Forever His & His Ghost

Chapter 28: Getting Ready for the Lodge Party

9 years later

     "Oh my gosh, Skyla why didn't you ever tell us?" Marie pleaded as she laid the final page down.

     "Because when I woke up, I knew, I knew life would never be the same again. So, I left it all there that night, it was time to start fresh."

     "But you never did." Preston chimed in as he stepped in the kitchen pouring him a cup of coffee.

     "I did, now if you will excuse me, I have to go help Nick put the finishing touches on his décor for the big party Friday."

     "Oh, that's right, have you figured out what you are going to wear?" Marie wiggled her eyebrows at me.

     "No, but I will figure it out. It doesn't matter I am not dressing to impress anyone." I laughed; she is always thinking about how to dress the best to catch someone's eye.

     "You never know, there are going to be some hot out of towners, you could use cutting loose a little anyway." She rinsed her coffee cup out. "Shoo, now go."

     I just laughed at them as I made my way out to the barn. This time of year, it was quite chilly, and a thin layer of snow peppered the ground, but I wanted to ride. I needed to, the past week I have been working my fingers to the bone on my book, I had debated on letting Nick read it for the last week. I had even went as far as taking it with me a couple of times, only to talk myself out of it every time. I think that I was waiting till I got to a certain part before I decided to let him read it, I knew there were many things I needed to tell him, but the timing wasn't right yet.

     "Marko, is she ready?" I asked as I stepped in the barn greeting my farmhand.

     "Yes Ms. Lexi. I am riding over with you." Marko appeared from the end of the hall with my girl in one hand and his horse in the other.

     "No need Marko, I can make it on my own."

    He laughed as he handed me my reins. "Why that might be very true, but I have to go anyway, and the old boy needs his legs stretched. They are giving rough weather moving in day after tomorrow, so I want to get a good ride in before."

    I mounted my horse and turned to the barn door, "Very well. Try and keep up." We both laughed as we sat out on our long journey toward Nick's.

    The ride took us a couple of hours, and we were both silent the entire trip. Being around Marko wasn't uncomfortable though, he never poked or prodded about my life, and let me have my moments in complete silence without judgement. I knew Marko had things from his past as well that he preferred to leave in the past, so our worlds fit together perfectly. The rolling hills were beautiful with snow peppered across them, the wind was a little frigid in our faces, but I don't think either one of us cared.

     "Ms. Lexi, looks like there are many people already there." Marko pointed out as we topped the hill just before reaching the lodge. Marko was right, there were cars everywhere and people bundled up walking around.

    "Looks like it." I nodded in agreement. "So, what does Nick have you doing today?"

     "He has some new horses coming in he wants me to look at. And he is also planning a ranch tour, I helped him earlier scout out the future cabin builds so that we can show these people the future in this place."

     "I think he will do wonders for this place."

     "Me too Ms. Lexi. I think this will benefit our little town. I heard some of the ladies in town talking about how they were going to start selling souvenirs."

     "That sounds perfect Marko." He nodded as we made our final walk up the drive. "Here Marko, put her in the barn, I will get her when I am ready."

     "Yes, ma'am." I just shook my head at him as he headed toward the barn with the horses. As much as I had tried to get him to just call me Lexi, he was insistent of calling me Ms. Lexi or ma'am. I won't lie, it used to bother me, but now, now I am just used to it.

     "Good to see you put that book down for a little while to come join the real world," I just laughed at Nick's greeting as I walked into his office.

    "What can I say, a good book is hard to put down."

    "Yea, but Lexi, can you really say it's that good. I mean you have been tore up for weeks just getting to where you are right now." He finally looked up from his paperwork while I smiled at him like a fool. "Well maybe you are right, haven't seen you look this radiant with that big a smile for well, well forever." He was right, for some reason I felt right, it all felt right. Maybe writing this book lets me put it all out there.

    "Okay, so what do you need out of me?"

     "Right to the point, same old Lexi." He laughed and handed me a pile of paperwork. "I need these rooms double checked. I have five guests that won't make it in till tomorrow, and they are probably my biggest investors, as well as this one, this room is the one, I want to take up my business for marketing. Also, I have a few last-minute details for the party room I need you to look to. When you are done, we will have some dinner and then I will drive you back, I can't believe you rode here."

      This man was worse than a woman with his worrying. "I rode because I needed the saddle time, helps clear my head. And I will get right on this." I turned and left the room before he had anytime to say something else about my choices. I knew he meant well, and I knew he was always trying to look out for me, but sometimes he could feel a little insufferable.

      The day passed by pretty quickly, I was amazed at how many people were rustling about the lodge, but they managed to just float through the area, never noticing me, but I didn't mind, I liked being invisible. The rooms were perfect; soaps, towels, extra linens and extra pillows. He had gone all out and bought the most expensive comforters for these rooms with the feathered stuffing and soft honey colors to match the décor perfectly. When I was satisfied with making sure everything was perfect in the rooms, I moved to the party room details. It wasn't much, just making sure there were enough tables and chairs, and they were equally spaced out, all the cloths matched as well as the rustic centerpieces, they were just simple paper machete figures of a wolf howling to the moon.

     Nick had decided to name this place Lone Wolf Lodge. I remember the discussion quite well, he said it was his, he was a lone wolf, and this would be his namesake. I made the couple of phone calls to make sure Billy was all set, and then I found my way back to Nick. Five o'clock had come fast and I only then realized it was already dark out.

     "We all good?" Nick asked as he was packing his bag up when I walked in his office.

     "Yep, I got to get going, it's already dark and I need to go before it gets any colder."

     "No need let's go to dinner. Marko has already taken the horses home, I had him use the enclosed trailer so they wouldn't catch cold. I will take you home later." He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me out the doors to his truck.

     "You don't give up do you?" I laughed as I climbed in his truck. "You know I think this whole; you aren't my type thing is just your way of trying to lure me in."

    He started laughing as he started his truck. "Trust me darling, if I was after you, I would have already had you. If only you were my type, you are the perfect woman."

     "Crazy!" I laughed as we headed toward town to get some dinner.

    "Given any more thoughts on me reading that book of yours. You know you have to be in the city in a few days."

    I nodded my head while staring out the window, "Yes I am going to let you. I just need to go a little further with it."

    "Okay, well whenever you are ready." He turned into the diner's parking lot. "Now let's go eat."

    "Sounds like a plan, I am starving."

    Dinner went by quick; Nick had told me some more about the people he had invited that could really make or break this deal for him. I assured him I would help in anyway I could. One of his biggest hurdles and worries though was the CEO of the advertising company that he wanted for marketing his place. He said the guy was young but had blazed his way to the top and was very well sought after, the more I listened to him, the more I was beginning to think there was more than him just wanting him to take interest in the ranch, I think Nick had a crush. That put my mind into overdrive, I decided hell or high water, I was going to help him land that advertising company as well as that CEO. Once dinner was done, Nick drove me home, still talking about that company and the CEO.

     "Alright I will see you at the party." I kissed him on the cheek as I got out of the truck.

     "Lexi, be sure to wear something sexy. I want you looking good on my arm, get them men interested in this country setting."

     I smacked his shoulder, "So you are using me for the selling point on this whole thing."

    "Why yes I am darling."

    "I promise I won't disappoint, and with my help, you got this."

     I jumped out of the truck and made my way to the house. I needed to write, I needed to put some finishing touches on my book, it was time, I needed to move forward, but before I did that, I had to finish this once and for all.