Chapter 23
Molly sat at her desk Tuesday morning processing the events of the week.
The Sunday trail ride to Twin Falls had been fun.
After saddling up, they set up the horse race on the practice track behind the corral.
The beautiful chestnut mares finished in a dead heat, just ahead of Bart on Rebel, and the rest of the pack.
The trail ride was through a beautiful older forest and finished at two waterfalls where they laid out a picnic of leftovers.
Upon return, the family packed up, checked out of cabins, loaded horses, and, one by one, expressed their thanks to Molly.
Bart used Monday for business: his appointment with Gloria, provisioning in Omak, and his writing projects.
Molly chose to not join him, feeling a need to reconnect with her business.
Over drinks by the fire Sunday night, she’d debated pressing him on how long he was going to stay off the grid.
Two days a month was fine for now. But were they going to have a relationship or not?
She decided not to press the issue. They’d just had a wonderful weekend with his family.
She was still processing the gift of Ginger.
The sex had been off the charts. She didn’t want to press right now when everything was going so well.
And she really didn’t need bad news. The relationship was moving in a good direction and was becoming increasingly important to her.
Finally, it would be better if he proposed spending more time together.
Much better than her nagging him into it.
But he didn’t say anything Sunday night, or Monday night, or Tuesday morning on departure, and Molly was disappointed.
What were they, and where were they going?
Was she just a good lay on a monthly visit?
That was pretty convenient for a mountain man not wanting commitments.
She couldn’t shake the image of cowboys in the wild west out robbing banks and stealing cattle who only came to town once a month to party in the saloon whorehouses.
Well, she really didn’t like that image.
The good news in Molly’s life revolved around resort finances.
She’d checked the numbers on Monday morning and had been stunned.
She was still processing the numbers Tuesday morning.
The outside area at the diner was pulling people to the resort in unprecedented numbers, and that was boosting all resort businesses.
On Tuesday morning, Molly pulled up the financials for Stampede week again and tallied the week’s results.
While she’d been out partying with Bart’s family, her team had turned in the biggest week in resort history.
Twelve cabins at $300 per night for seven nights: $25,200.
Forty RV sites for an average of $60 per night for seven nights: $16,800.
A weekly total of 352 trail rides at $75 an hour: $26,400.
Seven days of an overflowing restaurant with heavy liquor sales: $59,649.
Seven days at a grocery store with strong beer sales: $46,354.
Boat rentals: $12,485. Back country excursion fees for horses and mules, stall rentals, and exercising horses: $13,347. Total for one week: $225,435.
Molly ran the numbers over and over and compared them with the bank statements. They kept matching. Yes, she had expenses and a payroll against that, but still, she could feel the resort moving into new territory, a territory never imagined by the Macks who’d pioneered the business.
After reviewing the numbers a dozen times she came to a firm decision: her team needed to be rewarded.
At the bank, she requested $8,000 in one hundred dollar bills.
Back in the Jeep, she divided the bills into groups of four, one stack each for Evelyn, Betsy, Mai, and Silas.
She slipped $2,000 in crisp new $100 bills into four envelopes and called Evelyn, asking her to assemble the management team in her office.
Then, as an afterthought, she returned to the bank and got nine more $100 bills, three each for Willie, Buck, and Becky for helping her entertain Bart’s family.
Mai and Betsy were walking together to her office when she pulled the Jeep into her parking place. She could see Silas ambling down from the stables. Mai was inside watching Shadow and the pups. Everyone assembled in her office.
“I know you’re all busy, so I won’t take more than a few minutes.
” She surveyed the four faces of her team, each person trying to figure out why there were being called into an impromptu meeting with the boss.
“I’ve finished reviewing the financials from last week.
You see the numbers from the business you run, but you don’t see the resort totals.
This meeting is just to say thank you for running your businesses the way you do.
Not only did you set a resort record for one week’s business, each of your businesses is on a steady growth trajectory. ”
Molly paused. She could see the looks of relief. No one was being fired or scolded. The boss was happy. The resort was making money.
“I don’t think Mack 1 or 2 ever envisioned what we’ve built here.
They envisioned a sleepy fishing resort for crusty old men.
But I marvel every day when I walk through the resort seeing children swimming in the lake, boats filled with fishermen, all the cabins rented, all the RV sites full, the restaurant overflowing with people waiting to get in, customers carrying sacks of groceries and beer out of the store, and families lined up at the stables waiting for the next trail ride. ”
Molly paused again. Her team was now relaxed. The boss was saying thank you.
“I can’t believe I have the good fortune of having each of you managing your business. The reason for our success is the vision and attention to detail that each of you bring to your work.”
Evelyn and Betsy were smiling. Mai was looking down, embarrassed. Silas was pretending not to listen. But Molly knew she had their attention.
“So this is an impromptu thank you for your loyalty and dedication to my family’s business. Please don’t expect this every summer. Seeing the numbers yesterday just made me realize how hard you’ve all been working and how the resort’s success is tied to each of you.”
Molly pushed the four envelopes forward. Evelyn, Mae, and Silas put the envelope in their lap while they watched Betsy opened hers and pull out the crisp $100 dollar bills, grinning and bobbing her eyebrows up and down.
Molly hadn’t planned what would happen next. She’d said what she wanted to say and distributed the bonuses. The meeting was over as far as she was concerned. The group sat quietly awaiting her next words when Evelyn spoke.
“I think I speak on behalf of everyone in saying that we love working at Summer’s End.
We love being part of what’s happening here.
We know that you could be making a lot of money here and living high on the hog.
But you’re just like the McGuires that came before you.
You’re just pouring the profits back into the resort.
The new outdoor dining area, the walk in fridge at the store, another cabin, more RV sites, more stalls at the stables, more landscaping—it’s the investments you’re making that are driving the businesses, and it’s very exciting for us to be a part of what Summer’s End is becoming. ”
She paused and looked at the nodding heads in the room.
“We know how hard you’re working to support us and grow the resort.
And there you are, living modestly in that little cabin, driving your trusty Jeep, and tending to your horse.
We love that you’re investing in the resort and giving us the freedom to manage our businesses. So it should be us thanking you.”
More nods of the head. Molly was embarrassed. She didn’t want the attention turned back on her. She’d just played with her boyfriend and his family for a week while her managers worked long, hard hours to make her business successful. But she didn’t have anything more to add.
“Thank you, Evelyn. And, thanks to all of you.”
All eyes were on her.
“Now get out of here.”
Later that afternoon, she looked up Willie, Buck, and Becky, giving them each an envelope and thanking them personally for helping entertain Bart’s family. Each was appreciative, and she ended up in conversation with Becky after handing her the money and conveying appreciation.
“Thank you so much. You didn’t need to do this. I loved helping with your party, and I love working at Summer’s End.”
“We love having you here. I can’t believe what you’ve done with the trail riding business.
That business is up thirty percent over last year.
I’ve talked with Silas about it. You upgraded the snacks, created online registration, opened new destinations, and are asking for more horses. It’s really driving more business.”
Molly didn’t mention how much the dads liked looking at her in tight jeans or how trusting moms felt leaving their kids for a trail ride. She was great with customers, and it was driving word of mouth and repeat business.
“I love the trail rides. I thought it was going to just be for kids, but we have retired folks coming over from their RVs. They rode as kids and want to get on a horse again.” She paused and looked sheepish.
“I suppose you know I was hired for the summer, but I’ve been lobbying Silas for a permanent position. ”