Lark Lake Lodge

Chapter Twenty-Six

Beta Tester

Surely my eyes were playing tricks. Maybe I’d cried so hard that my vision was broken in some way. How on earth could my loathsome ex and Harlan’s sworn nemesis just breeze into the lodge in a salmon-colored polo and khaki shorts? How the hell could he show up with sunglasses, a wide smile, and a bottle of Asti in his hands? He absolutely couldn’t. That was impossible.

Well apparently not, because the arrogant idiot did exactly that.

“Congrats on your opening!” he cheered, holding up the bottle and dropping his leather duffle on the hardwood.

It was the closest I’d ever come in my life to doing a legitimate spit-take. Somehow, I forced a gulp of bubbly water down, but before I could ask Rob what the hell he was doing there, he pushed his shades up onto his head and looked around the place with wide eyes .

“Holy shit, Maze. I can’t believe this is Uncle Randy’s place. It’s fricking gorgeous.” He walked around the lounge by the hearth taking in all the new furniture, window treatments, shelving, folk art, and other touches I’d added. As much as I disliked the guy, it was nice to have a fresh pair of eyes appreciate all the work I’d put in. “I shouldn’t be surprised. You have a real knack for beautifying places. Nice job, honey.”

Harlan had lurked by the window unnoticed until then. I tried not to believe that it was Rob’s endearment that made him spring into action, but it really seemed to be the case.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Harlan barked.

Rob jumped at the deep and angry voice behind him. “Jesus, Stahl! You scared the shit out of me!”

“Good. What are you doing here?” Harlan took a few steps closer and shot burning lasers at Rob with his eyes.

Rob’s response was a grin that reminded me of the slow, curling one the Grinch has in the original animated version. It was self-satisfied and devious. He meant trouble for sure.

“I’m a guest. I booked online on your website a month ago.”

Shit.

“I didn’t see your name,” I said, befuddled.

“I made up a fake one. Wanted it to be a surprise.”

Oh, it’s a surprise, all right.

“Well, you’re gonna have to leave. We postponed our opening. Plumbing issue.” Harlan crossed his arms and widened his stance. The tension he and I had couldn’t hold a candle to the thick air between him and my ex—well, other ex.

“I sent emails to all the guests. Didn’t you get it?” I actually felt kind of bad he’d come all this way, regardless of still detesting the guy.

“I made up a dummy email to make the reservation. Never checked it again,” he said. He took two steps to the registration counter and placed the bottle of Asti he’d brought on it. “Well, I don’t really think I can reschedule any time soon. And I’m kind of tired from all the driving. Maybe I could just stay anyway?”

His entire speech was delivered over the counter to me. He knew better than to include Harlan in the discussion.

“I told you. We’re closed. Now fuck off,” Harlan said, icily.

Wow.

“Is that any way to talk to a paying customer?” Rob held a hand to his chest.

“I don’t want your money. And I don’t want you here,” Harlan said, taking another step closer. I began to worry about possible violence.

“Does Maisie get a say?” Rob asked. “She’s the owner, isn’t she?”

“Co-owner. And it doesn’t matter what she says. I say it’s time to go.”

Whoa whoa whoa. Doesn’t matter what I say? Hold the phone.

Some combination of foolhardiness, stubbornness, and an intense desire to get back at Harlan took me over. Sure, it was petty and ill-advised, but if he could do the thing that would hurt me most—abandon me when I still loved him—then I could do something terrible, too.

“Actually…” I began. Two pairs of stunned, wide eyes turned to me. “It might be good to have a test run. Rob knows the lodge better than almost anyone. He could see what’s improved and what still needs work. We’ve been working on this place too long to have any objectivity.” Harlan breathed in to roar at me, but I spoke before he had a chance to. I turned to Rob and gave a forced smile. “You can stay the weekend.”

“We need to talk.” Harlan’s face turned beet red and I thought for sure the top of his head was going to actually blow off like an enraged cartoon character. He marched behind the counter and took my wrist, pulling me back toward my bedroom. I soaked in the joy of pissing him off. It was exactly what I’d set out to do .

As soon as we came out from behind the counter, Rob called us back. “Hold on! Wait a second.” We stopped in our tracks, surprised at his outburst. “Maze…” His voice was unexpectedly shaky. “Turn around. Are you…?”

For a moment, I’d completely forgotten about being pregnant. I would have thought he’d have heard about it somehow, but I guess he hadn’t. His face went ashen. I can’t imagine what it must have felt like for him to see me with a baby bump, but from the look of it, he was gobsmacked.

“Yeah, I…” For some reason I wanted to break it to him gently—probably because he looked so destroyed. Harlan, on the other hand, was straight-up gloating.

A long arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me to his side while his other arm reached to rub my belly. “Yep. We’re having a baby. It’s a boy.” His forced smile could have lit up Times Square.

What’s all this “we,” Your Majesty? Two minutes ago, you were planning on bailing.

“I thought you two broke up. That’s what your mom said,” Rob said, deflated.

I shoved Harlan away. “We did.”

Rob’s relieved smile sent a tiny throb to my temples. Considering how we’d left things months ago on Brian’s porch, I’d prayed that him not calling or texting me meant he got the message and moved on. The grin he gave me in that moment told another story. I knew that look. It was stupid hope—the same look I’d been giving Harlan for months.

Harlan grabbed me by the wrist again and pulled me into my room. Closing the door behind him, he stared at me for a second, nostrils flared and brow scrunched. “The answer is no.”

“I don’t remember asking.”

“He can’t stay here, Maisie. I won’t allow it.”

“You don’t live here. I do. I’d be the only one affected by this. ”

He let out an ironic laugh. “Oh really? I wouldn’t be affected ? I’m just supposed to chill out at my place while you…and he…stay here alone… together ?”

“I know. Why don’t you pretend like you already moved away? Maybe it wouldn’t bother you so much.”

“Maisie, listen—”

“No, you listen. I’ve decided. He can stay. If you hate him so much and can’t stand to be around him, then don’t come here for a couple of days. It’s as simple as that.”

“The hell with that! I’ll be here every second so I can keep an eye on that shit heel.”

“Suit yourself.”

Harlan’s grim expression proved he was extremely unresolved about the whole thing, but for once, I didn’t care. I walked past him without another word and pasted on a smile to greet my first paid customer. It was about to be a very eventful weekend.