by Susan Hatler
His eyes narrowed. “Why are you in such a lousy mood?”
“I’m just trying to help you, but if you don’t want my help, then forget it,” I growled. He was going to drive away guests by looking like a slob, but whatever. I set the bag with the samples and swatches down on the counter, along with the bag from Bay Side Coffee. Unfortunately, I’d downed his latte after my second hour at the paint store. “I brought you a pastry. It’s a beautiful day in Blue Moon Bay, after all.”
“Grandma would smack you in the head if she heard you use that sarcastic tone.” He peeked in the little brown bag, and then nodded appreciatively. “A bear claw? My favorite.”
“I know that’s your favorite,” I said, hurt that he sounded so surprised. I leaned against the counter and dropped my head in my hands. “It’s like I can’t do anything right.”
“What’s wrong?” His tone was firm, like it was when he meant business. “I’d say you’re mad at me, but you came in this way. I could tell by the look on your face.”
Something wrong? Where should I start? I lifted my head, intending to hold in all that was bothering me, then decided to spill just a little. He was already mad at me. What’s the worst he could do? Be more mad at me?
“I ran into Megan and Olivia at Bay Side Coffee,” I said.
He popped a piece of the flaky bread in his mouth. “Why is that a problem?”
“Because it made me realize how much I miss them. Megan was great, and she gave me this huge hug and talked a mile a minute. But Olivia was real stand-offish, like she wasn’t even happy to see me.”
He gave me a look like I was clueless. “Olivia was one of your best friends. When you left you hurt people, whether you meant to or not. Going away to college is one thing, but you never came back to visit or tried to keep in touch. Then you were always too busy with work to meet up with them, and that’s bogus. You can’t blame her for not welcoming you with open arms.”
Wait, since when was my brother insightful? I narrowed my eyes. “Did you talk to Megan?”
He smirked. “She called after she ran into you.”
So I wasn’t being paranoid about Olivia. She really was upset with me. Rather than argue Brian’s point about losing touch with my friends, I decided to unload the other problem that was putting my stress level into the red zone.
I inhaled deeply. “How are we going to pay to fix up the inn, Brian? We have to give it a good facelift or it’s not going to sell well. In addition to all of the things we talked about last night, I noticed the railings out front are in really bad shape.”
“I can fix those. They just need a few strategic nails and a fresh coat of paint,” he said, his tone relaxed, as if it was no big deal. When had he become Mr. Chilled Out? He’d been all dark and gloomy last night. Now he was optimistic? Instead of easing any worries, his change in attitude only increased the tension in my chest.
My fists tightened at my sides. “How can you stand there acting all nonchalant? The exterior of the inn needs painting, the shutters need rehanging, the dining room needs fresh linens and new centerpieces—”
“Wendy, you’re losing it. Calm down.”
Did he not understand the magnitude of getting an inn of this size ready for sale in one month? I gripped the front of his shirt. “Do you realize what could happen if we don’t make the estate appealing to an innkeeper?” I swallowed, barely able to say the words that I knew from my experience in real estate. “A developer might buy the property for the location, tear down the inn, and build a huge five-star resort or something here.”
Brian went pale. “Are you nuts? We can’t sell the inn to some developer! This place has always been here and it should be here forever—like a Blue Moon Bay landmark.”
He was sounding as hysterical as me now. Was it totally wrong that I preferred him freaking out the way I was? Misery loves company and all of that?
“I couldn’t agree more.” I released his wrinkled shirt and splayed my fingers flat on the counter. “But even if we can get everything done in time, funding the renovations will be a major issue. Most of my income I put back into my business. I have some savings, but I need it for the townhome I want to buy that’s coming on the market any day now.”
“I have some savings.” He leaned onto his elbows, so his eye line was straight with mine. “Not much. But I know some guys, so maybe I can get us a deal on the exterior painting.”
“What about everything else?”
“I went over the books this morning.” He gestured toward the pile of papers next to him. “Grandma had a small insurance policy that covered burial expenses but not much else. There’s some money in the bank, but not enough for the rest of the renovations.” His chin jutted out. “We can’t sell this place to a developer, though.”
“What else can we do?” I practically shrieked.
A family came down the hall with their luggage and I stepped back, smiling as brightly as possible. “I hope you enjoyed your stay,” I warbled.
The guy shot me a strange look, then he asked Brian about the local winery tours, while the woman with him tried to contain their two young children who were jumping around the lobby like hyenas. Grandma would’ve calmed the kids down by giving them each a cookie and telling them they had to sit on the bench while they ate them. I didn’t even have a stick of gum. I was such a failure as an innkeeper.
The man thanked Brian, lifted his suitcases, and headed out the door with his family. I glanced at the time on my phone, and panic rolled through me. “It’s way past eleven. Why are the guests only leaving now instead of an hour ago?”
“Well, sis, that’s a little thing we like to call a late checkout. Good customer service keeps the guests happy and coming back year after year,” he said, enunciating every word like I didn’t understand plain English.
“Late checkout?” I repeated, every muscle in my body growing taut. “You didn’t, um, happen to give anyone else a late checkout? Did you?”
He sighed, throwing his gaze at the ceiling. “No, but who cares if I did? It’s not like we have a full book or anything. Are you going to be micromanaging me the entire month? If so, warn me now so I can buy some earplugs.”
I ignored his smart remark and let out the breath I’d been holding. If everyone else had checked out already, that meant Max was gone. Instead of feeling relief, though, the little hole in my chest grew bigger. It was sure to pass, though. I hoped.
“Are you okay?” Brian asked.
“No,” I admitted, tired of holding in my feelings any longer. I’d been doing that for too many years. It was time to let go of my insecurities and just say how I felt. I sucked in a breath for courage. Here went nothing. “You may have issues with me because I moved away, but there is too much at stake for us not to work together right now.”
He held his palms up. “Look, Wendy—”
“No, I’m emotionally involved in the sale of real estate, which is exactly what I tell my clients not to do.” I’d cut him off and continued, but I needed to get this out. “But how can I not be emotionally involved? This was our family’s ancestral inn, and now we’re going to sell it to the highest bidder. This is so not right and it’s hard to believe this nightmare is really happening. I know you blame me for what Grandma did in her will. I want you to know if I could go back in time and talk with her about it, I would.”
The vein on his temple throbbed, but he kept his gaze on me. He was listening.
“I’d tell Grandma how much the inn means to you, to both of us.” I saw his green eyes shimmer, and he pressed the pads of his fingers to the corners of his eyes. My throat started to close, but I managed to keep going. “But I can’t go back in time, Brian. I missed my chance. You’re right that I messed up by staying away. I was blocking out the most important people in my life, because I was afraid of getting hurt again.”
To anyone looking in from the outside, my life in Sacramento was a huge success. I was proud of my accomplishments, but now I realized I’d shut
out the most important thing in life—relationships. I pictured the elegant townhouse I wanted so badly. I’d saved for years and it was supposed to go on the market soon. But how could I live there happily if it meant tearing down my family’s beloved inn to buy it? Suddenly, I knew what I had to do.
“I’m sorry for shutting you out, but you shut me out first.” My voice cracked as I said the words. “When I was eight, I needed my big brother’s comfort and you pushed me away. I avoided this town like the plague because I was trying to protect myself. I never meant to hurt anyone.” I swiped under my eyes, gathered my composure, and lifted my chin. “I have a large down payment saved for my townhouse, and I’ll use it for the inn renovations. After the sale, we can reimburse my account with the proceeds.”
The pulsing on Brian’s temples increased to a rapid tempo. “What if your townhouse goes up for sale? What will you do then?”
I closed my eyes, dizzy at the thought of losing the townhome. I’d worked my entire adult life to save for a stable home that would be permanent and mine. The townhome was beautiful, close to work, and in the exact area I wanted near my office.
“Let’s just hope it doesn’t go on the market yet. We’ll work as quickly as possible to get the place ready for a buyer who will see the inn’s unique charm, and continue to run this quaint and quirky inn for generations to come. We owe that to Grandma.”
His face contorted and he blinked rapidly. “I don’t know what to say. . . Thank you, Wendy.”
“You’re welcome,” I said, feeling hopeful that our relationship was starting to move in the right direction. I lifted my arms, about to reach for my brother, when a flash of reddish-brown appeared in my peripheral vision and a large golden retriever bounded into the lobby, tongue hanging out of its mouth as it sprinted toward me.
Two paws met my chest at the same time as I put one foot back to steady myself, and I managed not to go down this time as Lucky greeted me with her wet kisses.
“Down, girl!” a familiar male voice echoed through the room—Max.
His presence filled the room and every sensitive nerve in my body heightened, causing pressure in my chest that made it difficult to breathe. Lucky obeyed her master’s command somewhat by dropping down on all four paws, then she pushed her muzzle against my hip, almost purring like she was a cat instead of a dog.
“Hello, Wendy,” Max said, his two words sending images of last night running through my mind. Soft kisses. Sweet murmured words. His breath against my neck. . .
A rush of tingles traveled up my spine. Somehow, I managed to face him. The corners of his mouth rose, and his lips were so familiar I could almost feel them against my skin. Shiver.
“Hello, Max.” I managed to keep my voice calm, masking the skittering emotions running through me. What was he doing here still? There weren’t supposed to be any more late checkouts, so he should’ve been gone.
“Hey, Max.” Brian reached toward the old pegboard behind the desk where room keys hung neatly in a row. Grandma had never believed in those slick little plastic cards with the magnetic strips that were so popular now. “Your room is all clean and ready. Glad you’ll be staying on with us for the next month.”
My entire body froze. What the . . . ?
Max would be staying here for the month? What about his business? What about traveling to Japan? So many questions reeled through my brain, but one more prominent than the rest: What had I just gotten myself into?
Chapter Four
There were many reasons that hooking up with a hot stranger on the beach was not a good idea, but I never could’ve imagined having him stick around would be one of them. If I ever thought I would see Max again, I wouldn’t have opened up to him about my life’s history. He knew my parents had abandoned me, and that Ian had cheated on me in college—the second trauma I’d never even told my best friends. It was too pathetic.
Our talk on the beach and moonlight kisses had been a much-needed heavenly respite. But having Max stay at the inn for the next thirty days? Not acceptable when he knew all of my baggage. He had to go to another hotel. That’s all there was to it.
Wrapping my hand around Max’s elbow, I guided him across the lobby, trying to get him out of Brian’s earshot. Unfortunately, my brother trailed along behind us, stopping nearby to browse through the guestbook. Not too obvious he was eavesdropping.
I pasted on a strained smile. “I hope you’ve had a pleasant stay at the inn, Max. But didn’t you say you were checking out this morning?”
“Change of plans.” A mischievous glint appeared in his beautiful baby blues. Oh, wow. Max looked even hotter in daylight. He’d put on jeans that hugged him in all the right places, and his tee shirt fit snugly across his broad chest. Casual-sexy was a divine look on him. “I’ve grown fond of this charming little town and I’d like to get to know it better,” he added.
A flutter rippled through my belly. Was that a cute way of saying he wanted to get to know me better? While I was flattered—and a little giddy—I also knew there was no point in starting anything with him, since we’d both be going our separate ways in thirty days.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying the town, but I think another hotel would be a better match for you. We’re going to be doing a lot of renovations here this month, which will be very messy. I’m afraid it will be too complicated if you stay here. Sorry.” I fiddled with the peeling paint on the windowsill. It had taken all of my effort to force the words out, but I knew it was for the best.
The corner of his mouth hitched up. “Do I look like the kind of guy who would be scared away by a few messy renovations?”
My gaze flicked to his and an electric zing zapped my belly. Heat flooded through me. Suddenly, it was way too hot in here, and I was having trouble breathing. I turned to the windowsill and yanked it open hard. The window shot up too fast, hit the resistance at the top, and the glass fell out in slow motion and crashed against the back porch. Oops.
“You broke the window.” Brian came up beside Max and me, and stared at the shards of glass sprinkled across the ground below. “That’s going to cost us.”
“You think?” Sarcasm dripped from my tone, but he was so not helping the situation. My blood pressure soared so high it was a miracle my head didn’t explode.
Max wore a sinful grin. “Do you have any plans for dinner?” he asked, appearing unaffected by the fact that I’d asked him to relocate and had broken a window because he’d flustered me.
“The dining room is closed,” I said, firmly. Then I tore my gaze from his lips, wishing I didn’t know how good that sexy mouth felt against mine, and scooted away from the now-drafty window frame.
“We really did have to shut the dining room down,” Brian chimed in, as if he were a welcome part of our conversation. “The chef died. Keeled over on his halibut special one day. He was the restaurant owner, too. Great guy.”
“Sorry to hear that.” Max shifted uncomfortably, and an odd look crossed his face that made me wonder what he was thinking. Not that I would ask. A line formed between his brows and he followed me over to the front desk. “I’m asking you out, Wendy. You know, on a date? Somewhere without hallucinogenic starfish . . .”
A tiny giggle escaped, then I cleared my throat. “No, thanks.”
“Hey, sis.” Brian crooked his finger at me. “I couldn’t help but overhear. In case you think of changing your mind, don’t forget the Cardinal Rule. Grandma always said not to get involved with the guests.” He turned to Max. “No offense.”
“None taken.” Max slipped his hands in his pockets, and rocked back on his heels.
I threw my brother a harsh look, and he thankfully left the room. I turned back to Max. “I’m sorry, I thought you were leaving today. How can we make that happen?”
His gaze traveled down my body, all the way to my toes, then back up again, resting on my mouth. “The view was too beautiful, so I decided to stay for the month.”
Oh. My. Heat sizzled between us, and it was way to
o hot in here again. I snatched the empty paper Bay Side Coffee bag, and waved it across my face like a fan. Unfortunately, the opening of the bag wasn’t sealed and crumbs spewed everywhere, including my face. Just my rotten luck. Trying to hide my face with the bag, I picked bear claw remnants off my eyelashes. What were the chances Max hadn’t seen me pelt myself with pastry crumbs? I glanced up.
He grinned at me. “You’re blocking my view.”
“Wendy likes to hide.” Brian breezed through the room carrying a plastic tarp and duct tape. “Once we get the inn ready to sell, she’ll hightail it back to Sacramento where she doesn’t have to deal with things like family or old friends or bothersome memories.”
My fists balled. “Brian—”
“Hey, wait up.” Max raised his brows then followed Brian over to the windows. “What kind of renovations are you planning to make? I used to flip houses and did a lot of the work myself.”
The two of them began discussing everything from stripping floors to painting the walls. Brian was acting like Mr. Cheerful, making it obvious he preferred Max’s company to mine. Whatever.
“Black tea and a little oil will go a long way to making that wood shine.” Max gestured to the lobby’s floors, then fist bumped Brian before sauntering over to join me at the front counter again.
The paint colors were a blur in front of me. “Why are you staying, Max?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” He grinned, propped his forearms against the desk, and leaned toward me. He slipped his hand around mine. “A beautiful woman I met on the beach changed my mind about leaving. I’m finally taking that vacation I’ve put off far too long.”
My skin hummed against his, and I wanted to curl into him. But I resisted. “Look, you seem like a really nice guy. But it wasn’t like me to kiss a stranger on the beach or to talk about the stuff we talked about. I’m in town to sell this inn, which is going to be a lot more work than I anticipated. That is what I need to concentrate on, not a fling with a man who will be gone from my life in thirty days. I hope you understand.”
