Chapter 14 Plans and Promises
PLANS AND PROMISES
Penny
Skiing was never my thing, especially after my high school friend Nancy took a nasty spill on these slopes our sophomore year.
I always admired the old lodge, though—the stone-and-cedar building with the cathedral-style windows perched high on one of the tallest peaks around Steele Valley.
Pristine and pretty in the winter, its spring and summer snowmelt fed right into Steele Lake, glimmering halfway down the mountain like a mirror to the sky.
Even after all these years, the exterior of the lodge still took my breath away.
A gorgeous lodge despite its age, and if anyone had asked me, I’d have said Holden could save a fortune with a light restoration instead of a complete rebuild.
Pressure-washing the stone would make the natural colors pop.
He could simply refinish the cedar siding, replace the copper roofline, freshen up the landscaping, and call it a day.
This was Steele Valley, though, where luxury was currency.
I knew that well, growing up in my mom’s dress shop on Main Street, watching her fret over paint colors, interior and exterior, and window displays to keep the wealthier clients coming back year after year.
In this town, you didn’t stay relevant by being merely good enough.
Since the name of the game was for Archer and the Bellamy Brothers to win Holden West’s contract—and a multi-million-dollar one at that—I kept my simple ideas to myself.
Snow crunched beneath our boots as we all filed out of the company shuttle bus.
We stood outside the entrance of the lodge, and Archer greeted us, his breath misting in the cold.
The temperature had dropped since yesterday, necessitating bundled layers of wool and down, knit caps pulled low, and scarves wrapped tight.
I stole a glance up and down Archer. His coat was sleek gray wool, his gloves leather, his jaw shadowed like he didn’t have time to shave this morning. I loved knowing exactly why; it was our little secret.
Last night he was… everything. Today, he was my boss.
He’d made that crystal clear. I stood near enough that his aftershave wafted to me on the chilly breeze, and I ached for him—like an echo of last night’s warmth had followed me here, trapped under my skin.
When he’d been just Archer in my arms, on top of me, and inside of me.
Here stood Mr. Bellamy, CEO. Untouchable. How could I move on and pretend last night was enough? One time was not enough. I wanted to forget that I worked for him. I wanted to remember only how it felt when there were no barriers between us.
Archer’s voice snapped me back. “Everyone, this is Holden West.”
Holden stepped forward in red and black flannel, tall and rugged with darker features compared to Archer. In that easy way of a cocky athlete, he carried himself with a smile that could melt a glacier, or the hearts of women everywhere.
“Some of you might know my family’s name from West Games,” he started.
“But this property means something personal. I used to be a professional snowboarder, Olympic bound, before an injury took me out of the game. Now, I want to build a resort and inspire others to enjoy the sport.” His grin widened.
“I’m thrilled to have the Bellamy team here.
Bring me ideas that are fresh, bold, and impossible to forget, like me. ” We all laughed.
He launched into a brief history of the lodge, naming off celebrities and politicians who had stayed there, including a few rumored scandals.
“Now—” he slapped his hands together and rubbed them. “Let me tell you my vision for this place.” He pivoted, gesturing to the exterior.
“I want this to rival Aspen, Vail, Banff. More suites, panoramic glass, a spa wing, a rooftop bar. Think old world meets new in mountain luxury with a heartbeat. We’ll also expand vertically—five stories, maybe ten, and—”
“Vertically?” Archer interrupted, a frown on his face, tone measured but tight.
“Holden, that’s a completely different project.
If you build up, we’re not talking cosmetic renovations—we’re talking new structural systems. We’d need to stress-test the soil, bring in geotechnical engineers, check the rock base.
You’ll have to bolster the foundation and reconfigure the entire load-bearing frame.
That’s millions in additional cost, easily. ”
I cleared my throat and raised my hand. Archer and Holden looked at me. “Excuse me. Do we have an idea of your budget yet?”
Holden shrugged like money was the least of his worries. “Let’s just say that I have an obscene budget. I want this to be the premier destination in the Northeast. I’m not afraid to spend what’s needed to make it so.”
Before I could process the word obscene, Caleb slid in smoothly.
“When the budget’s that strong, cost doesn’t matter,” he said with a grin toward Holden. “What the client wants, the client gets. Right?”
Holden laughed, clearly charmed. “Exactly. I like you already.”
Archer’s jaw ticked. “Sure,” he said evenly. “As long as physics agrees with the client.”
Holden shrugged. “Two other firms didn’t seem to think it’d be a problem.”
Archer straightened. “Wait—two other firms?” His voice lost its calm edge. “Holden, a word?”
They stepped a few paces away, but Caleb and I were close enough to catch their low voices bouncing off each other.
“What the hell?” Archer said quietly, though the tension in his shoulders said plenty. “Given our friendship, I thought we had an understanding that we’d be working on this project for you.”
Holden lifted his hands. “Relax. Call it due diligence. I gathered a few opinions before jumping in. I’ve never built anything like this. You can imagine how much hand-holding I’ll need.”
A smile ghosted across his lips, though his tone stayed polite. “That’s exactly what you’ll get when you hire my firm—hand-holding the entire way.”
Holden grinned, patting his shoulder. “Like dating, huh? As long as we get past first base.”
Archer chortled. His eyes flicked toward the view instead, scanning the valley. When they rejoined the group, his smile looked practiced.
The rest of the day blurred into motion. Our team spread out, the interns, too, snapping photos, sketching, taking measurements, discussing potential problems and opportunities with the build. Maya conferred with Holden about guest-flow logistics. I trailed them all with my tablet, logging ideas.
Holden’s enthusiasm never dimmed. He wanted a top-notch gourmet kitchen to match the five-star restaurant he planned to add—open concept, with glassed-in wine storage and a Michelin-rated chef.
He pointed towards the terrace outside. “Infinity pool there, heated year-round with a retractable roof like the Astrodome,” he said.
“I have a vision of people swimming while it’s snowing. ”
I chuckled, scribbling notes. “Holden, I grew up in Steele Valley. What about the locals?” I asked. “Will you still offer community days—discounted lift passes and use of facilities each season?”
Holden’s expression softened. “Absolutely. My PR team will schedule those before we even open. The locals keep this valley running, so they deserve to enjoy it, too. And I believe in encouraging the youth of today to take up my sport. I even have a foundation that outfits underserved youth with equipment.”
That answer earned him a smile from me. Maybe he was a dreamer, perhaps a big talker, definitely a charmer and gorgeous, but my gut said Holden West wasn’t heartless. He was simply a man with means who wanted to build himself a legacy—on top of a mountain.
By late afternoon, the light was fading, and I needed a stretch, my sketchbook almost full of ideas.
I filtered back through the lodge lobby, seeing heads bent over tablets and lists.
At the self-serve coffee bar, I fixed myself a latte, and caught bits of Caleb’s conversation as he lingered with Holden at the nearby bar area.
“With my management approach,” Caleb was saying, “I could streamline all of this for you—keep the same timeline, maybe even under budget. Bellamy Brothers has incredible designers, of course, but there are others. I can personally oversee the design and construction, make sure everything stays efficient.”
Holden nodded, clearly intrigued. I hesitated. It sounded like a pitch Caleb was making for Holden’s business outside of Bellamy. I searched and found Archer in an alcove with Maya and Brooks, talking to the interns about load-bearing walls and structural stress points.
Caleb brushed by me, joining them, the little mini-class taking on a life of its own. I bit my tongue about what I thought I heard and turned back to my notes.
By the time we returned to the Steele Valley Resort, twilight threatened to cloak the valley. Archer and I said goodbye to everyone and stepped off. The company shuttle moved on, taking the team back to the city. I’d driven my own car, planning to spend the night at Mom’s place.
With the shuttle out of view, Archer finally faced me, his eyes warming, the air thick with unsaid things. “Hi. Interesting day.”
“Yes, an exciting project, if we can rein in Holden’s desires.”
He exhaled a chortle, steam curling from his breath. “He’s always been a big thinker.”
“I saw that, yes. But—sorry if it’s not my place—I overheard Caleb sounding like he was pitching Holden on managing the project himself.” I tilted my head.
A muscle jumped in his jaw, eyes narrowing. Then he snorted. “That’s Caleb. Gets chummy with clients. It’s part of his charm—and why he’s good at bringing projects in.”
“Okay. I wasn’t sure if it was something to worry about.”
“I’m glad you told me. But let’s be honest here. Without you and Maya and the team behind him, Caleb wouldn’t be able to manage a thing.” He smirked faintly. “You’ve worked with him for the past few weeks. You know.”
“Yes,” I chuckled and nodded my head because it was so true. “I’m heading to my mom’s for the night.”
“I’m staying too. Having dinner with Junior Steele and Luc Delfino. Business talk, probably involving bourbon and cigars as well.”
“Sounds like fun.” I tugged my gloves on and dared to offer. “If you get bored later, I’ll be around. Just in case you need to fire me again.”
His mouth curved. “Keep an eye on your texts.”
That earned a laugh from me. “Goodnight, Mr. Bellamy.”
“Goodnight for now, Ms. Fair.”
The wind caught my hair as I turned toward my car, his voice still lingering in my chest like an ember I couldn’t smother.