The Christmas Miracle
Chapter 5
It's a quick 2-day business trip to wrap up an acquisition for his eccentric boss. He's never bought a mountain, but then he encounters Kate Beckett. Entry for Castle Ficathon Winter 2022.
**Note**. This story was inspired by the movie Christmas at Holly Lodge (2017).
Kate paused and felt a direct jab to her heart as she watched Rick sitting on the floor playing cards with some kids while several adults were sitting around the fire, watching and chatting.
Closing her eyes, Kate thought, How can he be so sweet while trying to ruin my life? I don't get it.
Kate pinched the bridge of her nose, determined to put her plan into motion.
"Hey, Rick. Would you mind helping me out?"
Rick looked up, surprised to see Kate and more overwhelmed that she was asking for his help.
Lanie watched as Kate and Rick made eye contact and stepped up sweetly, saying, "You go ahead, Rick; we'll help entertain the kids while you're gone. Have a great time," Lanie shrewdly added.
Once the two are outside, Rick zips up his jacket and excitingly asks, "How can I help you, Kate?"
Kate puts on a fake smile and answers, "We had to shut the Chairlift down for minor repairs, and I need to double-check it before we open it back up to our guests. I wondered if you would like to take a ride, and then we can take another run down the slope and see who wins this time?"
Rick grinned from ear to ear, accepting Kate's challenge, saying, "Definitely! This time I'll show you a few of my best moves."
Kate had to swallow to keep the bile from her stomach from choking her as she replied, "I guess we'll just have to see if that's possible."
The two made it to the Lift, with Kate asking Kevin if he was ready to do the testing they spoke about earlier.
Unsure of what to expect, Kevin shook his head and responded, "Sure."
Kate and Rick, with skis on, stood in front of the oncoming chair, holding their poles in their right hands. As the chair touched the backside of their legs, Kate attempted to jump to the side; but Rick caught her arm, pulling her into the chair beside him.
"Wow. Where do you think you are going? I need to talk to you, and this would be a perfect time," Rick firmly stated.
Kevin had stopped the Chairlift as Kate had earlier instructed, but since Kate couldn't get away, he wasn't sure what to do next, so he started the system back up as he watched the two having a very animated conversation on the Chairlift.
Rick pleaded, "Kate, please listen to me."
"I am sure you have somehow seen or heard something, but you do not fully understand why I am here at your Lodge. Let me explain." Rick continues,
"I did come here for one reason, but that's not why I am staying. I want to help you straighten out your financial issues. Will you please let me help?"
Kate yanked her arm away from Rick, angrily answering,
"I have no intention of staying here, listening to more of your lies about how much you care. You profess to be impressed by the Lodge and its operation."
"But your real reason for being here is to destroy everything my parents and I have created."
"You have yet to learn what this place means to our guests or me. It is more than just a lodge, a place to ski and party. It's a home."
Rick watches Kate, turning his head, trying to figure out where she got her information, so he asks, "Kate, did you read what I had written on my computer? Were you snooping around my room?"
Kate returns Rick's glare but doesn't answer his questions, so Rick continues,
"Listen, Kate, I had to get all your paperwork from the bank, but I'm trying to help you. You have to believe me."
"No, you listen to me."
"You want to ruin the lives of everyone who comes to this place to heal and be with people who care. Well, get one thing straight. I am going to stop you."
With her closing statement, Kate set her poles and faulted off the Lift, landing square on her skis and racing down the short length back to the bottom of the mountain.
Not knowing what to do, Rick gritted his teeth and sat back, trying to figure out what had just happened.
Kate reached the maintenance shed for the Lift and removed her skis, saying to Ryan, "He'll be mad when he gets down from the mountain. Just ignore him and tell him you are not getting involved in whatever happens between the two of us."
Still not knowing exactly how to react, Kevin said, "Sure, Kate. I can do that," then asked. "What are you going to do?"
"I'm going into town and find out why Landry is telling everyone about my banknote, and then I'm going to work out a deal to keep this Lodge. I'll be back as soon as possible," Kate frustratingly responded.
Rick had to ski back down the mountain, still confused and unsure how to move forward.
Rick walks past Ryan, not acknowledging his presence, as he carries his ski equipment back to the Lodge. Once inside, Rick looks around; not expecting to see Kate, he goes directly to his room. He throws himself on his bed, asking how things could have gone south so fast and badly.
Rick finally gets up, goes to the antique dresser, and takes out the box holding all of Kate's papers.
Rick again looks through the numerous documents, hoping something will jump out and give him the necessary information to help Kate.
After an hour and getting no closer to finding a solution, Rick slips back into his coat, hoping a change in scenery will help him.
Rick plans to go into town and find a quiet place where he can continue reviewing all of Kate's documents in hopes of coming up with some solutions to Kate's financial problems.
Kate had parked the pickup and was on her way to the bank when she ran into Mr. Landry on the sidewalk outside the General Store.
"Kate, this is great timing. I was going to call you. I have someone very interested in buying your banknote. We need to talk."
Kate controls her emotions, as her first reaction is to ask why he had told anyone about her financial situation. Still, she holds her tongue and instead says, "I was reviewing my loan papers last night, and it says if I pay two months against my loan, you can no longer consider me in arrears. Is that correct?"
Landry fumbled with his words, as he hadn't expected this response, and said, "Well, technically, that's true."
"Good, I will have two payments to the bank on the 26th," stated Kate.
"Kate, the bank is open now. If you follow me, we can take care of those payments now," said Landry.
Kate turned and said, "Thank you. I'll see you on the 26th," and quickly walked away.
Mr. Landry stood dumbfounded, shaking his head and deep down hoping Kate could come through with the two payments. Out of respect for her parents, he'll give her a few more days.
Kate returns to the Lodge and runs into Rick as he appears to be leaving the Lodge.
They silently face each other for a few seconds when Rick finally says, "I didn't appreciate you dumping me on the Chairlift as you did. I am just trying to explain what's going on."
Kate dodges Rick's statement saying, "Just go. I have obligations that need to be taken care of for my other guests and prepare for our evening activities."
Kate walks away, heading toward her office, leaving Rick standing alone. He knows Kate has somehow learned something about his reason for being at her Lodge, and he needs more time to figure out this entire dilemma.
Rick goes to the front desk and extends his stay at the Lodge through Christmas; then, as Kate requested, he leaves the Lodge.
While driving toward Ganasby Butte, Rick received another call from a somewhat irritated Sir Covington.
"Rick, why am I not looking at signed contracts?"
"Sir, I only arrived yesterday, and this is turning out to be a more complicated acquisition than what your financial people told you," explained Rick.
"Rick, I detect you feel there are complications with this deal. You need to take care of whatever is in my way and make this purchase. As I stated earlier, I want it completed by Christmas," stated Sir Covington as he hung up on Rick.
Rick exhaled and laid his phone on the passenger seat so he wouldn't throw it out the window.
Rick had worked for Sir Covington long enough to know the man could become highly agitated when deals didn't come together as he planned. But he wished the man would at least listen so Rick could explain what he had uncovered regarding the Lodge and its mountain property.
Rick was also frustrated that whoever did the first review of the financial status of the Lodge hadn't done their job and dug deeper to ensure that there were no contingency arrangements linked to the property. Like the Trust for the Mountain.
Now it was his job to sort out the mess, help Kate save her Lodge and beloved Mountain, and keep his boss from entering a disastrous financial situation.
Rick made a few loops around downtown Ganasby Butte and located a small bar and grill. He parked in the side lot, where he grabbed his box of papers and phone and entered the establishment. After his eyes adjusted to the low light level, he looked for an area that might provide privacy.
I want privacy, and I come to a bar. Oh, well, nothing else has made sense during this entire trip. Why would tonight be any different? Rick thought to himself.
Rick was pleased that the establishment looked like it also catered to families, so it didn't host a boisterous atmosphere like most bars. He scanned the room and located a small round table open in the rear corner of the bar.
Rick had just sat down when a waitress walked up and politely asked if he wanted to see a menu or just order from the bar. Rick requested a menu since he had missed lunch at the Lodge.
After ordering a draft beer and bacon cheeseburger with fries, Rick again began sifting through the mountain of paperwork he had received from the bank. There has to be something here that will help Kate.
Rick's food had just arrived when a dark shadow came over his table. He looked up, surprised to see Aaron Scout standing across from him. Knowing the man had been enormously helpful with the horse-drawn sleigh, Rick invited him to join him.
Rick quickly learned that Aaron must be one of the bar's regulars because when the waitress returned to greet him, she sat a large coke and BLT sandwich down in front of him.
"Thanks, Connie, I appreciate it. I missed lunch." The waitress laughed and said, "Oh, that's not good; give me a minute."
Five minutes later, Connie returned carrying a large basket of golden fried onion rings, teasingly saying, "I can't have one of my best customers pass out due to a lack of nutrition. Enjoy, it's on the house."
Aaron treated the young lady to one of his belly laughs, thanking her for the excellent service as Connie moved on to help another customer.
Aaron squeezed a considerable pool of ketchup on his plate and dragged one of the golden delights through it before chomping down and saying, "Thanks for inviting me to join you. I hate to eat alone."
Hardly breathing after chewing his onion ring, Aaron asked, "Did the horse and sleigh do the trick for your lady?"
Rick looked up at his new friend and simply shrugged his shoulders, saying, "It doesn't look like it."
Aaron could tell by Rick's tone that his plan hadn't worked out as he had hoped, so he continued eating his sandwich, hoping to give Rick some time to formulate his thoughts and maybe share what had him so troubled.
After consuming half of his cheeseburger, Rick began talking, "I think I am causing Kate more problems. I hoped I could help her, but everything I try keeps blowing up in my face. I came here for one reason, but now all those reasons have changed, and I don't know where to go. I feel as if I'm looking for a non-existent needle in a hidden haystack."
Rick continued his verbal reckoning, asking himself if it was for Aaron or his benefit. Rick's mind was beginning to spin out of control, which he knew had been enhanced by his boss's most recent call.
Rick finally ended his ongoing explanation and remained quiet for several moments when Aaron cleared his throat and said, "You know you can only do what you can do."
Rick's brow curled as he looked at the man, thinking, Wow, that was profound. But he didn't verbally share that unflattering comment.
Rick renewed his rant, saying, "Maybe I'm not cut out for this type of work anymore. I used to take care of business and never blink an eye. I can't figure out what changed here."
Aaron glanced over the table, then allowed his arm to follow his eyes as he scanned the stacks of papers sitting in front of Rick and said, "I don't know, but from my perspective, I would say you think you may have an idea how to fix this so-called mess. Is it proving to me more than you think you can handle? Everyone once in a while, even big-time hotshot business types, can't do it all."
Aaron didn't know Rick well, but he worked with all types of people in his business, and he could tell Rick was intelligent and determined. He thinks about all his efforts to locate a horse and sleigh to impress Kate. He's just hit a major snag, and Aaron suspects that the difference between this job and others is that his emotions are at play with this assignment. So, maybe aggravating him just a tad might get his juices flowing again.
As Aaron had anticipated, Rick's head snapped up, and he fired back, "You're calling me a big-time hotshot business type? Where do you get off? You don't even know me? I don't appreciate you putting me in a box. What do you know about big business?"
Rick finally stopped as he was almost yelling at Aaron and noticed some customers around them were beginning to stare. Connie was even coming their way, looking concerned, until Rick raised his hand, "Saying, I'm sorry. There's no problem here."
Connie still walked over to the table and didn't look like she was leaving until Aaron smiled, "Like he said, Connie. There's no problem here. Just a little gentlemanly disagreement. We're good."
"Ok, Aaron, but please keep it down. Your friend is disturbing some of my customers." Then the young girl turned and returned to the kitchen with Rick again, saying he was sorry.
The two men continued starring at one another until Aaron cracked a big smile saying,
"Good, that got your attention. You still gotta little spunk in you, so what are you going to do to fix your so-called mess." Aaron asked as he again passed his arm over Rick's stacks of papers.
"So you goated me on purpose?" asked Rick.
Aaron again smiled, raising his bushy eyebrows as he winked at Rick.
Rick stared at Aaron, realizing this guy, who sometimes comes off like a country bumpkin, was pretty observant.
Rick finally returned Aaron's smile, "Saying you got me, big guy. And you were right. Rather than feeling sorry for myself, I need to dig deeper into this paperwork and see if I can find that needle in the haystack."
Aaron added, "Just remember who invented haystacks? Don Quixote. And you know what happened to him."
Rick laughed, commenting, "Wow, you would be great at pub trivia. And yes, I recall things didn't work out all that well for dear old Don."
"True. But Don Quixote taught us that life will be challenging, and a person's discipline and passion help to build strong leadership or something like that."
"Thanks, Aaron. I needed this pep talk," smiled a more confident Rick.
"Anyway, Kate and her staff are good people and do great things for many people. We can't let something happen to her or the Lodge. So stick with it, and let me know if I can help in any way," commented Aaron before standing and leaving Rick to his paperwork.
Rick watched as Aaron exited the bar, waving to Connie and others, thinking he had just relearned a valuable lesson. The adage is so true. You can never judge a book by its cover.
Rick slid his cold sandwich to the side and tackled his paperwork with newfound energy.
Connie had been watching the exchange between her friend and this stranger, sensing that the two men struck a beneficial solution to their previous differences. So she ducked back into the kitchen and brought a fresh plate of fries out to Rick, picking up his cold sandwich, smiling, and repeating her earlier statement, "They're on the house."
Rick smiled at Connie, still embarrassed by his earlier actions, and quietly said, "Thank you very much, Connie. I appreciate the fries."
Connie returned Rick's smile, turned, and walked back to the kitchen.
Rick had been rereading some of the papers associated with the Mountain Trust and found, in his opinion, all to be legal and binding and could only be invalidated by written consent of Katherine Houghton Beckett, who is the sole executor of the Trust.
Rick chuckled to himself, thinking, There's no way under the sun that she would ever allow that to happen. This point alone could be one of the first hooks he needed to deter Sir Covington from pursuing Kate's property.
Rick flipped open his laptop and sent a quick note to Sir Covington, hoping it would appease and calm him following their previous conversation.
Rick then packed up his computer and papers and left a hefty tip for Connie for all she had to put up with during his current visit, and headed back to the Lodge. Continuing to hope Kate would allow him to share details about what he had found regarding her Lodge.
A/N - I reworded a reference I located for Don Quixote, which I hope still reflects the accuracy of the original.