Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 96312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
As I scrubbed my face with my hands to keep from snapping at her, she leaned to the side to watch Adrian as he finished up with his adoring fan club.
“God, he’s even cuter in person, isn’t he?” she said on a sigh. “Remember that time I asked you to help me make sugar cookies for Rosie after her favorite horse died?”
I blinked at her, confused about the rapid subject change. “Uh, yeah?”
“I got the idea from a post Adrian did about having a terrible day. Anyway, never mind. Where do you need me?”
Keeping up with the conversational pace of a teenager wasn’t easy at the best of times, and now was definitely not the best of times. I tried to set aside her fangirling and get to work.
And tried not to picture Adrian Hayes having a terrible day.
Or someone comforting him with sugar cookies.
#NeedMoreMen #GossipGirls #IgnoreTheDepth #SoldierOn
5
#FIRSTDATE
ADRIAN
The interior of the lodge was warm and inviting, with a fire already crackling in the stone fireplace, the scent of chocolate and spices filling the air, and a few groups of people scattered throughout the large area enjoying their treat.
As I returned to my table after talking to the nice family from Virginia, I took another appreciative look around our setting for today’s shoot. The Marian Lodge was unexpectedly breathtaking with its massive antler chandelier hanging from exposed wooden beams, plush leather furniture worn to a butter-soft patina, and vintage ski equipment mounted on the walls as decoration. The place felt like it had a century of stories embedded in its timbers. This wasn’t the manufactured coziness of boutique hotels I usually featured; this was the real deal, with patches of uneven flooring and the occasional draft that spoke of authentic history.
Maddox had nailed the selection of this place for our first shoot. It was perfect.
When my eyes landed back on the table, I noticed he’d been joined by a teenager I assumed was his sister, Maya. She had his dark hair and something of his features, but where he radiated tension, she practically bounced with enthusiasm.
“Hi,” she announced, grinning widely as she approached me. “This is the best thing to happen all year.”
Maddox sighed. “Maya, this is Adrian Hayes. Adrian, my sister, Maya.”
“The Adrian Hayes,” Maya corrected, shaking my hand. “I follow your Instagram. Your Amalfi Coast series last summer was incredible.”
I smiled, instantly warming to her. “Thank you. It’s an amazing place.”
“Don’t encourage her,” Maddox warned. “She’s already way too excited about this.”
Maya rolled her eyes. “Ignore him. He’s allergic to social media. And fun.” She shrugged off her coat, revealing a Sullivan Hardware sweatshirt beneath. “So I’m all yours for two hours, then I’m meeting up with a study group. What’s the plan?”
Rebecca Marian, the owner of the lodge who’d originally shown me to a table, approached us wearing a dark red apron and a reindeer antler headband. “Welcome, Sullivans, we’re so glad to have you.”
As she confirmed everything with Maddox and apologized for Alex’s cancellation, I assessed the table she’d set up for us by the fireplace.
The lighting was excellent—natural illumination from the windows, combined with the warm glow of the fire. The rustic wooden table against the stone fireplace would frame the scene beautifully, and the colorful hot chocolate station nearby provided visual interest.
“This looks great,” I assured her. “Thank you so much.”
“No problem. Just let us know what you need. I’ll be out with the first round in just a moment.”
After Maya took off after her in search of the ladies’ room, I glanced over at Maddox. He was nose down in setting up a tripod for the best angle, and it currently looked like he wanted to murder it.
“Sure you’re okay with this?” I asked.
“What? It’s fine.”
“Fine. Yes. Great.” I eyed him up and down. While strikingly attractive—and let’s be honest, doing a lot of things for me personally—the man’s current look was hardly date-appropriate. “Should we, ah, do something about what you’re wearing?”
“Yes,” he said, stopping his adjustments and locking eyes with me. “We should be grateful for it, in the way of beggars not being choosers.”
I opened my mouth to argue when I realized maybe his haphazard “I woke up and threw on the shit in the corner of my room” look might make the Nordique clothes I had on appear even better than usual by comparison.
“Solid plan,” I said with a nod. “Now, let’s go over what we’re going to discuss on camera.”
Maddox looked pained. “Can’t we just… talk? Like normal people?”
“Normal people don’t have a million followers analyzing their every word,” I countered. “We need themes, talking points, organic but strategic conversation starters.”
“This is why I hate—” He caught himself, exhaling slowly. “Fine. What were you going to discuss with Alex?”
“This historic lodge, his bar and restaurant, how Legacy became an LGBTQ+ friendly destination…” I flipped through my notes. “Perfect segue to highlight Nordique’s commitment to inclusive luxury.”