by Ali Parker
“I know, I know, but I can’t help how I feel. I always go after the wrong guys. Even when I know they are wrong, I can’t stop myself.”
“You told me you wouldn’t get mixed up with anyone while you were working here,” I reminded her. “No complications. You falling for Nick is a very big complication.”
“I know. You’re right. I promised to stay away from men.”
“You need to find a man that you know is good for you. You’ve been avoiding Nick because you know he isn’t right for you. Don’t cave in now. You know it’s wrong. He’s a good guy but he’s also determined to out-earn his father. I don’t want you getting caught in the middle of his need to be at the top. I don’t want him to hurt you.”
She nodded. “I know. I don’t want that either. He’s just so damn easy to want.”
“I don’t want to know about that.”
She offered a small smile. “Don’t turn all virginal on me now.”
“The right man is out there for you. This thing you are doing here is good for you. It’s giving you a chance to find your own solid footing without a man getting in the way and messing things up. Have fun and enjoy the freedom of being single.”
“I am. I will.”
Something told me she was lying. She was head over heels for the guy. I could see it all over her face. I was probably being a real dick by trying to get her to stay away from him, but damn if I didn’t like the idea of my friend hooking up with my sister. It all felt very wrong. I knew Nick better than she did. He was around now, but as soon as he caught a whiff of easy money to be made, he would be gone.
I liked Nick and I didn’t want to have to kick his ass for fucking with my sister and breaking her heart. I didn’t want to lose a friend. When our orders arrived, I dug into my sandwich with Cori having “just a couple” of my fries, which turned into the bulk of my plate.
“I’m going to get back to the shop. Inventory is winding down. I want to push as much as we can so there is nothing left over.”
“Good luck. You’re doing very well. I’m glad to have you here.”
“I’m glad to be here. Thanks for trusting me to do this. I know I haven’t really had the best track record in the past.”
I walked her back to the shop, gave her a quick hug, and made my way back to my office. I was feeling pretty rotten for talking her out of a relationship with Nick. It was hypocritical. I was bending over backward to get Harper as my girlfriend. I never asked Cori how she felt about it. I was just doing whatever made me happy.
I tried to assuage my guilt by claiming it was different. It was only different because Harper and I dated before. That didn’t make it any better. I loved both Nick and Cori but the two of them together just didn’t seem like it would end well. I didn’t want hard feelings for anyone.
Again, when Harper and I ended, I didn’t stop to think about what Cori would be feeling or the fact that our breakup was a huge blow to their friendship.
Chapter 40
Harper
I was in over my head. What was I thinking? This was crazy. I wasn’t a miracle worker. I was just me, Harper Lincoln, a girl with big ideas and little thought.
I was out of my mind to even suggest I could take on a project like this. I promised Chase I wouldn’t quit, but damn if I wasn’t strongly considering fleeing the country and changing my name.
I put my hands in my hair and pulled, groaning as I stared down at the ideas scattered across my desk. “This isn’t going to work.”
Parker was at her own desk across the room with a similar pose. Her hands were in her cropped hair, the dark circles under her eyes making her look a little skeleton-like from where I sat. We had been up almost all night, sleeping just a few hours before dragging our sorry asses back to the office for another go around.
“We are looking at close to a thousand kids,” Parker said in a monotone voice. “Not a hundred. Not five hundred. One thousand. Three zeroes. Do you know how many kids that is?”
“I do. A lot.”
“Harper, I’m not sure what we are going to do. Every catering company I’ve called has pretty much laughed in my face.”
“Same thing with the carnival rides. I just assumed they could be set up. Every company I’ve called has laughed at me and asked if I was in the same state as they were. We’re not going to have rides. How can we have a carnival with no rides?”
“I did get in touch with that church that hosts a spring fair every year. They gave me their contact for some games.”
“Thank God—literally,” I added with a laugh. “I do have three food trucks confirmed but that doesn’t solve the problem of the cold. They can’t very well bring a food truck inside, which means the kids are going to be out in the cold. What if it snows?”
“Tents?” she offered.
“I think we have to. There is no way we can have that many kids in here.”
“Cori forwarded me the press release she put out for it. She went on a media blitz.”
I covered my eyes. “Which means there is no getting out of it.”
“Not unless we want to piss off the community and get a huge black mark on the resort.”
“We’re so screwed,” I groaned.
“We’ll find a way. We have to.”
“What are we going to do to entertain these kids? With no rides, they are going to be bundles of energy running about.”
“I don’t think we can hire a clown. They aren’t going to be interested in a singer unless it’s one of those from the Disney Channel or something. I’m not seeing us getting that done in the next few days.”
“No, me either.” I sighed. “I’m losing my mind here.”
“Let me Google. Google has all the answers.”
“I’ll jump on Pinterest.”
We worked in silence—well, relative silence minus our groans and sighs. I was hitting a wall. I didn’t know Nick, but I was somehow invested in his future. I wasn’t sure when that happened, but it did, and now I was freaking out over something I didn’t have anything to do with. I felt like I would be letting Cori and Nick down along with about a thousand kids.
I needed an epiphany. I needed to be struck upside the head with a really good idea. “I’m going to go for a walk to jog these creative juices.”
“Good luck,” she muttered as I walked out.
I barely made it to the door when my phone rang. I was hoping it would be a lead on some game booths or some kind of indoor ride. I stared at the number and didn’t recognize it.
“Hello,” I answered.
“Hi, is this Harper?”
“It is,” I replied to the female voice that was vaguely familiar.
“Hi, it’s Tawny. Lassiter. The dress lady.”
“Oh, hi,” I said, my tired brain not immediately picking up on it.
“I hope I didn’t catch you at a bad time.”
“Nope, I was just headed outside to take a walk.”
“It’s twenty degrees outside!”
I laughed. “I’m working on a project and my brain needed a break.”
“Ah, I see. I was wondering if you would like to get together for drinks tonight.”
I grimaced. I wanted to. I liked her, and it was always good to have allies, especially female allies in the business, but I was so swamped. “Tonight?” I asked, trying to think of a way to reject her without burning the bridge.
“I’ll go there,” she offered. “That way you can work up until the very last minute.”
I smiled. “Thank you. I do appreciate it. Does seven work for you?”
“Perfect. I’ll see you then.”
I took my walk, froze myself just enough to wake up, and headed back to the office for another grueling round of work. It was five minutes until seven when I next looked at the clock. I had been so focused on the planning, I didn’t pay attention.
“Shit,” I muttered, looking down at my wrinkled skirt and blouse. I didn’t have time to change. I just knew Tawny would look amazing
and I was going to look like a worn-out dishrag.
I rushed out of the office and headed for the lounge that was doing a pretty good business. Tawny was already there as expected.
“I’m so sorry,” I gushed as I sat down.
“It’s fine. You’re a hard worker. I like that.”
“Thanks.” I quickly ordered a drink and took a moment to collect my thoughts. My brain was fried. I could barely think straight. All I could think about was corn dogs and balloons, the latest addition to the fair lineup.
“I’ve heard you are putting on some kind of family fair,” she said.
I looked at her, knowing my makeup had worn off hours ago and the dark circles were probably in full force. “I am. We are. We’re trying.”
“Is this something you were planning on doing?”
“No, it was a very, very, very last-minute idea.”
She laughed softly. “I see. That takes a brave person to take on such a challenge.”
“Brave or crazy.”
“That’s why I’m here.”
“To find out if I’m brave or crazy?” I joked.
“Yes, in a way. I want you to work for me. I need an expert like yourself to get the merchandising up and running for my mall.”
I blinked. “Wow, I’m flattered. Really, truly flattered.”
It was a dream job. I liked Tawny and I loved the idea of working in a mall like hers. It would be similar to what I did before Chase came along. I liked the excitement of merchandising for several stores. There was a lot of creativity and excitement. But something told me to hold back.
“You are very good at what you do. I like what I see here, and I like your work ethic. That’s the kind of person I want on my team.”
“Thank you, truly, but I’m under contract here through the first of the year.”
“That’s fine. I wouldn’t be ready to do anything until after that anyway.”
I couldn’t explain why, but I was holding back. This was the job I wanted to land, and now that it was staring me in the face, I was balking. “Can I have some time to think about it? It’s a great offer—it really is—and I would love to work for you, but I need to consider it first.”
“Absolutely. I would want you to make a decision that you are comfortable with. I don’t want you jumping into a job because you feel like it’s the only option. I want you to be happy with your decision.”
“I appreciate that. I’m not sure if I’m going to stay in Vail. My home is in Boulder.”
She shrugged. “Vail suits you. You would be paid enough to afford the housing around here, which is ridiculously overpriced in my opinion.”
I agreed with her. I had been doing some checking, knowing my time at the resort ended with my contract. “It is a beautiful city and I do love it here. I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this.”
“Well, here it is. I won’t pressure you, but please do think about it.”
“I absolutely will. I have to admit my brain is fried from all the work on the fair. I will definitely take some time once I’ve been able to sleep.”
We finished our drinks and she excused herself, claiming she had another appointment. I walked her out and imagined she probably had a hot date. She was a beautiful woman and something about her just exuded sex appeal. Men would be falling all over themselves for the chance to date her.
I looked at the big clock in the lobby. It was just after eight. My workaholic side told me to go back to the office and get back to work. My exhausted side was begging for a hot bath and sleep. The exhausted side won. I headed for my room, ready to call it a day. As I passed by the tree in the lobby, I stopped and stared up at it.
After the first of the year, the tree would be gone and so would I. My contract was up on January second. Chase never really mentioned it, but it was a fact. I was going to miss the hotel and him. I walked away from the tree and moved to the elevators. There was no way I could take the stairs. I didn’t have the energy.
I wondered what it would be like when it came time to say goodbye. I told myself not to get emotionally attached, and I didn’t feel like I was head over heels in love with him, but I did enjoy my time here. I did like hanging out with him. I was going to be sad on the last day. It was one of the reasons I wasn’t sure I wanted to stay in Vail. I didn’t know if I could handle being so close to him and the resort I felt like I’d helped build with my bare hands. It would be tough to be an outsider.
I filled the beautiful jacuzzi tub with water, dumping in some of the bubbles that were complimentary in every room. The scent of lavender washed over me, almost immediately calming my frayed nerves. I stripped, lit the single candle I had, and slid into the water. I closed my eyes and let the jets massage my aching body. It was amazing how sore one could get after sitting hunched over a desk all morning. I really didn’t think it was hard work, but damn if I wasn’t drained.
I was going to have to give up my luxurious baths when I moved out of the hotel. My apartment back in Boulder had a crappy tub with a shower that ran hot and cold. Room service would be out, and the comfortable sheets were going to be a thing of the past. I was spoiled at the hotel. It was going to be hard to go back to my normal life after getting the royal treatment for so long.
That was what I told myself I was going to miss the most, but deep down, the hotel was the last thing I was worried about missing.
Chapter 41
Chase
I pulled open the door to Harper’s office. I grimaced when I saw the disaster. There were poster boards scattered about. The white board that covered one wall had so many scribbles in different colors I wasn’t sure anyone could look at it and actually read anything. I was kicking myself in the ass for giving her the go ahead on this project. It backfired. She’d been so busy I had barely seen her the last couple of days.
I decided to make up an excuse to talk to her. It was easy enough. I wanted to know how the planning was going. Judging by the mess in the office and the pile of food trays and soda cans covering Parker’s workspace, it wasn’t going well.
Harper came around the corner carrying a stack of papers. She stopped when she saw me, looking like she’d been caught red-handed. “This is not how I normally operate.”
“I know. Are you okay? You look, uh, tired.” I was going to say haggard, but I didn’t think that was the best way to get her to talk to me.
“It’s been a wild few days,” she said and dropped the papers on her desk.
I hated to see her look so spent. I could see the frustration and practically feel the tension in her neck and shoulders. I would love to give her a nice massage. I didn’t think she would appreciate me touching her just then.
“Is there anything I can help with? I meant to stop by earlier, but I was busy putting out my own fires.”
“I’m good.”
“Harper, I’m yours. Anything you need.”
I meant that in every way possible. I was hers. I would never belong to another woman. I needed her to know that. I needed her to let me in. I could help her. I wanted to help her.
“I think I’ve got the bulk of it figured out. Truthfully, I’m genuinely surprised at how well it came together. That first twenty-four hours, I seriously considered fleeing the country. I didn’t think there was any way I could pull this off.”
“I’m proud of you and I have to say, I’m not that surprised. You really are a miracle worker.”
I wasn’t going to tell her I had made a few calls, pulled a few strings, and promised favors to some of the businesses she reached out to. I wanted to make sure she felt successful and I didn’t mind greasing the wheels a bit. After all, the community event was good for my business and I would reap the benefits of her hard work.
“Thank you. I’m going to be a very tired miracle worker.”
“So, everything is set then?”
She made a funny face. “Not exactly.”
“What does that mean?”
“I have no idea how I am going
to entertain these kids.”
“Isn’t that what the fair is supposed to do?”
“Yes, but I need something to keep them occupied when they aren’t playing games or doing the crafts we’ve come up with.”
“Are you talking like clowns or something like that?” I asked with confusion.
She smiled. “No, but kind of. It would be nice if we had help to keep a thousand kids reined in. A story time is something we thought of and we did reach out to some of the high schools to see if they would be willing to put on whatever Christmas play they were working on, but the sets are an issue. Again, if I had more time, it could work. I don’t have time and it won’t work.”
“What about having Santa show up? We have a small army of them.”
She shook her head. “We can’t do that. Those guys have finally found their groove with the concierge service. I don’t want to mess that up.”
“Good point. What about calling more Santas?”
She shrugged. “I want a Santa for sure, but he can only be so entertaining. With no rides or attractions, the kids are going to be bored out of their minds. The craft tables and the gift-making tables will suffice for a while, but we are still trying to figure out how to make that happen. We would need at least two people at each station, plus people to man the games that we did manage to secure. I need another army. I wasn’t expecting the interest to be this high. I’m not sure I would have opened my big mouth.”
I smiled, reaching out to push a chunk of hair away from her face. “The interest is there because people saw what you pulled off with the grand opening. They are all looking forward to seeing what else you have up your sleeve.”
“I don’t have much. Nick is supposed to be trying to find some options, but he’s not getting anywhere.”
“I’m surprised Nick is involved at all. This really isn’t his thing.”
“I don’t know,” she muttered. “I need entertainment.”
“Santa has elves running his workshop and toy shop. We need elves.”
She looked at me with eyes wide. “That is such a good idea!”