The Albright Hotel (A Frosty Season #4)

Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Present Day

I t was the Saturday afternoon before Calvin and Stacy’s wedding. Robby was in downtown Hollygrove, window-shopping for presents for his grandchildren. Remarkably, his sons agreed to spend the holidays with him again this year. Robby guessed this was because Imogen and Bee felt bad for him, all alone so soon after his breakup. But if it meant he got to be there when his grandchildren woke up on Christmas morning, he’d take all the pity they wanted to throw at him. He’d spoil his grandchildren rotten, of course. That was what grandfathers were for.

Robby entered a toy store and filled a cart with stuffed animals, Legos, toy trucks, and Barbies. He filled the back of his trunk and closed it, then checked out the beautiful Christmas decorations strung through the town. Hollygrove came alive at Christmas.

Even if his heart was still broken, he had to remember that.

But today was different. Today was a day for celebrating.

More than that, today was his date with Joanna.

He was going to try again.

Robby went home, showered, and changed into a suit. He’d promised to pick Joanna up before. He felt jittery, nervous, entirely unlike he’d been during the early days of dating Olivia. Dating Olivia had been like cuddling in a warm bed. It had been like swimming in a tranquil sea. It had been easy, beautiful, and like second nature. But going out with Joanna was a little like what he’d seen about dating in films and TV shows. It was nerve-racking, and he wasn’t sure what the point of it all was.

But it made Calvin and the other Hollygrove residents happy. He was going for it.

Robby strolled up Joanna’s walkway and rang the doorbell. She opened it to show off a pretty black dress and long, sculpted legs. She smiled and said, “You look great.”

“So do you,” Robby said. It wasn’t a lie. Any man might have called himself lucky to take Joanna to a wedding.

Robby drove the familiar route to the Albright Hotel and parked in the outside lot. It felt like ages since he’d been here for the grand opening party. But it had only been two weeks. Before that, he’d spent nearly every day at the Albright Hotel all year.

Except for that week in Vermont. Ugh. Vermont. He didn’t like to think about Vermont.

Joanna and Robby entered the dining hall for the pre-wedding cocktail hour. Not many people were there yet, so Robby and Joanna grabbed cocktails and a seat in the corner. Joanna looked at him expectantly as though she wanted some inspiring conversation out of him. He stared at his glass, then remembered that he’d agreed to make a real go of it.

“So…” he said.

“So!” Joanna echoed. She laughed. “You don’t have to be nervous. It’s just a wedding.”

Robby chuckled to himself as his stomach swirled with nerves. He wondered what people actually said on dates like this. Did they talk about what they’d done that day?

“What did you do today?” he asked her, hoping it was the right course of action.

It seemed it was. Joanna spoke animatedly about her exercise class, her cat, and a friend she’d met for coffee. When she spun the question back to him, he told her about shopping for his grandchildren. She seemed to like that.

Not long after that, the dining hall was full. The wedding was fast approaching. Calvin had entered the throng, clapping his friends and brothers on the back. He soon approached to shake Robby’s hand and greet Joanna.

“You look as pretty as a picture,” he said to them both. “Thank you for celebrating with us.”

Tears filled Calvin’s eyes.

Robby’s heart swelled. This is his second chance. He knows how beautiful it is.

The wedding was set up in the ballroom. Two hundred chairs were stitched on either side of an aisle, leading to an elaborate trellis filled with flowers. That was where Calvin waited for his bride. Robby and Joanna sat on the right-hand side, agreeing they were grateful the sides weren’t “groom” or “bride.”

“I wouldn’t be able to choose between them,” Robby confessed. “I love them both.”

Stacy walked down the aisle to a Chopin song that Robby vaguely recognized from working at the Albright Hotel. But Olivia and Maya loved classical music and piped it through speakers as they beautified the mansion for guests.

As Stacy moved toward her fiancé, Robby couldn’t help but search the crowd for Olivia. He spotted Maya, Brad, Phoebe, and her horrible fiancé in the back corner. But where was Olivia? Surely, she’d come.

Robby and Joanna sat as the pastor approached to make a brief speech about Calvin and Stacy. “I’ve known these lovebirds for years,” he said. “When they found one another, it was like fireworks going off across town. Nothing was the same for any of us after that. Thank you, Calvin and Stacy, for showing us what love and second chances are all about.”

Calvin and Stacy said their vows, pledging the rest of their lives to one another. They’d written their own vows. Twenty-five percent were filled with jokes, while the other seventy-five percent were heavy with the weight of their love and decision.

After the groom kissed the bride, Robby and Joanna got to their feet to cheer. They hugged each other, smiling, then followed the other guests into the dining hall for post-wedding drinks and music. Afterward, there would be dinner, followed by dancing in the ballroom. Already, staff members hurried to remove the chairs and clear the floor.

Suddenly, an arm wrapped around Robby’s shoulders and clapped his back. He turned to find Brad smiling at him.

“There he is!” Brad called. “Have a drink with me.”

Robby laughed and agreed. “You know Joanna, don’t you?”

“Of course I do,” Brad said. “How are you?”

“I’m wonderful.” Joanna’s smile lit up the room.

Brad and Robby went to the bar to grab drinks for Joanna and Maya. Phoebe and Braxton came by for their own round.

“You’ve met Robby before,” Phoebe reminded Braxton.

Braxton furrowed his brow. “Have I?”

Robby wanted to roll his eyes. Something about Braxton's accent was so posh and almost English. It was clear he wanted everyone to know how wealthy he was. How little he needed anyone else.

But Phoebe was floating with happiness. “That was a beautiful wedding.”

“Wasn’t it?” Brad agreed.

“I was telling Braxton that we have to get married here,” Phoebe said.

“Darling, I’ve told you. My parents will insist on the chateau,” Braxton said.

Phoebe winced. “How did I get so lucky?”

Robby searched Phoebe’s eyes for some sign she wasn’t completely in love. But they just glowed back.

Braxton got a call and excused himself. As Robby watched him go, he was again struck with the thought that he’d seen him somewhere before.

“Phoebe, does Braxton do any acting or something?” Robby asked.

Phoebe brightened. “You’re not the first person to ask me that! He’s handsome, though, isn’t he? He could be on any screen.”

Robby and Joanna were seated at a table with a few of Joanna’s friends and none of Robby’s. This was all right with Robby. He didn’t feel much like talking, anyway. As the courses came, he ate them, and as the speeches were made, he listened to them. He didn’t feel like giving a speech, either—not like that night at Binkley’s. Joanna looked at him more than once and whispered, “Are you feeling all right?”

“Just a headache,” he told her after the third time.

Joanna bowed her head. “I have some pain reliever if you want that?”

Robby shook his head and continued to scan the party for some sign of Olivia. How could she miss the wedding?

She loved Calvin and Stacy.

She’d told Robby multiple times I want to grow up to be like them.

It wasn’t till Calvin and Stacy’s first dance that he found her.

Robby and Joanna were off to the side, watching Calvin and Stacy flow gently through an orchestral version of “Friday, I’m in Love.” Something caught Robby’s eye off to the right, and he turned to find Olivia. She was watching him.

Robby’s mouth went dry. He couldn’t look away.

Olivia looked immaculate. She wore a soft pink dress, and her dark hair hung in loose curls across her shoulders. Her big eyes were like a doe’s. All he wanted in the world right then was to wrap his arms around her.

Something about her expression was so naked and beautiful. Robby felt like he could read her mind for the first time in months.

Wasn’t she saying how much she missed him, too?

But suddenly, the pastry chef stepped up beside her and whispered in her ear. Olivia turned quickly as though she didn’t want to be caught.

Robby’s hand was in a fist. He couldn’t handle this anymore. It was ridiculous.

They had only spoken a bit since the end of September. That was more than two months ago.

He needed to get some things out in the open.

He needed to understand.

“I’ll be right back,” he said to Joanna, then dipped through the crowd to find Olivia. He bent down to whisper in her ear. “Can I talk to you?”

Olivia shivered visibly and turned to look him in the eye. Her gaze was murderous. It was as though she’d never hated anyone more.

“I’m here with someone,” she said.

“It’ll just take a second.”

Olivia set her jaw. But something in her eye told him she agreed.

She followed him to the foyer.

There she was—beautiful Olivia, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, glowering at him. Robby felt his heartbreak all over again. She still wore the same perfume.

Why had he thought he would know what to say when they were together again? Why had he thought he would be able to think on his feet? He’d never been able to think on his feet in his life!

“Well?” she asked.

Robby filled his lungs. “Well.”

“Didn’t you want to say something?”

Robby pressed his lips together. “I just wanted to say…”

What? That he was sorry everything got so messed up? That he was sorry he’d mentioned marriage that night in September?

He imagined himself saying, I know marriage scares you. I know you’ve been hurt.

But I never wanted to hurt you.

Instead, he just stood there, feeling sad and strange.

Olivia’s eyes widened. “You really won’t admit it, will you?”

Robby gaped at her.

Olivia let her arms fall. “I can’t believe I let myself fall for you. I can’t believe I let myself love you! Do you know how hard that was for me?”

Robby’s eyes filled with tears. “Do you know how hard it was for me ?”

“I trusted you!” she shot back.

“I trusted you, too!” Robby cried.

But already, Olivia twisted away from him and headed back for the wedding reception.

Robby didn’t wait. He chased her. There had to be a way to make her understand. He’d never fallen out of love with her. He still felt just as crazy about her as that night in September. He would have married her immediately if she’d let him. But she’d needed air. She’d needed to leave for the night. And then what?

But already, Olivia stood next to her pastry chef again. The pastry chef bowed his head and whispered in Olivia’s ear. Olivia nodded and watched Stacy and Calvin finish their first dance.

Robby felt foolish.

Robby wandered through the crowd to find Joanna again. Beautiful, kindhearted Joanna. He couldn’t do this to her. He couldn’t lead her on. Too many people were dishonest in this world. He didn’t want to be one of them.

“Joanna?” he said as the music calmed. “Can I talk to you?”

Joanna followed him to the corner of the room. She looked so beautiful and happy. A few people passed her on the way to ask her where she’d bought her dress.

Joanna looked at Robby as though he was a machine she didn’t understand. “Is it your headache?” she asked.

“Yes. I mean, sort of,” Robby said.

Joanna tapped his shoulder. “Do you mind if I stay longer?”

“Of course not! You should stay as long as you want.” Robby felt himself perk up. Maybe this was what dating was: trying, and trying, and trying. Maybe there were no hard feelings when you got good at it.

“Cool!” Joanna smiled. “Thanks for bringing me here. But I want you to know that I don’t really feel anything between us.” She laughed and waved her hand. “I know we’re just friends, but I wanted to clear the air.”

Robby breathed a sigh of relief. He was getting dumped, and it was the best part of his night.

“We’re friends,” Robby said. “I appreciate that.”

“Me too,” Joanna said.

Robby drove home through the dark night and stationed himself in the shadows of his living room with his guitar and a mug of tea. With each strum of his guitar, he tried to chase the blues away. But it seemed they were always eager to find him—and remind him of that last night in Vermont. The night everything had changed.

Maybe he would never make sense of it.