Page 72 of Wild Promises

"What if we did some kind of evening winter event but outside. Not with dresses and suits. Everyone would be bundled up. We could have bonfires and hot chocolate. People could ski the light trail or the regular slopes, and we could offer carriage rides."

"You had me until you said carriage rides. How are we going to get those?" Oliver asked.

I opened the screen on my phone with the information. "A neighboring farm will let us rent the carriage and horses for one night. They'll even provide a driver." The sheet outlined the prices which seemed reasonable to me. "We could charge admission for the event, offer food and drinks, things for the kids to do. I was thinking about some of the games we used to play in the snow. We could set up a little snowball fight area, complete with snow barriers." I was surprised when that idea popped out. I hadn't discussed that with Tori. It had just come to me. Was that the intuition she was always talking about?

Oliver rubbed his chin. "You've obviously done your research."

I knew he appreciated numbers whenever we were discussing new marketing ideas.

Eli considered me for a few seconds, then nodded. "I like it too. I think we should do it."

My heart soared because if Eli wanted it, it usually happened. But I wanted both of my brothers on board with this plan. "What do you think?"

Oliver nodded. "Let me figure out how much we could charge, and if it would cover the horse and carriage rental."

"I called around and got some numbers from other farms who've done similar festivals. They were happy to share their information with me. We can take a percentage of whatever food trucks want to sell also."

Oliver's eyes widened. "That helps with the bottom line."

"We could talk to Noelle about putting up more lights outside for the event. Maybe even a little walk-through light display for the kids." I was surprised the ideas were flowing easily now, and it had nothing to do with Tori because she wasn't here. We hadn't thought about any of this before. Confidence shot through me. I could do this. I wasn't an idiot when it came to ideas or business.

"The more you talk, the more I'm digging this idea. The indoor event is for adults, but the outdoor one is for couples and families."

Oliver nodded. "I think so."

Eli rubbed his hands together as if he was excited. "Let's do it. Are you willing to take lead on this?"

"Absolutely." A thrill shot through me. This was my chance to prove to my brothers that I could make a significant contribution to the family's business.

Oliver inclined his head slightly, giving me his dad look. "If you're handling the festival, you might want to slow down on your lessons. You're going to have a tough time doing both."

I waved a hand as our food was served. "It'll be fine."

When the waitress left, Eli said, "I don't want you to burn out."

"That won't happen." I'd always taken everything in stride. What could possibly go wrong now?

During dinner, we talked through the details, and I took notes on my phone. It felt good for my ideas to be respected and admired. I was usually content to stay in the background. I never thought I had worthy ideas. Now I felt like I was part of the business's success, like I had a stake in the outcome.

It felt good that Oliver and Eli were not only excited about my idea but proud of me. Maybe I hadn't allowed myself to help in this way because I didn't think my ideas were good or that I was business savvy. Hopefully, the more I exercised my business intelligence, the stronger it would get.

I enjoyed being part of this conversation instead of being regulated to the background. When my brothers didn't expect anything from me, that hadn't felt good. I just hadn't realized how much it had affected me. It piled onto the notion that I wasn't good enough for anyone.

Everything was changing for the better. I just hoped I could sustain it. I could throw all the balls in the air—my job at the resort, my stake in the business, and my relationship with Tori—and not drop any of them.

I felt complete with all three. But if any one should fall, I wasn't sure I could go on. Tori, my family, and the business were a part of me. I didn't want to give up any of it.

By the time our plates were cleared, the business conversation had dried up.

"How are things between you and Tori?" Eli asked.

Since our parents were traveling most of the time, he'd taken on the manager role at the resort and the big-brother role with us. "Great."

"You think it's the real deal?" Oliver asked.

"She's the one for me." I didn't want to think about what would happen if she didn't feel the same way.

Eli wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin. "You sound confident."

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