“A lot of the security stuff was set without knowing what traffic patterns were going to be like once we had guests on site. Same with the Wi-Fi. We need to make sure everyone can get online without issue. Plus, I’m looking at some options for the entertainment venue.”
“Are we really going to do that?” Walker asked. “I thought we put a pin in it.”
“I think we need it,” Connor said. “Lexi’s gotten a lot of interest from not only local musicians, but once we made the news, she’s gotten calls from some bigger names. We have a small stage right now and just lawn seating, but it could be cool to build an outdoor amphitheater.”
They all agreed.
“Who’s funding that?” Axel asked. “And I know I put in my contribution in sweat equity, but with the resort up and running, I can’t be out there being hands-on with the construction. Although, did you all see that I finished the private fire pit for our cabins? I know the kids were psyched about it since they said it was too crowded by the ones the guests use.”
“That was very cool of you, Axel,” Connor told him. “And yes, we saw it and we greatly appreciate it. You really didn’t have to do that. I hate that you took time away from actual resort business for it.”
But Axel waved him off. “Are you kidding me? It was easy to do. It’s not nearly as big as the resort ones, but it gets the job done.”
“Either way, it’s great. Thank you.” Then Connor looked at Milo. “I’m sorry, you were talking about the funding?”
“We had money set aside for it already,” Milo explained, “but we left it as a safety net for the rest of the resort construction. You know, in case we hit some major issues that we hadn’t counted on. Plus, with the way the reservations are going, we’re going to need to offer more to our guests, so…now we can use it.”
“Damn, just when I thought we were done,” Walker said with amusement.
“You’re never done when you own a business,” Milo reminded him. “You always have to maintain and improve and come up with ideas to keep growing. And—no offense—we need to learn from your grandparents because they are the blueprint for everything we need to avoid. If they had just kept up with the times, the resort never would have closed.”
“Yeah, but then we wouldn’t be here right now,” Slater reasoned.
“Very true.”
They all grew silent for several moments.
“What about you, Con?” Milo asked. “What are the plans for your restaurant in town?”
Smiling, he took a sip of his wine. “I promised Lexi and the kids that I would not work on it this summer. We’re focusing on building the house. The kids are in some of the camps here, and we’re going to take an actual week-long vacation in August.”
“Yeah, Lexi talked to me about that earlier today,” Slater said. “She’s kind of worried about taking the time off. I told her it was fine because we were so prepared before the actual opening. And even though the system we’re using is really helpful, we’re still going to hire her an assistant.”
That was news to him. “Really? She didn’t tell me.”
“Look, I know that she loves the job and she’s great at it, but you guys are planning a wedding, you’ve got kids, and I don’t want her to stress about it. Our activities department needs a lot of people, so what’s one more, right?”
“It’s kind of wild that we have this massive staff and everyone’s working their tails off,” Axel commented. “Maisie even jumped in to help this week at the front desk and the concierge. She’s kind of amazing like that.” His smile spoke volumes.
“When are you going to start planning that wedding?” Connor asked. “I would have thought you would have put a ring on her finger already.”
He shrugged. “It’s been kind of weird for me. She’s a freaking heiress, and I’ve got like…nothing. What kind of ring could I possibly get for her?”
“Dude, Maisie doesn’t strike me as the snobby type. As a matter of fact, I know she’s not. Have you talked to her about it?”
“Every damn day,” he said with a nervous laugh. “She’s always wanted a fairytale wedding, and with the situation with her parents, she knows she’s never going to get what she always dreamed of. And I hate that for her. I hate that I can’t give that to her.”
“I think if we all put our heads together—along with Harlow and Lexi—we could figure something out,” Connor said. “We’ll have to find time to get together and brainstorm.”
Slater let out a loud snort. “Look, I’m here for the activities. I’m no wedding planner, okay? You guys can all go and do your thing—no offense, Axel—but there’s nothing I can add to that conversation. Maybe Nora could, though.”
Now it was Milo’s turn to snort.
“Oh, for crying out loud, what is your problem with Nora?” Slater demanded.
“Let’s just say I hope she’s nicer to guests than she is to other people.”
“Other people?” Slater questioned. “Or just you? Because Nora’s never had a complaint from anyone about anything. She’s a phenomenal guide and person. So this sounds more like a you thing.”
