Page 96 of Mountain Wood

What? That can’t be right. I pull out my cell and open the app.

One point seven million.

Nick looks over my shoulder and whistles. “That’s impressive. The payout’s going to be sweet.”

There are a ton of notifications and a bunch of message requests. Out of curiosity, I open one.

It’s a woman’s hitting on me.

The next message is even more filthy.

The third stops my heart…

Hi Dean. You probably don’t remember me, but I used to go to Bear Creek Cabins with my family every summer. I saw your video on Grace Finch’s account (huge fan of hers!) Are you opening back up in the spring? I checked your site, but it’s down. I’d love to bring my kids. Hope you’re doing well.

I read it twice, the second time, out loud.

“Huh, wonder what happened with the website?” Conner pulls his phone out to check it himself.

“I turned the reservation feature off,” I say, reeling that someone’s already looking to book a cabin in the spring.

Nick nudges me. “You need to get those cabins done. ASAP.”

“I know.”

“I’ll help. Work’s slowing down for me anyway and I don’t mind pushing through the cold.” Nick works in construction.

“I just have to get the money first,” I say. “But yeah, I’m going to take you up on that offer. If you really don’t mind.”

“You know me. If I’m not working, I’m getting into trouble.” Nick snags my drink and chugs some. “Ever think of crowdfunding?”

Grace, who’s looking out the window while we talk, seems to sit up straighter all of a sudden.

When she doesn’t say anything, I answer Nick’s question. “I’m not asking strangers on the internet for donations.”

Nick goes for gold. “What do you think, Grace?”

She turns away from the window, her brow pinched with what looks like worry. “My bestie Nicole does fundraisers all the time. She raises millions.”

Yeah. That’s not happening. Especially after seeing Grace’s expression. She must not like the idea, and honestly neither do I. “I’ll earn my money.” Shit, that came out harsh. “I mean, I appreciate the idea, but donations don’t sit right with me. I’d rather do things the way I am.”

“You might not have that kind of time,” Nick reminds me. “Start a fund, Dean. Keep making videos showing the renos and have the link in your bio.”

“I’ll think about it.”

The lie is bitter on my tongue. But he’s right. I’m running out of time, and unless the payouts from these videos are massive, I’ll be out of money faster than the snow that’s falling.

Chapter 24

Grace

Nick, Taylor, and Conner left us after the coffee shop meet up and I’ve been taking tons of video all evening because everything is content, right? I’ve eaten my weight in gingerbread cake and am on my second mistletoe mocha so far. Snow flurries whir around us as we hit vendor after vendor. This is so much fun!

Dean points at a little tent where you can paint your own ornaments. “How are your art skills, Grace?”

“Terrible. Let’s do this.”

A half hour later, my snowflake looks like a pink and purple catastrophe and his snowman has a big, crooked carrot nose and a red scarf that makes it look like his throat was cut. We hold them up and take a selfie.

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