The Chatelaine Report: The biggest party this New Year’s Eve won’t be thrown by Fortune Metals or the Chatelaine Silver Company. An unknown host-with-the-most has rented out the LC Club on Lake Chatelaine for what’s sure to be the most coveted invitation this town has seen in years. Everyone wants to know who the secret host is and how they can get on the guest list! Rumor has it that the master of ceremonies is a newcomer to Chatelaine’s elite. One question remains on this inquiring mind: Why all the mystery?
“Girl, you can tug on that sexy dress all you want. The only thing you’re going to do by covering your bottom half is reveal the assets the good Lord blessed you with on top.”
Remi Reynolds’s hand instinctively lifted to cover her chest as her coworker, Alana Searle, looked on, a mischievous twinkle in her blue eyes. “Seriously, Remi. You look amazing. Who knew you were hiding that spectacular figure under your sensible khaki pants and the purple apron only a giant stuffed dinosaur could appreciate?”
Remi had met Alana working at GreatStore, the only big-box franchise in their small town of Chatelaine. Remi loved her job in the book department at the busy store, although books hadn’t been selling as well as they once did.
She also liked Alana, even though the two of them were opposites in almost every way. Alana was fun and vibrant, while Remi had no issues with her identity as a wallflower. There were plenty of examples in the novels she devoured in her free time of wallflowers who, by the end of the book, lived very happy lives. Remi didn’t see why she had to be the exception to that rule.
Then Linc Maloney—now Lincoln Fortune Maloney—had invited most of the staff from GreatStore to a New Year’s Eve bash at the LC Club on Lake Chatelaine, the only truly ritzy enclave in their small town.
On a whim, Remi had decided to uncover her previously nonexistent adventurous side. She’d borrowed a sparkly gold dress from her younger sister, Leah, and packed it to change into after her shift, since Linc had chartered a bus to pick up the partygoers in front of the store at closing.
In her haste that morning, Remi hadn’t thought to try on the dress first or considered that Leah’s figure was slenderer than her own. The dress, which hung loosely on her sister, hugged every one of Remi’s curves. The plunging neckline revealed so much cleavage that she’d been half tempted to wear one of the purple GreatStore aprons Alana had referenced over the slinky sheath.
Her coworkers had exclaimed how great she looked to the point that Remi had gone beet red with embarrassment. Alec Ramsey and Paul Scott, Linc’s two best friends on staff, had clearly seen how uncomfortable she was with the attention. They’d told her not to worry. Everyone knew she was still good old Remi, even if they suddenly realized she was a literal knockout.
Remi had appreciated both the compliment and the reassurance from her friends, but she couldn’t stop fidgeting.
“Stop fidgeting,” Alana told her. “We’re almost there. This is going to be so fun. I can’t believe Linc rented out the LC Club. On a store manager’s salary he must have been saving for years. I’ve always wanted to be a guest at one of the swanky parties out here, haven’t you?”
“I was a hostess at the LC Club back in high school.” Remi tucked a lock of dark hair behind one ear, hoping Alana didn’t notice her trembling hand. “The place doesn’t hold much appeal to me, although I’m excited to ring in the new year with my friends. Friends are important.”
Alana gave her a distracted nod as they rolled down the tree-lined driveway that led to the club, with its impressive view of Lake Chatelaine behind the main building. “Especially friends who can spring for a place like this.”
Remi didn’t necessarily agree. She didn’t care about money and knew it shouldn’t make a person special or more important. She hoped Linc knew that, too. They’d been friends for the six years she’d worked a GreatStore, and although he was several years older than her, she also remembered him from high school.
He was serious and responsible, a terrific store manager, and a hard worker. Those were the qualities that impressed Remi, and Linc had them in spades. Maybe tonight, she would finally gather the courage to tell him how she felt—what was in her heart. In a town the size of Chatelaine, everyone knew the Maloney brothers. Remi had thought Linc was handsome back when she was a teenager. But when they’d started working together six years ago and she’d gotten to know him more...well...he’d been her unrequited crush for so long it was almost embarrassing. Tonight, she was already so out of her comfort zone in the dress that she might as well make the most of it.
From the moment the bus began to unload, it was clear that her friends intended to make the most of the night. Staff in formal uniforms were ready to greet them with glasses of champagne. Based on the starstruck gazes of many of her coworkers, she knew she wasn’t the only one who had never experienced something like this night.
The LC Club was a sprawling building with several balconies and terraces that offered a spectacular view of Lake Chatelaine. The architecture offered a mix of rustic flare and European elegance. She knew the stone used throughout had been mined in the southeastern part of the state and the exterior’s neutral palette complimented the red slate roof tiles.
They entered the club and were shown to a ballroom with a full wall of windows that looked over the lake. The glass panels rose during the summer to invite in the lake breeze, but tonight the focus would be on the stone columns and archways through the reception area. A massive, curved granite bar was situated on the far side of the room next to the dance space with its honed teakwood floor.
Although darkness was quickly descending, twinkle lights lit the expansive patio behind the ballroom, and she could see a firepit glowing at the edge of the lake.
Swaths of gold and silver ribbon decorated the room. A bar had been set up at one end with tables displaying a variety of appetizers and desserts at the other.
There was a huge dance floor and a DJ, and each of the round tables situated throughout the room had a candle centerpiece and fresh flowers.
Remi was still adjusting to the extravagance and obvious expense it took to make this party a reality when someone clinked a fork against a glass. A hush fell over the room. Everyone turned to where Linc stood on the DJ’s platform, microphone in hand.
Like many men in attendance, he’d chosen a black tux for the occasion. Unlike anyone else, the way Linc wore his formal attire made Remi’s pulse quicken and her knees go weak.
At a few inches over six feet, with sandy-blond hair, moss green eyes and an athletic build, Linc was handsome on a regular day. Tonight he looked every inch the wealthy big shot, a modern-day Jay Gatsby with his easy smile and dapper confidence.
She couldn’t have taken her eyes off him if she tried. Thankfully, she didn’t need to. Faint spots of pink bloomed high on his cheeks, and she wondered whether the color was due to excitement or if he’d started celebrating the coming new year early with the champagne he served the guests.
Remi had only taken a couple of sips but was already light-headed. The way she felt could be attributed to nerves, however, because tonight she was determined to tell Lincoln how she felt.
He cleared his throat, then began to speak, welcoming friends and family—she’d noted his three brothers in the room when the GreatStore staff had filed in.
“This night is not only a celebration of a new year,” Linc told the crowd. “This is also the start of a new chapter in my life.”
Someone—Remi was pretty sure it was Alec—bellowed, “Let’s go” and the crowd cheered.
Linc’s mouth curved at one corner, and he nodded. “That’s what I plan to do,” he announced, his smile growing. “Not many people outside my immediate family know this, but my siblings and I have inherited a literal fortune in addition to the Fortune name. Our grandfather, Wendell, whom we didn’t know during his time here on earth, has left the five of us with an inheritance that can only be described as life-altering. Before I made any changes, I wanted to celebrate with the people who mean the most to me in life.”
He scanned the room and winked at Alec and Paul before his gaze slid to Remi. If she wasn’t mistaken, it took him a second to recognize her. His jaw appeared to go slack before he swallowed, Adam’s apple bobbing.
“Right.” He gave a slight shake of his head. “As I was saying, the new year will change a lot of things for me. One of which is my employment at GreatStore.”
Remi’s jaw fell open in shock. What was he talking about?
“As a few people on staff already know, I’ve handed in my resignation, effective at midnight. After nearly two decades working at GreatStore, it’s time for me to move on to bigger and, hopefully, better things. I’m going to miss all of you.”
“No.” Remi wanted to scream her protest but hadn’t realized she’d spoken the denial out loud until Alec clapped her on the shoulder.
“Oh yes. Only Paul and I knew about our boy’s change of circumstance.”
Paul laughed. “He’s been sitting on that money for six months. It’s about time he starts spending it and leaving us all behind.”
“He’s leaving?” Remi’s voice shook.
“Not Chatelaine,” Paul clarified. “Although who knows what greener pastures will eventually call to him. I just mean he’s leaving the store. We’ll miss him, that’s for damn sure.”
Alec leaned in as if he was sharing a secret. “Who knows? A man of Lincoln Fortune Maloney’s means might need an entourage. I’ll volunteer.”
“Get in line,” Paul told his friend with an elbow to the ribs. After a moment, the two men realized Remi wasn’t laughing along with them.
“You okay?” Paul asked.
She forced a smile. “Maybe too much champagne.”
“Pace yourself, lady,” Alec commanded. “We have a long night of celebrating ahead of us.”
“Got it,” Remi promised as they walked away. In her heart, she knew there was nothing left for her to celebrate this night.
Linc wasn’t sure he’d ever had his hand shaken or received so many hugs as he had this night. He hadn’t been sure how his friends would react to the news of his inheritance.
Most of these people had known him for years, and he’d always been a simple guy. He supposed not much had changed inside him, although he certainly felt different. His brothers didn’t understand why he’d sat on the money for so long without telling anyone about it.
He’d sworn them to secrecy, although he’d paid off his mother’s house and his own. He’d tried to convince his mom to let him buy her something bigger, but she insisted she wanted to stay in the house where she’d raised her children—at least for now. Then he’d allocated a good chunk of the money to a financial advisor Max recommended. Other than that, he let the money sit in his account. He checked the balance every day, somehow not quite believing the fortune was his outright.
He kept expecting Martin Smith to show back up and tell Linc he’d made a horrible mistake or that someone was contesting the will. But the man not only hadn’t come back to reclaim Linc’s money, he also hadn’t yet distributed anything to the rest of the Maloney siblings. Even so, Linc continued to be the only one with any doubt.
Finally at Christmas, his mother had pulled him aside and told him that she would support him however he chose to spend the money, but his anxiety and obsession over simply watching it wasn’t healthy. He’d wanted to argue but knew she was right.
A few days after Christmas, when he’d decided to kick off his new life with this party, he’d told Alec and Paul about his change in circumstance. His friends had been excited but hadn’t believed he could pull off the kind of New Year’s blowout he wanted in such a short time.
Linc might not know much about being a millionaire, but he understood that he could make almost anything happen with the money at his disposal. And he had.
Earlier that night he’d slipped into the ballroom after taking a quick breather out front and had taken a moment to appreciate the sight. Most of the partygoers were on the dance floor or crowded around either the bar or the food tables. His friends and family were all in one place, laughing and dancing. He’d given this fun to them.
He wished his little sister could have joined them, but she and Stefan were in Rambling Rose. His mother had decided to stay home and watch the ball drop, her usual routine on New Year’s Eve. Only tonight, she was watching on the brand new flat-screen television he’d bought her for Christmas.
A slight movement to his left caught Linc’s attention. Remi Reynolds stood a few feet away on the other side of a potted palm. She hadn’t noticed him come in as her eyes were trained on the dance floor, almost as if she were searching for someone.
Linc wondered who it could be and felt an unfamiliar stab of jealousy. But that was stupid. He and Remi had been friends for years but nothing more. If she had a potential crush at the party, it was none of Linc’s business.
He didn’t understand why she wasn’t mobbed with admirers. Remi was a naturally pretty woman on an average day. Tonight she looked almost unrecognizable in the tight-fitting, sparkly dress she wore. When he’d spotted her in the crowd, Linc’s first thought had been that she looked like Wendell Fortune’s golden treasure come to life.
A treasure he wanted to talk to, if nothing else.
“Are you having fun?” he asked as he moved around the plant into Remi’s line of sight.
She looked up at him with those big hot-cocoa-colored eyes, and a flash of something in them that looked like yearning made his heart thump wildly against his rib cage.
Just as quickly, the flash was gone, replaced by her typical gentle amusement, but his heart didn’t seem to get the message. He rubbed two fingers against his chest as though he could physically calm the sensation. Until this moment, Linc hadn’t felt like he’d overindulged, but maybe he’d had one too many glasses of champagne.
“It’s a lovely evening,” Remi said. “Thank you for including me.”
“Of course you’re included, Rem. We’re friends.”
Her brow puckered at his words, and he was unsure whether he’d added the reminder of their friendship for her sake or his.
“Congratulations on your inheritance. It must be exciting.”
“Overwhelming,” he admitted. “But I’m getting used to it.”
“I’m—Everyone is going to miss you at GreatStore.”
Was it his imagination, or did her smile seem forced? “Chatelaine is a small town. It’s not like I’m moving away.”
“It won’t be the same,” she said quietly, then lifted a hand to fiddle with the gold hoop in one ear.
The music changed to a popular dance tune, and Remi glanced toward the crowd again.
“We should dance,” he said, holding out a hand.
She stared at it like he was offering her a poisonous snake. “I’m not much of a dancer, more a watcher.”
“Tonight is different,” he told her, crooking a finger. “Special.”
She bit down on her glossy lower lip, and Linc once again reminded himself that he and Remi were just friends. She was not his type. Ever since his high school girlfriend had broken up with him for not being upwardly mobile enough, Linc had made sure to date women who weren’t interested in his prospects or in any sort of serious attachment.
He liked to have fun, but he knew the consequences of expectations and wanting too much or giving more of his heart than was safe. Remi was the kind of woman who deserved a man who could fully commit, and Linc didn’t have it in him to be that guy.
Friendship was safer, although now that he’d suggested the dance, he couldn’t imagine anything he wanted more than pulling her into his arms, even for a few minutes. The idea of being attracted to Remi was so new and unexpected, it made his chest buzz like he’d just taken a hit of caffeine. It had to be the dress and the excitement of the evening.
There was no way it could be anything more.
“Special,” she repeated and almost hesitantly placed her hand in his.
Her fingers were warm, and her hand fit with his like it was meant to be there. He didn’t believe in destiny, but there was no denying his heart settled like a puzzle piece falling into place as he led Remi to the dance floor.
They made their way to the center of the crowd. She grinned self-consciously as he twirled her. The light from the chandelier in the center of the room reflected off her gold dress and made it look like she was glowing.
A moment later, the song changed to a slow ballad. Remi’s eyes widened, but before either of them could overthink things, he pulled her close.
He’d danced with several coworkers already tonight. This was no different.
Even though it felt different. Special.
If Linc had been aware of how well their hands fit together, having Remi’s curves pressed against his body was a revelation. Those curves were mostly hidden by her GreatStore apron or the casual clothes she favored around town, but now his body was ridiculously attuned to hers.
Definitely too much champagne, he told himself. It took two stanzas of the song before she finally relaxed against him, and he smiled as she rested her cheek against his shoulder. It was one dance, the same as all the others. It didn’t mean anything.
He looked around the ballroom at the other couples on the dance floor, then at Alec and Paul, who stood near the bar with a few people from the store’s outdoor section. These were his friends. This was the life he’d known,
Linc had gotten a job at GreatStore on his fifteenth birthday, first in the stockroom and then working in various departments on the floor. It was important to him to be able to help his mom financially, and he didn’t mind the long days. He liked being busy and knowing he was pulling his weight as the de facto man of the house.
When he’d returned to Chatelaine after leaving college, one of his former bosses had made him assistant manager of the lawn and garden department. He’d liked the job well enough. Customer service suited his personality, and he enjoyed the fact that every day offered different challenges. Being a full-time college student felt almost too indulgent for Linc.
He did miss the social side of college, so meeting Paul and Alec, who were both working in the stockroom at the time, had been an added bonus.
The three of them got along great from the start, and both were promoted to assistant manager at the same time he was named manager of electronics.
His life wasn’t exciting by most people’s standards, but it worked for him. He hadn’t expected anything more, but he was getting more in spades thanks to his late grandfather and Martin Smith.
Of course, he felt sentimental with Remi. In a lot of ways, she represented his life. His old life. The one that was changing on every level. Even if he wanted more, now wasn’t the time.
Linc had never had a choice about the man he needed to become. That had been taken away the day his father walked out of their lives. Thanks to his inheritance, now he could do anything—be anything. Although change was hard, he wouldn’t let it derail him from making the most of this new life.
He couldn’t get sidetracked by how Remi felt in his arms or how much he would miss his friends at the store. He needed to embrace change and action. To leap into whatever adventures his new life as a wealthy man would bring his way.
So, even though his arms seemed to ache with the desire to hold onto her, Linc released Remi when the music stopped. The DJ announced the countdown to midnight as the crowd cheered. A moment later, Paul and Alec joined them on the dance floor.
The energy of the room was palpable and intoxicating. Although it felt like ripping away a part of himself, Linc made sure to position his two friends between him and Remi.
His body’s reaction was one thing, but he was in control. He knew the strange connection simmering between them tonight was a result of champagne bubbles, a sparkly dress, and nothing more.
As the DJ announced the official start of the new year, the crowd went wild. Linc man-hugged Paul and Alec, and then gave Remi a quick hug. It would have been wrong if he’d brushed her aside at this point. They were friends. It didn’t need to mean anything.
He pulled back, planning to move on to the next person waiting to wish him a happy new year, but Remi held on for a moment.
Her eyes were luminous as her gaze collided with his. He wasn’t sure if she was aware of licking her lips, but his body clenched in response to the gesture.
“Happy New Year,” she said, her voice breathless.
For a moment, Linc felt as though she were going to reach up on tiptoe and kiss him. Then Paul grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her away.
“Happy New Year, Rem.” Paul hitched a thumb toward Linc. “We’re going to survive without this guy. You wait and see.”
She looked over her shoulder at Linc, and he got the impression she wanted to protest, but someone clapped him on the back and he turned away. It was just as well.
It was better for both of them this way.