Chapter 10
“You think she’s some kind of bigot?”
Maddox winced at the harshness of Bobbette’s question as the two of them worked together to restock the small sundry store in the resort lobby. They opened the refrigerator door and straightened the soda and water bottles to buy time before responding.
A bigot?
There was no question that Ms. Farrington had taken an immediate dislike to Maddox, which they’d vented about to Bobbette, but they struggled to chalk it all up to homophobia or queerphobia.
Ms. Farrington was a sophisticated businesswoman from Oklahoma City.
It was difficult to imagine her life experience being so narrow that she’d never worked with an openly queer person before.
Of course, prejudice could come in many shapes, sizes, and income-levels, which Maddox had witnessed firsthand.
But it was still hard to think of Ms. Farrington that way.
“I don’t know,” Maddox finally admitted. “She seems rude and entitled, but I can’t help sensing she’s a mostly decent person beneath all that.”
Bobbette looked up from her inventory checklist and smiled fondly. “That’s because you like to see the best in people. We all love that about you.”
Maddox’s cheeks heated. “Aww. Maybe that’s just you seeing the best in me, though.”
Bobbette paused, and her forehead crinkled in confusion. Finally, she rolled her eyes. “Ugh. Would you just take the compliment?”
Maddox chuckled, and the two of them continued to work in silence until the store was back in order.
When they were finished, Bobbette said, “Okay, so maybe she’s not a bigot.
But whatever Ms. Farrington’s deal is, you need to look after yourself for a change, Maddox.
If that means letting someone else handle the event so you don’t have to mess with her, then I say go for it. ”
She gave Maddox a comforting side hug before brushing past them to return to the front desk.
Maddox shuffled out of the lobby. Outside, they stepped into a cool late afternoon breeze that sent a cluster of multicolored leaves swirling around them. They closed their eyes and breathed in the sweet, crisp air.
Damn, they loved it here. They loved the natural beauty of this part of the Ozarks, and they loved the people they worked with, even when they didn’t love every aspect of their job.
A sinking sensation roiled through their stomach. If Oliver really decided to sell to the Farringtons, this whole place would be gone one day. And if Denise Farrington’s attitude toward them was any indication, Maddox probably wouldn’t have a place in whatever the company built here in the future.
Maddox kicked at a small pile of leaves as they realized how hauntingly familiar this situation was.
When Maddox had been a kid, their ladder-climbing dad had been working his way to the senior management levels of an oil and gas company in Oklahoma.
Some would say that growing up poor, raised by a divorced mom, had lit a fire under Tyson Daniels, but Maddox had always felt more like it had given him a chip on his shoulder.
In any case, he’d been unstoppable in pursuing a winning career and the right lifestyle for his family until, when Maddox was a teenager, a larger company had bought out his employer and left his role redundant.
He’d struggled to find a job he thought was comparable enough to his old one, and in a matter of months, the family finances had taken a nosedive.
Maddox had always felt like a warped puzzle piece trying to fit into the life their dad wanted, but even that had been preferable to the stress of watching their parents argue over money and their dad drown his frustrations in a bottle.
Chasing after success in the dog-eat-dog business world had set Maddox’s dad up to fail when a bigger dog had come along.
That’s how companies worked: eat up everything in sight for profit and throw away anything and anyone that isn’t useful.
And in the not-too-distant future, Maddox would likely be the one being thrown away.
Hopefully, Bobbette and the rest of the staff would fare better.
If nothing else, Maddox probably needed to cooperate with Ms. Farrington for the sake of their coworkers.
The frosty businesswoman’s experience here during the conference could decide a lot about how she perceived the staff and how she treated them.
Maddox squared their shoulders, bolstered by a new resolution. They had no clue what they were going to do about their own future right now, but they could at least try to make things smoother for their friends.
It was around eight in the evening, and Maddox hoped that wasn’t too late to pay Ms. Farrington a visit as they stood outside her suite and knocked.
Several moments passed before the door opened and Ms. Farrington appeared. She was wearing casual clothes now, and her hair was down. It hung around her shoulders in lush brown waves, and Maddox was momentarily stunned by the way it softened her appearance.
Ms. Farrington raised a quizzical eyebrow at them, and Maddox snapped back to attention. “Hi. I’m sorry to disturb you, but I brought you something.”
They held up the basket they’d brought with them. "This has a few goodies that I picked up in Blueville today. There are lavender bath salts and lotion made by a local shop, more preserves, and some of the famous fudge from the best candy kitchen in the state."
Ms. Farrington’s eyes widened at the offering, and she reached out a careful hand to accept it. “Thank you.”
Maddox didn’t move back all the way after handing over the basket. “Can we talk for a minute?”
Ms. Farrington hesitated, and for a few seconds, Maddox thought she would say no.
Instead, she took a step backwards and gestured for Maddox to enter the room.
Once she had shut the door behind her, she folded her arms and faced them with a questioning expression.
She didn’t invite them to sit, not that Maddox expected her to.
Maddox drew in a deep breath and released it slowly. “I spoke on the phone to Oliver today. As I’m sure you know, he’s the owner and general manager of the resort. Once he gets back into town, he will work with you on the conference himself, if that works for you.”
Her posture relaxed. “That will be fine. Thank you.”
Maddox nodded. “You’re welcome.”
Ms. Farrington moved as if preparing to open the door, but Maddox wouldn’t be dismissed so easily. “There’s one more thing.”
She hesitated and faced them again. “Yes?”
“I know your company has shown interest in buying the resort from Oliver to build one of your parks here.”
“That’s right,” Ms. Farrington agreed stiffly. “What about it?”
“I’ve gotten the strong impression that you don’t like it here very much. But I’m not sure if it’s this place you feel that way about or if it’s me specifically who makes you uncomfortable.”
Ms. Farrington turned away, but Maddox pressed on.
“This may sound weird, but I hope it’s me.
Not the place. This little corner of Arkansas is so beautiful: the weather, the wildlife…
some days it feels pretty close to heaven.
And maybe I hate to think of the resort not being here one day when it’s practically my home, but at the same time, I know it would do a lot of good for the local economy if your company built here.
I don’t think you’d be sorry either. Plus, there’s a whole staff here and plenty of locals you’d be lucky to have working for you.
As for me, I’ll find work somewhere else and won’t bother you.
So, please don’t let whatever your problem with me is color your decisions. ”
Maddox was out of breath after the speech, but getting everything out in the open lessened a weight on their shoulders.
Ms. Farrington stood so still that she might as well have been a statue, and there was a greater than zero chance that she’d ignored Maddox’s words entirely.
With a sigh, they turned to leave. “Thanks for hearing me out. Have a good night, Ms. F—”
She whirled around and stepped closer to Maddox so suddenly that they reflexively moved back against the door with a thud. Her gaze pierced Maddox with an intensity that sent an unexpected flutter through their chest.
“You really don’t remember me?”
Maddox stared, disoriented by the abrupt and strange question.
Remember her? As if they could forget meeting a woman like her, with her mystifying mix of soft, alluring curves and sharp, moody edges.
Ms. Farrington continued watching them. Her expression was hard to read: simultaneously yearning, fearful…and vulnerable. So vulnerable. With that look in her eyes and the soft, wavy hair framing her face, she almost looked like a different person. A younger, more innocent woman who—
Maddox’s entire body gave a jolt as the memory overtook them.
It had been seven long years since that day. When they’d last seen her, she was being pushed away on a stretcher and loaded into the back of an ambulance.
“Mrs. Brandt?”