Page 70 of Release Me

“I am. Ethan tried and the old guy basically told him to go fuck himself.” We both laugh at this, and Delaney shakes her head.

“There was a time when I thought I might have to live at the Mountain View Motel when I first came back to Tahoe. I wasn’t sure my parents were going to let me move back home. I think I was more scared of having to live there than telling my parents I flunked out of college.”

She has me laughing even harder now. I can’t picture her living there with all that polyester and cigarette smoke smell.

She looks down at her watch, picking up her coffee and croissant, she tips her head in the direction of the door. “I gotta go. Will you be home for dinner tonight? I think Alex is planning to make his famous baked macaroni and cheese.”

“Alex makes famous macaroni and cheese?” I now ask, my nose wrinkled up.

“He says he does. I’ve never had it, but I’m willing to give it a try as long as I don’t have to cook,” Delaney says, shrugging. “I’ll see you tonight.”

“Later. Looking forward to mac and cheese. Tell Alex I said that,” I call after her and all I hear is her laughing as she heads down the hallway.

I look down at my phone, tapping the screen. I know I need to get my shit together and get over to the Mountain View Motel, but the idea of talking to that grumpy old man kind of scares me. I’ve never done anything like this before and what if I fail? It feels like I’ll fail Ethan and I can’t do that.

I drop my phone in my purse and shove back from my desk, taking in a hard breath, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.

It only takes me about twenty minutes to walk over to the motel, the snow and ice in the area is starting to melt, making for a slushy mess. But I like it. It reminds me that the season isn’t over yet, but summer will be here soon.

I stop outside of the motel, looking at the area around it. It’s surrounded by evergreens and has this beautiful view of the lake and the mountains. The best part though is the old original sign out front, and a part of me thinks I should suggest to Ethan that we keep it. It’s super nostalgic old money Tahoe.

Ethan’s right that there is so much value in this land and I still wonder who leased the land to this guy. It was obviously long before I was born, but I’m almost positive it was while my great grandfather was getting Holden Winter Gear up and running.

I pull open the door, a bell ringing above my head as the door floats closed. The place is in better shape than I expected, but it certainly has that stale cigarette smell and possibly a little bit of cough drops and newspaper thrown in there.

“Can I help you?” the old man grumbles and as soon as I see him, I can see why he hates Ethan. This guy is old Tahoe, against all the tourists and the village expansion. He loved it back when it was old money. The Las Vegas and Palm Springs crowds, where motels looked out on the lake and people were here to gamble and ski. And skiing came second.

People like this guy don’t like and don’t understand progress and I get it. We took something from him that he worked his whole life for. We turned his motel into a useless building. It makes me sad in a way, but I hope I can get this guy to understand that he’s going to walk away from this deal in better shape than he’s ever been in financially.

“Hi, I’m Zoey Holden,” I say, placing my outstretched hand over the counter. The man looks down at it, hesitantly shaking it.

“Holden, huh?” he says. “Like Mick Holden?” His voice is gruff and I’m sure he’s still spending his days smoking in the back office of this place.

“Yes, Mick Holden was my great grandfather,” I say, smiling, thinking I’ve just found my in with this guy.

“I knew him back in the day,” he says. “Used to gamble with him at the Tahoe Tropicana. Name’s Gus. What can I do for you?”

I walk out of there three hours later, exhausted and ready for the day to be over, but I haven’t even been in my office since the brief coffee I shared with Delaney this morning. I have a ton of shit to get done and I need to be home for dinner with Delaney and Alex.

I grab a sandwich at The Matterhorn and head back to my office to sort through the emails I’ve missed and to make sure I’ve got the schedule for the desk staff done for the next month.

Before I know it, it’s after six and I shut everything down, ready to head home. I really want to stop by Ethan’s office to say good night, but I don’t want to risk it.

If Delaney says people are already talking, I don’t want to make it worse. I’ll text him tonight after I’m in bed. Might even sneak out again to see him.

I’d ordered a salad from The Matterhorn when I picked up my lunch, requesting a time for it to be ready. With Alex making mac and cheese, I figure I should at least contribute something since it feels like I haven’t been home in a while.

I walk into our condo holding the salad as Alex stands in the kitchen, Delaney at the bar top working on her laptop.

“Welcome home!” Alex calls out as I hang up my coat. “Long time, no see.”

“Yeah, same to you. I was starting to think I should set up a cot in my Badger Creek office,” I tease, trying to keep the mood light and remind them that I have been working and certainly not spending my nights at Ethan’s.

“That would suck,” Delaney replies. “Who would watch reruns ofGilmore Girlswith me if you didn’t live here?”

“Not me,” Alex chimes in laughing. “I already know the stupid theme song by heart because of you two.”

“I brought a salad to go along with the famous mac and cheese,” I tell Alex, setting it down on the table as Delaney gets up to grab some plates and utensils.

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