Page 2 of Just One Chance

"She'll want to modernize everything with sleek, cheap furniture. The whole thing will be a waste of my time. My furniture will never be in the inn now. She's going to ruin everything." I stood abruptly, my chair teetering precariously on two legs.

I pushed through the front door and into the cold night. I should have stuck around and asked when Ms. Barnes was arriving and where she'd be staying, but right now, I couldn't see past my anger.

I was finally getting my chance to build furniture for the inn. People would see my designs online and enjoy them when they visited. I'd finally be able to contribute in a meaningful way to the family business.

Everyone else in the family held a significant role in the businesses. Clara ran our grandmother's Christmas Shop, Callum managed the inn, Malcolm opened the restaurant, and Rowan just opened the brewery. Hunter was in charge of hikes and tours, whereas I had a side business that didn't relate to anything else.

Rowan probably only asked me to make the furniture for the brewery because I wasn't a part of anything else. The decor at the inn was dated, so it was the perfect time to renovate the inn. My craftsman work fit in with the aesthetic better than some city girl designer's ideas.

But now it was clear I'd never be involved in the family business. I was never going to be good enough for my parents. If they weren't going to utilize my furniture, then maybe it was time to think about moving. To establish my business somewhere else, outside the influence of my family.

I got in my truck, wondering where I wanted to go. Should I go home to my cabin or hit a bar and get wasted?

I drove down the road that led to the inn. It was the original family home, and when they'd hit hard times financially, my grandparents turned it into an inn. They originally lived in one of the rooms on the top floor but later built another smaller home on the property.

As always, I was filled with a sense of pride when I saw the inn, and the sign indicating that it was Hart Inn. This was my legacy, and I wanted to be part of it.

I got out of the truck and headed inside. There was no one at the counter at this hour.

I was drawn to the windows at the back of the building that showcased the view of the mountains. There was an atrium off the patio where Boone and Hattie had held their engagement party.

When Mom and Dad had made their announcement, I felt my dreams slip away.

What was I going to do? Should I go along with this ridiculous plan and let some city girl tell me what to do with the furniture? Or should I step aside and let her take over?

I hated the idea of a stranger putting her mark on our family business. It would be unrecognizable if she got her hands on it.

I couldn't back away now. I had to be front and center so I could stop her from ruining Hart Inn, and everything that made it great.

I headed for the staircase, hand on the sloping wood railing. I'd always loved this place and couldn't wait to put my mark on it. Now I might never get the chance.

I kept walking up the stairs to the top floor. The rooms were larger and marketed as suites.

I loved to walk the halls and imagine what furniture I'd make to line them, or what bed and dresser set I'd design for each room. I had visions of making each one unique. It would be a lot more work, but I liked the idea of something exclusive at the inn.

What I would make would be so much better than store-bought furniture that looked the same.

At the end of the hall, I pushed open the French doors that led to a balcony. From here, I could see the mountains and the property below.

I braced my hands on the railing, the wind whipping through my coat at this height. I breathed in the cool night air, wondering how I was going to get through the next few weeks with a stranger rendering her opinion on my family's inn.

"I thought I was the only one here," a woman's voice said from my right.

I glanced over and, for the first time, saw a woman wearing an evening gown, peeking out from under a long black coat, and heels.

Her hair was straight and sleek, reflecting the overhead twinkling lights, and her eye makeup dark.

My breath caught. "I didn't mean to intrude."

She laughed softly. "I thought no one else would be crazy enough to stand outside in the winter."

I shrugged. "I'm a local. This is nothing."

She turned to face me, her hip leaning against the railing. "Well, I'm just visiting."

"Where are you from?"

She pursed her lips, bringing my attention to the red lipstick that was giving me all kinds of thoughts about them being wrapped around my dick. "My home base is Florida, but I travel often for work."