Page 5 of A Very Titan Christmas (Titan #14)

Silverberry Ridge, Vermont

A bright, sunny day greeted Titan Group in Silverberry Ridge, Vermont.

Bryce parked in the icy parking lot in front of the main lodge, where guests checked in.

Their oversized black Suburban stood out in a row of Jeeps and Subarus with roof racks of snow gear.

His heart had quickened when they’d curved up the road to Porter’s family resort, but now that he was here, it was pumping double time.

He’d been a teenager the last time he was in Silverberry Ridge.

He lived there for two years. His parents never let the family stay anywhere long.

They thrived in turmoil and couldn’t handle life without bouncing from state to state.

The Richmonds crisscrossed the country, down the West Coast and then up the East Coast, until the end of his junior year, when they’d dropped into the Midwest.

Twenty years later, not much had changed in Silverberry Ridge. It was as quaint as a bustling mountain town could be in a New England December.

Roman Hart, who was sitting in the passenger seat, let out a long whistle. He stared out the windshield and shook his head. “This is like if Mayberry was in the mountains and”—he gestured to the sign with lights and ribbons in front of the main lodge—“very into the holidays.”

“You can say that again.” Bryce spotted the second Suburban pulling into the parking lot with Jax Michaelson and Cash Garrison.

The Porter assignment would be a cakewalk and a perfect introduction to kick off his career with Titan Group.

He’d be working with men he already knew—men who had once worked with his brother also—and getting to know new teammates before he dove headfirst into heavy-duty jobs after the first of the new year.

Bryce and Roman joined Cash and Jax, and their group walked toward the main entrance’s evergreen and ribbon-draped doors. They stood out like soldiers in a treehouse as they entered the rustic lobby.

The lodge smelled the same—of cinnamon and a well-tended wood fireplace—and his boots trod over the familiar stone floors.

His gaze swept past the check-in desk to the timber-accented vaulted ceilings and down to the central fireplace with its cozy seating area and adjoining coffee shop.

The familiarity struck him in the heart with a nostalgic pull.

The Christmas decorations made it that much more heart-tugging.

Nothing from his childhood had given him this feeling, because he had never returned to any place his family had lived, and they never decorated for the holidays.

There was neither the money nor interest from his parents.

“This is the holliest, jolliest assignment I’ve ever had,” Jax muttered as they walked up to the check-in counter.

The attendant widened her eyes at the sight of them. After a brief conversation, she handed over the keys to a four-bedroom cabin, a map with directions to find their place, and an envelope from Eloise Porter.

Roman ripped it open and held out a letter.

Bryce leaned in for a better look and confirmed the page was indeed decorated with a border of Christmas elves and holly.

Roman refolded the paper. “She is holding meetings near the coffee shop this morning and would like everyone to say hello before we post anyone on duty.”

Cash tipped his cowboy hat. “Can do.”

Jax shook his head. “You’re going to freeze.”

“Thanks, Mom.” Cash scoped the lobby as only a sniper might.

There were lots of nooks and crannies. Nature-inspired holiday decorations mixed with candy canes and Christmas trees. Bryce glanced at the familiar space and noticed details his teenage self had missed. Great architecture. Easy access to the outdoors and views worthy of a double take.

Actually, teenage Bryce had noticed little except for the girl he’d been in love with.

The girl who had been far too good for him.

Breaking up with her had been one of life’s first hard lessons.

He wasn’t entitled to a girl like Rachel Porter because Rachel Porter was too damn sweet and cute.

She had a stable home and good parents—hell, one had turned into a US senator, if only to prove his point.

*

The drive from Philadelphia to New England had gone slower than Rachel expected.

Weather was a factor, but the problem was mostly the idiot drivers on Interstate 95 who had never seen snow flurries before.

Then there were the accidents. If someone wrecked, everyone had to slow down to look. That resulted in more wrecks.

She had been so exhausted after arriving at her cabin so late at night that Eloise had let her off the hook with a kiss, a set of keys to her cabin, and a promise to catch up in the morning.

Morning had rolled around more quickly than Rachel bargained for, but her late night at work at the dining room table was to blame.

Rachel hadn’t been able to wait to get started on her first cover article.

Still, she fidgeted with her steaming cup of hot chocolate until Eloise arrived. “Hey, Mom.”

Eloise maneuvered her electric wheelchair to Rachel’s side, semi facing the roaring fire, and quickly assessed her from head to toe. “You look lovely. That’s good.”

“Um, thanks? I thought we could just jump into it.” Rachel wanted to spend the morning writing her own schedule, but Eloise, self-titled the Grand Dame of Silverberry Ridge, refused to be ignored and demanded that Rachel review her ideal list of local activities and locations to visit.

“Tell me everything you think I should include—”

“Actually, I have a helpful itinerary for our day.” She produced a piece of paper printed with a garland of elves and holly, titled Mom and Rachel’s Holiday Adventure. “That way, we can spend all day on your research while still spending time together. There are people I’d like you to meet too.”

“Wait—”

“Did you already plan your day?”

Well, no. “Not exactly.”

“Well, I did.”

Rachel glanced at the schedule. Not only was it detailed, but the font and decorations were cute. Eloise had obviously put thought into it. She was incredibly overbearing, but underneath it all, her mom wanted what she thought was best for Rachel. “This looks like fun.”

“It will be.” Eloise retrieved a folder from the bag attached to the side of her wheelchair and then rested it on her lap. She was one hell of an event planner.

“It could be,” Rachel said, “so long as you don’t freak out if we go off schedule.”

“I would never.” She opened the folder and removed additional papers. Each was decorated differently.

Rachel snorted.

Eloise finally caught her eye. “All right, I won’t freak out or overdo it. Pinky promise. Here.” She handed Rachel the papers. “I also drafted a schedule for the remainder of this week and possible options for the following weeks.”

Rachel set down the hot chocolate to page through the festive plans.

Holy nutcrackers. This was the definition of controlling and overwhelming, though Rachel knew in her bones Eloise meant well.

And, if she could ignore her mother’s overbearingness, she knew the potential agendas would be packed to the brim with festivities.

That was precisely what she needed for her research.

She scanned through the pages that mapped a comprehensive look at Silverberry Ridge. The activities kicked off this week, the first week of December, and capped off with a Christmas Eve present exchange at the town’s tree. “There’s a lot here.”

“There’s a lot to see in Silverberry Ridge. Perfect for your cover article.” Eloise beamed. “We’re so proud of you. I hope you know that.”

“I do.” Rachel reshuffled the papers to the first page. She read mother-daughter cocoa and cookies as a barista brought over a tray of cookies. Her heart warmed. “I really do.”

“Anything else, Mrs. Porter?” the barista asked.

“There are enough cookies here to feed an army.” The scent of vanilla and brown sugar wafted up. Rachel picked up a warm maple sugar cookie and let the first nibble melt in her mouth. “That’s so good.”

“Fresh out of the oven,” the barista explained.

Eloise swept her gaze around the room. “Nothing for me right now. But will you check back in with us in five minutes?”

“Of course.”

Rachel followed her mother’s gaze. “Is everything okay?”

Batting eyelashes with far too much feigned innocence, Mom fluffed her hair. “Of course.”

Rachel inspected the schedule again. Mom had sounded as honest as a troublemaker writing their Christmas list. She was up to something.

Then again, Rachel had noticed a larger-than-normal security presence for her dad patrolling the grounds.

A high-ranking meeting was taking place closer to the end of the month.

Her mother had promised it was nothing concerning.

Then Rachel saw a man who fit the bill as part of a protective detail. He hovered in the corner of the coffee bar. She nodded toward him. “Is he here for you?”

“Yes, just arrived earlier this morning. That’s Jax.” Eloise gestured vaguely toward the lobby. “There’s another one named Cash who told me he’d melt into the shadows.” She grinned. “And what do you know? Poof. He’s around somewhere.” She shrugged her shoulders. “But I have no idea where.”

Concern raced down Rachel’s spine. “You—not Dad—have a security detail?”

“Yes. There are two more wandering around somewhere. I haven’t met them yet. They’re doing some kind of sweep or check of the grounds.” Mom waved her hand. “No one will find anything wrong on our grounds.”

Rachel’s brows arched. “Mom, what’s going on?”

“Nothing.”

“A four-person detail for you? At home? You’re not telling me something.”

“I’m not at home. This is a public—”

“Mom.”

“Let it be, Rachel.”

“I’ll ask Dad.”

“And he’ll tell you the same thing. Everything is fine.” Eloise pushed her hair behind her ears. “Why don’t you tell me what happened with the nice man you were seeing?”