Page 30 of Stranded with the Resort Owner

"I fell in love with it." He says. "With the quiet. With the solitude. With the purpose of building something instead of tearing it apart to make it more efficient."

His voice is steady, but there's a rawness to it. A truth that makes me feel like I've stepped into something private. Sacred.

"And now?" I ask.

His mouth lifts, just barely. "Now I'm too deep to walk away. I've sunk every dollar and hour I have into this place. I know every pipe, every board, every quirk. It's mine."

His gaze flicks to me. "It's not perfect. It's messy. Demanding. Stubborn as hell."

Then, just under his breath—so soft I almost miss it:

"Maybe that's why I stayed."

The words slip out like a secret not meant for me. But they land anyway. Hard.

I hear more than what he says—I hear what he means.

This place is messy. Demanding. Imperfect.

And worth it.

The sincerity in his voice resonates with something deep inside me. A place I've spent years barricading behind ambition and control. A place that's tired of being cold.

Because maybe I'm like this inn—renovated on the outside, crumbling beneath the surface. And maybe all this time, I've been searching for someone who wouldn't just gut me for parts. Someone who might stay because I'm difficult and messy.

Because I'm not easy.

Lucas turns toward me, unreadable.

"Come with me." He doesn't wait for an answer, just threads his fingers through mine like it's natural.

Easy.

And maybe that's the most shocking part—how right it feels.

He leads me down a narrow corridor I hadn't noticed before. The air is cooler here, and it's older. Every footstep feels hushed, reverent. The hallway ends at a simple wooden door with no label and no signage.

Lucas pulls out a small brass key. Unlocks it carefully.

"My grandfather built this for my grandmother." He says, voice low. "She loved stargazing."

The door swings open with a soft click.

Inside is a massive circular room. Every wall is paneled in warm cedar. A domed glass ceiling arches overhead, ringed with beams that seem to frame the sky itself.

Even in daylight, it's breathtaking.

I step inside slowly, mouth parted.

Though the sun still filters through pale clouds, I can already imagine the night—the sky ink-black, stars scattered like diamonds above us. A private observatory carved into the heart of a mountain.

"It's beautiful." I whisper. But the words don't come close.

He smiles but doesn't say anything. Just watches me with that quiet intensity again.

He brought me here not to impress me… but to see me. To show me something true.

"I come here when I need perspective." Lucas's fingers remain entwined with mine. "When the business challenges seem overwhelming, or I question whether I made the right choice staying."

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