebrate.
Chapter Twelve
ON MONDAY, CADE rolled out of bed as soon as he heard the beeping. It was the most beautiful clamor, the sound of heavy-duty trucks backing into position. Joe was here, and that meant that Bearview would soon have a lift again.
Cade took the stairs two at a time, Jupiter trotting after him. As he opened the door, Jupiter bounded out to greet Joe and his crew, tail wagging furiously.
“Hey, Jupe,” Joe called as the dog ran excited circles around the trucks. “And good morning, Cade. Are you ready to start?”
Cade shook his hand. “I’ve been ready for days. What’s first?”
Joe took a bite of his bagel. It was bizarre to see him without his signature cigar. “First, we need the permits. You got them, right?”
Cade’s blood ran cold. “Permits? Are you joking? This is our land.”
“It may be your land, but you’re part of Yonder, aren’t you?” Joe set his bagel aside. “We aren’t changing the footprint of the lift, but you’ll still need a building permit at the very least. The town will want to make sure you aren’t building some monstrosity.”
“We would never do that!”
“I know that, Cade. Tell it to the town. You’ll be lucky if they don’t demand an environmental study.”
His head spun. “What’s all this going to cost me?”
“All told, it cost Wolf Tracks eighty grand.”
Cade felt like he might be sick. “I don’t have eighty grand!”
“It should cost Bearview less.” Joe lit a cigar. “But we can’t get to work until you have the permits. Get them ASAP, Cade.” Letting out a piercing whistle, he threw up one arm and circled a hand in the air. “Change of plans, boys. Move out, we’re working on another site today.”
As one, the men hopped in their trucks. Cade groaned as they drove off, taking his dreams with them.
The double doors banged shut as Dean strolled out of the lodge. “What was all that racket?” he asked.
Cade licked his dry lips. “Joe and his crew were just here.”
“Why are they leaving so soon?”
“They just did a preliminary survey today.” Cade hated lying, but he didn’t want his brothers thinking anything was wrong.
“Oh,” Dean said. “That’s weird.” He shrugged. “I was going to go fishing, try and catch some trout for lunch. You want to come?”
Cade shook his head. “Thanks, but I have some work to do.”
“All right.” D
ean walked toward the woods. “Don’t work too hard, now.”
Cade could promise no such thing. He sighed, watching his brother shift and lumber into the forest. He wished he could go fishing too. Instead, he was probably developing a hernia.
Heading back to his room, Cade picked up the phone. He had borrowed his parents’ contact book, so at least he didn’t have to search for the number. Dialing it, he held his breath.
“This is Ed Brown at the Yonder permits office. How may I help you?”
Cade forced himself to speak. “Hi, this is Cade Boone at Bearview Lodge. We’re putting in a new ski lift, so I wanted to get the necessary permits for that.”
“Oh, Bearview?” Over the phone, Cade could hear typing. “Yes, Joe emailed me the proposal. I can draw up the permits for you.”
“Thanks.” Cade gripped the phone so tightly he feared he might crush it. “Just one thing, how much are these permits going to cost me?”
“Let me see…” The pause on the other end seemed to last forever. “It looks like the total will be approximately ten thousand dollars.”
Cade remembered the first time his parents had let him take his snowboard onto the lift and make a run all by himself. He had done well until halfway down, when he hit an icy patch and veered off a cliff. Luckily, there had been snow a few feet down. This felt exactly like that, except there was nothing to catch his fall.
“Sir? Would you like me to draw those up for you now?”
Cade drew in a shaky breath. “That would be great.” At least his voice was steady. “I may need a couple days to raise the funds, though.”
“That’s not a problem. Just drop off a check when you’re ready, and I’ll have the permits for you.”
“Thanks,” Cade said, “I really appreciate it.” As if in a dream, he set the phone down. Where the hell was he going to get ten thousand dollars?
Cade leaned his head on the desk, feeling nauseous. Even all together, his brothers wouldn’t have that kind of money. Not like he could ask them, anyway. This was his mistake, and he was going to fix it himself.
Still, what a ghastly mistake it was. Cade groaned. They were already cutting it close if they wanted to have the lift in time. Without a lift, no one would be visiting Bearview this winter.