“Because Iknow. The resort should be lit up inside and out for the holidays, and instead you’re there in the dark like the Grinch.”
He glanced into the darkened interior of his penthouse and shrugged, not bothering to ask how she knew what she knew. Or point out that Quinley had said much the same thing when she’d decorated Haven’s interior a few days ago.
Every hotel in the chain had a scheduled and contracted decorator to handle such things, but somehow he’d missed that detail when it came to this one. More proof that he was off his game. “You don’t need to send anyone. I’ll have my PA take care of it. There are two weeks remaining before the big day. I’ll arrange for the hotel to be made festive,andI'll get my own tree.”
“Will you, though?”
“I will. If you insist I have one, I’d rather pick my own.”
“You always did enjoy playing Paul Bunyan and cutting down a tree when we were in the mountains.”
He couldn’t deny it. There was something primal about going out and choosing just the right tree and then felling it himself. He loved fresh trees over artificial. But right now?
Normally his favorite holiday season, he felt downright Scrooge-ish in nature these days, mostly because he’d planned on spending this Christmas with his new wife in their new home, one he’d built for them along the Cape Fear River.
But he didn’t have a wife, and the house sat empty and unused. Undecorated too. Time to sell the monstrosity. He wasn’t sure why he’d held onto it this long. He made a mental note to get the property listed as soon as possible.
“I’ll give you a few days to get the hotelandyour suite decorated. If you don’t make it happen, I’m calling in the professionals myself. And don’t think of lying to me. I do have spies there, you know.”
He chuckled, well aware that his parents had “spies” in every hotel across the massive chain. They might be retired, but they liked keeping tabs on things to make sure the hotels were kept up to standards and morale remained high. “It’ll be done.”
“Rhys, you might think you’re fooling me, but I know you all too well. You’ve been different since you and Quinley…parted ways,” she said diplomatically. “And while I know you had some doubts, you’re still my very romantic son, and…I’m worried about you.”
“No need to worry.”
“It’s a mother’s duty. You looked forward to the wedding and being married, starting a family, and Iknowyou’re grieving that loss even if you feel Quinley wasn’t quite the right woman.”
The words, the images that flickered through his mind due to them, left him shifting uncomfortably on the balcony.
“Oh, Rhys, honey…”
“I’m fine.”
“You’renot. You haven’t dated since Quinley, and I know you’ve had plenty of offers.”
“Not because I’m still in love with her— I’m not. But she’s a hard act to follow, and I’m tired of the dating scene. Of being looked at like a dollar sign. And I get that most men wouldn’t care, but…I do.”
“Of course you do. But in order to find this new special someone, you have to goout.”
“Maybe not. Maybe, if I’m patient, she’ll…appear. Like a Christmas gift under the tree.”
A soft laugh filtered over the phone, but it was tinged with sadness. “Well, for that to happen, we might have to contact Oliver Beck’s wife, the matchmaker. What is her name again?”
“Marsali. And I’mnotready for a matchmaker, so don’t even think about adding that to my Christmas gifts, Mother.”
“Fine,” she said, laughter audible in her voice. “But you can’t stay in andworkall the time.It wasn’t good for your grandfather or your father, and it’s certainly not good for you.”
“I go out.”
“To work functions and networking events. When was the last time you did something for you? Something just for fun? You need to…findyour Christmas spirit, darling. Especiallythisyear of all years. Don’t allow what happened last spring to steal that from you.”
He hated to admit his mother had a point. “Okay. I’ll go out and—find a Christmas tree. How’s that?”
“It’s a start. But I want to see pictures so I know it’s done. I’ll be able to tell if your heart is in it.”
He sighed, knowing she’d harass him until he followed through. “I’m going to get off here and go grab dinner from upstairs, but I’ll call you again soon.”
“And you’ll think about joining us for Christmas? Your grandfather misses you. We all do. You’ve been traveling so much since spring. And we can discuss hiring Marsali—when you’re ready, of course.”
