We got on our way to the main lodge, fresh snow allowing us to pierce through it. I made a mental note that when we finally got to the top, I would tell the manager to call maintenance to go down and fix the ski−lift and send someone else to fix the car. I yawned, realizing I never finished my cup of coffee. I needed another cup, or this was going to be a long day. At least my dulled senses helped to navigate my mind away from the shape of Melinda sitting next to me on the jet ski …
When we reached the main lodge, I jumped off the jet-ski—hurrying to get away from Melinda—and walked to the main entrance. Wrapping my hand around the large metal handle of the front door, I opened it, and what I saw blew my mind. It was no longer empty. No longer a dream trying to come together, but a business. There was more furniture, fresh flowers, portraits with antique frames hanging on the walls.
“Wow, Chris. It looks amazing. The staff this morning really did remember where I told them to place things. I mean, I had it drawn up in a software program, but still. They’ve done an incredible job.”
“You designed this and bought the stuff? In short amount of time you were here?”
“I can get things done,” she shrugged a shoulder, pointing in the direction of the spa when someone asked where all the lavender-colored towels went.
I shook my head. Sure, I’d given her a budget to decorate when I’d enquired whether she wanted me to get someone else to do it or do it herself. She was head of marketing, not interior design, but I knew she’d always made high school parties look glam, so I’d thought to offer it to her first. And now I was blown away.
Melinda slowly chipped away at me, and it left me unsettled and vulnerable. Not only was she good at her job, but I also shared things with her that I never shared with anyone before, not even Ben, my best friend. What power did she have over me? Why did it get worse when I fought it?
I had so many questions and zero answers with no possible solutions.
