Page 69 of Come to Me

"This place can survive a few days without you, and if it can’t, well then it’s already dead.”

Her heart pinched at his words. “We’re starting to get bookings for next summer and?—”

“Your mom and I can handle that. Who do you think did it before you?” He arched a brow.

“I know but?—”

“I’m not asking, Mick, I’m telling. You need to go. You need a break and to experience a new setting.”

Micki's gaze drifted to her mother, who’d been quietly watching from the refreshment table. "Your father's right, honey. We want you to be happy, and we know how much you love this place. But we also know you've never really had the chance to explore the world beyond Kincaid Lake. We don’t want you to saddle yourself without knowing what’s outside."

Micki felt the familiar tug of conflicting emotions. On one hand, the idea of a weekend away was tempting - a chance to escape the constant pressure of keeping the resort afloat. On the other hand, she couldn't shake the nagging fear that if she left, everything would fall apart.

"What if something happens while I'm gone? What if?—"

“We’re not completely inept,” her father snapped. “We can handle it. Logan can help. You've done more than your fair share, and now it's time for you to take care of yourself."

A nagging fear tugged deep in her gut. “Are you selling this place?”

“Not while you’re in New York,” he stated. “But I’m not going to hand it over to you either until you have a chance to know what your other options are.”

The idea of being coerced into a trip to New York didn’t sit well, but she didn’t have much choice either. For some reason, her parents had decided she needed to experience life away from the lake before they were going to agree to let her make the lake her life’s career.

Letting out a slow breath, Micki nodded. "Okay. I’ll go.”

Sydney stood and put an arm around her. “It will be fun. You’ll see.”

When the weekend arrived, Micki found herself sitting in the lap of luxury as the private plane left Charlotte Tavern with her, Sydney, Lexie, and Chelsea, headed to NYC. Looking out the window of the plane, the green, lush country side of Central Virgina drifted away, replaced by buildings and traffic of New York.

Micki tried not to gape at the size of the buildings. The sounds of the city. The lights. She felt like she’d stepped onto an alien planet. No wonder Patrick felt so out of sorts at the lake.

Not that she didn’t enjoy the city. Micki was an adventurer at heart. She found herself invigorated by energy of the bustling streets. There was so much going on all the time. It was exciting. Even so, she knew her life was back in Virginia. The towering skyscrapers, while impressive, lacked the warm embrace of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The rush of the city, while exhilarating, paled in comparison to the peaceful solitude of the lake.

Their first day was filled with shopping. Being nearly broke, Micki didn’t buy anything, but it was entertaining, even shocking, to watch her friends contemplate a thousand dollar handbag or fifteen hundred dollar shoes. Micki had little use for fancy clothes and accessories, but she knew her friends sometimes attended posh events.

The next day was a fancy brunch and an afternoon show that Micki completely enjoyed. It made her think about attending more live events back home. After the show, they retreated back to the quiet of Sydney’s apartment. Micki was glad for the opportunity to let her feet rest. She enjoyed hiking but walking in New York was a whole different thing.

They were enjoying cheese, crackers and wine, and camaraderie until it was time to go to dinner.

“More wine?” Lexie reached across the coffee table to refill Micki’s glass.

“Thanks.” Micki looked at Lexie and Chelsea, two women she’d gone to high school with, and new on a friendly basis as adults. They were from her world yet seemed to have acclimated to this crazy one in New York. “Did you ever think you’d end up flying private and having a penthouse?”

Lexie laughed. “God no. How about you Chels?”

“Not at all. Sometimes I still wonder if I’m dreaming about being married to Jagger.”

“I think Mitch feels the same when he comes to New York.” Sydney sipped orange juice with seltzer water.

“Is it discombobulating to you?” Lexie asked Micki.

Micki shrugged. “It’s an adventure. But I don’t know if I could live here. Where do you go for peace and quiet?”

“There are parks?—”

“But you can’t escape the noise. And…you can’t see the stars.” Thinking of that, her heart throbbed with pain. Would Patrick ever see the stars again? Would he think of her if he did?

Micki was lost in thought when a sudden knock at the door startled her.

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