The Albright Hotel (A Frosty Season #4)

Chapter 6

Chapter Six

N ews of the cake incident reached Olivia many hours after it happened. This was strange in and of itself, especially in a place like the Albright Hotel, which already thrived off gossip. Olivia had a hunch that Maya had kept it from her and had purposely told staff members to keep it hush-hush around Olivia. Maya didn’t want her to know that Robby was to blame.

But Olivia heard his name whispered among staff members as they prepared for the party in the ballroom. Her heart went cold. She asked them sweetly what they were talking about, and they exchanged nervous glances and finally burst with, “Robby. He ran into that pastry chef and ruined the cake.”

Harry!

Olivia’s thoughts raced. She sped off to find Maya in the office. She was dressed in a big T-shirt and shorts, having removed what she’d been wearing during the feast for comfort reasons, but her gown for the party hung in the corner, awaiting her costume change. She pored over a seating chart, making last-minute adjustments. It really was like a wedding , Olivia thought.

Olivia put her hands on her hips. “When were you going to tell me that Robby killed our cake?”

Maya sniffed and pulled her head up. Her eyes met Olivia’s. “I didn’t want you to panic. Harry said he could whip up another one in time. It won’t be quite as fancy, but people will eat anything if we give them enough champagne.”

At the mention of Harry’s name, Olivia felt a shiver down her spine. Handsome Harry. Impossibly talented. A master of the croissant—and probably of other things, like kissing and talking and dancing. Don’t get carried away, Olivia reminded herself.

I always get carried away. It never ends well.

Maya sighed and clicked the end of her pen. “Robby is doing the best he can for us. The fact that he came out here on a moment’s notice to fix the window is proof of that.”

“He lives ten minutes up the road. It’s not far.”

Maya grimaced. “It’s the day after Thanksgiving! You know his sons are in town.”

Olivia didn’t want to give Robby the benefit of the doubt. She collapsed in the chair across from Maya and rubbed her empty ring finger. She wondered where all her old engagement rings were at this moment—the ones she’d given back. Had they been pawned off? Had they been used for other marriages? Wasn’t that bad luck?

“He’s back from the hardware store already,” Maya said, speaking of Robby. “So I’d avoid the dining hall if you don’t want to see him.”

“Maybe we should find another handyman?” Olivia suggested. “I mean, there are other handymen in Hollygrove, aren’t there?”

A strange flicker of emotion came over Maya’s face. “Robby loves this hotel. He’s put so much of his heart and soul into it. All we’ve done is order him around.”

“We paid him, too.”

Maya sighed and sat down. Her hands stretched across the seating chart. “Is it too painful for you to have him around?”

Olivia flared her nostrils. She didn’t want to admit how painful it truly was, even to her sister. She wanted to appear strong.

Maya bowed her head. “We can start looking. Maybe Robby himself can recommend someone. He’ll understand.”

“He knows what he did,” Olivia reminded her.

Maya sighed. “Don’t you think you should talk to him about it?”

Olivia got up again. She wasn’t going to spend another moment having such a banal and useless conversation. “I’m going to get ready for the party,” she said. “Let me know if you need anything?”

“Will do,” Maya said, giving her a salute. “See you down there.”

“Almost showtime,” Olivia agreed, fixing her tone. She didn’t want to seem too dark on such an important and glorious day.

The official start time of the Albright Hotel grand opening party was six o’clock. Just about everyone from Hollygrove was in attendance, plus everyone staying at the hotel that weekend and all the guests from the afternoon feast. The funny thing was most of them had changed into different outfits for the party—women in gowns and men in tuxedos. Olivia felt she was stepping into a deep past, as though the Albright Hotel was cast into the early 1900s, and everyone was in on it. Magic glistened from the Christmas tree and hummed from the live orchestra. She blinked away the tears in her eyes so as not to mess up her makeup.

As the guests milled around with glasses of champagne and wine, Olivia greeted everyone with big smiles and thanked them for coming out. She soon found Phoebe and Braxton tucked away in the corner, gazing into one another’s eyes. Phoebe’s engagement ring was a massive rock on her ring finger.

“How was the carriage ride?” Olivia asked them.

“It was a dream,” Phoebe said. “The entire weekend has been a dream!”

Just then, the double-wide doors to the ballroom opened, and Pastry Chef Harry wheeled in the immaculate freshly made cake. Olivia’s heart pounded. How had he managed to make it so quickly? Even though it wasn’t as elaborate as the original, it was still impressive. It still evoked the magic of the party.

Of course, the man wheeling the cake out evoked quite a bit of magic himself.

It wasn’t hard for Olivia to imagine Robby and Harry facing off in the kitchen, slathered in icing. She stifled a giggle.

Just as she’d done earlier today, Maya gave another small speech and welcomed everyone to the opening night party.

“We’ve feasted together. Now is the time to dance and celebrate!” she called with her glass raised. “Merry Christmas to everyone. Let the season begin!”

The orchestra swelled louder, and couples united and danced. It was almost as though everyone had taken a ballroom dance class prior to the event. How did everyone know what they were doing? Olivia met Maya’s gaze across the ballroom, and Maya gave her a soft and nervous smile that meant here goes nothing.

Phoebe and Braxton entered the throng of dancers, and Olivia walked around the side of the party, keeping her eyes peeled for Robby. She didn’t want any more awkward encounters.

But suddenly, she found herself face-to-face with Harry, the pastry chef.

Her heart pounded. Her hands went clammy.

He’d changed out of his chef whites and into a tuxedo that made him look like a millionaire. His dark eyes were captivating; she could have spent all day falling into them.

“Look at you,” Harry said with a crooked smile.

Olivia wasn’t sure what to say. “You changed.” Immediately after she said it, she cursed herself for sounding silly.

“I don’t always wear the chef whites,” Harry said. “But you? You should always wear gowns.” He gave her a once-over.

Olivia had shopped endlessly in Manhattan, looking for this golden gown. It meant the world that he liked it.

“Are there any rules for employees dancing with their employers?” Harry asked.

Olivia raised her eyebrow. “I haven’t read the employee handbook from cover to cover.”

“Haven’t you? I didn’t realize you were so unprepared,” Harry said.

Olivia raised her shoulders. “It’s better to keep things fast and loose.”

“That’s my motto,” Harry said. “Does that mean you’ll dance with me?”

“I suppose it does.”

Harry’s hand was suddenly on her lower back, and his other was wrapped around hers. They spun out into the crowd, fitting easily between beautifully dressed Hollygrove residents. Olivia’s lips were just a few inches from his. It seemed remarkable he wasn’t married. He was handsome. Suave. Maybe he wasn’t the type to get married. Perhaps he just liked to date around. But if he was that sort of man, why had he taken a job in Hollygrove? Wasn’t he better suited in the city?

“What brings you to Hollygrove?” Olivia asked now.

“Are you kidding? I’ve never seen a more magical place,” Harry said.

Olivia sniffed.

“To be honest,” he said, sensing she wanted more, “I lived in the city for many years, and it started to wear on me. I needed to be out in the woods. To go on walks in nature. To calm my head down a little bit.”

“I can relate,” Olivia said, remembering her years of going from place to place and never seeing more than a couple of trees in a park or outside a train station.

“I figured you could,” he said. “You seem like a woman of the world.”

Olivia’s heart pounded. What did that mean?

“But we’ve both found the Albright Hotel,” Harry said. “We’ve found peace.”

Olivia laughed. “I hope you’re right.”

The song ended shortly after that. The orchestra swelled into another, but it wasn’t as upbeat, so many people turned to get glasses of champagne. Harry grabbed two from a passing server and tilted his head toward the kitchen. “Can I show you something?”

Olivia marveled. Was he already making a move?

“I shouldn’t leave Maya for long,” Olivia said. “It’s opening night.”

“It’ll only take a second,” he said.

Harry took her hand and turned to guide her through the crowd and back toward the kitchen. Olivia flinched around, searching for Maya. But instead of Maya, she found Robby gazing at her from across the ballroom. Olivia’s heart lurched. Why had he come? What had he expected? Tears sprang to her eyes. But she blinked them away and turned back to keep up Harry’s pace. She followed him into the kitchen. The hors d’oeuvres had been prepared, and most of the staff had cleaned up and gone home. This left Harry and Olivia alone in the corner of the kitchen, where Harry opened a fridge with a single white box. He removed it and placed it on the counter.

“What’s that?” Olivia asked.

“It’s an experiment of mine,” Harry said. “I don’t like to be bored, which means I’m always making new and beautiful things.”

Harry removed the top of the box to show her the most sensational pastry she’d ever seen. Her mouth watered at the white froth of egg whites, the decadent lemon.

“Harry, it’s incredible,” she whispered.

Harry blushed. “I was talking to Maya about the future here. We want to make it a destination for food lovers and travelers who want to experience every corner of beauty.”

Olivia’s eyes widened. “I want that, too.”

“I thought you did.” Harry smiled and gestured again toward the pastry. “I want you to have it.”

“I couldn’t. I couldn’t eat it. It’s too perfect.”

“Please,” he said. “It won’t taste as good tomorrow. And I’ve already had one today.”

Olivia felt his eyes boring into her. What could she do but pick it up and take a bite? Immediately, her knees turned to honey, and she thought she might faint.

“This is so good,” Olivia moaned as the lemon custard and egg white coated her tongue. “It’s like magic.”

Harry laughed and touched her shoulder, flipping her hair behind her back. “I like nothing more than watching people enjoy my food.”

Olivia’s heart thudded. She knew it long before it happened; she knew he was going to kiss her. Suddenly, he stepped closer, tilted his head, and closed his eyes. This was why she’d come back here, wasn’t it? And hadn’t they immediately been attracted to each other earlier today?

It was best not to get carried away. Olivia knew that.

But she also knew she’d had two glasses of champagne, and that Harry was really handsome, and that this pastry was to die for.

She also knew that Robby had broken her heart.

She kissed Harry back and allowed herself to disappear in the magic of his lips.

She thought, Maybe Harry’s the one.

But how does anyone know who “the one” is? How does Phoebe know? How does Maya know?

When their kiss broke, Olivia and Harry smiled at one another and listened to the gorgeous orchestra coming from the ballroom. It was as though time stood still.