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When the suite empties, Luca takes me by the hand and guides me to the sofa in the living room. Balthazar is already seated, waiting and expectant. Silently, Brecken and Roo join us, their faces stoic and confused.
Regretful eyes meet mine. “I, perhaps naïvely, hoped you would never know this.”
“Know what?” Brecken. Either they’re all playing dumb, or they’re also unaware of their father’s hand in our relationship.
“I became aware of Winter two days before she was fired. Dale had just appointed Arthur Smith from WM, and I wanted to learn who the rising stars were within its ranks. Winter’s name came up and I was planning where she—you—would best fit,” he says holding my eye. “About a week later, Arthur told me you’d been fired and had found a job at Stein Hotel.”
“Fuck,” Roo says dejectedly, knowing where this is leading. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Let him talk,” Luca admonishes.
Balthazar ignores his sons, continuing his confession. “I drove out there, intent on talking to you and offering you a position.”
My heart thumps violently against my ribcage. “Seriously? Why didn’t you?” I ask the question knowing I might hate the answer. Did he learnwhyI was fired? Did it put him off?
Balthazar makes eye contact with each of his sons. “None of you seemed happy with Payton. A breakup was imminent, and two weeks later, your relationship with her ended.” Now, Balthazar looks my way, and I hope it means he’s going to answer my question. “I didn’t ask you to work for me because of three critical reasons. One: I wanted my sons to find you, as I knew they would. It might seem like I engineered your paths to cross but it’s not as nefarious as that. Two, knowing Brecken as I do, I knew he’d need time to consider another relationship like the one you have now. Bringing you back to Chateau B too soon risked that. It was my greatest wish that he stayed involved with my company, and with his brothers. I couldn’t jeopardize that, especially with how the last relationship ended. Three, from what I gathered about your work ethic, you never dated colleagues, particularly senior colleagues. You wanted to earn your promotions legitimately. I had to hope you’d be prepared to ignore those lines if you’d alreadystarteda relationship with my sons.”
“There’s an awful lot of conjecture and second-guessing,” Luca gripes. “What if you’d got it all wrong? What if Winter was already here, away from her crap, creeper of a boss? Our relationship would be five months stronger by now and none of us would’ve been caught up in an avalanche.”
I agree with Luca; a lot would be different. Gates’ Cakes might not have been sold to Wardorff-Messen. I wouldn’t have been so depressed working a shitty job with a pervert for a boss. But I wouldn’t have met Betsy, Justin, and Emily. And while I might not have known Brecken and Roo’s links to Balthazar after joining the team here, they are both in senior management. I would’ve had dealings with them often, and I would’ve been very tempted by them.
I can’t decide if Balthazar’s taken something vital away from me. Right now, I feel tricked, but I also feel like my scattered parts are gathering into a semblance of who I am.
“Whose idea was it to stay at Stein Hotel while you finalized the deal?”
“Mine,” Luca grits. “That I can promise, Winter. When Dad told me about the hotel and the neighboring, failing businesses, I was also convinced that we could turn it into something prestigious and glamorous. A Chateau Balthazar Vail. It was my idea to stay,” he reassures me. “And Dad knew I would.”
“How?”
Briefly, Luca’s eyes settle on his father before coming back to focus on me. “Normally, I might only stay a night or two. I like to get a feel for a place before we reinvent it.” A hand opens, his version of a shoulder shrug. “It’s what I do.”
Of course. Balthazar knew Luca would stay because he knows his sons. And he trusts them.
“I booked a longer stay because of you,” Luca murmurs. “I hoped it would lead to something. We all did.”
I can’t deny I don’t like that he stayed longer because of me.
I take a moment to think things over, aware of everyone’s tense, fraught mood. Of their questions and thoughts waiting to be aired. But one thing I do know, and it’s been very obvious from the beginning: Balthazar will do anything for his family.
“You love your sons,” I tell the patriarch of this small group of five. “It’s been pointed out to me countless times, and I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Youdidengineer this but for them, because you’re a strategist. I don’t know if I like the approach.”
“You could be flattered by it,” Brecken suggests, hearing the distance in my voice. “Dad loves you too, you know he does.”
I can’t dispute that, but it wasn’t his starting point. His starting point was admiration, maybe professional respect. It was a business decision.
Remembering how persistent my mystery shoppers were at having me work the cabin, I ask, “Did you ask Maria for staff photographs?”
“Yes. I asked for staff photos of anyone who’d worked with the VIPs,” Luca confirms. “I also requested a list of qualifications. Of previous hotel experience.”
I nod, piecing together what he’s saying with what Maria told me in her office months ago.
“Luca picked out your photo,” Brecken tells me quietly as if it’s just us in the room. “He said,Guys, Winter Harris gets my vote.” My lips lift slightly. “A, she’s beautiful, he said,and B, she’s smart and experienced. I want her.”
“I think he saidfucking hot, notbeautiful. Or maybe it wasstunning. He definitely went on and on about your hair,” Roo waffles, lightening the mood.“So, we snatched up your photo and agreed. We all felt it.” He thumps his chest, his face losing its teasing quality. “It was a genuine, gut reaction. Dad said nothing to us about you. It’s why I’m not angry with him,” he adds, in case I hadn’t noticed.
“Because I knew she’d win over your minds as well as your hearts,” Balthazar remarks. “And you did,” he tells me straight, his tone laced with vindication and pride. With resoluteness.
Brecken gathers up my hand. “When I met you I got an overwhelming sense of peace. You felt like home, Winter. And you’ve become my home. You’re it, for all of us. We’re all surprised and shocked by this, but I can kind of see his reasons,” he confesses, throwing a glance at his father. “But it doesn’t change how we met. That was exactly how it played out in real-time. He didn’t interfere in the way you’re fixating on.”
