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At the door, I spin towards him. “I did earn it. Legitimately. I know how to run a hotel, and I’ll be successful at Chateau B. Respected.” And then, with my head held high, I sweep out of his room and back to the cabin, fuming at his words. But no sooner am I outside the walls of the hotel, than I rehash the brief conversation. As was his intention, he’s made me second-guess the job offer. Made me wonder if the only reason I was offered it was because I put out.
Refusing to be deterred, to be persuaded that I am anything but good at my job, I enter the cabin trying to be more upbeat.
Quickly, I start to prepare breakfast, Reuben entering the kitchen like a nine-year-old would on Christmas Day, excited about all his presents. “Merry Christmas!” I greet, including Brecken who follows at his heels.
“Merry Christmas!” they return.
And boy are they a sight for sore eyes, Elias’s mean comments still lurking in my head. Looking good in jeans and t-shirts, I wish I’d chosen something from my wardrobe today instead of my uniform. I should’ve been a full-out rebel. It wouldn’t matter if I got the sack for it.
“Did you sign the contract?” Brecken asks.
I nod, smiling happily. “And I just resigned. In person.”
“Good,” he says decisively before he becomes distracted by the basket of baked goods.
Roo leans on the counter. “I’d better start working on some designs for the tower.”
Intrigued and delighted, I raise curious brows. If this wasn’t deduced from ouractivitiesthe other night, where I became Roo’s good girl and Luca’s captive, then it looks like my confession to Luca about wanting to live in a tower has been shared. “Oh yeah? Like what?”
“Like it’s a secret, and you’ll have to wait.”
I chuckle. “I'm pretty impatient.”
Picking a gingerbread man out of the basket, Brecken says, “Well, you’re gonna have to learn some.”
Reuben smirks, eyeing Brecken with a knowing look, but it’s one I’m not yet familiar with.
“What are your favorite colors?” Roo asks.
I blow out a breath. If he’s not going to share then neither am I. “All of them.”
“Rainbow-themed it is,” he jokes, helping himself to a gingerbread figure too.
When Luca enters, ending a conversation on his cell, I insist on taking their breakfast requests and order them over to the sofas. From there, they either scroll on their phones or watch Christmas programs, chatting about nonsense.
The next hour is filled with serving eggs and smoked salmon and mimosas. With idle chatter and shared smiles. There’s nothing remotely sexual, and I like the normality of it. The lack of expectation. Here, we’re just doing normal things, label-free. And I suspect there will be many moments like these.
Collectively, we tidy up. When the kitchen is sparkling, Reuben retrieves a square, shallow box and passes it to me. “This is from all of us. Merry Christmas.”
Torn between terror and happy surprise, speech evades me. My gaze alternates between each of them, then the burgundy box. “Shit, I don’t have any presents for you,” I confess, embarrassed and apologetic. “And I’m sorry. I did think about it, but there wasn’t much chance to look, let alone buy you anything.”
“We’ve been keeping her too busy, guys,” Roo deadpans. “It’ll only get busier,” he murmurs in my direction.
I laugh softly, my heart dancing the Macarena. “Is that meant to concern me?”
“No,” he says, smiling like the devil. “But hopefully you’ll pack a bit faster.”
In all probability, I’ll be packing the moment they leave.
“Thank you,” I say, carefully opening the silver wrapping paper and reading the words embossed in gold on the top. It’s the name of a well-known Vail jeweler, and my heart catapults with anxiety and shock. Aware that they’re all watching me, eager for my reaction, I smile boldly and open the lid.
The air gets sucked out of my lungs. Because within the cream cushioning of the case is a beautiful diamond necklace. Clusters of glittering diamonds depict several snowflakes on a diamond chain. I can’t take my eyes off it.
“Are these real?”
Abruptly, Luca laughs. “We’re not cheap.”
“I know, but I can’t….I’ve never had anything this nice before.”
