Page 9 of You Had Me At Valentine

I love this woman. We’ve been friends for over twenty-five years and somehow, it only got better when she started dating my brother, Liam. I was not a fan of the whole idea but they convinced me it’s the real deal. So, I’m happy for them. As long as they treat each other right.

I would have a hard time picking who to kill if it doesn’t work out.

Because I know it’s almost the end of the workday and she and Liam always eat dinner together, I put on my big girl panties.

It’s fine. Don’t come up the mountain. Dad’s lawyer is here. In town.

BYRON?!?!? The devil can’t execute his scorched earth campaign from Denver?

Apparently not. Side note, do you happen to have a few spare millions lying around? Asking for an inn

Now I’m afraid to ask what’s going on since you already know my parents don’t believe in trust funds.

MacLellans don’t either. It’s like they all read the same parenting manual.

Are you sure you don’t need me to help hide some bodies?

I laugh, which is saying something.

Dad is selling the inn. Says it doesn’t fit his strategic goals.

... No words. What’s the plan for saving it?

Working on it. Can you pull some strings with the Heritage Trust?

Oh, that’s positively diabolical. I will 100% see if we can get it recognized as a historical building

Exactly what I hoped for. Tabitha works with her mother at the Kilt Valley Heritage Trust, and their main focus is preserving buildings with historical significance. If we can get the inn some kind of historical designation, maybe the town charter would prevent selling it to an outsider or something.

At the very least, it’ll drive the price up.

It’s worth a shot.

Back in my condo adjacent to the resort, I throw some things into a bag because if Byron is staying at the inn, I am too. It’s not ideal timing, but this is somewhat of a slow season for skiers. It won’t kill anyone for me to take two weeks of vacation.

Anyway, I need time to plan and work with Tabitha to find documentation, which will likely be at the inn, not here.

Within an hour, I’m back at the inn. Judy doesn’t have any other guests, so it’s just me and Byron for dinner. Which is unfortunate for multiple reasons, primarily because it makes my dad’s point about the inn not making a profit.

What is wrong with people that they don’t want to stay at such a charming place?

(I know the answer: it’s too far from the resort and most people come to Kilt Valley to ski. But still…)

I get to the dining room at the same time as Byron.

“Fancy meeting you here,” he says with one of those eyebrow quirks that used to make me laugh.

I barely bite back the smile this time. How dare he try to be charming. “I took time off from the resort. I’m here for the next two weeks. Get over it.”

“You’re here at the inn where both your father and I want you? Oh, no,” he says with a mock horrified tone. His eyes are dancing.

“I told him I’m going to find a way to change his mind about selling,” I inform Byron primly. “You’ll be singing a different tune when I send you back to Denver because your services are no longer needed.”

His grin widens. “Who’s going to take down all the decorations, then?”

“I have a ladder.” Somewhere.

He bumps me companionably with his arm as he pulls out a chair for me. “I should probably stick around and hold it for you. Besides, I heard something about a party.”

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