Page 26 of The Legend of Lovers Hollow

“This isn’t a movie, Warren.” I frown. “It’s not like I can make a big dramatic declaration and then live happily ever after while the closing credits roll. I still have obligations and responsibilities to you and Mom and the company.”

“Ehhh.” He makes that stupid buzzer noise again. “Wrong again. Your dramatic declaration in front of Ellis and the staff was mediocre at best. Up until today, I would have said you don’t have a single dramatic bone in your body.” His gaze dips to my outfit and the unicorn slippers, and he raises one brow. “But I’m seriously reconsidering.”

“Do you have a point?”

“My point is, neither of us needed to be at that board meeting. There was nothing important on the roster to discuss. The board members are all a bunch of old men who love the sound of their own voices. They only like to meet that frequently to one-up each other with who has the youngest, hottest mistress or most exclusive vacation property. If it were up to me, I’d fire the lot of them. Why’d you think I was in New York? It was the furthest I could get from them without leaving the country.”

“Warren—”

“Just admit it, Morgs. You did something impulsive, listened to your heart instead of your head for once, then had a panic attack, got cold feet, and ran back to the States.”

“I did not run anywhere, I do not have panic attacks, and my feet are perfectly toasty, thank you very much.”

He eyes the unicorns again. “I can well believe it.”

I stop by my door and slot the key into the lock, hoping it turns and Artie hasn’t done something to permanently keep me out. “Warren, you’re reading something in to all of this that just isn’t there. Iamintending to stay here for a while, but I still have loose ends to tie up, and like it or not, I am still a part of the company.”

To my relief, the lock clicks open, and I turn the handle, swinging the door open and stepping inside.

“I have no doubt you still have some sort of responsibilities, which is something both of us are going to have a very frank conversation about, but there’s something else. I–” His voice trails off as he gets a look at my room; more specifically, the upside-down furniture.

“You guys are really leaning into the whole haunting aesthetic, aren’t you?” he murmurs. “VeryPoltergeistwith just a touch ofParanormal Activity.”

With a quick glance around the room, I note that my luggage, ergo my clothes, is still nowhere to be seen. Letting out a huff of annoyance, I turn around and walk back out.

“Come on.” I motion for my brother to follow me. “We’ll use your room.”

“For what? A quick Ouija board session?”

I ignore him and stride down the corridor to room 409.Please let it be normal, I mentally plead as I grab his key from him and unlock the door.

“I must say, big brother, this is a whole new side of you.” He chuckles. “I don’t know whether to embrace it or book you a session with a therapist.”

“Trust me, a weekend here and you’ll figure it out.” Opening the door, I breathe a sigh of relief when everything appears to be as it should. Ushering him inside, I close the door behind him and take the handle of his suitcase.

He lets go as he strolls further into the room and studies the furnishings. “Cute.”

“Unlock this for me,”

“This place isn’t bad, you know.” He wanders to the case and spins the dials on the combination, unlocking it with a click. “It’s got good bones. Great location.”

I unzip his case and start rifling through as he crosses to the window and stares down at the vast expanse of the grounds, still covered by snow.

“Pretty as a picture, great for couples, romantic getaways, a wedding venue?” he murmurs to himself, and I can tell he has his hotelier brain in the driving seat right now. Smiling fondly at him, I pull out a clean pair of boxers, some socks, and a pair of designer jeans.

“It’s got great potential.” He turns back to look at me, breathing in deeply. “It smells great in here. You’d expect it to be a bit damp and musty given the age of the property. I mean, it’s almost as old as our Constitution.”

“Older, actually,” I reply absently. “It may be a bit run-down, but John the Maid is fastidious about cleaning. I swear he’s some sort of magician. They don’t currently have a housekeeping staff, it’s just him, and I’ve never found so much as a stray speck of dust or a single cobweb.”

“I can’t believe you guys call him John the Maid.” Warren glances over at me, his eyes filled with amusement.

“Because that’s his name.” I shrug. “Do you have any spare shoes?” I ask, grateful that we’re the same size.

“There’re some sneakers in there.” He looks around the room once again. “It’s old and shabby. Could use a fresh coat of paint, some new wallpaper that’s still in keeping with the overall feel and history of the building.”

I nod and grab a t-shirt and soft deep-blue knitted sweater, placing them with the growing pile of items I’m about to steal from my brother.

“I can see why you didn’t present it to the board for consideration to bring it under the company umbrella. They’d have taken it on in a heartbeat, poured in the money it needs, but they’d also have stripped out all its character and uniqueness to bring it in line with our other hotels.”