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Whoa. Where did that come from?
I take a deep breath, and push the thought away. “She did it all in a summer and for whatever reason I was here with her. My brothers and sister were all either at camps or with the nanny.”
“You had a nanny?” She interrupts me, brow furrowed. Realization dawns.
“Always. We are the Strong family of Burly Creek. My family practically founded and developed this town.”
“That’s so cool.” She rests her chin on her palm. Leaning forward enough to give me a generous view of cleavage from the top of her sweatshirt. Thank God she cut the neck out. I wiggle in my seat to avoid growing rock hard.
“This place has always stayed the same, even when our family didn’t. Mom died and dad wanted to sell this place but I promised him that I would run it when I got my master’s degree. I kept my promise. The day I graduated with my master’s in business in hand, I returned home.”
“This all makes so much sense,” Eliana shifts in her seat. “Why you want to keep this place like it is.”
“Yes.” The concern and understanding in Eliana’s eyes sends a wave of warmth and comfort all through me. It’s something I haven’t felt in a very long time. “I’m so glad you understand.”
“I do, and I think that if your mom were here, she’d want this place to be the best it could be. To live up to its full potential.”
It’s as if tires screech in my brain. “That’s not what I was saying.” My fists ball on the table. I don’t want to be upset, but dammit I can’t stop myself. My jaw clenches and I can’t find the words to explain how I’m feeling. What comes out is this. “You didn’t know her. You certainly didn’t know what she would’ve wanted.”
Dear Lord I did not mean to say that.
Eliana’s jaw drops slightly, but she recovers quickly. No matter how brave a face she’s painted on, there’s no erasing the hurt my words caused her. “You’re right.” Eliana brushes the cookie crumbs from her fingertips and stands. “You’re absolutely right.” She doesn’t meet my eyes as she turns to leave. “We’ll chat tomorrow. I have a lot of work to do.”
In a surprise move, she grabs a final cookie from the plate before leaving me alone in the kitchen. My fist comes down hard on the table. How could I be so stupid? Eliana is just trying to help, but how do you explain a connection to a brick and mortar to someone that you can't quite understand yourself. This isn’t her fault, and now I look like a total ass.
I clean up the mess in the kitchen, close the books and head out to my car. Driving always clears my head. I weave up and down the familiar backroads of Burly Creek. The chilly night air blowing in from my window sobers my thoughts a bit. Of course I realize I’m being irrational, that the lodge has definitely lost business in the last few years to the more updated and modern resort just outside of town.
I keep seeing the hurt expression on Eliana’s angelic face when I snapped at her. It’s been so long since anyone’s stepped in and had an opinion on Strong Lodge. It’s my project now, my business. A second thought floats into my mind.
And maybe that rigidity is why it isn’t thriving like it was when my mom was alive.
I pull into my driveway, shut off the ignition and slam my fist on the wheel. The worst part about all of this is that my attitude doesn’t only affect my potential working relationship with Eliana. It also sends horrible mixed signals about my personal feelings for her. How from the minute she stomped back into my office, looked in my eye and bargained with me—me!—I haven’t been able to get her off of my mind.
5
Eliana
Phoebe’s carpulls up in front of her father and stepmother’s house. “Are you sure it’s okay that I come over for dinner?” My stomach is in knots and not just because my best friend’s family is huge. The way Salem and I left things last night was less than ideal. I thought for sure I’d see him today so that maybe we could at least be cordial, but no dice. His assistant said he didn’t even come into work today. She also said, it’s been years since he’s taken a day off. The man must really hate me.
“Are you kidding?” Phoebe tosses her bright blonde hair over her shoulder. “Our family motto is the more the merrier. Besides, they’re all dying to meet you.” She playfully shakes my shoulder until a smile spreads across my lips. “Relax!”
“Yeah, yeah.” I tease.
The Strong family home is almost as big as Strong Lodge itself. I try not to gawk at how expensive a place like this must be. Phoebe’s always been incredibly humble about her money. I didn’t even know she was rich until we’d lived together for three years. Yeah, she always had a little extra money than me, but who didn’t? It wasn’t until a big snowstorm when her father chartered a private jet so she could go home for his surprise-that-wasn’t-a-surprise birthday party that I realized she may be a little more well-off than the average kitty cat.
Phoebe throws the door open and shouts. “Your favorite daughter’s here.” Though I’m sure no one can hear her with all of the noise coming from the other room. I hang back as we make our way into the giant foyer, hang our coats in the hall closet—which is the size of my bedroom back in the city—and head into the most beautiful, coziest kitchen I’ve ever seen.
The Strong family resemblance is unmistakable. Minus their various hair colors, they all have the same large stature and strong profile.
“Crazy isn’t it?” Phoebe smiles at her four brothers running around with place settings and hot side dishes. To say they’re a handsome family is an understatement. Though none of them hold a candle to Salem, who I can’t help but notice, is absent.
“Everyone, this is Eliana.” Four sets of eyes land on me at the same time, causing me to blush. “Eliana this is…everyone.” She takes a deep breath. “My brothers Russell, Quinn, Dorian, and Weston.” She doesn’t take the time to introduce me to them individually, but it doesn’t matter. I’m shit with names and I’m not sure I’d remember them anyway.
“Where the hell is Salem?” The sandy haired brother asks. “I’m starving, and I’m not waiting on him to start eating.”
A gray haired man in a half-zipped fleece enters the room. “No one’s waiting for anyone. Salem called. He’ll be late.” Mr. Strong takes his spot at the head of the table and it’s clear where Salem gets his confidence from. Phoebe points me to my seat as everyone starts digging into the food. The woman on the end must be their stepmother, sleek and blonde-bobbed.
The food looks like it’s straight out of a commercial. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think it was a holiday feast, but from the casual nature of everyone, clearly this is a common menu. Dinner is lovely, and everyone is welcoming, but my brain is elsewhere. I can’t help but wonder if Salem is late on purpose because he doesn’t want to see me.
