Page 7 of Christmas with the Denton Billionaires

“Anything from Dogfish Head Brewery, duh.”

“And you can’t tell the difference between an IPA and a pale ale. I think we’ve got it.”

It was almost four p.m. when they hit Cedar Grove and by the time they pulled up to the brick-laid driveway winding through the expansive property of Cedar Grove Hotel and Spa, Josh felt like he was stepping back in time.

“Holy shit,” he whispered, slowing Amelia’s car to a crawl as he peered through the windshield at their surroundings. Pine trees dotted the rolling hills of the front lawn, which was coated in a fine sheen of white snow. It had started flurrying halfway there, and the tracks from a previous car were barely visible on the brick path beneath them.

“Beautiful, isn’t it? Like a Christmas card.”

“It looks just like I remember it,” Josh said, drawing a deep breath. He crept along the path at five miles per hour, drinking in as much as he could. He gasped when he saw the first gnomes—tiny little statues nestled in the grass. They’d been more famous than the Taj Mahal for him during his childhood. “There they are! Just like I remember.”

Amelia snorted. “How many times have you been here?”

“Used to come every Christmas with my family,” Josh said, squeezing the steering wheel. They’d even come the final Christmas before his mother had passed. It had been a bittersweet reunion, knowing that she wouldn’t outlive her cancer to see another Christmas after it. But spending one last Christmas in their favorite place as an entire family was a memory he still cherished.

“I’m surprised we never ran into each other,” Amelia mused. Josh followed the curving brick path down a hill, where the big, cabin-like hotel stood proud. If the exterior was slightly rustic with a touch of neglect, the interior more than made up for it. He couldn’t wait to see if it had changed, and how, on the inside. “I always used to play an angel in the nativity play the church put on here,” she said.

Josh cast a glance her way. Of course she’d be an angel, with those icy eyes and strawberry blonde locks, which she had pulled back in a braid instead of her usual librarian bun. “Tell me there’s photographic evidence.”

“Bursting with it, I’m afraid.”

“Well then, I’ll need to see it before I release your bonus check.”

She scoffed, swatting him on the arm as he pulled into the cul-de-sac hugging the big front doors. When he cut the engine, she said, “I can’t believe you’re haggling to see my old church pics.”

“I’ll haggle if I want to,” he shot back. “You ready for this? Mr. Lewis knows we’re arriving, so it’s game on once we get inside.”

Amelia nodded, chin lifted. “I was born ready, Denton.”

He laughed, shaking his head. “Good to know, MacTaggart.”

They swept inside the hotel, where the big, atrium-style foyer greeted them. Everything was just as he remembered: the glass-paned dome looking up into the heavens; the log-cabin siding lending an earthy scent to the air; the colorful, unique rugs across the floors. Then there was the decorations, some of them dating back decades, daring anyone who entered not to fall in love with Christmas.

“It hasn’t changed a bit,” Josh murmured as he looked around. But that wasn’t entirely a good thing. Sure, it was great for the trip down memory lane. But he guessed the place hadn’t been updated in all the years since he’d last visited. His mother had passed more than ten years ago, and even then, the hotel had seemed a staid reminder of years past.

The Lewis family had barely touched this place, which meant the next owners had a lot of work cut out for them and he wouldn’t know what problems lay beneath it all until he could get a formal inspection.

“I just love this place, especially around the holidays. They know how to do it right,” Amelia said, pulling her coat around her tighter. He glanced at her, catching her arctic gaze. A shiver raced through him.

Amelia was beautiful on any given day. But here, right now? With that wonder shining in her eyes? Josh’s mind went blank, and he struggled to remember what she’d said. He gazed at her for a moment too long, not even noticing when a hotel employee approached them.

“May I help you two?” the clerk asked.

“Hello!” Josh snapped back to the present, feeling his clarity return to him now that he wasn’t staring at Amelia like some lovesick teenager. “We’re Josh and Amelia, here to visit with Mr. and Mrs. Lewis during our stay.”

“Ah, yes. We’ve been expecting you. Please follow me.” The clerk led them toward a sweeping wooden reception desk, where he checked them in quickly. Before they were handed their room keys, Mr. Lewis breezed toward them with a big smile on his face.

“You must be Joshua Denton,” Mr. Lewis boomed, offering a solid handshake. His white hair was slicked back stylishly, and the man’s frame looked like he was a retired linebacker.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir,” Josh said, returning the man’s firm grip. “I’m here with my fiancée, Amelia MacTaggart.”

“Great to meet you, sir,” Amelia said, offering her hand and a bright smile.

“In fact, I think Amelia is acquainted with your children,” Josh went on. He’d been looking forward to dropping that detail early on. “I believe she went to school with your kids.”

“Class of 2015,” Amelia clarified. “CGHS.”

“Well I’ll be damned,” Mr. Lewis said, looking at Amelia like she’d just performed a magic trick. Yes, this link was proving to be averygood idea. But he couldn’t get too excited. Not yet. “A homegrown Grover looking to buy the hotel?”

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