Chapter 27
CHAPTER 27
MARIAM
T he night before the grand opening of Everwood Chalet, the team and I were hosting a huge dinner in the main hall of the main lodge. Our families and friends had all been invited, as had a few elite guests from town and other VIPs.
It was an evening to honor Arland and Brian, and to celebrate what Everwood was bringing to the town. I had taken point on this event and it was mighty important to me that it went off without a hitch. Especially considering that it was about honoring my brother and my boyfriend. Manfriend ?
I shook my head at myself, knowing that now wasn’t the time to worry about semantics. My head had been in the clouds more often than not ever since I’d come back from Gatlinburg. I had to be sure that I hadn’t missed anything while I’d been floating around in my Arland-bubble.
Sure, we’d spent every day working damn hard to make sure the resort was ready, but my mind had often wandered. It was crunch-time now, and I needed every ounce of focus I could muster.
Flitting around from one side of the building to the other before the guests arrived, I checked on the décor, the tables, the caterers, and the DJ, perfecting flower arrangements, making sure everyone had what they needed, and double-checking the schedule with the team about half a dozen times.
So far, so good.
After a hectic afternoon, the sun started setting, and with the arrival of the night came the first headlights sweeping up the drive. My heart lurched in my chest and I smoothed out my dress. I’d changed in my office just minutes ago, but I knew I looked good enough.
Potentially not for my mother, but my hair was clean and gleaming, brushed to a sleek, smooth luster where it hung to my waist. My makeup was slightly more dramatic than usual, but in my case, that only meant that I’d also applied some eyeshadow. Albeit in neutral, brown tones. At least it had a bit of a shimmer to it.
Nerves crawled through me as I watched the first cars park. When those guests started walking through the doors, I slapped a smile on my face and raced over to greet them. After that, a steady flow of people entered the main lodge, many of our first guests checking in after they arrived.
Thankfully, our reception desk was staffed and ready, all our new hires at their posts and prepared to get to work. Arland and Brian were waiting in the hall to welcome their guests there. Once I’d made sure that everything was progressing smoothly down here, I headed up to join them.
Arland smiled when I walked in, looking exceptionally handsome tonight in a classic black suit with a crisp white button-down underneath, a black tie expertly knotted around his neck. He’d had his hair cut just this afternoon, and the salt-and-pepper strands had been neatly trimmed to curve around his ears and not touch his collar while it’d been left longer at the top.
A shiver ran through me when his intense gaze met my own, a sexy smirk touching the corners of his lips. I smiled and averted my gaze, too aware of so many people around us to take any chances.
Gabby came up to me, rolling her eyes as I tried to keep mine away from Arland. “Gosh, you guys are so cute. Just go have his babies already.”
“No way.” I felt my cheeks explode with heat and sent her a playful scowl. “Aren’t you supposed to be busy with something? Working, perhaps?”
She laughed. “I sure am, but I have some people here who want to say hi to you.”
Lifting her phone, she showed me a connected video call with Gemma and Laurel’s faces on the screen. A pang stabbed me right in the gut when I saw both of their watery, red-rimmed eyes, neither of them crying right now but I knew it’d been a tough week for my friends.
It had only been a few days since I’d last seen them, but it felt like weeks, and with everything that had happened in between, it might as well have been a year. I smiled gently as I took the phone from Gabby.
“How’re you two holding up?” I waved at Gabby as I took her phone with me in search of a quieter area. “I wish I could be hugging you both right now.”
Laurel gave me a sad smile. “Trust me, it’s better that I’m not there. I’m not particularly good company these days.”
“Same,” Gemma agreed immediately. “As beautiful as you are, we called to see the place, so lift us up and show us around. I’m still pretty keen to come visit in January and I’d love to see the place I’ll be visiting.”
“Me three!” Laurel said, either feigning or forcing excitement, but I indulged them, walking around the guests with the phone turned away from my face so I could show them the event.
The DJ gave me my signal and my nose wrinkled as I turned the screen to myself again. “It’s time for my welcome speech, so I’m going to give you guys back to Gabby, but feel free to hang out as long as you want. I bought her a pouch so she can wear you around her neck.”
“Great. We’re a literal noose now,” Gemma teased, but she also sounded at least halfway serious.
I chuckled. “I’ll come grab you again as soon as I can. Go get a glass of wine and join the festivities, okay? Both of you look like you need it.”
They grumbled but were friendly enough to Gabby when I handed her phone back over. It was hard to imagine that both of their relationships had fallen apart this week, but I had hope that those guys would pull their heads out of their asses and do something to win back the women I knew had stolen their hearts.
Both Noah and Leif were in love. I was finding it nearly impossible to believe everything I’d heard about them this week.
Drawing in a deep breath, however, I refocused my attention on the party and made my way to the little stage that the DJ had set up on. There was a microphone in a stand ready for me, and not for the first time, I really wished Gemma would’ve been here to do the welcoming instead of it having to be me, but my brother had insisted.
Ascending the few steps onto the stage, I turned to face the room and took a breath to steady myself. This event space had come together beautifully this week, with twinkle lights glistening outside and illuminating the snow on the ground. The entire wall of windows that faced the mountain had been cleaned and polished so that it almost didn’t even look like there was glass there at all.
Inside, modern, industrial chandeliers had been installed and paired with large, artfully exposed globes hanging in places. The bar had been handcrafted, a rich mahogany with intricate detailing and a metal foot-rail running along the bottom edge.
Greenery had been hung from specially installed stands that hung from the ceiling above the bar, more fairy lights placed between the plants. The counter had been kept clean to allow for snacks to be placed upon it as well as an easy exchange of drinks and glasses.
People packed every inch of this space for the very first time and my heart fluttered, but it was also swelling with pride. The DJ faded the song that had been playing and people started turning my way.
I took one more fortifying breath and searched for Arland’s face in the crowd, focusing on him and letting a genuine smile spread across my face. “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for being here with us this evening. It is our absolute pleasure to welcome you, for the very first time, to Everwood Chalet.”
Cheers and applause went up around the room and it finally gave me the courage to move my gaze away from Arland and to scan the rest of the crowd as I spoke. “We truly hope that you’ll enjoy the evening and the weekend with us. Please feel free to explore and take some pictures, share them with your friends and family, and reach out to any of the staff members if you have any questions at all. Thank you.”
Speeches in honor of both Arland and Brian would be happening later and one of the community leaders would be speaking on behalf of the town, so thankfully, that was the last these guests would be hearing from me this evening. I got off the stage and spotted my parents near the bar.
Dang it. I was hoping it would take longer before I saw them. Unfortunately, I knew I couldn’t dodge them. They’d for sure seen me noticing them.
My mom even lifted her hand in a delicate little wave. I sighed but forced another smile and made my way to them, greeting guests on my way across the room.
“Darling!” Mom exclaimed, giving me a fond smile and a quick hug. “This place is gorgeous. My babies have done such a magnificent job, but is it always this cold? I nearly froze on my way in here from the car. You need to move to more temperate climates, my dear. This is really too much. I don’t think I’ll be visiting here again.”
Oh wow. First convo and she’s already complaining. That has to be a new record.
“I’m not sure what the climate will be where I go next, because I haven’t quite decided where that is just yet, but I’ll take your advice into consideration.” I turned to Dad. “How do you like the place?”
“It’s nice.” His voice was flat, but at least he gave my shoulder a moderately warm squeeze. “You haven’t called for a while, Mariam. Is everything alright?”
“All good. I’m glad you could come.” I motioned them toward the bar. “Why don’t you guys grab a drink and we’ll catch up when things settle down?”
Both of them nodded and I left them in the practiced hands of alcohol and made a run for it. As I made my escape, I exhaled a sigh of relief. I’d always tried my best to be a good girl and to meet all their expectations, if not exceed them, but I’d grown weary of striving and never getting any credit for what I achieved.
Brian materialized at my side as I went in search of Gabby to find out if my friends were still on the video call. I smiled, turning to pull him into a bear hug. “I’m so proud of you, Bri. You guys have really done it. Opening weekend is here and we’re actually ready for it. It’s amazing.”
“Thanks to you,” he said warmly, grinning down at me once we parted. “I’m so grateful that you’ve been on this journey with us the last few weeks. It’s really meant a lot to me and to Arland. I don’t know what we would’ve done without you.”
“You would’ve survived.” I spoke through the guilt currently ripping my stomach apart. Arland and I had been sneaking around behind his back and it was really starting to bug me that we were hiding our relationship from him, but I had to try to let it go for now. Tonight was not the time or place to tell him. “Have you seen Dad yet?”
“Yeah, I saw them when they came in,” he said on a sigh, his head shaking as he shot me a wry grin. “Apparently, a ski resort is too cold for them and neither of us have been keeping in touch enough.”
I groaned. “I got the same thing, but ignore them. It’s just cold enough if you ask me and it’s going to be beautiful in the summer too.” I reached out and squeezed his arm, shoving aside the guilt and sting of knowing we were betraying him. “What you’ve done here is incredible and I’m so glad that I’m getting to be a part of it. Thank you for bringing me in. I’ll never forget this experience.”
All of which was true, even if I would always remember my time in Sun Valley for a lot more reasons than just getting to be here for the opening of the resort. That was definitely something, but it paled in comparison to the memories I would always treasure of my time with Arland.
Now I just had to tell my brother about it.