Chapter 7
K elly and Ava sat at their usual table in the resort restaurant.
They had made a habit to enjoy at least one meal there daily, and today was no exception.
They were already on their third day at that restaurant when they saw a familiar head of brown hair walking through the restaurant.
Emma’s head barely cleared the booths as she rounded the corner.
“Hi!” she said, her eyes lighting up as she spotted them.
“Hi, Emma. Are you our server today?” Kelly asked.
Emma smiled and nodded. “Yep! Dad said it’s an emergency.”
“An emergency?” Ava asked.
Emma nodded emphatically. “Everyone is sick, so I’m helping today.”
Kelly frowned and looked over the edge of the booth toward the kitchen. Despite not really knowing Miles, she was surprised by the concern she felt for him. “Oh no. Is your dad okay?”
“Yep. But I’m sleepy. Daddy wanted Grandma to come get me, but she’s sick too.”
Kelly looked at Ava, her mind turning. She could help them out, even if she was on vacation.
Hanging out in this small town had her anxiously trying to find something to do.
She didn’t know how to sit still, having made their family business her life since the moment she could work in the store.
It had been her identity, and she wasn’t sure how to step away from working nonstop.
A commotion near the front of the restaurant had all of them turning to see what was happening. A young woman in stilettos walked in with a few other women tagging along. The hostess brought them to a table near theirs, and they sat down.
Once the hostess disappeared, Emma looked over at the other table. “I’ll be back.”
Then Emma walked to the next table. “Hello. I’m Emma. How are you?”
“Hi, Emma. Um, you aren’t our server, are you?” a woman said.
Emma nodded. “Yep! What can I get you?”
Emma said the lines as if she had rehearsed them. But Kelly supposed she had. She grew up around the restaurant and had probably seen everything done several times. She could probably do the job just as well as any adult.
Kelly exchanged a look with Ava, and they both remained silent so they could hear the conversation.
“How about an adult?”
“Okay,” Emma said. “But I’m really good at my job.”
“They will not have children serving at your wedding, will they?” someone asked.
Another person sighed loudly. “God, I hope not.”
“Oh, you’re here to do the cake tasting,” Emma said. “My daddy has been waiting for you. I’ll get him.”
Emma walked past them and gave a wobbly smile. The sadness in her eyes at being treated less than for trying to help had Kelly smiling at her encouragingly before Emma disappeared around the corner. Kelly frowned at Ava, who had the same expression on her face.
A moment later, Miles appeared and smiled at the women sitting at the table. “Hi, I’m Miles, and I’m the chef here. Are you ready to try some cake samples?”
“Yes, we’d also like to speak with Karen. I believe she was the one I’ve been speaking with about the wedding.”
Miles nodded. “She has fallen ill, so I’m actually going to be handling it.”
Silence descended between them, and Kelly wished like hell she could see their faces over the booth walls.
“But you’re a chef,” she said.
Kelly and Ava’s eyes met and widened.
“Rude,” Kelly mouthed. Ava nodded.
“Yes, I am, but I’m also an owner of the resort,” Miles said.
The silence was deafening, and Kelly was just about to stand up to insert herself when the woman spoke again.
“As long as there aren’t children serving at the wedding.”
“There won’t be,” Miles said stiffly. “I’ll go get those samples.
” Then he turned and walked away, his eye catching Kelly’s.
Just before he rounded the corner, she knew he was simmering with irritation over the reaction to his daughter.
She only hoped she conveyed the same irritation in her own look.
Emma reappeared at their table, but this time her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I forgot to take your order.”
Kelly set a hand on hers. “It’s okay, sweetie. You are really busy.”
Emma heaved a sigh. “Yeah.”
Another server bustled by, and Kelly watched her carrying a tray of food, delivering it to a table before rushing back toward the kitchen.
“That’s Savannah,” Emma said. “She’s really busy too.”
“I can see that,” Kelly said.
Miles rounded the corner a moment later with a platter containing different cake slices. They looked absolutely delicious. He set them down at the table and told the women to enjoy. Then said he would return in a bit to discuss their favorites.
When he stopped at their table, Kelly gave him a small smile. He looked as exhausted as Emma. “Is Emma getting you all squared away?”
“She is,” Ava said. “She was just taking our order.”
He looked down at his daughter affectionately. “This isn’t normally how we do business. We’re just short-staffed at the moment.”
“Is there any way we can help?” Kelly asked.
Miles leaned in closer and whispered. “Unless you’re a wedding planner, I think we are good.”
Kelly and Ava exchanged looks.
“Well…” Kelly said.
Ava smiled brightly. “Kelly would love to help!”
Miles’s eyes met Kelly’s, and a hopeful look bloomed across his face. “Really?”
“I’m not exactly a wedding planner, but I’m an event planner.”
“I’ll take it,” Miles said.
“Don’t you need to discuss it with anyone else?”
Miles shook his head, and his voice lowered.
“Honestly, no. Half our staff is out with the flu. We are so short-staffed, I’m honestly getting worried.
This happens every year, but we always make it through.
Yet, right now, I’m not sure how we will.
” His eyes shifted to the bench in the booth, and a small smile crossed his face.
Kelly’s eyes followed and found Emma fast asleep lying next to Ava.
“Even Emma is worn out from going to school and then coming here to help.”
Kelly’s eyes roamed over the little girl. She knew how it was when flu season wiped out the staff at the same time, but their little bookstore and cafe was so small compared to this large resort.
“I’ll help in any way I can.”
Miles breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you. You’re a lifesaver. Can we meet for a late dinner tonight to go over everything?” Then he looked around. “Actually, you’re here to eat dinner, but I’ll have more dinner ready tonight in case you’re hungry.”
Kelly giggled, and her stomach did a little flip-flop. It was purely work-related, but the thought of meeting up with him for dinner still did things to her.
“Yes, that works.”
Miles peered over at the other booth where the women were trying the cake. “Thank you. Now let me take your order. It’s on me.”
Kelly walked into the restaurant later that night after it had closed. Miles had prepared food for them and already had a table set up. She approached tentatively where he sat waiting for her.
When he spotted her, he stood and smiled tiredly. “Hey. Thank you for coming.”
“Of course.”
She looked at the table, where there were pasta dishes waiting for them. Emma sat at a nearby table coloring.
“Hi, Kelly!” Emma said.
“Hi, Emma.”
Miles gestured for her to take a seat and then sat across from her. “Emma already ate, so it’s just us. I hope I didn’t bombard you earlier. I’ve just been a little overwhelmed.”
“You didn’t. I’m happy to help.” Kelly watched as he took a bite of his pasta and looked down at her own. It wasn’t anything spectacular, just basic spaghetti, but when she tasted it, flavor exploded in her mouth.
“Oh my gosh. This is amazing,” she said.
He smiled and blushed before taking another bite. He held up a bottle of red wine and she nodded, so he popped the cork and poured them each a glass.
“This one is my favorite,” he said.
She swirled it around her glass and smelled it before taking a small sip. It was the perfect blend of red.
“Thank you.”
“So, about the wedding coming up. Are you sure you’re up for the job? She kind of seems like a bridezilla.”
Kelly giggled. “I got that feeling too. But yes, I’m inexperienced in weddings, but have planned events for my family’s bookstore. So if you’re up for taking a chance on me, I’m happy to help.”
A genuine smile crossed his face and lit up his eyes. It was the biggest smile she had seen from him yet, and damn did it make him look good.
“I was hoping you’d say that.” He picked up a notebook from the other end of the table that she hadn’t noticed and handed it to her.
“These are the notes my mom took for the wedding along with all the information for any outside vendors. The wedding is this weekend, and everything has been taken care of. It’s just the logistics of keeping it running smoothly and following up with any last-minute details.
And we’ll of course compensate you for your time. ”
Kelly flipped through it. The notes were meticulous, and she didn’t foresee anything going wrong. It would be a walk in the park… or so she hoped.
“I think I can handle this. Is there anything else I can help with?”
Miles chuckled. “I mean, if you can figure out a way to magically repair several rooms so we don’t have to arrange temporary housing for hotel guests, then sure.”
“Come again?”
He sighed. “We had some pipes burst and destroy some rooms. We’ve placated some guests with partial refunds for their disruption.
Some rooms are completely damaged, and no one can stay in them until they’re repaired.
Normally we could rearrange things and make it work, but we have this wedding coming in, so we’re fully booked. ”
Kelly frowned. “Well, Ava and I could give up our room and try to book somewhere else. It’s only one room, but it could help a little.”
“No. We wouldn’t ask you to do that.”
“I don’t mind. I would appreciate some recommendations, but I don’t have to stay at the resort.”
Miles studied her for a moment, and she saw the wheels turning in his head.
“You know, I might be able to come up with something. My sister-in-law Mia has a house she’s been renting to my brother’s girlfriend Lily.
But Lily has been considering moving in with Ethan.
Let me see what I can do. I might be able to get you and Ava a house while you’re here. ”
Kelly furrowed her brows as she tried to follow along with all the names he said. But the gist of it was that he wanted to give them a house temporarily. “That’s not necessary.”
Miles reached across the table and set his hand on hers. “I insist.”
She froze as the warmth of his touch enveloped her. Her eyes darted to his, and he looked just as stunned before pulling his hand back.
“So, um. I should give you my number in case you need anything,” he said.
“Yeah, that would be good.” She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “So, it sounds like you have a pretty large family.”
“I have three brothers. I’m the youngest.”
“Wow. Three older brothers. Do they all work here?”
Miles nodded and took another sip of his wine.
“They do. We each have our role. The oldest, Noah, is part of the ski patrol and manages the first-aid area on the mountain. Then it’s Jackson.
He does the landscaping. Third is Ethan.
He’s an adventure guide. And my parents manage the bookkeeping and general maintenance.
We all try to fill in when we’re needed elsewhere, but the restaurant is a bit more difficult.
They can’t all just jump into the kitchen and make dishes. ”
Kelly understood that. It would be harder for her to jump into the accounting role at the bookstore as well just because she had never done it.
“How many siblings do you have?” Miles asked. “Are your parents involved with the business too?”
“There are five of us. I share the third spot with my twin brother, Cole. But if you ask him, he’s number three and I’m four since he was born two minutes before me.” She rolled her eyes with a smile as Miles chuckled. “My parents retired and passed the reins off to us kids.”
“Do you all get along well?” he asked.
“We do. I feel like you kind of have to to run a business together.” Miles nodded along. “Cole and I live together with Ava. We’ve all been really close for as long as I can remember.”
Miles lifted his wine glass for them to clink together. “Sounds like we have some things in common.”
She smiled and clinked her glass with his. “That we do.”