The Edens Series

Chapter 3 #2

The lobby was empty, and every guest who was due to check in today had already arrived. So while we might get the occasional interruption, it would most likely be uneventful until around five. That was when the locals would come in to eat at Knox’s restaurant, Knuckles.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“Two things.” Dad held up a couple fingers. “I had to stop in at the bank the other day and was talking to Randy.”

The bank president wasn’t my favorite person in town. Whenever he came into the hotel, he brought with him an air of self-importance.

“He’d like to reserve the annex for the bank’s employee appreciation dinner this summer.”

“Great.”

When Knox had renovated the kitchen and restaurant a few years ago, my parents had bought the building next door for events.

In the original projections, the annex had been slated to pay for itself five years after the purchase.

But instead of just offering it up for weddings and parties, I’d advertised it with area businesses and organizations too.

Just this past week, we’d had a craft show in the annex.

Next weekend, the Western Montana Country Dance Club would be here for their annual dance competition.

“Just have Randy go look at the calendar and he can reserve it on the website,” I told Dad.

“Well, I guess he tried and couldn’t find the right spot. He’s not the most tech savvy guy.”

Yet he managed to run a bank? Didn’t Randy have an assistant who could help?

“Would you mind printing off the calendar for him?” Dad asked.

The whole point of me putting the annex’s calendar on the website was so that I could stop printing it out and chasing down payments. But whatever. “Sure. Is he going to stop by to pick it up?”

“Any chance you could run it by the bank?”

No, I didn’t want to take it to the bank and make small talk with Randy all because he couldn’t be bothered to use an intuitive website. But I would. “I’ll do it first thing tomorrow morning.”

“Thanks.”

“Of course.” I forced a smile, dreading whatever else they needed. “What’s item number two?”

“Well, we just wanted to check in and see how the quarter was going,” he said. “We just met with the accountant to review the taxes. Last year was the best year we’ve ever had at the hotel.”

“Oh.” My chest surged with pride. “Really?”

“We’re proud of you.” Mom patted my arm.

“Thanks.” It was a relief to hear those words, especially after how hard I’d been trying to earn them.

To earn Mom and Dad’s approval.

While the restaurant belonged to Knox, the hotel was incorporated as a separate entity owned wholly by my parents. The physical building, they’d split with my brother. Two businesses run independently that shared an address.

Besides the Eden family ranch, The Eloise had always been Mom and Dad’s most time-consuming business venture. Dad had always been focused on the ranch, while Mom had managed the hotel. She’d worked here for years until she’d handed me the reins after I’d graduated from college.

She’d put in her time with this business. What she wanted for their retirement was to be at home, surrounded by their grandbabies. So they’d spent recent years trying to settle their affairs. Dad wanted us all standing on our own two feet and the Eden businesses controlled by his children.

My oldest brother, Griffin, was now running the ranch. The love of Griff’s life was his wife, Winn, and their two kids. But the land was a close second.

Knox was the same. Memphis and the boys came first. If he wasn’t with his family, he was happiest in a kitchen, cooking for those he loved most.

Lyla had her coffee shop.

Talia had taken her inheritance to pay for medical school and buy a house. She was a doctor at Quincy Memorial.

Mateo, our youngest brother, was a pilot, flying planes in Alaska. Of us all, he seemed like the one who was still wandering. Still finding his wings.

But as sure as Griffin was about the Eden Ranch, as dedicated as Knox was to Knuckles, I was equally as committed to The Eloise.

More than anything in the world, I wanted this to be my hotel.

I’d gone to college because Mom and Dad had always taught us that a higher education was important. But from the time I was sixteen, working here as a housekeeper in high school, running this hotel had been my dream. Then I’d become the manager.

I’d thought the next step would be assuming ownership.

Except then they’d offered it to Knox.

Partly because he was older. Partly because he had more experience managing a business and more money to cushion hard times. Mostly because I’d gotten into a sticky situation with an ex-employee.

Apparently, I was too soft. Too gentle.

I led with my heart.

Somehow, that had become my greatest weakness. The obstacle keeping me from my dream.

Ironic, considering Mom and Dad were the people who’d taught me to be kind. Loving. Trusting. But apparently for my dream, for this hotel, my personality was all wrong.

I loved my parents. I loved my family. But that?

It had crushed my heart.

When I’d learned they wanted to give the hotel to Knox, I’d been devastated. An epic blowup had ensued. There had been tears. There had been hysterics. Both from me.

Thankfully, Knox had turned them down. He’d convinced them to give me more time to prove myself.

Did I really need to prove myself?

There was a reason Mom and Dad didn’t spend much time here. Me. This hotel ran on autopilot because I took my job seriously.

From housekeeping to maintenance to guest services, there wasn’t a single aspect of this hotel that I didn’t oversee. From the plush slippers we left for guests to the twinkle lights on the elevator’s potted evergreens, I lived and breathed The Eloise.

Yet for whatever reason, it still wasn’t enough. My parents had such confidence in my siblings. Even Mateo. But my brothers and sisters didn’t see this side of Mom and Dad. The hovering. The micromanaging.

Though it was nice to have Mom and Dad say they were proud.

“We just wanted to recognize the changes you’ve made lately,” Dad said. “Maybe it’s time to start talking about transferring ownership.”

Seriously? I reached down and pinched my own leg. Was this really happening? Finally?

“When we came to you about Knox taking over the hotel, we told you that you weren’t ready,” Mom said.

Ouch. I didn’t need the reminder. I remembered every word of that conversation.

“And now you think I am?” I asked her.

“Yes, we do.”

Holy. Shit. This was happening. This was really happening.

“Any time there’s been an issue with an employee, you’ve handled it perfectly,” Dad said. “The guest count is the highest in history.”

Before me, they’d never even kept track of that number. But I could tell you how many guests we’d had every day of the year for the past three years.

“And the magazines and tourist blogs we’ve been mentioned in lately.” Mom’s smile was contagious. “It’s just wonderful.”

“Thanks.”

For tourists traveling to Glacier National Park, Quincy was a popular tourist stop.

During the summer months, we were booked solid.

The same was true around the holidays. So I’d worked hard to drum up press features for The Eloise that would fill rooms during our quieter months.

Spring break. Hunting season. Thanksgiving.

And though there were still slow times, our off-peak seasons were getting busier and busier.

“The hotel is flourishing financially,” Dad said. “You’ve really shown us how responsible you can be.”

Responsible. That word was like a knife to my heart.

Responsible, twenty-six-year-old women didn’t get married in Las Vegas on a drunken whim.

Oh, no. No no no no no.

The minute they found out about Jasper, I could kiss my hotel goodbye.

Maybe I should tell them. Get it out there in the open. Apologize and promise to fix it.

“It won’t happen immediately,” Dad said. “But as long as this momentum continues, we’re looking at stepping away, officially, by the end of the year.”

I opened my mouth but couldn’t speak.

“We’ve shocked her, Anne,” Dad teased.

Mom laughed, putting her hand on my arm. “It’s just so comforting to know you’ll take care of this place. That you’ll be responsible for it long after we’re gone.”

Responsible. There was that word again.

Tell them. Tell them right now.

“I need—” The words lodged in my throat so hard I coughed.

“You okay?” Mom ran her hand up and down my spine.

I nodded, swallowing hard and choking down the confession that would end my lifelong dream. “I won’t let you down.”

Dad smiled, his blue eyes softening. “No, I don’t think you will.”

My heart crumpled.

I was going to let them down. I was going to fail them completely. They were going to be so disappointed in me. Just like with the lawsuit.

“We’ll get out of your hair.” Mom gave me a quick hug, then rounded the counter. “I’m making potato soup for dinner tonight. Want to join us?”

Her potato soup was a favorite. “I have plans. Next time.”

“Next time.” She clasped Dad’s hand, interlacing their fingers, then as he waved goodbye, they headed for the door.

The moment they were out of sight, I collapsed on the counter, banging my head against the surface. “How could I be so stupid?”

Why had I married Jasper? Why?

Sure, he’d sort of dared me. And yeah, it had been my idea to do something spontaneous. Tattoos would have been better. Why hadn’t we just gotten matching tattoos? Guaranteed, I would have regretted Jasper’s name on my skin less than this marriage.

“I have to fix this.” I whipped up straight and scrambled off my chair, diving for my phone and purse.

A secret. That was the only solution.

If I wanted this hotel, no one in my family could find out the truth. Which meant I needed to get to Jasper. Now. Before he told Foster. Before Foster told Talia. Before Talia told Lyla and Lyla told everyone with the last name Eden about my hasty marriage.

I put out the sign on the counter we used when the desk clerk needed to take a quick break. Then I sprinted for the elevator, hitting the button for the fourth and top floor.

Brittany was cleaning rooms today, but she’d been training recently to run the desk.

I found her vacuuming the largest room, nearly done with the cleaning for today. “Hey, can I beg a favor?”

“Of course.”

“I’ve had sort of an emergency come up. Would you mind watching the front desk for like, an hour?”

“Sure.” She nodded. “Everything okay?”

Nope. “Yep,” I lied. “Be back soon.”

With my keys in hand, I hustled to the stairwell, too anxious to wait for the elevator. Then I jogged to the first floor, racing through the lobby to push outside and start the trek home.

Gah. Why hadn’t I driven to work today? My house was only two blocks away, part of why I rented it even though the water heater was as questionable as the furnace. But the sidewalks were slick with the recent snow, forcing me to walk instead of run.

The moment I arrived, I went straight for the garage, climbing into my gray Subaru. Then I sped across town toward Alderson Road.

Alderson was on the outskirts of town, where most of the roads were unpaved. My tires crunched on the gravel as I sped past rows of towering evergreens. Beyond their trunks was a creek that eventually flowed into the Clark Fork River, which acted as a natural boundary on one side of Quincy.

The properties out here were secluded, most of the homes large and built off the road to give their owners some privacy. The turnoff to the A-frame was the last in line, and when I reached the mailbox, I slowed to roll down the narrow driveway.

A silver Yukon was parked in front of the cabin. Inside the house, the lights glowed golden behind the windows. Standing on the front porch, with his hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans, was Jasper.

My heart tumbled.

Jasper stood statue still, his dark eyes unreadable. He was as gorgeous as he had been Saturday. That ruffled dark hair. That stony jaw dusted with stubble. Soft lips and a body built for sin. The ache in my core that had woken me this morning flared to life.

Never in my life had sex been that good. He’d made me come two—no, three—times. The fact that Lyla hadn’t heard us having sex on our end of the hotel suite had been a freaking miracle. Because that man had made me scream.

Heat rose in my cheeks as I parked beside his SUV. I took a fortifying breath and climbed out of my car, walking to the base of the porch’s stairs.

Here goes nothing.

“Hey there, husband.”

Jasper’s jaw clenched. That clench had to be a good thing. A sign that Jasper didn’t want to keep the title.

“So . . . about this marriage.”