meant being part of this family.
“Almost done, Gabe?” Jonas brushed by, putting a hand on Anna’s arm to step around her. “People will be done eating soon. We can’t keep them waiting.”
“I am almost done,” Gabe answered, not looking up from the screen. “But I wouldn’t have had to do this if you used better software. All this could have been avoided.”
“If you were working at the resort, you could have designed software specifically for us.”
“You couldn’t afford me,” Gabe shot back.
Tana appeared at her side. “Let’s leave them to it. Don’t you think?”
Anna was about to say yes. The front desk staff would be able to run reservations in a few minutes. It would be nice to unwind with tea or coffee or any number of things, especially with her new friend. There were lots of options at the Elk Lodge.
A voice rang out in the lobby—angry and loud. It was a blustery tone that sent a twist of anxiety through Anna’s gut.
“Uh oh,” Tana said, shaking her head.
Elin closed her eyes, trying to shut the sound out.
“I’ve got it,” Anna said. “I’ll let them know about breakfast. With the snow coming down the way it is, we shouldn’t have to worry about any more arrivals.”
Anna straightened her shoulders and calmed her mind. That spike of anxiety had been nothing but residual adrenaline, she decided. One more set of guests on edge wouldn’t do her in. But as she prepared to step back out into the reception area, the noise got louder. This wasn’t just one angry guy—he’d come with quite a few guests, by the sounds of it.
Waiting wouldn’t make it any better.
Welcome to the Elk Lodge, she thought. Hopefully, from there on out, the conversation would be fine.
Three steps and she was back to the reception desk. “Welcome to the Elk Lodge,” Anna said, but then all the words she’d planned to say fled from her mind.
She’d prepared herself for an angry man. She’d prepared herself for a moderately large group. But she hadn’t prepared herself for Freddie, her ex-boyfriend, his parents, some people she didn’t recognize, and a woman clinging to his arm—his new girlfriend.
Freddie’s lip curled with disgust. “I can’t believe this. What are you doing here?”
16
“This really would all be better if you were here,” Jonas said, leaning on the desk where Gabe was still working on fixing the system. “Haven’t you ever considered it? Would you consider it now?” Jonas wouldn’t stop needling him about working at the Elk Lodge.
“No. And no, I’m not considering it now.” Gabe put the final keystrokes into the program and set the reservation system back to rights. It would at least function well enough to get them through the day, giving Jonas time to decide what he wanted to do about the software. Gabe would be back home by the time that was all said and done. “And I wish you’d stop—”
“You can’t afford to be here. Why would anyone even let you onto the grounds?” A loud, male voice coming from the direction of the reception desk interrupted their conversation.
Gabe got up out of his seat before he could process what he’d heard and rushed out to the reception area, close on Jonas’s heels. What he hadn’t expected was to find Anna the object of the man’s attention. She stood behind the desk with another one of the reception staff members next to her. But it was Anna’s demeanor that caught and held his gaze. Lost and terrified were the two words that came to mind.
“Who is this woman?” The man shouting at Anna had a woman on his arm, her fingers locked tight around his bicep, her face drawn up into an expression of disgust.
A jolt of anger shot down Gabe’s spine.
“She’s an ex.” The man rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry about her. I’m just not thrilled to see someone working here who doesn’t belong. Given her family’s business, she probably got a job here so she can siphon money from the resort.”
“That’s not true,” Gabe said, glancing around to address his family. He turned his attention back to the man. “You’re speaking about my fiancée,” Gabe said, stepping up to Anna’s side. “That’s why she’s here at our family-owned resort. Is there something we can help you with?”
“It’s Freddie,” Anna whispered, and Gabe’s heart broke for her. The ex who hadn’t thought she was good enough. This was supposed to be a holiday getaway with nothing but snow and family dinners and charm, not