Chapter Twenty-Nine
Melina
My whole body ached. Not just the usual pain from overuse or lack of sleep, either. It felt like I’d gone down Green Mountain without skis, with my heart worn as a shield.
But I had a dance to run. And no matter how things turned out tonight—whether the plan I’d put in motion with Eric and Glenn Alexander actually worked—I owed it to myself and everyone involved with this event to make it perfect.
I’d built this. Every detail, every late night, every crisis averted. This was mine, and no one could take it from me.
Last night’s Noma dinner had gone off without a hitch. The clients were happy, Wyatt was pleased, and I’d managed to hold it all together without falling apart in front of anyone.
One event down. One to go.
As I walked through the lobby toward the ballroom for the final check, my phone buzzed with a text from Eric.
Nate confirmed Zane will be there. My dad’s handling the rest. See you tonight.
My hands trembled as I stared at the screen. Eric and I had spent almost an hour on the phone with Glenn, laying out what Zane had done and why, and making the case for a different solution.
Glenn had been quiet through most of it. Then he’d said, “Give me until tomorrow. You just get my nephew to the dance.”
Now all I could do was trust that it would be enough.
I tucked my phone away and threw myself into the final preparations.
The ballroom looked exactly as I’d imagined.
The swashes of silk covering the tables were just the right shade of blue, matching Noma’s logo.
The gold and blue decor complemented it all perfectly.
The dance floor was surrounded by tables spaced precisely apart, the refreshment area was ready to be stocked, and the DJ booth and speakers were set.
And the Christmas tree. Oh, the beautiful, beautiful tree.
I still had no idea where it had come from.
When I’d asked maintenance to pull our tree out of storage, this was what they’d delivered.
It certainly wasn’t the same old fake one we’d used every other year.
This one was live, lush, and huge. And with all the decorations, it was simply stunning.
The final piece of a puzzle I hadn’t known I needed.
Everything was ready. Well, everything except me.
With little time to spare, I ran back to my office to get changed. I closed the door, locked it, and unzipped the garment bag hanging on the back of the door.
My breath caught. Instead of my old, overused little black dress was a sparkling gold gown.
The same dress I’d fawned over in the shop when we’d gone to pick out Lucy’s. A dress that wasn’t only too beautiful for words, but so far out of my budget I hadn’t given it a second thought.
My eyes burned. This had to be Zane.
He must have done this before everything fell apart. Before the fight, before the cold shoulder, before he’d walked away from the only life he’d ever loved. He’d bought me this dress because that’s who he was. A man who noticed, who remembered, who gave without being asked.
And I’d thrown it all back in his face.
I pressed the fabric to my chest and let myself feel it for a moment. The softness of it. The weight of what it meant. Then I wiped my eyes, tossed my day clothes aside, and stepped into the most beautiful dress I’d ever worn.
Just as I’d pulled it on and pulled the zipper up, a knock sounded on the door, followed by a familiar voice. “It’s…Dad.”
My hand flew to the lock, and I opened the door to find my father standing on the other side, wearing a brand-new suit. His cane was gripped tight in one hand, but he was standing tall. Taller than I’d seen him in months.
“What are you doing here?” I gushed, holding the dress to my chest.
“Got a f-fancy…invite,” he stuttered, stepping carefully into the room. “Couldn’t miss seeing you…shine.”
Tears gathered in my eyes as he motioned for me to turn. With trembling fingers, he fixed the clasp at the back of my neck, then rested his hands on my shoulders. “You’re beautiful,” he said. And for once, the words came out clear.
I turned and gave him the biggest hug I could manage without ruining anything in the process. “I’m really happy to see you. But how did you get here?”
He hooked a thumb over his shoulder.
I stepped out into the hallway and found Nate waiting with an empty wheelchair. “I’ve got your dad. You should go.”
“Is he here?”
Nate’s mouth twitched into something I’d never seen from him before. An actual smile. This gruff, guarded man cared about Zane almost as much as I did. His smile made me believe everything might turn out okay.
Fresh tears burned behind my eyes. But God, I didn’t have time to fall apart. Not yet.
The ballroom was alive. Noma employees and their guests mingled with what looked like half the town of Copper Ridge. People sipped wine, nibbled on canapés, talked, laughed, and a few had already found their way to the dance floor, even though the DJ was keeping the volume low for the moment.
I did this.
The thought hit me mid-stride, and I had to stop for a second to let it sink in. Every table, every centerpiece, every carefully chosen detail—I’d planned it, organized it, fought for it. And it was exactly what I’d envisioned.
For the first time in days, something that felt dangerously close to happiness swelled in my chest.
Nate led us toward a table near the front of the room.
My sisters were already seated. Lucy was in the dress we’d bought with Zane, glowing beside Jasper, who seemed almost as nervous as she did.
Olivia wore something borrowed from Avery, who sat beside her, gorgeous as always.
Wyatt was there too, relaxed for once, with Lydia beaming beside him. And two empty chairs, side by side.
Nate parked Dad’s wheelchair at the end of the table beside Lucy, who immediately reached for his hand. Olivia caught his eye from across the table and blew him a kiss, and for a moment, I just watched the three of them together.
My family. Still broken in so many ways but still holding on. Still healing in all the ways that mattered.
I was about to take my seat when I spotted him.
Zane was standing near the edge of the dance floor, half-hidden by the crowd.
He had on a dark, expensive-looking suit, but his hair was its usual unruly mess, and his jaw was lined with scruff.
His hands were shoved deep in his pockets, and his eyes were moving through the room like he was searching for something.
My heart slammed against my ribs and my feet stopped moving.
He hadn’t seen me yet. He was shifting his weight from one foot to the other, his shoulders drawn up and his whole body wound tight. No easy confidence. No swagger. Just a man who looked like he was about to walk into a firing squad and had shown up anyway.
I started toward him before I’d made the conscious decision. The crowd thinned as I got closer, and then he turned his head and saw me.
He went completely still.
His gaze moved over the dress, then back to my face, and his lips parted. His hands came out of his pockets, then went back in, then came out again.
“Hey,” I managed.
“Hey.” His voice was rough. Like the word had to fight its way out. “Melina, I need to talk—”
“I know.” I cut him off before he could finish, because if he started now, I’d fall apart, and I still had a job to do. “And I need to talk to you too. But not yet. Okay?”
He swallowed hard and nodded.
The lights flashed before either of us could say anything else.
A spotlight fell on the raised podium beside the DJ table, and a tall, well-dressed man with silver hair stepped up to the microphone. I’d never met Glenn Alexander in person, but the family resemblance was unmistakable.
Beside me, Zane went rigid.
“Good evening, everyone,” he greeted. “My name is Glenn Alexander, and I’m one of the co-owners of this resort.”
The crowd quieted, and tension radiated off Zane in waves.
“I wanted to thank you all for being here tonight, including this year’s sponsor, Noma,” Glenn continued. “This is the twenty-second time Copper Ridge Resort has hosted this annual event. And it’s an honor to welcome you all.”
Applause rippled through the room, but Glenn held up his hands.
“This is a very special night. This year, the Winter Festival Dance and the entire Noma retreat are bigger and better than ever before.” His face cracked into a warm smile, and his gaze swept the room until he found me.
“And it’s all thanks to our newly promoted Special Events Coordinator, Melina Marshall.
A young woman who earned this position through sheer talent, dedication, and the kind of work ethic that puts the rest of us to shame. Congratulations, Melina.”
Zane started clapping hard beside me, his eyes locked on mine. The look on his face was pure, unguarded, fierce pride. Like watching me succeed was the best thing that had ever happened to him.
“That’s my girl,” he said, low enough that only I could hear.
And that was what broke me. Not Glenn’s words or the applause or the promotion I’d bled for. It was him. Standing beside me, proud of me, after everything I’d done to push him away.
Tears spilled before I could stop them.
Someone let out a loud whistle, and I looked to my family. Lucy was bouncing in her seat, and Olivia shot me a wink. And Dad…God, my dad was clapping and cheering like a fool.
Glenn waited for the applause to settle.
“I also have a family announcement.” His tone shifted, and my pulse spiked even though I’d been waiting for this moment all day.
“As some of you may know, Copper Ridge is part of my family’s legacy.
My grandfather started it when he was a young, adventurous man.
He passed it down to my father, who then passed it to myself and my brother, Bowen.
” He paused. “Well…Bowen has sold his stake in the resort.”
A murmur moved through the crowd.
I reached for Zane’s hand.
His fingers were cold and stiff when mine closed around them, and a tremor ran through him. He didn’t look at me. He was staring at Glenn, his face drained of color, his body locked in place.
“I’m very pleased to announce that, as of this morning, the new co-owner of Copper Ridge Resort is my nephew—Zane Alexander.”
The noise was deafening.
Zane didn’t move. Didn’t clap. Didn’t react at all, except for his hand clamping down on mine so hard my knuckles ached. His breathing was shallow and fast. When I looked up at him, his eyes were wide and his mouth hung open.
“Three generations of Alexanders have built this place,” Glenn said, his voice rougher now. “And I couldn’t be prouder of the one who’s stepping up to carry it forward.”
Cheers swelled through the ballroom as people turned, searching the room for him, looking to congratulate and pat him on the back.
But Zane wasn’t paying attention to any of them.
He was staring at me.
The noise dimmed. The crowd blurred. The music, the clinking glasses, the laughter and applause—all of it faded to a low, distant hum until the only thing I could hear was my own heartbeat and the only thing I could feel was his hand shaking in mine.
His eyes were glassy and red-rimmed, his jaw tight, and the look on his face was something I’d never seen on him before. Not the charm. Not the confidence. Not the mask he wore for the rest of the world.
Just him. Stripped bare. Completely undone.
“Firecracker,” he whispered, his voice wrecked. “What did you do?”