Chapter 15
BOONE
Istill thought the snow room was a ridiculous idea. It seemed like something a bored celebrity would want in their house, and I couldn't imagine why our inn would need something like that to draw guests.
My parents were quick to trust Kennedy. Whether that was a smart decision was still debatable.
I enjoyed spending time with her, but I didn't trust her ideas. I was trying hard to compartmentalize everything: our nights together and work. They were separate and distinct. But the lines were starting to blur.
It was harder to separate things when I saw the design she spent all day working on. She was serious about this, and it wasn't going away. She wasn't backing off her idea. If anything, she was digging her heels in. This was important to her.
That meant that she wasn't going to take my feelings into consideration when it came to her consultation work with my parents. She was a savvy businesswoman, so she shouldn't. But it bothered me anyway.
We'd always been a family-run business. I didn't want people to see our inn as commercial or gimmicky.
We didn't need to do something drastic to draw in guests. Surely the rest of my family would agree.
"Are you ready to head over now, or do you need to change first?"
She looked down at her rumpled blouse and slacks. "I'd love to change."
I glanced at the time on my phone. "We have time."
She started packing up her things.
When she was done, we headed toward the elevator. "You got a lot of work done today?"
"I love when I have an idea and I can see it come to life. I'm usually not around for the final reveal, but clients will send pictures and updates, which always make my day."
I pushed the Up button. "Your clients are generally happy with your suggestions, and they implement them?"
"Usually what happens is that they decide to go forward with one or two, they see the success of those upgrades, and then they go back and do more."
"That's impressive."
"They get evidence that it works, which lends credence to my opinions. I'm available to talk to them after I leave, so they'll have a few questions before they go forward. But they usually implement most of my suggestions."
We stepped into the elevator, and Kennedy pushed the button for the top floor.
"I didn't realize that you continue to consult with your clients after you're gone."
She nodded. "My work doesn't stop because of one visit. I give them my suggestions, and then they can continue to follow up with me. Sometimes there are unexpected snags or results we didn't expect, and we tweak and go from there."
That changed things. I thought she'd be done working for my parents once she left Colorado, but it was an ongoing relationship.
"There are a few businesses that take my suggestions, and I don't hear from them again. But I love the updates and encourage more interaction. This is just the start of my working relationship with your family."
"I assumed it was a one-time thing," I said as the doors swished open and we stepped into the hallway.
"I work for a set number of months, and then they can choose to continue for longer, or not. The vast majority choose to continue working with me."
Her business model was impressive. I admired the way she'd set things up so that she could generate continuous income and work with hotels from afar, but I didn't like what it meant for our relationship. I'd hoped for a clean break, but she might still be in my life after she left.
I might have to see or talk to her. I wasn't sure that was a good idea. Every day, I felt more for her than the day before. I wasn't sure I'd be able to handle seeing her after we broke things off.
But tonight was about spending time with her and my family. She'd get to know them and see that traditions and family were important to us. Hopefully, they'd tell her how crazy her snow room idea was. I was desperate for some backup on that.
It was clear that my mom hadn't discouraged her from designing it after their lunch together. And I couldn't imagine why that was. What was it about Kennedy that had my parents so enamored with her?
She swiped the card over the lock and stepped inside. "I'll just freshen up."
I sat on one of the chairs and scanned the room. It was clear that she used the desk; she had a brief case with a pile of papers on it, and the chair was pushed back. Her clothes were hanging in the closet, so she wasn't living out of her suitcase.
She grabbed clothes and stepped into the bathroom. I should've stayed away from her, but I couldn't seem to do that.
I wanted to spend more time with her, not less. And maybe the closer we got, the more I'd be able to influence her opinions when it came to the hotel. At the very least, my family should be able to make her see that the snow room didn't fit with our inn.
The water ran, and then a few minutes later, she stepped out in jeans and a soft green sweater that brought out the green tints in her eyes.
She crossed the room and settled into my lap.
She threw her arms around my neck and kissed me.
I touched her back, pulling her against me so that she could feel my body.
I wanted to throw her down on the bed and remove everything she'd just put on.
Could we disappear for the night, and no one would know? I wanted her to myself.
I forced myself to pull away. "We should go. They're expecting us."
She moved off my lap. "We'll have to wait until later."
"You can come back to my place again where we'll have more privacy."
She grabbed her purse. "I never spend time in my room at night anymore. Hopefully, no one notices."
I opened the door for her. "Who would be paying attention?"
"I'm here to do a job. That's all anyone should care about."
There was a lump in my throat because it had become more for me.
I drove to the brewery. The lot was already filling up for the night. When we walked in, Beck met me by the door. "We reserved a brew bath for the family."
"Thanks."
"I hope you're enjoying your stay," Beck said to Kennedy.
"It's been great. Thank you. I've enjoyed getting to know the area and everyone here."
"I'm glad to hear that. Go on back. They're expecting you." Beck inclined his head toward the door to the brew bath area.
It was a good thing we didn't get distracted in her hotel room. They'd wonder what we had been doing.
We maneuvered our way through the crowd and tables to the other side of the building. We went into the dressing rooms to change. I was done first, so I waited for her in the hallway.
She walked out in a robe and slides. Today, she wore a blue bikini.
The strings on the sides were tied in a bow, and I was tempted to give them a little tug.
I wished that we were alone, like that night on her balcony.
It was too bad we couldn't spend more time in her room, but it would be too risky.
I'd have to install a hot tub in my new house. I felt a pang of disappointment at the thought she wouldn't be there with me when it was built. I was building a house for me to live in alone.
I had a feeling that what I felt for Kennedy wasn't something that happened with just anyone. She was special, but it was never going to work out. Not with her living in Florida and me residing in Colorado.
Kennedy smiled when she saw me but kept her distance. We walked side by side toward the brew baths. "This is getting harder."
I cleared my throat. "It is."
The largest brew bath area was reserved for my family, so we stepped inside the space.
"Kennedy, I'm so glad you could make it," Clara said with a hug.
"Me too," Kennedy agreed.
I liked that she got along with my sister. "I thought it would be fun if we could all hang out, and she could get to know everyone."
"Good thinking," Clara said with a smile. Then she turned to Kennedy. "Let's get in."
There were already drinks and snacks on a long table by the wall. Guests could snack and drink while they socialized.
I had to admit that it was a nice way to get together with friends and family. A smaller bath would be good for a couple. But tonight was about Kennedy getting to know my family better.
Once we were all settled in the tub with drinks, Clara asked Kennedy, "Do you have any suggestions for us yet?"
"I do, actually. I already spoke with your mother about this one, so I don't feel bad sharing it. I'd like to put a snow room in that empty storage room in the inn."
Clara tipped her head to the side. "What's a snow room?"
"A room with all windows with snow falling inside. Here, let me show you a picture." She grabbed her phone and scrolled through a few pictures.
Beck and Rowan were the only two who weren't with us tonight because they were working. The brewery was still new and was attracting a large clientele most nights.
Clara looked over her shoulder. "Wow. That looks amazing. You guys have to see this."
Callum reached for the phone. His brow furrowed and then smoothed out. "That's cool."
He passed it on to Hunter. "I don't know why you'd want to hang out in a snow room when you have this." He gestured outdoors where there was snow falling tonight.
I tipped my glass to my lips. "That's what I said."
"But it would be neat in the summer. We're bringing the snow to them," Hunter said as he passed the phone to Malcolm, who was here tonight with McCoy, his son.
"Are we getting a snow room? Can we build one in our house?" McCoy asked, his eyes wide as he looked from the screen to his father.
"It's just for the inn," Malcolm said.
Kennedy laughed. "It's for that empty room that you've been using for storage."
"That room does have those wonderful windows, and we've never been able to come up with a use for it," Clara said thoughtfully.
I rolled my eyes. "It's Colorado. We already have snow."
"It's trendy. But isn't that what the brewery and brew bath are?" Callum asked.
"I don't know about that," I said, refusing to give in on this topic. I'd hoped my siblings would think it was crazy, but it was the opposite. They seemed to be entertaining the idea.
"I think it could be so romantic. Look at the log benches and the trees in the room. I could cuddle up with Beck and a hot chocolate," Clara said with a smile.
"I vote for drinking hot cocoa while you're enjoying the room," Hattie agreed.
"So no one thinks this is a crazy idea and waste of money?" I asked.
"If Kennedy thinks it's worthwhile, then why wouldn't we consider it?" Clara asked.
"What if no one cares about a snow room and it doesn't attract any more guests? But we still spent a ton of money on it?" I asked, more than a little irritated that my family was on Kennedy's side.
"We'd all have to look at the numbers and make a decision," Malcolm said reasonably.
"You're the one who's against taking any risks," I shot back.
"I'm not saying I agree with it. I'd have to see everything first," Malcolm said easily.
Why was he so calm when I felt more irritated by the minute?
Kennedy placed her hand on my forearm. "It was just a suggestion, and it's not a formal one.
I'll present it to your parents when everything is ready.
Then they can make a decision. It doesn't have to be done right now or even anytime soon.
It's just a possibility," Kennedy said soothingly, but it was her touch that had sent tingles down my arm.
I wished we were alone, because I'd get lost in her and forget about snow rooms and changes. I wasn't ready for any of it.
"What did our mom think about the idea?" Clara asked Kennedy.
"She seemed interested. That's why I created a mock-up."
Kennedy worked hard on this idea, and I should've supported her. Wait, but she wasn't my girlfriend or someone I was planning a future with. Was my obligation to my family's inn or her?
Since we had an end date and this was my family's business, that should come first. But it was becoming less clear every day.
"I never would have thought of something like that. It's so unique. I feel like it makes our hotel exclusive," Clara said.
"That's the idea. What can we do that sets your inn apart from everyone else? All hotels have a fitness room or a pool. What do you have that will get people talking?"
"If they're talking about a snow room, no one is asking where the fitness room is," Callum said, and everyone laughed.
Kennedy was engaging and very good at convincing people that her ideas could work. I could admire that about her. But I didn't have to like the idea itself.
"Look, there's images of snow rooms with snow outside," Clara said to us, showing her screen. "Look how beautiful it is."
"A snow room would be so romantic. I could see there being proposals there," Hattie added.
Everyone started talking about how guests would use the snow room, and I felt like I'd lost control of the narrative.
"I take it you don't like it," Callum said to me.
"If we were in a warmer state, I could see it, but here? It doesn't make any sense." But I couldn't shake the feeling that I wasn't supporting Kennedy, and that didn't feel right either.