13. Chapter 13
thirteen
“What the hell was that?” Chris questioned as soon as they were out of Greg’s earshot and line of sight.
“Sorry. I had to think quick.” Rowan dropped his hand and squeezed hers as tingling heat still crawled up her arm.
Mistaking her reaction as discomfort, he asked, “You’re okay? Is it your cut?”
“No. Uh, yeah,” she quickly covered. “It’s nothing.”
“You want to explain what that’s all about?” he returned to his original question.
Rowan grimaced. “He has a crush on me.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.” Chris gave her an eye-roll.
“He’s had a crush on me since we were kids. And I thought he was over it since we’re all adults, and he got married and all,” Rowan added. “He’s recently divorced. And since I came back to live on the island full-time, he’s been trying to ask me out.”
“Why don’t you just tell him you’re not interested?” Chris asked, as if it was the most obvious solution.
“I don’t want to hurt his feelings.”
“So you just pretend to have a boyfriend instead?” He seized her hand in the same way she’d taken his and raised it to her eye level.
“Technically, I just implied—”
Chris laughed. “Implied? You might not lie through your teeth, but you seared the idea into his brain. I might have to watch my back from now on. Did you see the death stare he gave me?”
“You exaggerate. Greg might look like this big burly guy, but he’s—”
“Sweet?” he cut in. “Yeah, on you. Why don’t you go out with him then?”
“He’s not my type.” Rowan stomped up the steps to the porch, ready for this conversation to end.
“Then let him down easy. The guy is obviously smitten with you. He dropped everything to come to your rescue and wouldn’t even charge you for services rendered. Do you really think he was in the neighborhood? There’s no neighborhood within a five-mile radius. There are woods and water.”
“There are a couple of houses on North Haven Road,” Rowan argued. “You heard him. His uncle is building a house next to our property. Maybe he was there.”
“I’d like to hear more about that land sale later,” Chris said but returned to the current subject. “But come on. You either give the guy a chance or cut him loose. Don’t string him along.”
“Excuse me, I don’t think I asked for your advice on this matter.” Rowan swung around to make her point. Chris stopped short about a foot away on the step below her. She was actually eye-to-eye with him for once.
“Oh, I think I’m entitled to have a say after that little stunt you pulled.”
He sported a grin that she wanted to rip off his face. Since she couldn’t, she pointed her forefinger and sharply said, “First of all, I have let him know I’m not interested in different ways. It’s not my fault that your gender can’t seem to understand a subtle no for an answer.”
Then, her middle finger followed as she said, “And second, I’m not stringing him along. I never did, never have shown him I have any romantic interest in him.”
Rowan stared him down, but that didn’t seem to unnerve him at all.
“You forgot the third thing.” He pulled her thumb out. “Thank you, Chris, for playing along.”
His grin broadened as Rowan's glower deepened.
“You know, you smile too much.” She pulled her hand from his. “It’s kinda annoying.”
“My best friend told me that.” But his smile didn’t dim. In fact, it got brighter.
“This is the best friend who’s married to my sister?”
“That’s the one. ”
Rowan planted her fists on her waist and tried to look intimidating, but she must’ve looked more like a pouty kid because he started chuckling.
“Now you’re just pissing me off,” she said.
“I should’ve known,” he said.
“You should’ve known what?”
“I could never tell what color your hair was while you wore your hat. But I should’ve known you’re a redhead.”
His hazel eyes studied her hair, making Rowan suddenly self-conscious.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she questioned.
“Nothing. It’s just hair color, after all. People say it’s a myth that redheads are short-tempered.” Chris’ eyes met hers. “I think fiery is a more apt description.”
Rowan gave him a look. “Well, you know what they say about blonds.”
Chris burst into laughter. “Well played, Miss Kelly.”
Involuntarily, Rowan’s mouth curved upward.
Abruptly, the front door opened, and Alex peered out, seeming suspicious. “What are you guys laughing at out here?”
Chris glanced at Alex and whispered to Rowan, “Have you heard anything about blue-haired people?”
She had to clamp her lips together to stop herself from laughing before turning to her friend. “Nothing. What are you up to?”
With a cocked eyebrow, Alex studied Chris before returning her gaze to Rowan. He was aware the chef still had many questions about his presence at Bright Head.
But she only said, “O and I want to check out the farm and see what else you have.”
“Great idea.” Rowan nodded. “Note anything you need that we don’t have. If we need to order something, we must do it soon.”
“We’re going to use what we have here,” Alex said. “But I understand what you mean.”
Alex yelled out for Oliver to hurry, and soon the duo was off.
“What now, Boss?” Chris asked. “You have the decor, flowers, and food under control. What else is on your list?”
“What’s not on my list?” Rowan sighed and headed inside. “My biggest issue is the staff. I’m borrowing some of the farm’s staff who have had some kind of restaurant experience to help with the food service. And a few others to help with general inn work, but they’ll need to be sorted and trained. Frankie will send the first group this afternoon.”
Rowan gave Chris a quick look as he silently trailed her to the kitchen. The troubled look on his face was apparent.
“I know what you’re thinking. You’re wondering why I don’t have staff this close to the wedding,” Rowan said.
“That thought has crossed my mind. This place is too big for one person to handle alone.”
“I know.” Rowan shrugged. “But I can’t hire anyone full-time when we’re not even officially open.”
“Then why did you take this wedding on?” he questioned thoughtfully. “It can’t be just for the income.”
Rowan asked herself that question many times since she’d agreed not to cancel it. She’d reasoned that it was for family. Plus, the income and the exposure wouldn’t be bad. But none of that would matter if she screwed it all up.
“Meredith and I have planned for this wedding for over a year while we were renovating. Her mom showed her pics of her grandparent's wedding since she was young. Her grandma was my grandmother’s sister. We were so excited about throwing another family wedding here. But when my dad passed, I couldn’t continue with the project. Then winter came.
“I told Meredith I didn’t think we could do the wedding as planned in May. But she begged and said it was a memory she hoped to recreate for her grandmother. Her grandfather passed a year ago. So, this is also a tribute to his memory.”
“And you can’t say no to that,” Chris deduced.
“When someone has that kind of memory attached to this place, who am I to rain on that?” Rowan added, “And it’ll be nice to focus on someone else’s beautiful memory when my last was not so great.”
Chris looked at her with an unspoken question.
“So, here we are. I made a commitment, and I will deliver. It may kill me, but I will make it happen for Meredith,” she finished.
Chris studied her quietly for a few more seconds before nodding. “Hopefully, with my help, it won’t come to your demise.”
During the next hour, Rowan and Chris concentrated on the careful planning of the wedding weekend. With destination weddings, people had to keep in mind that there were many tasks to take care of before the wedding day.
They had the guest list, arrivals schedules, transportation, room assignments, and preferences. Knowing guests’ allergies or special food needs was also important, especially in a small community like this, where unique food items might be scarce.
Chris reviewed the lists, plans, charts, and budget. They added Alex and Oliver’s meal service plans and came up with a list of staff positions they’d need to fill with the people Frankie would send them at three o’clock. And at one, they came up for air and food.
Rowan shoved her chair back and rose. As she stretched her arms over her head to rid of some stiffness, Chris found himself gazing at her chest for the second time that day. The simple act highlighted the enticing curve of her ample breasts that even the best of men—men better than Chris—couldn’t ignore the sight.
Chris reminded himself why he was there. He shouldn’t be noticing Rowan’s breasts. Or how much her face softened with her hair framing it, or how her eyes brightened when she got shit done.
He averted his gaze to something less enticing when Rowan dropped her arms to her side and walked to the fridge. Good thing she didn’t catch him gawking at her, or she’d have his head. This morning showed they could work well together, and he didn’t need to jeopardize that. He’d never had a problem keeping things professional, and he’d come across many beautiful women in his line of work. It shouldn’t be an issue now.
“How about a sandwich for lunch?” Rowan took out a plastic lunch meat container and a loaf of country bread.
“Sounds good.” Chris joined her by the kitchen island.
“Can you grab the plates?” She pointed to where they stored the dishes.
They made their respective sandwiches side by side. Chris filled up his with ham, mustard, Swiss cheese, and pickles while she layered roasted turkey cuts with brie cheese, toasted it, then topped it with thin pieces of apple drizzled with honey.
“That looks good.” Chris eyed her open-face sandwich. They brought their lunch to the patio, where several square iron tables were set up.
Rowan sipped her iced tea. “It is good. You want a bite?”
“Sure.”
Rowan cut him a piece and placed it on his plate, laden with his huge sandwich and potato chips. She’d opted to make herself a small salad instead.
“I want that tomorrow,” Chris said after tasting it.
“I might make it for you to thank you for what you’ve done so far.” She started on her salad. “I feel so much better knowing we have a plan.”
“You had a solid plan already before I arrived. You might feel better because you’re sharing the load now.”
“You’re probably right. Knowing Alex and Oliver control the meal service took away a lot of worries. And with you helping with the staff training, I’m confident we’ll pull this off.”
“I’m sure you’d do just fine without me, but you might not have the time to enjoy the events. It is a family wedding, and you are family, right? Are you in the wedding, or you’re strictly event managing?”
“I’m a bridesmaid.” Rowan sighed. “I know I should’ve said no.”
Chris chuckled. “You have a problem saying no, huh?”
“I do not,” she denied.
“You can’t say no to the wedding. You can’t say no to being a bridesmaid even when you know you’ll be running the wedding. You can’t say a direct no to Greg—”
“Not that again.” She rolled her eyes. “I said no right to your face in town yesterday.”
“But you misunderstood my intention entirely.”
“Whatever.”
Chris chuckled at her dismissal. “I’ll make you a deal. I’ll run the wedding so you can be present for your cousin.”
“What? No.”
“Hey, there you go. You said no,” Chris said. “But this is an offer you should say yes to. What are you going to do? Run back and forth while you’re doing your hair and makeup?”
“Have you ever run a wedding before?” she questioned .
“Probably more than you have. I worked at my family’s hotel’s Sales & Event department during the summer of my sophomore year in college. And the Bali resort is a popular wedding destination.”
“But you don’t run the events yourself anymore.”
“No, but I know what I’m doing.”
“I’ll think about it,” she said and changed the subject. “Tell me something. How do you do what you do and still have the time to help me?"
"I'm on vacation, remember?" Chris smiled. "Having a solid team that I trust allows me to take time off. We all need a life. I can't do what I do by myself."
Rowan mulled his answer with a twist of her mouth. She knew the same applied to her, and Chris suspected that realization had trumped her pride when she decided to accept his assistance.
She moved on and asked, "Why did you decide to build your own resorts instead of doing it under The Sullens’ name?”
Chris swallowed a laugh. Is she interrogating me?
Sitting back in his chair, Chris took a second with the question. His standard response was he wanted to dedicate his undivided focus to building The Eve Resorts. But this time, he felt compelled to tell her the real reason. He got a feeling she'd understand.
“My father and I have clashing visions when it comes to the future of The Sullens. He’s built the company to where it is today by seeing the needs for affordable accommodations driven by the economy growth in the past thirty years.”
“He nailed that right on the head,” Rowan commented. “You can’t go anywhere in this country without seeing The Sullens Hotels—full service or budget kind.”
Chris nodded in agreement. “It was the right direction in the past decades. While I think the need for affordable hotels is still there, there is a demand for smaller, more intimate destination that promises unforgettable experiences. Top it off with specialized services, excellent food offerings, picture perfect views, and five-star rooms you have—”
“The Eve Resorts," Rowan finished his sentence with a smile. “From the pictures I’ve seen, they are something else. I see your vision. ”
Chris chuckled. “My father didn’t. He feels The Sullens are doing well in its current trajectory. I don’t disagree with his strategy. But I think after all these years, he forgets The Sullens’ essence."
“My mother was the heart of it,” Chris continued with a regretful smile. “I don’t see her anymore in the newer builds. They all become more generic without a soul. That’s why I branched off on my own with The Eve, as an homage to my mother, Evelyn.”
Rowan's eyes gleamed with understanding. “That’s a beautiful tribute, Chris. I don’t know your mother, but I'm sure she would’ve been proud of what you’ve done.”
“I hope so.” Chris had a feeling Rowan would get it.
“I have the same hope for this place. I want to bring Bright Head back to its glory for my dad, my grandparents, and my great-grandparents. I think it’s the right time for Bright Head to shine again.”
“Absolutely,” Chris agreed. “Bright Head has a lot to offer, Rowan.”
“It may just take me longer than expected.”
“What is it holding you back? Funds?” Chris probed. “Is that why your father sold some land to Gibbes?”
Rowan’s expression turned at the mention of her father. She stayed silent for a few beats, and Chris thought maybe he’d pushed too far, too fast.
“It was a necessary move,” Rowan finally said. “We needed the money for the rebuild. He sold eighty acres to Connor Gibbes who has always eyed our land.”
“Why won’t you consider selling some more if you need additional funds?” Chris asked. “You have plenty to spare.”
“Once we do that, we might never stop,” Rowan said. “We promised our father we’ll keep this land in the family and pass it down to the next generation. And I keep my promises.”
Chris nodded, understanding her stance.
“We’re fine,” Rowan said. “We’re just behind, and a few kinks need straightening out. One of them is figuring out an arrangement with Rae.”
“You know Rae can bring people to Bright Head in hordes when you’re ready,” Chris pointed out.
“We appreciate a little exposure. But if a horde swarmed Vinalhaven, it’d probably jeopardize the delicate balance we have here on the island,” she explained. “You see, not everyone is thrilled the inn is reopening.”