You know what you’re looking for, so leave me a message.
His voice was effortlessly sexy, but the allure of it had worn off ages ago for Val.
Just before lunch, she’d remembered to check his voice mail from the night before. She was expecting the usual excuses about why he wouldn’t be able to keep the boys that weekend, but instead he’d left her a choppy message she didn’t really get that ended with a vague request to call him. It was so unlike his usual breezy tone, she’d called him back immediately, only to be sent to voice mail.
Two and a half hours later, he still hadn’t called back, which was unlike him. That, combined with the strange texts from Rachel, prompted Val to call again.
Val waited for the beep. “Josh, it’s me again. Seriously, you need to call me back and let me know what’s going on. Rachel keeps texting me. You’re not answering your phone. Are the boys at your place this weekend or not? I just need to know.” She took a breath. “Call me.”
She did not call Rachel. The woman was Josh’s girlfriend and had no official status in her children’s life. They were living together, but they weren’t engaged. She didn’t talk to Josh’s flavor-of-the-year; there had been too many of them.
She walked back through the restaurant and gave everything a once-over. JoJo had texted a little while ago and assured her they were doing fine. The produce delivery had squeaked in just before lunch, and Don made peace with Ramon by throwing some surprise zucchini into their order.
Surprise zucchini was not a joke but desperately wanted to be.
The coffee shop closed at two in the afternoon. No exceptions. After that, it was family only, and her boys tended to head home these days instead of stopping by for an afternoon snack like they had when they were younger.
“See ya, Ramon.” Val waved as she headed out the door.
“Where you going?” Ramon was wiping down his grill.
“Up to Russell House.” She lifted the folder Robin had prepared. “I owe Monica a couple of hours after this morning.”
“She and Mrs. Lewis made a real nice deal with Honey,” Ramon said. “She’s real happy with it. Going to double her business during the high season.”
“That’s awesome.”
Val hopped in her truck and drove the five miles along the lake road to Russell House, a grand mansion that sat on the shores of Glimmer Lake.
The cold, clear waters of the lake hid the remains of the old town of Grimmer, which had been flooded over eighty years ago by a hydroelectric dam. Glimmer Lake was a sleepy mountain town that swelled to bursting in the summer when the lower elevations of the valley were sweltering hot and in the winter when the mountainsides were covered in dense snow. The holidays had come and gone, but the town was still flooded with skiers on the weekends, which made Monica’s vision all the more troubling.
Sierra Slopes, their local ski resort, had recently undergone a renovation and tourism during the winter was higher than ever.
Val pulled into the long curving driveway that had been carefully cleared of snow and looked at the festive decorations Monica and Grace, Robin’s mom, had left up on the lampposts. Swaths of evergreen and pine cones tied with midnight-blue ribbons gave Russell House a festive air even though the holiday season had passed.
Monica was waiting under the covered entryway held up by stone-clad pillars. She smiled and waved. The friendly greeting and lively decorations helped Val shake off the automatic chill that ran down her spine when she saw the facade of the house.
Russell House was a showpiece of a home built by Robin’s grandfather, Gordon Russell, to display his wealth and power. After Grandpa Russell died, he’d decided to hang around and oppress his family, who had lived with the weight of his secrets shadowing their lives.
Val had never liked the house when she’d been a child. They’d come to visit Robin’s grandmother regularly to swim in the lake, go boating, or play in the snow. But no one ever lingered inside. It was only after Val, Robin, and Monica had banished Gordon Russell’s ghost and cleansed the house that Val felt comfortable wandering around.
She parked her truck and walked up the steps. “It’s looking good.”
Monica smiled. As an empty-nester mom, she’d been looking for a new direction. Russell House was the perfect idea for someone with Monica’s skills as a homemaker and hostess. She’d transformed the old home into a chic and comfortable mountain retreat. Now, instead of looking after four unruly kids, she was looking after business groups and bridal parties.
“We’ve had a lot of advance bookings,” Monica said. “We’re already booked solid for next Christmas.”
“Are you serious?”
Monica nodded. “I knew it was going to work.”
Val threw her arm around Monica’s shoulders and walked inside. “Sometimes having psychic powers comes in handy.”
“Luckily, I don’t have them thrown in my face every hour of every day.” Monica squeezed her gloved hand. “How was the rest of today?”
“Okay. Josh isn’t answering his phone, so I have to assume he’s bailing on the boys this weekend. I already texted Jackson.”
Monica shook her head. “I will never understand that man.”
“He’s killing his relationship with his kids, but he’s doing it to himself.” Val surveyed the grand entryway of the house. “Enough about irresponsible men. What are you thinking for a coffee stand?”
“Come this way.” Monica gestured toward the formal living room. “And let’s talk about bars.”
Val was chatting with Eve at the espresso maker the next morning after the breakfast rush had slowed to the midmorning trickle. JoJo buzzed happily around the tables, and Ramon was singing oldies in the kitchen while he prepped for lunch.
Her staff was present and accounted for, the meat truck had arrived on time, and all was right in Val’s world.
“There was an existing bar in the house,” Val told Eve. “Old Mr. Russell did like his scotch. But they’re expanding that to a wine bar for the afternoon, along with evening cocktails. That sort of thing. But before two o’clock, that area is just empty. What Monica is thinking is we set up a coffee bar there. Misfit would create a signature espresso drink for Russell House—”
“Probably a cold and a hot,” Eve said. “To have summer covered.”
“Good idea. So we do a signature coffee, and then all the usual menu. Guests preorder their coffees when they check in, and the staff delivers them in the morning with their pastry baskets. Russell House would pay us a flat fee for each morning, and the rest of the time we’re just selling coffee like normal.”
“So anyone can come inside and have a coffee and pastry at Russell House?” Eve asked.
“I think that’s the idea.”
Eve looked thoughtful. “You know, that might attract a lot of tourists who can’t afford to stay there, you know? ’Cause I know it’s gonna be superexpensive. But if you just want to see the place and have a drink, that’s pretty cheap.”
“I think that’s the idea.” Val quickly rang up a customer and passed the order to Eve. “Monica threw out the idea of doing an afternoon tea, but I nixed it. Afternoon tea is not our brand.”