Page 75 of Never In My Wildest Dreams

“I Yeevie. Pay pnano now?”

“Sure thing.” Her friend hitched the toddler on her hip and climbed the porch steps. “Someone’s got to make use of that thing.” She gave Lorelei a side-eye as she waited for Ginty to get out of the car.

“I play it plenty,” Lorelei said.

“Uh huh.” Her friend opened the door and went inside.

Lorelei followed her in. “So, how’d it go?”

“Oh, my God.” Noa crossed the living room, heading for the grand staircase. “Her store is the Disney World of wedding gowns. And let me tell you, I flew to Paris looking for dresses. I went to a hundred shops, but I’ve never seen anything like Knox Holliday’s gowns.”

“In other words, it went well.” Behind her, Ginty was reading the screen of his phone. “Booker just landed. So, while you ladies do your music thing, I’ll make sure his bedroom’s ready.”

“That would be awesome,” Lorelei said. “Thank you.” She’d heard a lot about Booker Hayes over the years. He sounded like a good guy. And from just that quick conversation with him, she could tell he had a take-charge, all-hands-on-deck attitude that she liked.

At the top of the stairs, Noa put the toddler down, and her daughter took off. Her baby loved the conservatory more than any other room in the house. It was in a different wing, down a stretch of hallway that bridged the former owner’s quarters with the main lodge.

Before she’d even moved in, she’d done extensive work to turn this place into a home. She’d reconfigured rooms to turn a massive dining hall into smaller spaces, and she’d created a gorgeous nursery and luxurious bedrooms in the hopes her family would stay with her.

She’d kept the industrial kitchen—just modernized it. If her dream ever became a reality, she’d need the multiple appliances, sinks, and counters it offered.

Once it was livable, she’d focused on the fun stuff. The lower level had a game room complete with pool table, pinball machines, a real bar from a historic hotel in Leadville, Colorado, a dartboard, and a dozen poker tables. She didn’t play cards, but her brother and his friends did. Oh, and there was also a wine cellar down there.

She’d even created a theater with a giant screen, comfortable chairs, a popcorn machine, and a soda bar. But it was the room they were approaching that Lorelei loved the most. It was mostly empty—she didn’t have a band, so why bother filling it with instruments she’d never play—but the music conservatory had a wall of windows that let the sunshine pour in and offered a backdrop of the dramatic mountain ridge. This room got her all stirred up every time she stepped into it.

Because it held her Bechstein grand piano.

Once in the room, Stevie raced from one end to the other, trying to catch the sparkles of sunlight reflected off the crystal chandelier.

Lorelei knew exactly what her daughter felt in this space: freedom.

Noa sat down and warmed up her fingers. She smiled. “Play with me.”

Lorelei joined her on the glossy black bench, a low hum of excitement gathering strength as her fingers hit the keys.

“Major,” her friend said as they ran through the pentascales together. “Minor.”

And then, Lorelei said, “Diminished.”

They practiced a bit more and, once they were ready, Noa launched into a song she’d been working on. Lorelei was familiar with it, so she added harmonies. Her friend bumped her shoulder and said, “Ugh. That’s so pretty.”

Still playing, Lorelei glanced over to check on her daughter. She was lying on her back, an ankle resting on a propped knee, trying to catch floating dust motes with her little fists.

This. This moment was everything. A glittery warmth spread through her. What more could anyone ask for? Her heart clutched with love for her daughter, this friend who’d become family, and this strange piece of land that had given her a home.

When Noa finished her song, she rested her hands on her lap. “Thank you. You have no idea what it means to us that you swooped in and saved our wedding. If not for you, his family would’ve won, and we would’ve had to wait to get married.” She reached for Lorelei’s hand. “You’re a good friend. I know it’s a huge deal, considering you’re not prepared for it.”

“You don’t need to thank me. I’d do anything for you.” Lorelei hugged her friend. “Besides, Iwantto do it. What’s the point of owning an entire camp if I’m not hosting wild-ass weddings for my friends?”

“At least we’ve got Booker helping. That guy’s amazing. I don’t know how he juggles all the things his clients ask him to do, but he’s a machine.”

“Well, that’s a relief. As soon as he gets here, the four of us will meet, and you can tell us what you want. Obviously, we can’t recreate St. Lucia, but we can make this a ton of fun.”

Noa’s eyes misted over. “You’re such a good friend. I love you so much.”

“I love you, too.” And she meant it.

She might never fully recover from what Cissy and Landon had done to her, but she’d learned a vital lesson. She was paying attention to her life and her relationships now.

---