1. Dane
ONE
Dane
I’d always loved mountains. As a child, those had been my favorite vacations. Skiing in Zermatt, Park City, or Banff. I would stare out the window as the plane descended, watching the shapes below turn into jagged peaks and deep valleys. All of it blanketed with a thick layer of white.
And later, when the mountains had been in Afghanistan, their beauty had been equal even though I’d otherwise been surrounded by danger.
Well, maybe vacations with my family weren’t entirely safe either. Just for different reasons.
“Mr. Knightly? We’ll be landing shortly. May I take your glass?”
Sharon, the flight attendant, hovered by my seat. I smiled at her and nodded. I hadn’t been drinking the bourbon anyway, though it was a Pappy Van Winkle 23 year Family Reserve.
Wasn’t the bourbon’s fault. It was everything else on my mind.
As we descended onto the private airstrip, I studied the mountains outside my window, and the pressure seemed to lift. I was finally here in Colorado. I took a photo of the view and sent it off via text.
A minute later, a wi-fi call came in, and I answered it, unable to hold back my grin.
“You asshole,” Ashford said. “You said you weren’t coming.”
“True, but I know how much you love surprises.” So not true. Ashford hated to be caught off guard. I’d learned that when we served together. But my schedule had been chaotic lately.
“First of all, fuck you. Second, it’s about time, man. Can’t wait to see you.”
“I know, there were some false starts there for a while.” A pang of guilt went through my stomach, like sudden turbulence.
Ashford had been through some tough times last year, and at first, he hadn’t even told me about it. My friend had a bad habit of keeping his troubles to himself.
But I was the same way, wasn’t I?
Earlier this year, I bought a ski resort in Ashford’s home county on behalf of my family’s company, Knightly Global. Unfortunately, other things had always seemed to interfere with my attempts to visit in the months since. My mom’s health issues had worsened. I’d assumed I couldn’t make it for the hotel’s grand opening this weekend.
“But I’m here now, about to touch down in your home state,” I said. “Finally. How’s the family?”
“Doing great. Busy as always, especially with the wedding planning.”
“Do you and Emma have a date set?”
“I was hoping it would be this fall, but now we’re looking at winter.”
“Can’t wait to hear all about it. You free tonight?”
“I’d make you take us out for an expensive dinner, except we’re in Hartley visiting Emma’s family. We’ll be back in Silver Ridge on Saturday. Unless you want to come out here and meet us? You’d be welcome.”
“Nah, no worries. Saturday is perfect. I’ve got this grand-opening party nonsense on Friday to deal with. I thought about sending you tickets to the masquerade ball, but?—”
“Hell no. You won’t catch me near that. But if you need anything, Callum is around. Same with Grace. I could let them know you’re in town.”
“No need to bother them.” Though I had to admit, I was curious about Ashford’s younger sister. I’d met his brothers when we were all in the service, but I’d never met Grace. The last picture I’d seen of her was way outdated. She’d been a teenager with braces. How old would she be now? Late twenties?
She’s your buddy’s little sister , I told myself. Off limits. That’s what she is, regardless of what she looks like .
“I’d better go,” I said into the phone. “Enjoy Hartley. By the time you get back to Silver Ridge, I’ll be running the place.”
Ashford grunted. “I have no doubt. Don’t get into too much trouble.”
“We’ll see.” Chuckling, I pocketed my phone.
The plane’s exit door opened, and Sharon went to grab my bag. I stepped in front of her to reach for it. “I’ve got it. It’s heavy.”
“At least let me get your jacket.”
I let her slip my blazer onto my arms. After brushing invisible lint from my lapels, she flipped her French braid over her shoulder, giving me the same meaningful look she’d been aiming my way the whole flight. “Anything else I can do for you, Mr. Knightly? Anything at all? We’ll be on the ground here for several hours.”
I was not interested in the anything she was offering. But still, I threw her a wink. “Better not. I’ve got a drive ahead of me.”
She leaned in and whispered, “I could make that drive a lot more entertaining for you.”
“Tempting. But I can’t.” Also, I wasn’t going to get busy in the backseat of a rented car. Though my reputation, which I’d earned in my younger and more reckless days, might suggest otherwise.
It was still September, but temperatures were already dipping. Despite the chill, I undid another button of my shirt. I’d already ditched the tie. A few snowflakes whirled around me as I jogged down the stairs and toward the waiting SUV. The driver opened the door for me, but I stopped to shake his hand. “Eddie, right?”
“Yes, Mr. Knightly.”
“Dane is fine.” I slid into the backseat. A sea of dark leather, low lighting, and glinting glass from the small bar.
“Of course, Mr. Knightly. You’ll be happy to know the cabin is equipped with extra oxygen to offset the effects of the altitude.”
I laughed. “Let me guess. My assistant Margot’s request?”
“I’m not sure, sir. We should be in Silver Ridge in about an hour.”
A diplomatic response, and probably all I was likely to get. But that was fine. Margot could be heavy-handed, but she tried to take care of me. And she was the only person I’d allow that kind of mothering from. Aside from my own mom. But…
Damn it, there was that guilt again, twisting my insides, and it was worse than useless. Mom’s nurses were the best money could buy. More than that, they were kind to her. And Margot was in New York too, if anything came up. Margot had been the one to convince me to make the trip this weekend.
If your mother could speak her own mind right now, she’d tell you to get your butt to Colorado and make the most of it .
I settled into my seat and worked on my laptop, finishing up some work I’d started on the plane. But I paused to admire the view as we drove. First it was wide-open expanses of terrain with faraway ranges creating a backdrop for pastures with grazing cattle. Later, a creek ran along the highway, with the occasional bridge leading to a quaint cabin. Eventually the scenery changed again as we entered Hart County. Soaring mountain peaks in the distance, meadows of swaying grasses, and beyond, dense woods of evergreens.
And everywhere I looked, golden and red fall colors added drama. So different from autumn in Manhattan, which had its own unique grandeur and beauty.
The road kept curving and climbing. The town seemed to appear out of nowhere, emerging from the trees. A few people on Main Street turned and watched the SUV glide by. The tinted windows were probably unusual around here.
Silver Ridge, Colorado, was straight out of a postcard. A long-lost vision of an idyllic small town. My buddy Ashford had grown up here, but he could’ve chosen to settle anywhere. He’d chosen to call Silver Ridge home. And to me, that meant something. Sure, cash could buy a luxurious apartment or sprawling mansion just about anywhere. But money didn’t make those places feel like home .
We followed the road out of the main town and up into the foothills, which kept on ascending toward rocky peaks. The SUV passed a sign for the Silver Ridge Ski Resort, following along a paved driveway as we approached a sprawling complex of buildings amid aspen groves. We parked in front of reception.
It was my first time seeing the resort in person. My resort, now. The place didn’t disappoint.
The exterior of the newly finished hotel was rough stone and timber, with accents of oil-rubbed bronze. Grander than anything I’d seen down on Main Street, but it still had that western vibe.
I patted Eddie’s shoulder, handing him some bills for his tip. “Thanks, man. Appreciate it.” I was sure Margot had already arranged for gratuity, but cash was always better.
As I got out, a man in a suit and tie stepped out of the sliding lobby doors. “Mr. Knightly,” he said. “Honored to finally meet you in person. I’m Tobin.”
The hotel manager. “Of course, Tobin. I remember you from the video conference.” I’d already introduced myself to the staff, virtually at least.
He beamed. “Can I offer you a tour of your property? Or if you’d prefer, your suite is?—”
“I’ll head to my suite, thanks.” I strode toward the entrance, carrying my own bag, and Tobin rushed to follow me. “Ask your team if they’re free for dinner tonight,” I said. “My treat. So I can say hello properly.”
“Of course, sir. I would’ve planned something special if I’d known, but as it is…”
“I know. I’ve got you scrambling.”
“Not at all. We’re adjusting. Did you want to go over the final details for the party tomorrow night as well? Or?—”
“Margot can handle that. She’ll pass on anything I need to know. You’ve got her number.”
He laughed. “Oh, yes. I certainly do.”
We took the elevator to the top floor, where there were only two doors. The manager stopped at one and swiped my key. “If you don’t mind my asking, Mr. Knightly, how long are you staying? Margot said she wasn’t sure.”
“That’s because I haven’t decided yet.” That depended on a lot of things. I took the key and stepped inside.
“If there’s anything else?—”
“I’ll be sure to let you know.” I gave him my most amiable grin.
Then I swung the door shut, dropped my bag by my feet, and blew out a heavy breath.
Across the room, the curtains were open, revealing a bank of windows that overlooked the resort. A panorama of mountains expanded across the horizon. There were only a few streaks of white on the ski runs so far, hints of the heavier snowpack that would develop as the season got going.
Gorgeous.
Margot had been right. Coming here had been the right move. I just had to make the trip worth it.
A quick tour of the suite revealed more bedrooms than I needed. A kitchen already stocked with basics. Way too much space for one man, but I didn’t mind spreading out.
A tuxedo in a garment bag lay on my bed, along with a black mask for the masquerade ball and a note in Margot’s handwriting. She was thousands of miles away, but that never stopped her from having things just so . One of the reasons I trusted her so much.
The party won’t be that bad. Try to enjoy it.
-M
I grunted skeptically, hung the garment bag in the closet, and tossed the mask onto the dresser to deal with tomorrow.
This trip was an investment for the company, sure, but also a chance to see Ashford and meet his daughter and fiancée. The guy was my closest friend in the world, yet I hadn’t seen him in person in years . There were a lot of reasons for that, some of them nobody’s fault.
But…mostly my fault. I wasn’t the type to make excuses.
Hard to believe a man in his thirties with my kind of net worth was stuck in a job he hated. If I had thought serving my country and then making my own fortune would earn my father’s respect, I’d been wrong. I would never have joined Knightly Global if it wasn’t my mom’s greatest wish that I reconcile with my father and brother. As if the three of us working together would transform us into a happy family unit. Ha. But I was trying . For her.
Even if this job felt like a straight jacket in the form of a tailored suit.
The moment I’d heard this ski resort needed a new owner and an infusion of cash to finish building the hotel, I’d known it was perfect. This was the first project I’d had in a while that I actually cared about. It wasn’t really the resort. It was this town. The hope of maybe finding a sliver of the meaning Ashford had in his life here. If I was stuck working for Knightly Global, then I needed something like this or I would lose my fucking mind.
And I’d known that Mom would love Silver Ridge too. At some point I wanted to bring her out here. If I could get Dad to agree.
Good thing I was nothing if not persistent.
When I truly wanted something, it was only a matter of time until I found a way to have it.