Chapter 3
CHAPTER 3
brIAN
“ O h my gosh, Brian, I bet I’ve literally called your cell a hundred times this morning. I’m sorry, but we’re completely swamped. Is there any way you can come help us here at the inn?” Bridget, my cousin and receptionist at Deer Valley Inn, asks as soon as I pick up my phone.
I swear my phone has been ringing nonstop since I opened my eyes this morning. I know Springside, Alabama isn’t at the top of the list for snowy places in America, but sweet baby Jesus, these people are losing their fucking minds.
“Uhh, I’m not sure Bridget. I’ve had to reschedule the city council meeting because half of them are scared to leave the house. I was supposed to spend the morning going through bids on the expansion we’re doing on City Hall, but instead I spent an hour on hold with the lady at the Emergency Management Agency. She’s trying to figure out how long this storms gonna last, and I’ve missed three calls from the sheriff’s office because, all of a sudden, no one can drive like they have any damn sense. I’m also trying to finalize next year’s budget that’s due on Friday. Oh, and the grocery store shelves cleared out as soon as the word ‘flurry’ was mentioned. You know I don’t mind helping, but do you think you can get someone else to cover? It’s just not a great time to try to get away,” I say, grimacing as I watch yet another car skid into the curb of the sidewalk outside my office window.
“Well, let’s see, we’ve had eight calls today about booking weddings for the summer after that article went live yesterday in Weddings and Wine magazine. Which would be great if they didn’t ask nine thousand questions every time they called, and the snowstorm from hell hadn’t decided to make its once in a decade appearance. Also, everyone has decided the snow is a reason to drink. The winery here has had a line out the door since nine this morning, and we went from having nine open rooms in the inn down to just one in the last hour. Also, none of the staff from Saddle Ridge could make the drive over, so I’ve been the only one in the lobby answering phones since I got here this morning. I haven’t even had time to go to the bathroom, never mind eat lunch,” she says, and I instantly feel guilty.
Deer Valley Inn has been in my family for generations, and after my mom passed last year, I’ve done everything I can to fill in the gaps and keep the place running smoothly. Apparently, all it takes is a couple inches of snow to turn those gaps into gaping holes.
“I’m sorry, Bridget. This snow has really thrown both of our days for a loop, I guess. Wait, why isn’t Helen handling the wedding stuff?” I ask, referring to the middle-aged woman I hired a few months ago to oversee events.
“God, Brian, you haven’t listened to any of the voicemails I’ve left you this morning, have you?” Bridget snaps.
“What part of everyone's losing their damn minds are you not understanding,” I growl back at her.
“Yeah, yeah… Helen called the inn when she couldn’t get your cell. She got a call from her dad in Texas this morning. Apparently, he broke his hip, and he’s gonna need full-time care. Her lease was ending on her apartment anyway, so she decided to move back home,” Bridget explains.
“Shit,” I curse. “I mean, I understand. But who the hell is gonna handle all these Christmas events that we have coming up?”
“Uh, well, that’s a great question. I’d offer to help, but there’s no way I can do that and take care of everything else. I guess we’re gonna need to start looking for a replacement,” my cousin says.
“Bridget, the first event is in ten days. God, this is a disaster,” I groan.
“Yeah, pretty much. But that’s gonna have to be a problem for tomorrow. Please tell me you can get over here and give me a hand. You know I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t desperate.”
“Give me about an hour, and I’ll be there,” I say, trying not to let her hear my grimace.
“Thanks. See you then,” she says before hanging up the phone.
I hear my cell let out another beep, and I hit accept without looking at who’s calling, figuring it’s the sheriff calling me for the fourth time to inform me there's someone else on a roadway we declared impassable hours ago.
“Mayor Brian Jones, how can I help you?” I say while checking my email to see three locals have messaged wanting to know what we’re going to do about the upcoming Christmas events after they heard Helen’s moving. Seriously? After living in Springside for most of my life, I’ve gotten used to how fast news spreads in town, but sometimes it still catches me off guard. Do they really think I’m working on that now?
“Hey, Mayor, how ya doing?” I hear Huey, our recently retired fire chief, ask before trying to refocus myself. Huey’s a bit older than me, but we’ve become pretty good friends because of our jobs here in town.
“Honestly, I’m feeling like if I ever see another snowflake, it’ll be too soon,” I reply with a groan, and I hear Huey break into a fit of laughter.
“Damn, son, I know that’s right. Listen, I need a favor,” he says, and I immediately feel my curiosity rise.
“Don’t tell me you're stuck on the side of the road like every other damn person in this town. If so, you’ll have to call Sheriff Mitchell and let him laugh at you like everybody else. I’m swamped and my event planner just quit less than two weeks away from the first Christmas event,” I say, knowing Huey rarely asks for favors.
“No, no. Nothing like that. But there’s a lady here who had a bad run in with a deer, and she needs somewhere to stay. Her car’s a mess, and I’m almost positive it’s totaled. If so, it’ll probably take weeks for her insurance to get it sorted out. Y’all got any rooms available at the inn?” he asks.
“Yeah, actually we do. I just talked to Bridget and there’s one left. I’ll text her to hold it for you,” I tell him, already typing out a message to my cousin.
“Thanks, Brian. I really appreciate it. Wait, what happened to Helen?” he asks, sounding concerned.
“Bridget just told me her dad had a bad fall, and she’s moving back home to take care of him,” I explain, already dreading the process of replacing her. Holding interviews and going through resumes on top of everything else I have to do before the end of the year sounds miserable.
“Oh no, I hate to hear that. But what the hell are you gonna do about all those Christmas events? You know how wild the town goes this time of year?” he questions, like I haven’t lived in Springside for the entirety of my thirty-four-year existence.
“Honestly, I don’t know. You have any ideas?” I snap in frustration.
“Hmm, maybe,” he ponders. “Actually, the girl that just broke down, she mentioned she’s spent the last decade planning events in D.C. for politicians and billionaires. I bet she could help out and at least get you through the holiday rush, since it doesn’t look like she’s gonna be going anywhere soon. Maybe y’all could work something out.”
I pause, surprised. That definitely wasn’t what I expected him to say, but I trust Huey and know he wouldn’t have mentioned finding her a job if he didn’t think she’d be a good fit. Plus, by the sounds of it, she’s incredibly overqualified. I picture a blonde lady in her mid-fifties quizzing me on the difference in cream and eggshell linens and can already feel my blood pressure rising, but what can I say? Desperate times call for desperate measures.
Feeling like I’ve come to a decision, I respond with a groan. “Sure, can she start tomorrow?”
“Hold on, let me check with her,” he says, and I listen as he gives her a brief rundown of the situation.
I can’t hear her response, but apparently, she agrees because a minute later he says, “Yep, she sure can. We’ll be there within the hour. Oh, and you have one of those fancy new phones. Bring a charger with you when you meet us at the inn,” Huey says before hanging up on me.
One thing about this town is life is never boring.
By the time I slide into the icy parking lot of the inn, I’m irritable and ready to get this meetup behind me. My phone shows sixteen missed calls from the last hour on top of the eleven that I managed to answer while I made the perilous ride over to Deer Valley.
Coming by to hire some fancy, out of towner was not on my to-do list for today, and there are about a million other places I could be right now. Instead of dwelling on it, I try to remind myself that the business my family left me won’t run itself as I dig out an old sock hat and cover my ears with it before bracing myself for the arctic wind waiting to pour into the cab of my truck.
I jump out and make my way as quickly as I can to the entrance across the guest parking lot, feeling the frigid cold settle into my bones as I walk. Jesus Christ, it's freezing.
Relief hits my veins as I enter the cozy lobby and the warm heat from the fireplace begins to wrap around me. I glance around at all of the guests sitting on our overstuffed armchairs, playing checkers, chatting with their neighbors, and sipping from their wine glasses while watching the snow fall out the huge windows that cover the length of the wall. Despite my frustration from earlier, I feel a small smile pulling at my lips as I look out at the view of the small vineyard covered in the blanket of snow. The weather may have been a pain in my ass today, but even I have to admit it’s gorgeous.
Shaking myself from my daze, I turn and walk toward the front desk, where Bridget is attempting to work through the short line of people currently waiting for help.
“Thank God, you finally made it,” she says with relief. “Can you answer the phones while I handle our in-person guests? The room you texted about was our last one, so we’re full for the night if anyone asks.”
“Sure thing. Hopefully, we’ll have more help here tomorrow, and the snow will be gone. I have a meeting as soon as Huey gets here, but I’ll help out until then,” I tell her as she goes back to helping the guests that called ahead get checked in.
The next thirty minutes pass quickly as I answer three more calls about potential weddings for the next year. Bridget was right; the magazine article and social media feature that Weddings and Wine ran on us this week was an incredible success. We’ve already booked double the weddings today than we had all year last year. But by the time I see Huey’s truck pull into the parking lot, I’m already realizing we’re gonna need a dozen more employees to handle the influx of business.
I answer another call as I wait for him and the mystery woman to make their way inside. This one is from a guest needing to cancel their reservation for tomorrow due to the road conditions, so I focus on the computer system, moving their reservation until the spring. After sending them a new confirmation, I hang up and see Huey standing in front of me.
“Hey, old man. I see you made it over okay?” I say, reaching out to shake his hand.
“Yep, sure did. Y’all are wrapped up today, huh?” Huey asks while looking around at the room full of people.
“You could say that again,” I say with a groan. “Who knew a snowstorm was so good for business?”
Huey chuckles before saying, “Listen, I really appreciate you helping Millie out. I know the circumstances are a bit unusual, but I really think she’ll be a great fit here.”
“Sure thing. I’m glad I could help.” I nod while offering him a smile. “So, where is she? You brought her with you right?”
“Of course. She stopped by the fire on the way in to warm up. She wasn’t sure if you were ready to meet her,” he declares, raising his hand to beckon an attractive brunette over from where she was standing by the fire. “Come on over Millie.”
I don’t know what I was expecting, but this gorgeous girl with long legs and big hazel eyes definitely wasn’t it. She looks to be in her late twenties or early thirties, so she’s not exactly the middle-aged woman I’d been picturing.
“Hey, I’m Millie. I really appreciate you agreeing to meet with me,” she says timidly, reaching out her hand to shake mine.
“Umm, yeah, of course. Nice to meet you, Millie. I’m Brian Jones. I’ve got you a room set aside for tonight. Here’s the key and everything else you’ll need. You’re in room 124. Now, Huey told me you’re gonna be stuck here for a bit, and we’re in desperate need of some event planning help here at Deer Valley Inn. Let’s step back into my office and make sure it’s something you’re interested in, what do you say?”
She gives me a nod as her tongue dips out to lick her lips nervously. “That sounds great. Lead the way.”
The three of us pile into the small office behind the lobby, and I gesture for Millie and Huey to have a seat in the plush armchairs across from the desk I’d picked out after deciding to remodel earlier this year. This office belonged to my mother for decades, but I’d needed to make it my own to help move past my grief. I still haven’t gotten everything exactly how I want it, but it’s nice to have a place to work away from the hustle and bustle of city hall.
“So, Millie, Huey tells me that you’ve got over a decade of event planning experience. What type of events do you usually work on?” I ask as I settle into my chair.
“Well, I guess you could say a bit of everything. I planned hundreds of events for my ex-husband over the last ten years in D.C. Mostly charity galas and other company events like that,” she says quietly. “The events ranged from intimate gatherings to huge events with thousands on the guest list. And most of them were formal, but I’m completely flexible depending on your needs.”
I nod at her as she speaks, impressed by the types of events she’s organized. I’m mildly surprised at the mention of her ex-husband, given how young she looks and how long she worked for him, but that’s really none of my business, so I ignore it.
“Well, Huey actually called at a great time. One of our weddings was recently featured in Weddings and Wine , and apparently that in combination with a good bit of social media traction, has led to a ton of interest in our venues. To be honest, we are in way over our heads with all the events we have coming up, and there are also several Christmas events later this month that we’re hosting here on behalf of the city. I’ve tried to stay on top of everything, but between managing this place and my position as mayor, I can’t do it all. So, if you’re interested, we can bring you in for the next few weeks, at least to get us through the holiday rush. Then, after Christmas you can decide if you want to stay. That should give the insurance company time to work something out with your vehicle too,” I finish, interested to see what she has to say.
She looks surprised by my offer, but after a moment, she smiles. “That sounds incredible. Thank you.”
“Wonderful. I know you’ll need somewhere to stay, so we can include room and board into your compensation. If you’ll plan to meet with me in the morning, we can get the ball rolling on the Springside Christmas events we have coming soon. Now, I just need you to sign this paperwork, and you’ll be good to go,” I tell her as I shuffle around my desk for a new employee packet.
I pull one out and hand it to her. She fills it out quickly while Huey and I make small talk about his farm and other town gossip. As she completes the paperwork, she nibbles at her bottom lip, and I wonder how that same pink mouth would feel against mine.
Whoa. Where the fuck did that thought come from?
Huey continues yammering about the Candy Cane Carnival that one of the churches puts on each year, but I don’t register anything he says as I continue to watch Millie.
After a few minutes, she signs the last of her paperwork and gives me a small smile. “Thank you, Mayor Jones. I’m really looking forward to getting started. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“What? Oh yeah, that sounds good. See you then,” I tell her as she breaks me from my thoughts, and she and Huey make their way toward the door.
As she walks away, I try not to notice the way her leggings hug her slim hips from the back and fight to remind myself that the paperwork she just signed made her my newest employee. I’ve heard too many horror stories of women being pressured into inappropriate relationships they didn’t want but being too scared to do something about it out of fear of losing their jobs, and I’ve promised myself I would never chance putting someone in that situation. I’ve always prided myself in maintaining a professional relationship with everyone I employ, and Millie will be no different.
But as she turns and gives me a small wave before making her way back out into the lobby, I can’t help but wonder what the hell I’m getting myself into.