Page 39 of Babies for the Christmas Grump

She interrupts me then, and I can hear the shake in her words despite her best efforts to hide it.

“I know it’s risky, Ryder,” she says quietly, eyes finally meeting mine. “But it’s the only shot we’ve got left. If we don’t do something big, something bold, we’re dead in the water. We can’t keep limping along like this. The Garland Rose needs something unforgettable. Something that puts us back on the map. It has to be this gala.”

Her words hit me harder than I expected. It’s not just the words themselves, but the way she says them, with that tired determination in her eyes, the kind of look I recognize too well.

She’s scared, but she’s still fighting. For the hotel. For Evie’s legacy. For whatever this hotel is supposed to be.

My stomach twists as I take in the scene. She is surrounded by the evidence of just how much she’s putting into this.

It’s not the reckless impulse I thought it was. It’s more.

She’s fighting for something she believes in with everything she has.

I inhale deeply, then exhale slowly. I’m too far in now. The numbers don’t matter in this moment.

What matters is that we’re both in this, whether we want to be or not. And I’m not going to let her go down with this ship alone.

“Alright.” I’m calm now, a little more resigned. “We’ll make it work. I’ll help you. But this needs a real plan—a full budget review. We’ll need to pull every string we can to cut costs without cutting corners. We’re not going to throw a party and pray for the best. This has to be a well-calculated risk.”

She stares at me for a beat, as if she’s trying to decide if I’m being serious. Then, slowly, she nods.

“Thank you,” she says quietly, still shaky, but grateful.

I don’t answer immediately. Instead, I turn back to the mess of papers on her desk, trying to process everything that’s hanging between us.

This is madness. It’s risky. But if it works, if this gala pulls us out of this hole, if it brings the kind of attention we need, maybe we’ll have a chance.

I grab a stack of papers and sit across from her. “Let’s plan. We’ll break it down. We have to cover every angle. The risks are still huge, but if we’re going to do this, we’ll do it right.”

Sunny looks at me, a spark alive in her eyes. It’s not joy, exactly. It’s determination.

But it’s enough. Enough to push forward, even when the odds are against us.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Sunny

December 7th

I wakeup feeling surprisingly optimistic today. Maybe I’m not entirely out of my depth with this whole running a hotel thing.

Ryder didn’t completely shoot down my idea for the Christmas Eve Gala. Okay, so he didn’t exactly throw a ticker tape parade for it, but he didn’t shut it down, either.

He worked with me. We went over the budget together, calculated how we could make it work, and he appeared actually to be on my side.

So, yeah. I’m feeling cautiously optimistic.

I hum a Christmas carol under my breath as I gather up the boxes of snowflakes, candleholders, and vintage tinsel. I’m ready to start my morning prep. I’m fueled by actual hope.

I can do what I need to by the time Christmas comes around.

This might turn out okay. The Garland Rose might not be doomed after all.

But when I step into the lobby, I freeze.

It’s absolute mayhem.

What the hell is going on?