Page 360 of The Parkers' Handsome Holiday
I’d talk to Bailey about cutting back on my hours when she got back to work. Obviously it wasn’t something that I could do right now while I was in charge of everything, but things should be winding down as we headed towards the spring anyway.
I had just gotten home when my phone started ringing. I smiled when I saw that it was Bailey. “Hey,” I said to her, knowing she could hear the warmth in my voice. “How’s Nevada?”
“Actually, I’m not in Nevada,” Bailey said, to my surprise. And even though I knew that the phone call would probably have been just as clear if she was still in Las Vegas, there was something about the clarity that made it feel like she was speaking from right beside me. “I was wondering if you and Ethan could come to the airport.”
The grin on my face widened. I tried not to get my hopes up. She might not be back here for good. Maybe she just wanted to check up on the resort, or maybe she wanted to spend another couple of days with me.
But either way, I couldn’t help feeling excited at the thought of seeing her again that very night.
“I’ll be there in half an hour,” I promised her. I hung up the phone and headed into the kitchen, where Ethan was finishing up his homework with Dad’s help. “Ethan, get your shoes,” I said, beaming at him. “We need to pick someone up from the airport.”
I could tell by Dad’s smile that he knew just who I meant.
CHAPTER 62
BAILEY
If flying to Utah to run a ski resort had felt spontaneous before, it was nothing compared to the chaos of my hasty return flight. I had originally planned to hold off leaving until the next day at least. I knew that Adam could handle running the resort. And I wasn’t really too afraid that the board of directors would change their minds about letting me go. Ian could hold his own here in Vegas, and I had agreed to conference in for important meetings, plus do daily check-ups on him and his plans for the company.
But as I thought about putting off my departure for another day, I realized that I didn’t want to wait. It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours since I had last seen Adam, but I didn’t want to wait anymore. I knew that he knew that I was planning on coming back to Utah, but I didn’t want him to have to worry anymore that I might change my mind. I wanted to be there.
Ian gave me a huge hug at the airport. “I’ll see you soon,” he promised. “I have to straighten things out with work for the moment and show them that I can be depended on, but I think I can plan another ski trip with some of the investors later in the spring, maybe.”
“Sounds like a plan,” I said, grinning at him. “And I’ll try to get back to Vegas for a weekend or so, too. As long as you promise not to tell the board that I’m coming back. I don’t want them trying to twist my arm to get me to stay.”
Ian laughed. “Deal,” he said, reaching out to shake my hand. “Now go and get your man!”
I laughed and turned towards the airport, ready to do just that.
I had barely had any time to pack anything. Not that I had much to pack. I hadn’t brought most of my stuff from Utah, since I didn’t need my snow gear here in Vegas even in the middle of winter. Besides, leaving my stuff behind before had made it feel like I definitely was coming back to Utah. Now, heading back to Park City, it felt like I was going home.
Which might be considered strange given how little time I had really spent in Park City in the scheme of things. But something about this just felt right.
That feeling only increased when I got off my flight and called Adam to ask him for a ride from the airport. He sounded only too happy to come and get me. But it was Ethan who flung himself at me first, when the two of them walked up to me.
“Bailey!” he cried, throwing his arms around my legs. “You came back!”
“Of course I did,” I said, smiling down at him and stroking his hair back.
“Just for a few days?” Adam asked quietly, his gaze searching my face.
I shook my head, unable to keep the smile off my face. “No,” I told him. “Ian and I talked to the board of directors. I still have to do some work with the casino company from here, checking in on Ian and video conferencing some of the meetings. But they’ve agreed to let me come back to Utah.” I paused. “I may still need you to help out with the more administrative things around the resort for now, though. If that’s okay?”
Adam grinned at me. “I think we can work out some sort of deal,” he said teasingly.
Relief washed through me. I relaxed further as he pulled me into his arms, lightly kissing me.
“Ew,” Ethan said from beside us, and I pulled away laughing even though I wanted nothing more than to deepen the kiss, to drag him home and have my way with him. Still, as we walked through the airport and Ethan slipped his hand into mine, linking Adam and I in a chain, I couldn’t help but feel like this was right where I belonged in that moment.
“Can we go skiing tomorrow?” Ethan asked as he skipped along between the two of us.
I glanced over at Adam to see his response to the question and winced when I saw that he was frowning. “It’s a school day tomorrow,” he reminded his son, and I realized that his worry about us skiing together didn’t have anything to do with my sudden return or some newly cold feet.
“But can’t I miss school just this once?” Ethan pleaded. “I’ll be really good and do extra homework the next day.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. Adam looked over at me, then gave a rueful smile. Still, he shook his head. “Bailey just got back from Nevada,” he reminded Ethan. “I’m sure she has a bunch of work that she needs to do tomorrow. Plus, she probably wants to get settled in again.”
“I’m sure I can get by with one more day off,” I told Adam. “I hear you’ve been handling things even better than I could have. Sounds like you might deserve a vacation, and no one knows that I’m back to work yet.”
