Falling For You (Pine Ridge Romance Book 3) Read online

  Falling for You

  Holly Stevenson

  Copyright © 2019 by Holly Stevenson

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Dedicated to those who choose to see the good, and to BE the good.

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  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Epilogue

  Christmas is coming to Pine Ridge …

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  About the Author

  Also by Holly Stevenson

  Chapter 1

  Olivia smoothed down the front of her pencil skirt as she entered the Pine Ridge Resort, clutching her resume in her hands. If ever there ever was a time she wished she could name-drop, it was now. Her brother, Drew Livingston, owned the brand-new mountain resort in Pine Ridge, Colorado. He could pull the necessary strings to get her the job as an event planner, but deep down, Olivia didn’t want to get the job that way. She wanted to earn it for herself. Besides that, Drew had used a company name rather than his own for her sake. To protect her.

  She entered through the large main doors, where the sound of hammering and power drills echoed off of the impressively high domed ceiling. Olivia had seen the resort from its plan to conception and now that it was near completion, she wanted to work here. She loved being around people, so an event planner was the perfect fit. And aside from wanting the job—she needed it. Her previous job taking care of a woman named Carol Hunter with Alzheimer’s had ended when Carol asked to be put in a care facility. It was the right call for her and for her daughter Leah, who was Olivia’s close friend. But it left Olivia without employment, so the event planner position came up at exactly the right time.

  Now if she could just land the job.

  She made her way to the front desk where a woman wearing a hard hat was talking on the phone. She smiled at Olivia and held up a finger to indicate she would be with her shortly. Olivia nodded and took the opportunity to gaze around the room.

  It was a gorgeous resort with a swiss chalet design that was both welcoming and aesthetically pleasing. She especially loved the gigantic windows that offered an unobstructed view of the Rocky Mountains. This would be the perfect venue for weddings—which was the whole reason Drew had schemed up the idea in the first place. Only after he’d purchased Briarwood, his mountain estate, had he discovered that it was previously one of Pine Ridge’s top wedding venues. He’d allowed the already booked weddings to take place at Briarwood, while making plans for the hotel, so he and his fiancé Piper could have Briarwood to themselves after they were married.

  “I apologize about that,” the woman at the desk said behind her.

  Olivia turned and smiled. “No problem.” She held up her resume. “I have an interview for the event planner position.”

  “Oh yes.” The woman tapped on her computer screen. “Miss Carson?” she asked.

  “That’s me.” Even though she’d been using the last name for months now, it still felt strange to answer to it.

  She smiled. “The hotel manager’s office is down the hall on the left. He’s expecting you.”

  “Thanks, uh—” Olivia squinted to see if she could find a nametag on the woman’s sweater.

  “It’s Jasmine,” she said, glancing at the spot where a nametag would be. “We’re still waiting on nametags. The place is still a little unfinished, obviously.” She tapped her hard hat and laughed. “I’ll look forward to getting rid of this thing, that’s for sure. Everyone is scrambling to get ready for the grand opening in a few weeks.”

  “I bet.” Olivia looked over her shoulder at the workers doing various tasks. It would be tight, but she was confident the hotel would be finished on time. Her friend Jade’s husband, Connor McGrath, owned the construction company working on the job and he was as reliable as they came. She turned back to Jasmine. “You said down the hall on the left?”

  “Yep. Good luck.” She winked.

  “Thanks.” Olivia smiled and picked her way across the room and down the hall Jasmine had indicated. Her stomach twisted with anxiety, but she kept her shoulders straight as she knocked on the door marked “Hotel Manager.”

  “Come in,” a voice called.

  Olivia took a deep breath and opened the door, her eyes widening when she saw the man standing from his desk. He looked just as surprised to see her.

  “Nolan McGrath?” she said, shaking her head. “I had no idea you were hired as the hotel manager.” Not that it mattered, but why hadn’t Drew mentioned that Connor’s older brother was the new manager? Probably because he was knee-deep in this hotel project as well as planning his wedding to Piper. Plus, she hadn’t told him about the interview, so why would he?

  “Olivia.” Nolan stared at her a second before clearing his throat. He extended his hand. “It’s good to see you. I didn’t realize you were applying to work here.”

  She shook his hand, trying not to read too much into the fact that he seemed uncomfortable. Did he not want her to apply? She forced a light laugh. “Well, it seems we’re both surprised then.”

  He smiled before adjusting his tie. “Please, take a seat. I haven’t seen you since Jade and Connor’s wedding. How’ve you been?”

  He’d noticed her at the wedding? He’d been Connor’s best man and she was one of Jade’s bridesmaids. Even though she’d come with another date, Trent, one of Connor’s groomsmen and now her boyfriend, it was impossible not to notice Connor’s tall, dark-haired older brother at the wedding. Nolan had given no indication he knew who she was—much less her name. She lifted her shoulder in a small shrug. “I’ve been good. Just . . . looking for a job.” Ugh. Why was her brain refusing to come up with something more interesting than that?

  He nodded, gesturing for her to take the seat across from his desk. “You’ve come to the right place then. We’re hiring like crazy to get ready for the opening.” He waited until she sat down before stepping around the desk to his own seat. He scanned the tablet in front of him. “I see here that you’re interested in the event planner position?” His hazel eyes lifted to meet hers and suddenly Olivia struggled to find her voice. He was even more handsome than she’d remembered.

  “Yes,” she squeaked before straightening her shoulders. She could be professional. Besides, she shouldn’t even be noticing the color of his eyes. She already had a boyfriend. “Yes,” she repeated. “I think it would be the perfect fit for me. I love to work with people, and I have a lot of experience hosting events.”

  “Really?” He lifted an eyebrow. “That’s great. Can you tell me more about your experience?”

  Oops. She blinked. Growing up in a wealthy household, she knew all about throwing parties and events, but she couldn’t expound on that without breaking the terms of her inheritance clause. She and Drew stood to inherit sizeable fortunes from t
heir deceased parents, but not until they lived “regular” lives and met “regular” people to marry. Their grandmother had come up with the inheritance clause to protect them from gold diggers—which Olivia had painful first-hand experience with—as well as to help them learn how to work. But the clause wasn’t helping her with this interview.

  Nolan continued to wait patiently for her answer, and she fidgeted in her chair.

  “Um,” she paused, wincing inwardly at the ridiculously unprofessional word, “I had a lot of experience helping with events and parties growing up. My mom liked to entertain.” Her heart pinched at the memory. It was one of the few things she’d learned from her mother, because parties were the only reason her mom came home from her lavish vacations. Maybe that was why Olivia liked throwing events—parties were the only positive memories she had of her otherwise absent parents. If it hadn’t been for Drew and Grandma Margaret, she would have had a desperately lonely childhood.

  Nolan’s face softened. “Connor told me your parents died in a car accident years ago. I’m sorry.”

  “Thanks.” Again, she was surprised he knew this much, but Connor and Drew were friends, so it made sense. “Beyond my experience with planning and hosting events,” she continued, “I’ve created a list of activity ideas for the resort for all age groups.” She opened the folder and set it on the desk, turning it to face him. “I’ve listed the ideas here, sorted by season. Behind that sheet you’ll find the materials and an estimated cost breakdown for each activity.”

  She watched as he scanned the list, her confidence boosting. She’d put a lot of time and energy into the list, and the ideas were solid. “I know there are things the resort will offer,” she said, “like swimming, skiing, horseback riding, snowmobiling, etc., but this is a list of additional activities we could offer guests.”

  “You’ve done your homework.” Nolan looked up from the list. “I’m impressed.”

  She smiled. “You’ll find my resume in there as well.” She waited until he located it before continuing, “I know I don’t have employment experience in this particular field, but as you can see, I just finished my bachelor’s degree in communications, with an emphasis in event management specialization, which will be helpful as an event planner.”

  Nolan read the resume, nodding before setting it on his desk. He met her eyes.

  Olivia held her breath, waiting for his response.

  He leaned back in his chair. “I have every confidence that you’re the perfect candidate for this position,” he said. “How soon can you start?”

  Olivia blinked. “R-really? You mean I have the job?”

  He smiled, revealing a dimple in his left cheek. “Yes.”

  “Oh my goodness!” She jumped up from her seat and grabbed his hand in an eager handshake. “Thank you so much,” she said, not expecting the zing that traveled up her arm at the contact. She quickly dropped her hand, clearing her throat. “I can start right away. As soon as you need.”

  Nolan looked slightly ruffled. He straightened the papers on his desk before standing. “That’s great. I’ll contact HR to let them know you’re coming. They’ll get you going on the necessary paperwork. Once that’s out of the way and things are official, I’d like to discuss some of these ideas more in depth. Is it alright if I get in touch with you to set up a time? With the resort opening soon, we’ll want to start planning for the upcoming season right away.”

  “Absolutely.” Olivia’s smiled. “My cell is listed on the resume, so feel free to call or text me anytime.” She blushed, hoping that hadn’t come across the wrong way. “I mean, to set up the meeting, that is . . . Or I could call you. Whatever works best.” Great, now she was rambling. Stop. Talking. She pressed her lips together.

  Nolan gave her a crooked smile. “I’ll be in touch.”

  “Okay.” She stared for a few seconds before realizing that was probably her cue to leave. “Well . . . thank you again, Mr. McGrath. I’m really looking forward to working with you.”

  “Nolan,” he corrected, his smile deepening and displaying the dimple again. “And I’m looking forward to having you on the team.” He came around the desk to open the door for her.

  “Nolan,” she repeated as she moved toward the doorway. Without warning her foot caught on a chair leg and she fell forward. Nolan caught her in his arms before she hit the floor, the scent of his cologne filling her senses.

  “Whoa, are you okay?” He helped her to straighten, gently holding her shoulders to until she found her balance.

  Olivia’s face caught fire. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just clumsy.” She laughed, trying to ignore the way her heart hammered with his hands on her shoulders. She convinced herself it was the near fall and not his close proximity that spiked her heart rate.

  “It’s kind of a land mine around here.” He seemed reluctant to let go of her, but finally dropped his hands, sliding them into the pockets of his slacks. “I’ll ask Jasmine to get you a hard hat. We should have done that as soon as you walked in.”

  She shook her head. “I’m fine, really.” She wasn’t that clumsy, and the last thing she wanted was helmet hair.

  “I’m afraid it’s necessary until construction is finished.” He nodded behind his desk where a hard hat sat on a hook. “I have one too, so you won’t be the only one.”

  She nodded. “Okay. A hard hat it is.” Whatever it took to keep the boss happy. She wouldn’t complain.

  He smiled. “Jasmine will get one for you and direct you to HR.” He checked his watch. “I wish I could walk you there myself, but I’ve got another appointment coming.”

  “No problem. I can find my way back to Jasmine. Thanks again, Nolan.”

  “You’re welcome.” He held her gaze for a moment before he nodded and walked back into his office.

  Olivia was practically floating as she made her way to the front desk. She wanted to believe her giddiness was over landing the job, but when she thought about Nolan’s strong arms catching her and his expressive hazel eyes, she worried there was more to it than that. She looked forward to meeting with the hotel manager again. More than she should.

  Chapter 2

  Nolan made his way to the McGrath Construction trailer parked in the front lot of the resort. There were some items of business he needed to discuss with the foreman—who also happened to be his brother. The fall air held a nip to it and the aspens were still holding on to their colorful foliage. This was Nolan’s favorite season of the year, and he hoped the colors would still be vibrant for their November opening in a few weeks, but it wasn’t likely. Winter typically came before Thanksgiving in Pine Ridge, but that was alright. They needed snow for the ski runs and winter sports to attract guests to the resort.

  Thinking of attracting guests brought Olivia Carson to the forefront of Nolan’s mind. He’d noticed her at Connor’s wedding, with her long brown hair and captivating eyes. But she’d come with Trent Martin, one of Connor’s groomsmen. He’d casually asked Connor about Olivia a few weeks after he was back from his honeymoon, and was disappointed to hear that she and Trent were dating. He hadn’t thought about Olivia since—until she stepped into his office today, looking more beautiful than he remembered. Not that he’d hired her for that, of course. She was friendly and outgoing, with lots of fresh ideas for activities for the resort guests. She was a good fit for the event planner position. The fact that she made his heart pound every time she looked at him—well . . . he could learn to ignore that.

  He rapped on the door before stepping into the construction trailer. “Anybody home?” he called.

  Connor stood looking over some plans on his desk, he turned at the sound of his brother’s voice. “Hey there. To what do I owe this pleasure?” He smiled and folded his arms, leaning back against the desk. “Please tell me it’s not an issue with construction. We’re finally on schedule, and I’ve been keeping my fingers crossed that there won’t be any major setbacks until opening.”

  Nolan shook his head. “Relax, it’s n
othing work-related. I just had a break between interviews and thought I’d come have a chat with my little brother.”

  Connor eyed him. “Really? You don’t have a single business-related thing to discuss with me?”

  Nolan pretended to look hurt. “What? You don’t think I’d come out here just to shoot the breeze?”

  Connor smirked. “Uh, no. Not unless it was on your schedule.” He smiled good-naturedly and gestured to a box of doughnuts on the desk. “Have a seat and grab a doughnut. Jade brought them by a few minutes ago, you just missed her.”

  “Tell her I said thanks,” Nolan said, grabbing a maple bar from the box before taking a seat. He liked his new sister-in-law and wished he’d come sooner. That way he could have asked her about Olivia. But maybe Connor could give him a little insight. “Speaking of Jade . . . one of her friends came in for an interview just now.”

  Connor lifted an eyebrow. “Who?”

  “Olivia Carson.”

  “Huh. Jade didn’t say anything about that.” He paused before taking a bite of his glazed doughnut. “You gave her the job, right?”

  He nodded. “She applied for the event planner position, and she’s more than qualified for it, so it was an easy call to make. She’ll do great.”

  “She will.” Connor finished his doughnut and wiped his fingers with a napkin. “Jade will be happy to hear about this. She was hoping Olivia could stick around in Pine Ridge after she was done caring for Leah’s mom. Apparently, she and her friends made a pact to stay here and get married and raise families together.” He lifted his hands. “So far they’re staying on track. With me and Jade, Leah and Mitch, and now Piper and Drew.” He shook his head. “If things work out between Olivia and Trent the way we’re hoping, that will make four out of five of the friends settling here.”