Page 19 of When You Were Mine

“Okay, so what kind of timeframe are you looking at?” Didn’t it take a year to plan a wedding? “Keep in mind the planning stage alone will take months. I can’t guarantee it’ll be done in time.”

“I understand that, and I don’t want to interfere with your process. I would, however, like to shift the agenda for your stay here.”

She folded her hands in her lap. “I’m listening.”

“My sister’s a race car driver—well, retired now—but she owns a team, and the season starts in February.”

The date landed in her gut like a brick. “If you’re not joking, then you’ve just wasted two hundred thousand dollars. With a deadline like that, at best, you’ll have time to slap on some paint and install new carpets. You can’t transform this place into a luxury resort in two months. Duringwinter.”

“No, of course not. But hear me out. A good part of what you do is interior design. For the short term, I’d like you to renovate the main part of the hotel—the entrance, the dining room, and some of the suites. Keep in mind, my family’s in the construction business, so they can make it happen fast.”

“You’ll be throwing out whatever work I do. You understand that, right? Because we don’t even have a concept. I haven’t studied the demographic, psychographic, or geographic characteristics of your target customer. It will take me months to find the right suppliers, the fixtures…to come up with a unifying palette of paint colors. We need a chef, a concierge?—”

“I get it.” He held up a hand. “And, yes, I fully understand what I’m asking you to do. That said, anything you can accomplish while you’re here that can do double duty would be great.”

“Does your sister understand what having it here will mean for you? The cost and effort?”

His gaze dropped to his black leather loafers. “My sister and I are the only ones who moved away. We were close growing up but living in America made us tighter.” He sat back in his chair. “In my business, you don’t make a lot of friends. You have colleagues and people you hang out with for a purpose.” He shrugged. “You have ex-wives and kids you barely know.” He shrugged. “But there’s no one in this world I’m closer to than my sister. And this hotel… Well, let’s just say it’s the only place that has good childhood memories for us.” With a look of resolve, he sat up straighter. “It has to be here. Can you help me pull it off?”

How could she say no to that? “Keep in mind, your family might have the expertise and connections, but they have no control over supply and delivery considerations. Especially in winter.”

“I understand. But will you do it?”

She admired his determination. “Look, you’re paying me. I’ll do whatever you want. As long as you understand I’m not a wedding planner.I’ve never even had one of my own.”

Her stomach twisted at the lie. But hers was an elopement, and the marriage hadn’t lasted an hour, so it didn’t count.

Ugh. Why did it hurt to think about him after all these years? She wished so badly she could let it all go.

The way he had.

“Believe me, I understand. But she’s marrying one of the most famous men in the world, which means the guests will be A-listers, and I can’t have them staying in a shabby hotel.”

“No, you certainly can’t. And honestly, it’ll be fun to spruce this place up.”

His features broke wide open in relief. “Thank you. Excellent.”

“Now, in terms of double duty, I can get started on the search for a chef, sommelier, and concierge. You’ll need all of that for the wedding.”

“That’ll be easier than you think. You know how many people live here?”

“Three hundred and fifty thousand.”

He chuckled. “She does her research. Right, and guess how many restaurants have Michelin stars?”

Now, that she didn’t know.

“Three.” He held up his fingers. “Which means you only have to interview three chefs. And there’s only one master sommelier here, so there you go. I’ll pay them more than they make anywhere else. See how much easier I’ve made your job?”

She smiled. “Only the CEO of a massive hedge fund would think he could snap his fingers and complete a hiring process like this in four days.”

He threw back his head and laughed. “Well, you only become CEO by working your ass off. I never ask anybody to do what I’m not willing to do myself. I made my money through hard work and sacrifice.” His features fell, and he let out a heavy sigh. “At this point in my life, my sister’s all I have, and I need to do this for her. She never thought she’d get married, but apparently, she’s found the perfect man. You hear what I’m saying?”

“I absolutely do. I feel the same way about my sisters. I’d move heaven and earth for them, so yes, I get it.” Her mind was already working on a plan of action. She grabbed a pen from her leather tote bag. “You’ve got three chefs and a sommelier in mind, so that’s a great start. We’ll need a concierge. Someone who was born and raised here and who understands Icelandic culture and traditions. I’ll order new mattresses and bedding and get started on a kitchen renovation. Oh, and I’ll hire a laundry service.” She tapped the page. “We’ll need to pull electricians, plumbers, and a contractor from their current jobs to get those rooms in shape.” She glanced up at him. “Any idea about the guest list? How many rooms we’re doing?”

He smiled warmly at her. “You said ‘we.’”

She knew just what he meant. It was a solo climb to the top of any career, but once there, all the choices and results rested on the shoulders of the leader. “I did.” The day her sisters referred to the business as,We,she’d taken her first full breath. “You’re not in this alone.”

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