“Sorry, but no. He’s completely into you.”
Nicole gave her a look.
Bri grinned, eyeing the slopes outside. “All I’m saying is, if you need more reasons to keep skiing? He might be one.”
“I don’t need reasons to keep skiing,” she said glumly. “I need a reason to not be so afraid of falling in the snow.” She closed her eyes, disappointed that her fear of skiing might have cost her a ski date with a totally great guy. “So, I probably should see a shrink after all these years, not a ski instructor.”
“That I’m not, but I can get you a drink.” Brianna pushed up. “You just sit here and…”
Nicole turned and looked out the window, catching sight of Cameron’s ski patrol jacket as he zoomed over to the base.
“And watch the wildlife,” she finished.
Afew days later, Cindy sat behind her desk, ignoring the snowfall outside. In here, she had her own avalanche to worry about—paperwork that she’d been pretending to tackle all morning. All had been abandoned in favor of the phone she now clutched like a lifeline.
Henry Lassiter’s lilting tone continued to make the future look brighter and more secure. Also…confusing.
“So just to make sure I understand,” Cindy said, hoping he didn’t get frustrated with her questions, “if we go forward with this, the funds would be wired directly to our business account in…trenches? Tranches?” She squinted at her hastily scrawled notes. “Things tied to approved renovations, right?”
“You got it, Cindy,” he said, no sign of waning patience. “The first portion, what we call the seed tranche, would be initiated within ten business days of executing the partnership agreement and validating the escrow release form. That’s contingent on you fronting the initial percentage—it’s just a standard collateral measure.”
Cindy frowned slightly, clicking her pen nervously. “You mentioned this before. The fifty thousand that we have to put into the account, right?”
“Yes, but don’t get too caught up in that,” he assured her. “Think of it like a deposit. Very temporary, and will be refunded in full along with the entire amount of $250,000. Our bank requires you to deposit twenty percent to unlock the full capital commitment, just to mitigate risk for both parties. And listen, Cindy, this isn’t just me putting up money. This is a strategic partnership.” He paused, taking a deep breath. “I really do believe in Snowberry Lodge.”
“You’ve only seen it once,” she said. “MJ would love to meet you and, if I know my sister, feed you. We want you to get the full experience, maybe even stay here for a weekend.”
“Oh, no. You’d comp that.”
“Of course we would. And put you in our best—well, second best—cabin. Best is currently booked.”
“As it should be,” he replied. “I will not be responsible for taking away one dollar from your lodge by staying in a room or cabin you can book with paying customers. But I’d love to meet MJ. Let me juggle my schedule.” She heard a keyboard click in the background. “I do have to go back East for a week or so to close another deal, but I’ll be back in Park City right after that. Although it might be very close to Christmas, and I don’t want to intrude.”
“Oh, you’re welcome to spend the holiday with us…and help me understand this deal a little better.” She leaned back in her chair and rubbed her temples. “I’m still unclear on where the funds go first. You said something about a lockbox account?”
“Sure,” he replied easily. “I know, this jargon is so boring and confusing. I’ll try to make it clear. So, what we’d do is open a dual-controlled escrow lockbox. That’s just a fancy way of saying the funds are secured in a neutral account managed by a fiduciary party—usually a regional bank. I’ll send you a copy of the mock escrow form. Once your seed contribution is verified, we release the first disbursement into your operating account.”
“And we’d have to start renovations right away?”
“Oh, no, no. You can wait until you’re ready, but if you can squeeze it in during this calendar year, before January first? You’ll get a huge tax break. You should talk to your accountant.”
Shewasher accountant. “But no break on what I owe on these property taxes, right?”
“No, this will have no impact on that, except to ease the pain of it,” he said. “But everything is fully traceable and audited, of course, and then I’m basically on board as an investor. A shareholder, of sorts.”
“I’ve never done anything like this,” Cindy admitted, her voice softening. “I just want to be careful. This lodge…it’s our family legacy.”
“Which isexactlywhy this works,” Henry said warmly. “You’re not just another real estate client. You’re passionate about Snowberry Lodge. I can tell you, as an investor, we love that. And with your experience? You’re the ideal partner. We’re just giving you the boost to take it into the next iteration—a beautifully remodeled lodge that easily competes with the big hotels.”
Her pulse slowed. He made her feel like this wasn’t some reckless gamble but a smart, calculated move. Like she was taking control. Saving the lodge, rather than watching it slip through her fingers.
Cindy bit her lip and underlined the word “tranches” in her notebook.
“While I’m out of town,” he said, “I’ll have my assistant send you everything we discussed—PDFs of the framework, sample agreements, term sheets. It’s a lot of legalese, but don’t worry. I’ll walk you through it. We can do a video call if you like, or you can take it to your attorney first.”
“Okay,” she said, almost whispering. “Thank you, Henry. Really.”
“My pleasure. And Cindy? For what it’s worth—you’re doing a brave thing. Most people would’ve sold the place and walked away. I love that you’re a fighter. It’s a big part of why I want to be on board with Snowberry. I believe in the lodge, and I believe in you.”
