MJ frowned. “That sounds like…money. I thought things were looking up.”
“They are,” she said. “Let’s have tea and I’ll tell you.”
A few minutes later, they sat alone at the big farmhouse table, with MJ’s elderberry tea and two of those scones Mattraved about. Late afternoon winter sun poured over them as Cindy told MJ about the man Gracie had met who was interested in investing in Snowberry.
“So, he’d get a piece of the business?” MJ asked, breaking her pastry. “Like a percentage of our profits?”
“Which are so meager it doesn’t amount to much,” Cindy assured her. “But if we use his money for big ticket items—like all new bathrooms in the lodge and the cabins, work on the roof, and some improvements in this kitchen—we’d still have enough left over to run a really aggressive ad campaign and pay next year’s taxes.”
“And this year’s?” MJ asked.
“I think we’re going to cover them,” Cindy said, crossing her fingers. “Think about this, too, MJ. After we’ve done the renovations, we can charge more, we’ll get more business, and he’ll make his investment back faster. He has to have ‘skin in the game,’ as he says.”
“But that kind of money?” MJ lifted her brows. “That’s a lot of skin.”
“Which is why a ten percent partnership is really a good deal for us. It’s way less than what a bank would charge for interest. And we both know we can’t get to where we need to be without some fat cash, and this is it.”
MJ sipped her tea, looking out the windows, considering it all. “What do you know about him?”
“Henry? He’s very nice, has tons of property investments. And Gracie liked him so much she introduced us.”
“My daughter is usually a good judge of character.” She made a face. “Except for Sam Sutton. We all make mistakes.”
Cindy rolled her eyes at the mention of Benny’s father. He’d been a serious boyfriend who grew shockinglyunseriousafter he found out Gracie was pregnant. She thought they were going toget married, but he took off for a “job” in Las Vegas and told her the best he could do was send some money now and then.
“But we got Benny,” Cindy said, thinking of how that was all the same year Jack left—such dark days. “And he’s a win.”
“He is, although I’ve barely seen him this past week.” MJ turned her phone over to see if Gracie had texted. “I can’t wait to get him working on that tree.”
Cindy broke off a bite of scone. “You’ll need to agree to this deal before I go through with it,” she said. “We own this place fifty-fifty, and I can’t—and won’t—go forward if you’re not comfortable.”
“Oh, Cin, I don’t understand business like you do.”
“Don’t sell yourself short. You know every person who’s ever stayed here, what their favorite dessert is, and how fast they ski. Your memory for our guests is downright freaky.”
“Because of my photo albums. Which reminds me…” MJ leaned in with a playful smile. “I need to get Matt Walker’s picture and add him to the collection.”
Cindy laughed and pointed her scone at her. “I knew you liked him!”
“No, I don’t. You know I take a picture of every guest who stays here.” She gestured to the row of albums. “Why would he be any different?”
“Because he makes you blush.”
MJ looked down at her own pastry, that color rising. “So, what do you want to do about the Henry person?” she asked, obviously changing the subject.
“Make a decision together, I guess,” Cindy said. “As I understand it, we’ll each get five percent less from our profits. But since the influx of capital would allow us to renovate and potentially double our business, I think it really means much more security for us and for the girls.”
MJ lifted a shoulder. “I might be interested. But, goodness, Cindy. No one has ever owned an inch of this place but a Starling.”
“I know,” Cindy said. “And part of me thinks that’s how it should stay. But another part of me—the one with the spreadsheets and sleepless nights? She thinks this might be the answer.”
“I need to consider it,” MJ said. “And I’d like to meet him.”
“You might have met him already,” Cindy said. “He said he came over here and scoped the place out, walked the property, went into the ski shed.”
“I don’t remember that,” MJ said. “But we have had a lot of walk-throughs with the sleigh. Can I set up something more official?”
“Of course,” Cindy said. “That’s the next natural step.” A movement outside the window caught her eye—a flash of red as Benny zoomed by.
