“OMG that view! ”
“Booking my stay ASAP ”
“Got to try those drinks! ALL of them! ”
I wrapped up my Instagram stories with a sweeping pan of the grotto, feeling the familiar satisfaction that came from creating content I knew would perform well.
“Stay tuned, everyone! This is just the beginning of our mountain adventure. Wait until you see what we have planned next! #LuxeLifeMountains #AsterParksFinest #sponsored”
The entire space was a content creator’s dream, the interplay of light and water, the contrast of rough stone and smooth glass, the incredible views and colors. At this rate, Marcus and Victoria were going to be booked solid until the next ice age. Maybe Dad would get his Copenhagen Lego pilgrimage after all.
For the rest of the morning, Maya showed me the 10,000-bottle wine cellar, a collection that would make a sommelier weep. Next was the library, with first editions behind glass, and a game room filled with billiards tables and chess sets carved by local artisans.
The grand finale was the farm-to-table restaurant, where the executive chef, a serious-looking woman with intricate sleeve tattoos, prepared a special tasting menu curated specifically for my posts.
Each dish was a miniature work of art. Locally foraged mushrooms presented on slate tiles. Microgreens arranged in precise patterns atop purees that swooped across white porcelain. Edible flowers provided pops of color so vibrant they looked like digital art.
It was the kind of content that would have made even casual scrollers zoom in to appreciate the details. Then click subscribe and share.
“This is all just …” Words failed me, forcing me to capture everything on my phone. Even though I’d consumed enough fresh berries at breakfast to send a grizzly bear into hibernation, my stomach growled louder than an avalanche with the introduction of each new dish.
“Can we eat it now?”
The chef nodded. “Go right ahead.”
I was about to reach for one of the lobster-stuffed mushrooms when a pair of waiters appeared out of nowhere, whisking the entire spread away.
“Wait, what?”
I stared at the now-empty table, my hand still outstretched.
When I looked over at Maya, her ever-present smile was gone and her phone was clutched in hand. “I’m afraid there’s been a slight change of plans.”
“Change?”
“Marcus, set up a Zoom call.” The look on her face didn’t help ease my concern.“Looks like we’ll be having a working lunch in the business center this afternoon.”
Something told me a working lunch on a Zoom call would not involve lobster stuffed mushrooms. Probably those gross little triangle sandwiches instead.
“Is everything okay?” I asked. “I mean, a few of my posts are already trending. Which is … good. Right?”
Maya shrugged, looking as confused as I did. “I guess you and I are about to find out together.”
Chapter Ten
Ifollowed Maya through the west wing of the resort, my mind racing through everything I’d posted. “Do you think maybe I used the wrong filter on the spa content? Maybe my caption for the infinity pool was too generic.”
“I think the infinity pool posts were fine.” Maya gave me a smile that was supposed to be reassuring, but felt like pity.
“Did Marcus say anything else?” I scurried faster to catch up. “Anything specific?”
“Apparently, Victoria has some notes.”
“Notes?” I’d thought my content was performing beautifully, but clearly I’d made some sort of mistake.
Maya forced a smile. “I’m sure it’s nothing major.”
It was definitely something major.
