1. Finley

1

FINLEY

T he meeting started at three, but I was late, having been waylaid by a guest who needed help connecting his laptop to our Wi-Fi. By the time I slid into my seat, the rest of our management team had already arrived and were halfway through pieces of carrot cake and steaming cups of tea.

We usually met in the kitchen of the Crescent Moon Ranch restaurant, and today was no exception.

I looked around the table. Sammie and Thad sat together on one side of the butcher-block-type island, holding hands. They were newlyweds and, therefore, allowed public displays of affection. Also in attendance were Caspian and his wife, Elliot.

Soren was there, too. My least favorite Moon brother. He wasn't too high on the list of non-Moon people, either. I couldn't stand the man.

"Hey, everyone," I said cheerfully. "I'm so sorry I'm late. The guest in Cabin C is proving to be high maintenance. Not that I'm complaining. I live to help our guests."

Soren chuckled under his breath.

"What's so funny?" I asked, reaching for the last piece of cake.

"A normal person would have said that sarcastically. Not like Pollyanna had been invited to the meeting." Soren looked at me without blinking, which always had the effect of throwing me off-kilter.

"Sarcasm? Why is that normal? Have you ever thought I'm the normal one and you're the weird one?" I looked him straight in the eyes, ready for the challenge. Soren Moon loved to make fun of me for being myself. How could I help being a naturally sunny person when it was my true nature? Considering what I'd been through since I'd turned eighteen six years ago, I gave myself a little grace. I'd lost my parents, been falsely accused of a crime committed by my identical twin sister, spent a year in jail, and finally moved to America from England, leaving behind everything I knew. Any one of these might have changed me from an optimist who believed that people were mostly good to a bitter, slightly deranged young woman. Not me. I refused to allow the past to destroy who I am deep down.

Pain burned in my chest as the thoughts of my family invaded the present. I took a deep breath and let it out, a technique I'd learned in therapy to calm myself. There were times I let myself feel it all, but not at work if I could help it. This job had been such a lifesaver. I'd come to America for a fresh start, and the Moon family had given it to me. I would never cease to be thankful for the way they'd brought me into their fold. I was starting to think of Montana and the people I worked with as home. Was it dangerous to believe my life was headed in the right direction, only to be crushed when it all blew up and subsequently disappeared?

No. I refused to believe that. Everything would work out for me in the end, despite some setbacks.

Ironically, starting over had led me back to myself. The despair I'd felt during my year in jail seemed like a distant memory now. I loved working for the Moon family at the Crescent Moon Ranch as the hospitality manager. Not only did I get to do work I enjoyed, but I also had the privilege of living in western Montana. The tales of Big Sky Country had not been falsehoods. It was as beautiful and wild as I'd imagined.

"If you don't know, then I can't explain it to you," Soren said. "And I'm pretty sure I'm not the weird one here."

I shot him a dirty look and dug my fork through the cream cheese frosting for a generous bite of Elliot's amazing cake.

"Finley's great with the guests. Patient as a saint, in fact," Thad said loyally, making him the best boss ever. He was a dream to work for, allowing me freedom and creativity. As long as the guests were happy, so was he.

"There are a few guests I've almost lost it with of late, and Finley always saves the day," Thad said.

"Thank you. That means a lot." I smiled at my boss from across the table.

"You're welcome. Switching gears—I have terrible news," Thad said. "I've just come from our annual planning meeting for the holiday festival in town. They're canceling it."

A collective groan and expressions of disbelief erupted around the table.

"But it's a fifty-year-old tradition," Caspian said, holding his empty fork aloft. "What about the pie contest?"

"Everything's in limbo," Thad said. "The rest of the committee is devastated at the thought of not having it this year."

"What's the reason for canceling?" Sammie asked her husband in her soft, sweet voice.

"There's a few, actually," Thad said. "Firstly, our treasurer absconded with our funds, leaving us with nothing in the account."

"What? Isn't your treasurer Mrs. Howell?" Caspian asked. "And isn't she a hundred years old?"

"She's only eighty-four," Thad said. "And she gave up her position last year because she was afraid she was becoming too forgetful. A newcomer took her place, Adam Davis."

"Adam Davis absconded with the committee's funds?" Caspian shook his head. "How is that possible? The guy didn't seem like the sharpest knife in the drawer."

"Apparently, he possesses excellent embezzlement skills," Thad said. "Because he drained the account and took off into the night."

"This is sad," Elliot said. "People will be really disappointed. Including me. I love that weekend. They'd asked me to judge the pie contest this year, which was an honor."

"Mostly to keep you from competing," Caspian said. "And leave everyone in the dust."

"Well, it's hardly fair if I competed since I'm a professional pastry chef," Elliot said modestly.

"What if we do it here?" I blurted out.

All eyes turned toward me.

"What do you mean?" Soren asked, all growly. As usual.

It was a shame someone so gorgeous was such a jerk. All he had to do was open his mouth, and he was suddenly no longer handsome. I mean, his features were still excellent and all. A sharp jawline and full mouth, along with that perfect nose of his, made a classically handsome face. However, it was his expressive eyes I'd been drawn to when I first met him. But again, he'd opened his mouth and crushed any crush I'd developed as quickly as it had developed.

"What if we hosted it here on the property instead of in town?" I asked. "We could sponsor it, so there wouldn't be any need for the committee funds. We could transform the property into a winter wonderland. Oh, I know. What if we ran it all month? It would be a great revenue bump for the restaurant and bar if we got locals out here." I grinned, warming to the idea as the words tumbled from my mouth. "It could be an event every year here on the ranch." The festival featured an ice-skating rink, loads of craft and food vendors, and, of course, visits to see Santa. "What would it take to get an ice rink in here?"

"I've often thought it would be a great addition to our winter offerings," Soren said. "But I don't think it's possible."

"Why not?" I asked, trying to keep the chill from my voice but not succeeding.

"Mainly, they're expensive," Soren said, glaring back at me.

"It's true," Thad said. "I looked into it a few years back. Not only would we have to build a rink, but we'd have to provide skates of all sizes—all of which is an investment. However, depending on what we charged for tickets, the rink could pay for itself after a few years."

"Like Finley said, it could be a great way to get locals out here," Caspian said. "And stay for lunch at the restaurant."

"What if we had more than just the rink going all winter?" I asked. "We could do a tree lighting evening right after Thanksgiving to kick everything off."

"Offer treats for sale," Elliot said. "I could make some killer cookies and brownies to sell."

"We could do a beer garden," Thad said. "Those are always popular with young folks."

"Families come for ice skating, sledding, and sleigh rides. A younger crowd comes in for beer and wine," Thad said. "I think it could be a huge revenue source during our slow months."

Although western Montana was beautiful in the winter, tourists typically came to stay at the ranch during warm months.

"We haven't done much marketing to encourage winter stays," Thad said. "But this is something we could sell. A winter wonderland experience for all ages."

"What about the festival?" Sammie asked. "Would we invite vendors to set up booths like they do in town?"

"What if we had one weekend reserved for the festival?" I asked. "And the rest of December would be open for the rink and sleigh rides?"

"The tickets would have to be reasonably priced," Soren said, "if we want locals to come. A lot of people around here are on a budget."

"I think we should have the rink open through the end of February," Thad said. "If we're going to go to the trouble to have it installed, we should use it for longer."

"Good point," I said.

Caspian leaned forward, setting his elbows on the table, clearly excited by the idea. "In addition to the dining room offerings as usual, we could sell premade sandwiches and salads along with drinks and hot chocolate."

"I love this idea," I said. "For December, we'll do a Christmas theme, but for January and February, we could advertise it as a winter carnival."

"Not a carnival." Soren held up his hands and shook his head. "That makes it sound too much like a circus, and there will be no clowns on the property, or I'm out."

"Clowns are super creepy," I said, exchanging a quick glance with Soren. We were opposites, but I guess we could agree on one thing. No clowns.

His lips twitched into a half smile that was actually directed my way before returning his gaze to the table at large.

Try as I might, I couldn't get the second-to-the-youngest of the Moon brothers to like me. Most people did, so it had taken me by surprise that I hadn't managed to win Soren's friendship. Yet I never gave up. Not when it came to people. Some might say it was a fatal flaw. After all, my twin sister had committed a crime she let me take the fall for. Up until then, I had never lost faith that she would turn her life around and return to me. But once I understood that she was quite fine letting me go to jail for a crime she committed, I finally had to face the truth. My sister didn't love me as I loved her. The seductive power of her sketchy boyfriend and his access to drugs was stronger than her devotion to her identical twin sister.

When we were small, I'd often ruminated on how different we were. The chasm widened further after the death of our parents when we were eighteen. I'd gone to university whereas she had stayed home to party and avoid facing life as an adult. As much as I missed my parents, I was glad they weren't around to see what Danielle had become. Or that she'd let me take the fall for a bank robbery while she disappeared into thin air.

Fortunately, my conviction had been overturned, and I was set free after a year in prison. However, the trial and the days spent among criminals had left permanent scars. I refused to let them define me, though. There were times I had to force myself to remain cheerful and optimistic, but I would never give up the fight. My mother had taught me to always fight for what was right and to never let the bad things change who I was on the inside. Somehow, those lessons had not cemented themselves in Danielle's psyche as they had mine.

"I think we should invest in another sleigh," Thad said. "So, we can offer rides to more folks."

As of now, the Moons had only one sleigh, which Soren and Thad used to take our guests out for an old-fashioned experience. I agreed that another one would be a great addition. However, Thad had shared with me that the ranch operated very close to profitable margins. All of these ideas would require a loan from the bank. Both Thad and Soren, who basically ran the entire operation, didn't embrace debt. They ran the place as efficiently as possible. "If we were to extend our offerings to locals instead of relying purely on vacationing tourists, we could improve our profit margins, right?" I asked.

"In theory," Soren said. "But what if it's a flop, and we invest in all this additional equipment or whatever, and no one comes?"

"It's risky," I said. "Nothing comes from playing it safe."

"Says the woman with nothing to lose or gain by our financial demise," Soren said drily.

Soren and I locked eyes for a moment. He was an infuriating person.

"Negativity never changes anything," I said. "In my opinion, it's the lazy way out."

Soren's brows shot up, and he once again glared at me. "Lazy? How is being fiscally responsible lazy?"

"Complacency is laziness," I said, returning his scowl. "Doing the same thing while expecting different results is the definition of madness."

Soren rolled his eyes. I prickled with irritation.

"Did you learn that in your fancy English university classes?" Soren asked. "I'd have thought they'd have more sophisticated lessons than platitudes that don't actually mean anything."

I opened my mouth to lambaste him but thought better of it. He was technically my employer, even though I worked directly for Thad.

"What do you think?" Thad asked Caspian. As our resident chef and restaurant manager, Caspian had less day-to-day involvement in the running of the ranch or guest services.

Caspian appeared to think over the question carefully and then spoke slowly. "Whatever helps us get more people out here, the better. I can't sell them a meal if they're not here."

My mind whirled with ideas. "We could offer a variety of tickets. One would get you a day pass to every activity on the ranch and a discount at the restaurant. Others you could buy just a few hours at the ice rink or access to our sledding hill."

"I love all these ideas." Elliot rested a hand over her stomach. She wore loose jeans, so her pregnancy wasn't obvious unless you knew to look. The baby would come in May, God willing. Annie, Atticus's wife, would have her baby in March. There would be two grandchildren for Stella and Jasper and the beginning of a new generation. Just as life should be.

"That's what I'm thinking," Thad said. "As far as capital, I think we should ask Atticus to lend us the money instead of the bank."

Atticus had made a literal fortune when he sold his tech company a few years back. Now, he and Annie were living on the family property in a beautiful new home. Unless Annie was away filming a movie or television show, in which case Atticus went with her. They'd agreed at the beginning of their relationship to never spend more than a week apart. Since finding out she was pregnant, Annie decided to take some time off. Although neither Annie nor Atticus participated in the ranch's operations, they were supportive of the family business. I had no doubt if they asked their billionaire brother for a loan, Atticus would provide it without hesitation.

"You would ask Atticus for money?" I asked Thad without thinking through the appropriateness of the question. After all, I was technically an outsider. An employee. No one paid for my opinion. Yet, I couldn't seem to stop offering it.

"I thought you guys were against that?" Sammie asked.

"We are, in principle," Thad said. "But he's offered capital many times. Maybe it's time we took him up on it."

"This would be a loan," Caspian said. "Which we could pay back with interest, just like we would a bank. It makes sense we would go through him and not some institution."

"Not to be a naysayer or anything," Elliot said, "but could we really pull this off by Thanksgiving? That gives us a little over a month."

"The rink is the only major project," Thad said. "Purchasing another sleigh or two is easy."

"Two?" Soren asked.

"Yeah, I think we need at least three," Thad answered. "If we're going to get more people in here, we should have sleigh rides running all day."

Sammie gazed lovingly at Thad. "It's a good thing we eloped, or we'd have to worry about a wedding."

"Mama's still mad at me, but you have a good point." Thad leaned closer to his wife and took her hand, brushing his lips against her knuckles in an old-fashioned gesture.

Sammie and Thad had gone into Bozeman for the weekend not long after Caspian and Elliot's wedding and gotten married at the courthouse, with only little Chloe, Sammie's four-year-old daughter, in attendance. Sammie, shy by nature, hadn't wanted to make a big fuss, especially since this was her second marriage. In addition, they'd wanted to marry sooner rather than later for Chloe's sake. They'd just moved into their remodeled home on a property not far from here and had wanted to be married before they did so.

To appease his mother, Thad had promised Stella, she could throw them a reception to celebrate the marriage, but so far, there was nothing on the calendar. If we were to pull all of this off by Thanksgiving, there would be no time for a party.

"Do we need to run all this by Rafferty?" Caspian asked.

Rafferty, the middle of the five Moon brothers, was a doctor with a practice in town. He didn't normally participate in the operation of the family business unless asked. I doubted he would have any misgivings. Although he didn't work at the ranch, he was usually supportive of whatever his brothers wanted to do.

"We should let Rafferty know, but he won't care," Soren said. "Now that he's a fancy doctor he has no time for the likes of us."

I glanced his way to see if his facial expression matched his testy tone. It did. I hadn't picked up on friction between Rafferty and Soren before, but perhaps there was a sibling rivalry between them. Or, more likely, it was just grouchy Soren expressing disdain for anything that wasn't directly related to ranching and Montana. Soren was the only brother without a degree from a university. Did it bother him? Who knew? Certainly not me. The man barely spoke. One time, after Soren had called me overly cheerful, Thad made me feel better by telling me not to pay him any mind. "He's more comfortable outside with the animals than with people. Your outgoing personality is something he'll never understand."

Regardless, his scorn had stung. If he only knew how hard I'd had to fight to stay positive, he might have more respect for me and my attitude. Or maybe not. Perhaps he would still think how foolish it was to approach life as if something wonderful might happen at any moment as I did.

"Finley, you'll head this up," Thad said. "If you're up for it."

"Oh my gosh, yes, I'm up for it," I said, delighted. "I love planning parties."

"We can't just pull unicorns and rainbows out of the sky," Soren said. "You'll have to make do with what we have."

"Meaning?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Meaning you'll have to stay in budget and you'll need to run things by us," Soren said.

"I have a great idea," Thad said, with a glance at Caspian. "Soren, you should help Finley. You know, to make sure it's all done how you want."

Soren glowered at his brother but nodded. "Fine. I know this ranch like the back of my own hand anyway. The rest of you are far less qualified than I am to put an ice rink in here."

Great. This meant I'd have to work with Grouchy McGrouchyson. He'd better not squelch my ideas or tell me my plans were silly or ridiculous. I'd go home tonight and put together a notebook with ideas and photographs from Pinterest and the like. That way he would have a visual, making it less likely he'd reject my ideas. The guy might be impressive in the barn and anything to do with the ranch, but parties were my specialty. If he tried to ruin this by being his usual grumpy self, I would have to go to Thad and tell him I worked best alone. That wasn't technically true. For someone who loved people, it was ironic that I so often spent time by myself, at work and in my private life.

"This will be epic. Like Christmas exploding all over the ranch. I can't wait." I said it in my brightest voice, just to get under Soren's skin. By the scathing death stare in my direction, it seemed I'd succeeded.