Sam sat near the railing, fidgeting under all the lights with the lake sparkling behind him. Victoria knew how to make her guests comfortable, especially those with no prior TV experience. She asked about the lake, and his face lit up as he described Montressa as the most peaceful place he knew of to rest a weary soul. Peace was the last thing Avery had felt withBright and Early’s crew on site.
Ever since Victoria had checked in, she’d treated Avery as her personal concierge. Despite her low-key on-air personality, Victoria issued diva-level requests every twenty minutes. The extra cases of three different bottled waters hadn’t placated her. Neither had the French-milled soap or the sea salt candle.
Victoria only drank one kind of champagne. Montressa served Moet, but Avery had to fetch a bottle of Veuve Clicquot and a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Brut Rosé because visiting Montressa put Victoria in the mood for summer, and summer called for pink bubbles.
Thankfully, one of the housekeeping staff was in Portland andpicked up a skincare fridge, which Avery learned was a tiny bathroom refrigerator made especially for beauty products.
“I’m doing Montressa a favor.” Victoria had lifted a hand to her heart. “Once you try it, you’ll understand why every cabin needs one. I’ll leave mine so you can have it when I leave.”
“So magnanimous of you,” Avery muttered to herself when she’d finally trudged back down the stairs of Victoria’s cabin for the umpteenth time. The skincare fridge wasn’t Victoria’s to give away anyway. Montressa had purchased it.
When Avery’s phone pinged well after dinner last night, she’d immediately regretted ever having given Victoria her number. The Queen, as Avery and Lily called her, requested a higher-thread-count bathrobe and a security guard, despite there being no danger to her safety. Luke, a bellhop who played football and lacrosse at Winslow College, was thrilled to take the job because,it’s Victoria Evans!The robe request had felt aggressive. Montressa’s new robes were made from a plush, sustainable bamboo fiber. So Avery had firmly said they didn’t have an alternative, which ended the texts.
When she’d promised Nate she’d ski the show open, it hadn’t occurred to Avery that if she wanted to watch the taping, she’d be standing in the lodge with wet hair, among the made-up and camera-ready. She looked around at the crew. Everyone else was dry and not in sweats. This experience rivaled the time in middle school when she’d arrived at Mary Kaitlyn Smyth’s Halloween party to find she was the only one wearing a costume.
She felt a tap on her shoulder the second Sam’s segment finished.
“Avery.” Nate pulled her out of her thoughts. “I’m up next, and Lily is biased. She calls me a hottie no matter what I wear. How do I look?”
He had on a Montressa polo and a wide grin, his golden hair combed into place. That rugged, handsome, friendly outdoorsman vibe so many men tried to emulate came naturally to Nate.
“Great. Like Thor, if he managed a lodge and went fishing in his spare time.” She patted his arm. “You’ve got this.”
“You look hot, babe.” Lily kissed Nate.
“See,” Nate shrugged at Avery. Their wedding was going to be so much fun.
“All right, everyone,” one of the producers shouted. “Next segment is in the lobby, with Nate Cooper.”
The crew moved equipment while the show paused for the local news and weather. Avery left Nate and Lily in the lobby near the hearth and headed to the bathroom to neaten her wet hair just as Miles strode through the back door. His navy fisherman’s sweater perfectly alluded to the sculpture underneath, but his jeans still hung from his hips as if he hadn’t tried very hard.
“Hey you,” he said.
“Hey,” Avery said. “Isn’t your segment on the dock?”
“Ayuh, but I wanted to tell you that everyone says that was our best show open ever.” Miles ripped off his Velcro watchband and wrapped his digital watch around her wrist. “I’m entrusting this to you. The producers insist I wear a smartwatch so viewers can see I’m a techie.”
It was a tiny thing, but his warm watch on her wrist made her feel chosen. She recognized it as the same watch he’d worn in college. Most girlfriends would replace a beat-up watch with a new one, but Avery knew he used this watch to time his runs. It was sacred to him.
“You’re the prettiest one here. Lucky me,” Miles whispered as he kissed her forehead. “I’m off to get made up.”
Avery didn’t think Miles needed enhancing, but she nodded anyway.
He pointed at her and clicked his tongue as he walked through the conference room door, now embellished with a Sharpie-scribbled sign that readHair and Makeup. Avery had posted a photo of it on Montressa’s Social media profiles earlier in the day with the caption,Ready for our close-up. Are you watching Bright and Early?
A cheer erupted as Miles entered the room.
“The hair and makeup crew never greet me like that.” Victoria pouted as she walked out of the hair and makeup room with a cell phone attached to her ear. The haggard production assistant in her wake held two additional phones, both showing hold screens.
“Nate, your father was perfect. I’m doing you next. By the fireplace.” Victoria pointed and continued her conversation. “This is non-negotiable, Charles. Call me back when they’ve agreed.”
She hung up and grabbed the other phone out of her assistant’s hand. “Hello? Yes. Yes. No.”
By the time she finished, the next caller had given up.
“I told you to keep them on the phone,” Victoria chided her quivering assistant.
“Avery, get me a Montressa polo.” Victoria’s command was more of a bark. “I want to be on brand for my nostalgia piece with Nate. They’ll be running a photo of me wearing mine from that summer. I am still an extra small, unless you have extra-extra small. That robe you brought me last night was way too big.”
