December 22nd
Our meadow.
Ainsley
I’m up early again today, dressed and ready for work when I decide to go to the main house and see what Chef is cooking. And trying to remember if today is the day he makes pastries.
I’m walking over when I get a call from Uncle Tripp.
“Quick question for you. Buck says he’ll take the job of running the new hotel with a few conditions.”
“Okay.”
“Apollo, you know him well, right?”
“I do. We worked together at the lodge for years. He’s a great guy, and he knows the business well.”
“Excellent. Because Buck is excited about coming to Kansas City. His daughter lives in the area and is expecting her first child, and he and his wife want to be closer. But he says he won’t accept unless Apollo comes with him.
That they both need to consult with us on the back end of the hotel.
He also wants to train Apollo to run the whole place, so he can retire.
What I want to know is if you think Apollo could handle it.
And if you think he’d at all be interested in Kansas City. ”
“Apollo has worked at the Archibald Lodge in so many different roles and understands the back end of things so well. I think he’d be perfect to consult with on the hotel design.
He’s also amazing at service and just a really wonderful human being.
A pretty good golfer too. And I do think he’d be open to moving,” I say.
“Just remember, it’d be a big role, and the cost of living here—”
“Say no more. Thanks.” Then he hangs up.
When I get to the kitchen, I’m surprised to find Sammy sitting at the island.
“Morning,” he says with a wide smile.
“What?” I ask him.
“I talked to a mutual friend late last night,” he practically sings.
“Oh, really? Who?”
“Apollo.”
“About what?” I ask, wondering what he knows.
“He might be moving here. To Kansas City. For some new hotel.”
“That would be the hotel I’m currently working on a design for,” I tell him.
“Really? Did he tell me that? I don’t even remember, honestly. The second he said he might be moving, I just started daydreaming of our life together.”
“Sammy,” I warn.
“I know. I know. But he’s—he will truly be the first really good man that I have ever dated. Like, if we date. I mean, I hope we do.”
“So, he just called you to tell you about a possible move?”
“Yeah, basically.”
“And your response was?”
“I do!” Sammy yells out.
I roll my eyes.
“Just kidding. I said that I would love to share the city with him.” He grins and says under his breath, “Along with a few other things.”
“You’re bad,” I tease. “What are you doing today?”
“Living a life of leisure, of course.” He laughs. “Hanging out here all day. Most of the Christmas gifts we ordered should be arriving. Thought maybe we’d wrap tonight? Have some cocktails—I mean, mocktails.”
“That would be fun,” I say, just as the chef comes out of the pantry.
“Miss Archibald, can I get you anything?”
“Do you have any of those croissants?”
“I made a new batch just yesterday.”
He goes back into the pantry and brings me one out on a plate while Sammy makes me a coffee.
“I’m dying to get to work. I was in the sample room early yesterday, and when Jadyn came in, she loved what I had picked out.”
“And what about the nursery?!” he asks. “Were you so surprised?”
“I was. It was amazing. I think it’s all going to be delivered soon.”
“Girl, where is your head? It’s all being done today. That’s why I’m home, hanging out here. Your mom has already left for some early meeting.”
“Oh, thank you. Yesterday was a bit of a blur. From the nursery, to talking with Damon, then going in a helicopter with my uncle.”
“Wait, you went in one?”
“Yes, to see where the hotel is going to be. He had a drone take photos of the views. Then we took the helicopter out to my uncle Van’s house to talk about the hotel.
I randomly said something and basically might have changed the project from a high-rise to—I don’t know.
Something different. Part of why I have to get to work.
I’ll fill you in later, okay? Oh, also, Damon said there’s a house the builder is building with the same floor plan as ours. Would you go see it with me soon?”
“I’d love to,” he says. “See you tonight.”
I find Uncle Tripp, Uncle Van, and Hayes in the sample room, looking at everything Jadyn and I laid out. Tripp is frowning.
“We were just playing around,” I offer by way of greeting.
“Jadyn should be here shortly,” Tripp says while Van adds a few hand-drawn mock-ups to the table.
“Take a look at these,” Van says to me and Hayes. “Very rudimentary, but we hope Jadyn can expand upon it.”
“And hope that she doesn’t hate me.” Tripp then turns to me and says, “But really, it’s all your fault.”
“Me? I was literally spitballing. Brainstorming,” I say with a laugh.
“Oh boy,” Jadyn says, striding into the room. “I see the good ole boys’ club is all here.”
“Now we are,” Buck Boone says, walking in behind her, with Apollo in tow.
Buck greets me and Jadyn, then gives the guys all slaps on the back and handshakes.
Apollo is introduced to Hayes and then greets the rest of us.
I give him a big hug, happy to see him and to work with him again.
“I assume this means you’re going to be moving to Kansas City, Buck?” Jadyn says.
“Yessiree,” Buck says happily. “Wife flew up with me and is going to look at houses today. You know what they say about a happy wife. Mine just got happier. At least, maybe this will give her somethin’ to talk about besides what her grandma name is gonna be.”
“All right, let’s get down to business,” Tripp says, handing Jadyn the drawings he sketched out last night.
“You texted me those last night,” she says.
“And if I look like I stayed up all night, it’s because I did.
I will admit that I was also struggling with how to make the hotel feel special when it’s not game day.
” She lays architectural drawings on the table and rolls out the first page.
“Obviously, still rough, but welcome to Archibald Park.”
“Love the name,” Tripp says.
“Of course you do,” she says with a laugh. “The park is a half mile wide, same as Central Park in New York City, but is only a mile long—compared to Central Park’s two-and-a-half-miles length.”
She points at the drawing while she talks.
“I envision walking trails, gardens, a pond for kayaks in the summer and ice skating in the winter. Water features, sculptures. We’ll add in some hills, maybe a stream.
Possibly a lazy river water park. We’ll need tennis and pickleball courts, but I don’t picture them in the park.
And since we have the land, I thought, why not throw in a golf course on the property?
You’ve always wanted one of those, Tripp. ”
Tripp grins, and Jadyn continues, “And at this end, the Archibald Park Hotel and Residences.
Just eight stories tall. Views from the front are all about the world around it—the stadium, entertainment venues, and the highway.
But from the back, the park views will be incredible.
Residences will offer both views. Hotel rooms will offer either-or.
The eighth floor of the hotel will be reserved for the restaurant and bar.
Ballrooms and meeting space will be in a separate wing.
“Surrounding the park will be a combination of luxury retail with townhomes and condos—some of which we’ll rent out to larger parties and some of which will be sold.
Much like the Archibald Lodge, I would expect a property like this would be the perfect spot for magical weddings.
Adding a chapel in the park would be both a focal point and functional.
I think all on-site food is done in-house or with very trusted partners who promise great food and impeccable service. ”
“Of course,” Tripp says. “And I love it all.”
“We could also add a permanent glass structure for receptions, like at the Lodge,” Apollo offers.
I nod in agreement, but I can’t help but smile as I remember lying on a table with Damon, gazing up at the stars from the one at the lodge.
Buck goes, “This hotel is like a reverse mullet. Party in the front, business in the back.”
To this, both Apollo and I laugh. Buck is funny.
“Oh, and some possible names for on-site restaurants—Archibald Grill, Tripp’s, The Vanguard, and, my personal favorite, Buck Boone’s.
” Jadyn turns to Buck and says, “If you will allow it. I think it sounds like a great place to get some ribs. And I was thinking the steak house has this logo.” She lays down another sheet of paper with just three vertical lines in a row.
“For Tripp the Third. Like, regardless of what you actually name it.” She stops and takes a deep breath.
“And now for the hotel building itself.”
She rolls back the park plan to reveal a hotel building so beautiful that I gasp out loud.
It’s cream stone with arched windows outlined in black steel.
Classic black-and-white awnings cover the front entrance, and a covered side entrance is where guests would arrive, keeping them out of the elements.
A huge circular driveway. Potted plants.
“It looks like an English duke should live there,” I say. “Like a grand country estate. It’s so pretty. Perfect.”
“Well done,” Tripp says, nodding.
Van goes, “Damn.”
And Hayes says, “Do we even want to know what this is going to cost?”
“Well, here’s part of how we can help fund it.
” Jadyn shows us another building, equally beautiful, that will hold the residences.
“I thought I’d have them side by side, but this building will be ten stories, top floor reserved for Tripp’s penthouse, so I moved it to the other side of the ballrooms, gave it a matching facade and similar side entrance, and worked in more marble.
I think this building, the park, and retail renderings should be our first priority.
We can presell before we even break ground. ”
“That’s smart,” Hayes says.
“This isn’t just a hotel anymore,” Van says.