Chapter 14
KENNEDY
In my room, I showered, then opened my laptop, intending to have a productive day researching options for Hart Inn's interior. I had a good feel for their guests and what they did while they were in town.
It was a more casual hotel experience, since most guests were here to enjoy the outdoors, hiking, and skiing. There was some shopping to be done at nearby small towns like Christmas Town and Telluride.
Guests could travel to Denver, but it seemed like most guests preferred staying close rather than traveling to the larger city.
What would make the most sense for the inn? Something that was consistent in all the rooms? Handcrafted furniture or store bought? Would guests notice either way?
Did I take note of how sturdy the furniture was when I stayed in an inn? Not really. That was more of a consideration for the hotel purchasing products than the guests using them.
Would they notice handcrafted details like I'd seen on Boone's sketches? Even I could see that they were beautiful, but it seemed like too much for the rooms themselves. It would be more expensive and time intensive than just buying what they needed from a supplier.
By early afternoon, I was no closer to a solution, so I went downstairs with my laptop and Boone’s folder of sketches to have lunch.
I was given a table by the windows with views of the outdoor patio and mountains. It was absolutely beautiful. How was I going to go back to Miami and be content with beach views after enjoying the mountains?
I'd worked hard to buy the beachfront condo, but now I was thinking about how lovely the mountain views were and how much I enjoyed snow.
Judy stopped at my table. "Kennedy, I didn't know you were coming for lunch today. Mind if I join you?"
"Of course." I gestured for her to have a seat across from me.
When she was seated, she asked, "How are things going? Have you been able to see a lot of the inn and property?"
I nodded. "Yesterday, Hunter took me hiking, and Boone showed me around Christmas Town. I was also able to tour the inn, the rooms, and the brewery."
The waitress stopped at our table. We ordered drinks and club sandwiches.
When the server left, Judy asked, "Has everyone been nice?"
I smiled. "Oh, yes. Everyone's been very welcoming."
She raised a brow. "Even Boone?"
I laughed. "He's come around. I think he wants you to be happy."
A smile spread over her face. "I hoped he'd see it that way. Have you come to any conclusions?"
Now was the perfect time to tell her about my idea. "I have one suggestion that's a little outside the box. But I have to be honest with you; Boone hates it."
She leaned in close. "Now I have to know what it is."
I took a deep breath. "Have you ever heard of a snow room before?"
A crease appeared between her eyebrows. "Can't say that I have."
I opened my laptop and pulled up an image of one. "It's an interior room with snow. There's usually a place to sit to enjoy the cold air and falling snow. Boone could make the trees and furniture."
Her brow furrowed. "And people want something like this?"
"I usually see it more in warm climates, but I think it could be a selling point in the warmer months when you're not drawing as many guests for the cold-weather activities."
"So this is for the guests who want cold weather and snow?" Judy asked.
"It's a novelty thing. Something that people would talk about."
"Kind of like the brew baths."
"Snow rooms are more novel than even that. Most people haven't even heard of them. You'd be one of the first hotels to build one. But I have to warn you; they're expensive."
"Why doesn't Boone like it?" Judy asked.
I shrugged. "Because they're expensive, and he thinks it's kind of ridiculous. If you want snow, visit in the winter."
Judy laughed. "That's Boone, always the practical one."
"Yeah. I guess he is." It's what I'd come to like about him. He never sugarcoated anything. He told you exactly what he thought. It was refreshing and very different from the way people in Miami acted.
"Why do you think this will be a good idea for us?" Judy leaned forward, genuinely interested in what I had to say.
"You can advertise that you're bringing winter year-round to the property.
Even in the summer, you can experience the cold snow.
And this room is just sitting there empty.
It would have more impact than adding a fitness room or a pool.
Boone said you didn't have room for a pool inside and an outside one would be impractical, given the short summers you have here. "
"Our thought on a fitness room has always been that you come here for outdoor activities. You can go for a hike or ski. You don't need a treadmill when you have all of this." Judy gestured at the view.
"I can see that." For the first time, I really felt what Boone was talking about. This was a family resort on a beautiful piece of property. We weren't selling it so much as we were enhancing its natural beauty. The question was, did utilizing his furniture make sense?
"I'll talk to Raymond about the snow room. I kind of love the idea. But I love snow, and I'd definitely enjoy a room dedicated to winter inside the inn. Now I kind of want one for my house."
"I'm surprised you like the idea. I was prepared for some pushback."
"That's because you talked to Boone first. He's more reluctant. He's more like our eldest son, Malcolm, in that regard. But sometimes you have to make changes to move your business to the next level."
"I'm glad you see that."
Our food came, and we dug into our sandwiches, talking about Clara's store and how she inherited it from her grandmother. Then we moved onto Christmas Town and its recent improvements.
"The area really seems like it's developing. You have Christmas Town and Telluride nearby. The Wilde Ski Resort for skiing and mountains for hiking. You've really created something here."
"Thank you, dear. It started as a way to save the house and turned into something that has the potential to support our family for generations. At least that's our goal."
"I'm glad you're thinking about the future. Some owners only care about their profits and not how changes will affect the environment or future generations."
"Family always comes first. It may look like our businesses do, but that's not the case." She turned her attention to Malcolm, who was stopping at each table to check in with the guests.
"That's Malcolm, always wanting to make everyone feel welcome and taken care of. But I worry that he's doing too much."
"He's lucky to have you looking after him," I said, admiring the close-knit family.
"Speaking of family, is yours in Florida?"
"Actually, my parents recently moved to Maine. It was a retirement goal of theirs," I said, ignoring the pang in my chest that they wouldn't be so close anymore.
"You must miss them."
"I'm intending to travel to see them, but it's not the same as living in the same town.
They've been sending me updates about where they're going each weekend.
They've been hiking—the scenery is beautiful—and spending time at various festivals.
They kayak too and do a million things they didn't when they were working. I'm really happy for them."
Judy sighed. "That's our goal. To retire and enjoy some downtime. Not that we don't love this place, but I've always wanted to travel."
"I enjoy visiting a lot of places, but sometimes I wonder if it wouldn't be nice to spend more time in one place. I have my condo in Miami, but I'm rarely there to enjoy it."
"Over the years, I've found that it's the company you keep, not the places you visit, that matters. I'd love to take my family with us when we travel, but they're so involved with the businesses."
"That would be lovely if they could join you."
Judy glanced at her phone. "Well, I've enjoyed my lunch with you, but I have a massage scheduled for this afternoon."
"Enjoy the rest of your day."
No bill was delivered, so lunch must have been on the house. The perks of dining with the owner, I suppose.
When Judy left, I opened my laptop and looked over the images of the snow room. I was excited to get started on it. I just hoped Raymond liked the idea.
Malcolm paused at the end of the table and gestured at the seat his mother vacated. "Do you mind?"
"Not at all." I indicated that he should sit across from me.
"Did you enjoy your lunch?"
"I did. The food was good, the view amazing, and your mother is good company."
A crease appeared between his brows. "My parents trust you. They think that they need to renovate the inn before they can safely retire."
I chuckled nervously. "No pressure."
His expression was serious. "We're not a city hotel. We have different guests and needs."
I frowned. "I get that."
"Boone's had his heart set on his furniture being in the rooms upstairs, and I'm worried that you're going to suggest that Mom and Dad buy something store-bought that will need to be replaced in a few years."
"I carefully research everything I recommend."
Malcolm sighed. "The point is, Ms. Barnes, that we are a family first. You need to consider that as well as profits. What works in Miami might not work here."
"Boone has explained all of this to me." I wasn't sure what Malcolm's point was, unless it was to protect Boone. "But I have to suggest what I believe is right, not what Boone wants."
He nodded stiffly. "I hope you do the right thing."
"Malcolm—" I said as he got up.
He raised a brow. "Yes?"
"I promise I'll do what's right for the inn and your family.
My suggestions are just that, suggestions.
You're free to accept some of them or reject all of them.
But I assure you, everyone who has implemented my changes has seen an increase in income.
A significant increase. That's the reason your parents reached out to me. I'm good at what I do."
"I appreciate your confidence. I just hope you can deliver for us." Malcolm turned and walked away, and I felt unsettled.
The brothers seemed to want me to support Boone, but I had to do what was right for the business overall. There were many considerations—cost, speed, and efficiency—that went into my decision. I wouldn't recommend something that would be impossible to implement or too expensive.
I blew out a breath and tried to refocus on the snow room. This was the only thing that I felt strongly about, which meant I had to recommend it. I felt so strongly that this was the right direction to go in.
I could envision the room upstairs filled with snow. Boone would be involved in building the benches and trees. No matter what I decided about the furniture, he'd have this. I was including his work in the snow room's design. Surely he'd appreciate that.
I cleaned up my things and went to the storage room to take measurements, then ended up at the atrium.
It was a room off the main dining room that was all windows, with comfortable seating and a fountain.
From my understanding, it was used for parties.
Otherwise, guests could relax in this room and enjoy the view.
Throughout the day, coffee and hot chocolate were offered in the lobby, and cookies were set out in the afternoon. I grabbed a couple of cookies, and Hattie's hot cocoa, then spread out on one of the tables.
I wanted to design a mock-up of the room. I opened the software and got to work.
It was dark by the time I looked up from my design. The room was on the screen, and I was pleased with the result. It included several benches and tree stumps with larger trees, all covered in snow.
"That's the snow room?" Boone said from behind me.
I turned to find him standing just off my left shoulder, staring at my computer screen. "Boone. What are you doing here?"
His hands were tucked into his jeans pockets. "Malcolm said you've been working most of the day."
"I had lunch with your mom. Then I measured the room upstairs so that I could see what it would look like.
I wanted to create the design so I could show it to everyone.
It helps to have a visual." I scrolled through a few photographs of other snow rooms so that he could get an idea of options.
Then I returned to the design for the inn's room.
He considered the screen. "I can see the appeal."
I looked up at him. "You can?"
"I don't see why we'd need one in Colorado though."
I sighed. "I really think this is what you need. Can you imagine the pictures in the winter when it's snow outside and inside?"
"Yeah, but you could just go outside," he insisted.
I sighed. "It's going to be amazing."
He scowled. "Did my parents already approve it?"
"I talked to your mom about it. Not your dad. I just wanted to get something ready to show them. This is the only thing that's speaking to me at the moment." As a creative, he should understand the idea of inspiration or instinct when it came to work.
He leaned a hip on the table, bringing him closer to me. "You want to go to the brewery tonight? Get some pizza and enjoy the brews? I think the rest of my brothers will be there, along with Beck and Clara."
"That sounds like fun." After talking to Malcolm, I felt like I should get to know the other siblings. To get a sense of how they felt about the businesses and their future.
It was clear that Boone didn't want to talk about the snow room, at least not tonight. I didn't want him to be upset with me, but at the same time, I had a job to do. But it was getting harder to separate our relationship from the decision I had to make.
I'd gotten involved with someone at work before, and it had cost me my job. I didn't want to do anything that would cause an issue for my business. Especially since reputation was so important to a consultant.
I wanted to be taken seriously. But at the same time, I didn’t want to end our relationship. I was enjoying it too much.
There was something about Boone and how he was different from every other man I'd ever met. I didn't want to walk away.