Chapter 14
MADDIE
It’s been a whole week since the corridor incident with Wyatt.
I haven’t seen him since Chapters and Crumbs on Saturday morning—where I bolted because I was afraid of Autumn noticing something.
That doesn’t mean he hasn’t been on my mind.
I’ve had countless sleepless nights, filled with memories of Friday night and the look in his eyes.
My mind keeps rehashing the same “what if” questions, and I’ve had about enough of it.
There’s too much to be dealt with at Hartlands.
The lobby is full of people, either waiting to head out on the excursions we offer—and Sawyer runs—or just hanging out.
This weekend, we’re fully booked, again, and if that wasn’t enough to have on my plate, next weekend we’re hosting the wedding of Prince Nathaniel Marchese.
I have no idea why the man who lives in a palace wants his wedding in Montana, but we weren’t about to turn him away.
I’ve been liaising with his aides back in Italy, and because this could mean a whole new direction for us, it has to go off without a hitch.
It will. But that also means Wyatt Wilde needs to be evicted from my brain.
Something has to give, and I’ll be damned if it’s my business.
Forcing some of the tension out of my shoulders, I wind my way through the room until I reach the reception desk. Lainey is typing away on a keyboard, checking in a guest, and Rocky stands next to her, talking on the phone as he types into the laptop in front of him.
“Everything is running as smoothly as it can,” Mona assures as she comes to stand beside me.
I force my shoulders to relax as I stretch out my neck. “Am I being that obvious?”
“Short answer? Yes. If you need to go scream in your office to get rid of that nervous energy, do it. I’ve got things handled here.”
God, I wish it was only this place causing me stress. I guess my saving grace is the fact that she thinks it is. Maybe screaming in my office about Wyatt will help.
As I’m turning toward Mona to thank her for the offer, my gaze snags on the person who just walked through the front door. Jim Evergreen.
Crap. What is he doing here?
“Did I have a meeting with Mr. Evergreen today?” I rush, gripping Mona’s arm as trepidation skates down my spine. Has Wyatt sent him here? Is this a test to see if my plan will hold up, or a way for Wyatt to win the land? As if my day wasn’t already stressful enough.
Mona winces, hissing through her teeth, and I relax my hold, keeping my eyes locked on Jim.
Oh God, I can’t believe this is happening. I’m not prepared. Wyatt would know that, use it to his advantage. What if this means we lose the land? What if this is how Wyatt wins? I’m not sure I’ll forgive myself for either.
Jim scans the room, no doubt searching for me.
Can I hide? My body’s immediate response is yes, and I duck down behind Mona.
She chuckles, and I berate myself for acting like a child, before forcing myself to stand up and face Jim.
If we had a meeting and I forgot, I’ll own up to it.
That’s what Daddy always taught me. If I lose the land while doing it, then that’s on me.
But everything in my body is screaming that Wyatt is behind this. That this is his move.
Mona opens her phone, scrolling through my calendar as I fight off the kaleidoscope of butterflies trying to take up residence in the pit of my stomach.
“Nope, no meetings on the calendar with him. Maybe it’s a surprise visit.
” She shrugs, like it’s no big deal and I’m fully prepared to deal with this.
Which we both know I’m not. “Or maybe he’s just popped in to see your dad. ”
“Maybe,” I murmur in response, even though I know that’s not the case. If he was here to see my dad, he’d have gone to his house.
Jim’s focus lands on me, and I offer him a smile that feels false as I cross the lobby. As much as I would love to, I can’t avoid him.
“Mr. Evergreen, this is a nice surprise,” I lie. “Are you here to see my father?”
He leans against his cane before I direct him toward a set of empty armchairs by the window. “No, I came to see you.”
I feign surprise as I help him into a seat. “Oh, you did? To what do I owe the pleasure?”
Jim looks past me at a group of rowdy guests.
They’re decked out in flannel shirts and blue jeans, nothing out of the ordinary, but it’s the way they’re acting like drunk frat bros that makes me wince.
This isn’t anything new to us. Dealing with people acting fools on vacation comes with the territory, but we always clean up after them and issue fines where necessary in an attempt to deter any bad behavior.
What sets me on edge is the fact that Jim is here to witness it.
I don’t want to make him think that there will be more of the same out on the land if he chooses us.
Turning his attention back to me, Jim shifts in his seat, shutting down the annoyance flashing in his eyes quicker than I can acknowledge it. Tapping his cane on the herringbone floor, he says, “I figured I’d come and pay a surprise visit to you given your plans for my land.”
“Of course. If you want to make an appointment with my assistant, Mona, then I can make sure to give you my undivided attention,” I reply, waving over Mona and forcing my body to relax. Maybe Wyatt isn’t anything to do with this.
Maybe.
“I’ll be making my decision in the coming days, Maddie. And because I have a lot of respect for your father, I’ll tell you this now: if you send me away, I won’t be returning.”
Jim and I stare at each other. He’s being serious; that much I know from the look of certainty on his features.
For a beat, I want to tell him to go, that he has no right coming around here threatening me, but then I remember the plan and what having this land will mean.
Sure, I don’t have time for this, and I could try to call his bluff, but what if I’m wrong? I’m not sending Daddy in to fix my mess and I sure as hell am not letting Wyatt win on a technicality.
“You needed me?” Mona asks, coming to a stop beside me, her usual air of efficiency about her.
Exhaling, I turn my attention to her and reply, “Can you handle anything that comes up while I take Mr. Evergreen on a tour?”
Her eyes widen a fraction in exclamation before she catches herself. “Of course. Do you want me to ask Ashley to bring an ATV to the front steps?”
“Please,” I reply.
With a brisk nod, Mona turns and strides away, leaving me alone with Jim Evergreen.
I perch on the edge of my seat, defiance seeping into me as I straighten my spine.
There’s no way I’m going down without a fight.
Sending Jim over here is below the belt, but if Wyatt wants to try underhand tactics, I’ll meet him each time.
A loud bang sounds behind us and I flinch, as silence falls over the room. Searching in the direction the noise came, I spot two teenagers shoving at each other, before they bend to pick up the display they’d knocked over as Kali rushes over to them.
Twisting my fingers together, I turn my attention back to Mr. Evergreen, praying he’s not noticed the commotion. “I assume you’d like to start with the cabins rather than in the main house?” I ask, hoping he’ll play along with my pretending that nothing out of the ordinary is happening.
It feels like an eternity passes before he lifts a shoulder and replies, “Sure. We can start there.”
I offer him a brisk nod before standing and replying, “We don’t have many rooms or cabins that aren’t occupied, but I’ll show you what I can.”
He falls into step beside me as we head for the exit. “I’m not trying to catch you out, Maddie. I simply want to know more about what you have going on here.”
Why does it feel like that isn’t quite true?
I might not be able to prove it, but I think Wyatt has something to do with the reason Jim is here.
And I hate that I can’t tell if this is just business…
or something more personal. If it wasn’t for the worry gnawing at my gut as we walk through the lobby, I might be inclined to believe him.
It doesn’t take long for Ashley to bring the ATV around, and once we’re situated inside, I head in the direction of the guest cabins. All I can do is get this tour over with and hope that Jim still believes in my plans by the end of it.
With an air of professionalism I’m barely holding on to, I say, “We have six cabins, which hold anywhere between one and eight guests. There are thirty rooms in the main house, and then we have the luxury camping, which we only offer in the summer months. We can get a lot of foot traffic through here, and like I said in my presentation, I thought it would be a good idea to show people what Montana was like before all of this”—I wave my arm at the cabins ahead of us—“was here.”
I chance a glance at Jim as he nods wearily in response to what I’ve said. This is going bad. I wish I knew what Wyatt had told him. Should I try a different tactic?
My stomach chooses that moment to rumble, the sound loud to my own ears and reminding me of the time. “Have you eaten yet?” I ask, pulling up next to the only empty cabin. Maybe Oscar’s food can save us.
When I switch off the engine, it ticks over, and I climb out, rounding the buggy until I’m standing beside Jim.
“Not yet,” he replies, brushing away the arm I offer him as he climbs from the ATV.
“I’ll radio up to the main house and ask them to prepare us something to eat. Why don’t you go ahead, and I’ll meet you inside?”
I hand him the key and watch as he heads off, and as the door closes behind him, I roll my shoulders, forcing them to relax. Today is not the day for me to lose this deal.
Pulling the radio that I always carry from my belt, I press the side button and say, “Please can I have lunch for two prepared and in my office in thirty minutes?”
Almost immediately, Mona’s voice crackles on the line. “Yes, boss.”
Before we head back to the main house, I show Jim around the cabin, our setup by the lake for ceremonies and the luxury camping site.
By the time he leaves, I’m less nervous but even more uncertain than I was this morning about whether my pitch was enough to get the land. Or if I’ve already lost it to Wyatt.