Chapter 6
Chapter Six
It had been a while since the resort was this quiet. For months, there had been a constant hum of power tools and all kinds of machines getting the property back in prime condition. But as Axel and Maisie walked around, the quiet was oddly comforting.
The Lakeview Harbor Resort had always felt like a peaceful step back in time, cradled by the natural beauty between the Adirondacks and the Catskills. The resort was tucked among tall pines and maples with branches whispering in the breeze.
Well, the ones that hadn’t been torn off in the storm.
They walked along and Axel told her all about the different types of cabins; one section’s style had weathered log cabins with stone chimneys scattered across a gently sloping hillside, each one framed by hand-built fences and wildflower gardens.
Other sections had more modern cabins that felt like part of the tiny home trend of the last several years, even though they were built ten or twenty years ago.
“Isn’t there a saying—everything old is new again?” Maisie asked with amusement.
“I don’t know, but it sounds right.” He took her hand as they made their way around a felled tree before he made a note of it in his phone. That was the only way he was going to remember it all so that he could let the tree company know.
This gravel path wound its way through the property, connecting the main lodge—a massive timber-framed building with a wraparound porch and rocking chairs—to smaller guest cottages and a quiet lakeside dock.
When the resort was open, the air would smell like wood smoke, pine needles, and cool mountain earth.
Fresh. Clean. He always considered the air up here to be the cleanest he’d ever breathed.
“It’s all so beautiful,” she commented. “And peaceful. I know that’s mainly because we’re the only ones here, but I’ll bet even when the resort is open, it’s still that way.”
“It is. This is the kind of place you come to when you want to relax and unwind. Or unplug. Back when Walker’s grandparents owned the place, they refused to put TVs or any kind of technology up here.
No Wi-Fi, no streaming, no cell service,” he added with a small laugh.
“Back when they opened the resort, that was fine. But now? Now, people don’t want to unplug that much.
So Milo’s got it all set up so every cabin, every room up in the lodge, will be connected to all the modern conveniences. ”
“Well that’s a little disappointing.”
“You think?”
She nodded. “I would think that was part of the charm of a rustic resort, you know? The whole being disconnected from the outside world for a while.”
“I would have to agree, but unfortunately, most travelers want at least some connection. So now there’s the option. Slater’s putting together a bunch of activities that we think will keep guests out of their rooms or cabins all day so they won’t want to stay inside on their devices.”
“That’s got to be a bit of a challenge, right?”
“Definitely. But he’s been working as a travel guide for years. He’s done a lot of extreme sports and activities that the average person probably wouldn’t do. So really, his big challenge is to tame it all down and find enough to interest guests—families—and keep them coming back.”
“This is a totally new concept for me. My family would never do anything rustic like this. They prefer all the conveniences.” It was the first time she’d willingly mentioned anything personal about herself.
“What kind of places do you go to on vacation?”
They hadn’t really been talking much about their lives, but he figured now was as good a time as any.
“Oh, um…you know. The usual places. The beach. Disney. Nothing major.”
Nodding, he thought it was a little vague but didn’t want to push.
At least, he thought he didn’t want to push but he started rattling off all kinds of questions.
“You never really mentioned whether you were from around here. Do you have any siblings? Have you always been a decorator? You have a real knack for it. Have you done any other hotels or resorts that I might have seen?”
Taking her hand from his, Maisie walked a few feet ahead and stopped at a spot where there was a small dock on the lake. Axel slowly followed and waited to see if she’d answer him.
“I’ve done some decorating, but mostly residential,” she said without looking at him. “No siblings. I don’t really see my parents much either. We don’t have a great relationship.”
That he could understand. Stepping forward, he moved beside her and relaxed when she turned to him with a small smile.
“What about you, Axel?”
“What about me?”
“You mentioned how you’d see your mom whenever your foster parents brought you here on vacation, but…have you seen her since?”
Damn. He hadn’t expected the questions to turn on him.
Staring out at the lake, he took a moment to calm himself. The mention of his mother usually brought out a bit of anxiety in him. It was one thing if he was the one to bring her up, but when anyone else did, he always felt a wave of unease.
“Uh, yeah, so…when I aged out of foster care and was going to move out on my own, I came here to see her. I wasn’t sure where I was going to move—or where I wanted to move—but there was a part of me that thought maybe now that I was an adult, she’d want me back.”
He paused, his throat tightening. Honestly, he wasn’t sure why he was telling Maisie this. He hadn’t shared this with anyone—not Walker, Connor, or any of the guys.
And yet…he couldn’t seem to stop.
“I came here, and she agreed to have dinner with me,” he went on. “I told her I was preparing to move out on my own and how my foster family was helping me a bit. And then I asked her if maybe I could stay with her until I got on my feet.”
Another pause.
“And, uh…she said no,” he said quietly. “She told me she didn’t miss being a mother and she thought I’d just eventually go away. I was nothing but an unpleasant reminder of the dumb mistakes she’d made in her life.”
“Oh my God. Oh, Axel…I’m so sorry.” Maisie reached for him, but he didn’t react. Her smooth hand rested on his bicep, but his gaze was still on the lake.
“Part of me wanted to beg her to change her mind, but when I looked at her face, I knew…it was like looking at a stranger. She just…there was nothing there. Like she had no soul, you know? We finished our dinner—I paid, naturally—and I left.”
“Wow. I…I don’t even know what to say.”
“Two years later, my foster mom called and told me she heard that my mom died. Drug overdose.” He let out a shuddering breath.
“By that time, I was already living down in Baltimore, and I didn’t come back for the funeral.
I’m not even sure if there was one. I didn’t ask.
Hell, I don’t even know if she’s buried around here in the local cemetery or anything. I just…” He shrugged.
Then, her arms were around him, holding him and comforting him. For a minute, he wasn’t sure what to do, but then his arms went around her because he needed her, needed this.
He had no idea how long they stayed like that, but when they finally broke apart, he felt…good. He was still sad, but there was something a little cathartic about saying that awful memory out loud.
“Not all parents are good people,” he said gruffly, taking her hand back in his. “I know you said you don’t have a great relationship with your parents—and I’m not asking for the reasons why—just know that I get it.” He gave her hand a small squeeze. “You’re not alone.”
“Neither are you,” she whispered, caressing his cheek with her free hand.
“I know. I have Walker, Connor, Milo, and Slater. They’re my family. They all had it easier than me, but we all have our shit. No one has a perfect life.”
“I don’t think perfect exists,” she said sadly.
“I don’t know about that. I mean…look around you. This lake? This view? It’s pretty damn perfect.”
“Well, yes. Things like that are, but I don’t think anyone has the perfect family or the perfect relationship. At least, no one I know does. It doesn’t matter how rich or poor you are. Families are complicated.”
“My foster family was pretty darn close to perfect. They were just good people. Hardworking. Honest. Decent. I think if I hadn’t ended up with them, I’d be dead by now.”
“Axel! That’s an awful thing to think!”
He shrugged again. “But it’s true. The other families I was placed with were awful. At some point, I would have ended up living on the streets. It wouldn’t have ended well.”
Beside him, she let out a long breath. “I can’t even imagine.”
Sadly, he could.
“Okay, enough of this depressing conversation,” he said, trying to sound optimistic. “Let’s head back to the cabin and make some dinner. Plus, I’d like to check and see if the power’s back on yet.”
“Do you want to stay in the cabin or head back up to the lodge?”
“The cabin’s fine. Now that the storm’s over, we’re completely safe there. And let’s face it, it’s more comfortable.”
They walked back up the path that would lead them around to the parking lot and then eventually, to his cabin.
“I don’t know…the mattress on the floor wasn’t terrible, and it was nice having that gigantic fireplace.”
“We could totally go back if you want to,” he countered. “It’s no big deal.”
“No, no, no. Your bed is one of the most comfortable beds I’ve ever slept in.” Maisie playfully nudged his shoulder.
“You can thank Walker for that. He’s a bed snob.”
“A bed snob?”
“Oh, yeah. Remember how I mentioned how he works for a luxury hotel chain? Well, once he found these beds, he insisted on getting one for all of us. Now we’re all spoiled.”
“So now you’re all bed snobs,” she teased.
Laughing, he nodded. “I guess so.”
“I suppose there are worse things, right? And there is something about ending your day in a super comfy bed. Like it helps ease away all the horrible things that may have happened that day.”
That was a little dark, he thought. There weren’t too many things he’d consider horrible and was now curious why she used that word.