Grand Hotel

by Mary Davis

  “I’d like to believe that. But what you see is what you get.” He took another bite of his burger.

  “That’s where faith comes in. What you see is only the tip of the iceberg. Under the surface of the water is a much bigger chunk of ice. Even if you can’t see it or don’t even believe it is there, that doesn’t change the facts. It’s there. God is there. God is here.”

  He washed his burger down with a swig of soda. “So let’s say, for argument’s sake, I believed there was more to life than what I can see. What difference does it make?”

  “All the difference in the world. It’s not that there is more to this world; it’s what the more is. It’s God. There is an afterlife following this one, and everyone will go to one of two places—a place with God or one without God. Without God is not a pretty place.”

  “So you believe in the whole heaven-and-hell thing?”

  “They are both real places. Where do you want to live for eternity?”

  He stared at her hard. “Where do I want to live?”

  “It’s your choice. I’d love for you to be in heaven with me. . . and Dillon and all the others who love the Lord.”

  He shook his head. “How did you turn this whole dinner around to religion?”

  “It wasn’t me. It was God.” Sometimes God could use her big mouth for good. When she let Him.

  ❧

  On Friday, Aimee stared at her computer screen and studied the letter Dillon had asked her to compose. She glanced up over the laptop. Dillon was staring at her again. He’d been quiet all morning, which was nothing new, but today it was a different kind of quiet. “I’m almost done with this one.”

  “Do you own a black dress?”

  Where had that question come from? Not out of the blue. Dillon didn’t speak unless he’d carefully planned his words. “Yes, but I don’t have it with me. Do I need one?”

  He shook his head. “Never mind.”

  “It’s my wearing the same three dresses all the time, isn’t it?” She stood and looked down at her pink lace dress. “It’s getting tiresome. These used to be my three favorites, but I don’t know if I’ll ever wear them again after this.”

  “I like them,” he said softly toward his computer screen.

  “They’re nice, but I’m just sick of them.” She held out the skirt of her pink lace dress. “Maybe when I go into town over lunch I can find something that’s inexpensive.”

  “You’re going into town?”

  “I have an errand to run. I can go after work if you need me here.”

  He paused. “You can go. What about lunch?”

  “I’ll grab something while I’m out. And I promise not to get too wrapped up in shopping and lose track of time.”

  “You’ve put in extra hours all week. Don’t rush back. Take your time.”

  Wahoo! Permission to shop!

  ❧

  Dillon sat at his desk eating a sandwich he’d ordered from the kitchen.

  Steve came in. “You’re eating at your desk.” He looked around the office. “Alone?”

  “Aimee went into town for lunch. She had some errands to run.”

  “Why didn’t you go with her?”

  He shrugged and took another bite of his turkey on wheat. How could he be of any use while she shopped for clothes? And then there was the point that she didn’t invite him.

  Steve shook his head. “Flowers. She likes flowers. Carnations, to be exact. Don’t get her candy. She doesn’t eat it.”

  He swallowed hard on his half-chewed bite. “What are you talking about?”

  “Aimee. She likes carnations because they look lacy and smell nice.” Steve wiggled his fingers in the air.

  “How would you know that?”

  Steve smiled. “I have my sources. I’m just trying to help you out. Now I don’t know what color, but pink would probably be a safe bet.”

  Give Aimee flowers? That would send her a message he wasn’t sure he was ready to send. He could see her liking carnations. They were frilly like her.

  “Or think of something else that would be uniquely Aimee, something that she’d like.”

  Uniquely Aimee? How did you get any more unique than Aimee herself?

  ❧

  Aimee went into the office after returning from lunch and set her shopping bags on her chair. “I found some great deals.” She opened the first bag and pulled out a short-sleeved white eyelet blouse. “I can wear this over my red dress and tie it at the waist. It will give it a different look.”

  She opened the next bag and pulled out a short-waisted rosy pink jacket that had a shiny metallic look and slipped it on over her lacy pink dress. “And a new look for this one.” Lastly she pulled out a green, yellow, and orange sundress jumper. “This will go perfect over my green T-shirt with little bows—”

  “—on the sleeves.”

  He remembered. She had only mentioned it that once, before the 10K run.

  “I saved the best for last.” She reached into the smallest bag. “Look what I found.” She could hardly contain her glee. She carefully unfolded the tissue paper and held up a tarnished silver locket on a black velvet ribbon.

  He squinted at it. “What is it—besides a locket?”

  “Nonie’s treasure.” Or at least it would be.

  His eyes rounded, and he stood, gingerly taking it from her.

  “Turn it over.”

  He did, and she knew what he was reading. To my beloved Lacey. All my love, Mr. Wright.

  “Where did you find this?”

  Confession time. “One of the shops in town.”

  He looked up at her sharply. “And you believe this to have belonged to your great-great-grandmother? It can’t be a coincidence with those names. This is great! Now you can keep it and take it back to your grandma.”

  That was so sweet of him she wanted to cry. “Actually I found the antique locket in one of the shops and had it engraved. Now I just need to find pictures to put inside it. Not that Nonie will be able to see the pictures, but she’ll know if something isn’t there.”

  His gaze slowly rose to her face. “You created a treasure?”

  “I figured that you were right and whatever Grandpa Wright left here is long gone. I think Nonie will be happy with something she can hold on to.”

  His eyes got a sad look, as though he was disappointed in her.

  “I just want to fulfill her dream.” It was no good. Nonie would know it wasn’t the real treasure. How Nonie would know, she had no idea. Nonie just knew things. Now Aimee really wanted to cry.

  He handed the locket back to her. “You may not need to give this to your grandma. I wasn’t going to tell you until after the festival was over and the rooms were vacated, but after you left the lecture, the speaker talked about something I’d forgotten. The hotel renovations.”

  She stared at him. Was that supposed to make sense? “I don’t understand. What do renovations have to do with Nonie?”

  “This hotel—the hotel you see standing today—wasn’t all built in 1887. The original structure, built when Adam Wright was here, is only a fraction of the structure today. The east wing wasn’t even added until 1989. There have been a variety of shops added, and the Millennium wing opened just a few years ago.”

  “So?” None of those had anything to do with her.

  “The west wing was added in 1897. Ten years after Adam Wright left the island. The end of the hall was much shorter in his day.”

  She widened her eyes, and a smile stretched her mouth. “We’ve been looking in the wrong rooms.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Can we go look now?”

  He shook his head. “The rooms are occupied. That’s why I was going to wait until after they cleared to tell you. I know it will be hard for you to wait.”

  “It doesn’t matter. I’ve waited twenty-five years; I can wait a few more days.” She threw her arms around him and gave him a quick hug. She released him before he could hug her back—or before she was disa
ppointed that he didn’t hug her back. She left the office and went out to the lobby. She stopped and looked around. Where was she going?

  She was supposed to be working, so she did an about-face and slunk back into Dillon’s office. “I got so excited I didn’t know what I was doing.”

  His mouth pulled into a smile, and his dimples sank into his cheeks.

  She still wanted to poke her finger in them. But she wouldn’t try that again. She sighed mentally to herself. This was where she liked being. Sitting across from Dillon in his office, even if she couldn’t poke his dimples. “What’s on the schedule for today, boss?”

  Twelve

  The next afternoon, Dillon said, “Tonight we’ll go to the drive-in double feature at Mission Point.” Each year, they played the two movies filmed on Mackinac Island back-to-back—a Lilac Festival tradition.

  Aimee shook her head. “I still cannot picture a drive-in with no cars. Isn’t that some sort of oxymoron?”

  “I’ve never gone either, but I’ve heard it’s a lot of fun.” He hoped this would be something “uniquely Aimee” that she would enjoy. Since she didn’t watch his videos, she hadn’t seen either of the movies. “Dress warm. It cools off fast after sunset.”

  “I don’t have anything warmer than a cardigan sweater and that lightweight pink jacket I bought the other day.”

  “I’ll bring an extra coat for you. I’ll pick you up around seven thirty.”

  “In what? I can’t see a bunch of horses and buggies lined up in front of a modern-day movie screen.”

  He smiled. “You’ll see.”

  At seven thirty on the nose, he pulled up in front of Constance’s house on a tandem bicycle. Aimee was going to love this. He knocked on the door, and Constance let him in. Aimee skipped down the stairs a minute later wearing a pair of jeans and the white blouse she had purchased the other day. She carried a white sweater over her arm. His heart thumped a little harder at the sight of her.

  At the bottom of the stairs, Aimee turned to Constance. “Are you and Henry going to the drive-in?”

  Constance shook her head. “We’re too old for that.”

  “Speak for yourself,” Henry said from his chair in the living room.

  Constance waved a hand in Henry’s direction. “Don’t pay any attention to him.”

  Dillon caught Aimee smiling, and he tried not to let his own smile show. Henry and Constance were such a great couple and about as opposite as you could get. Henry was laid back, while Constance seemed to be wound tight. He glanced at Aimee again. She was his opposite. The planner and the free spirit. If Henry and Constance could make a go of it, maybe there was hope for him and Aimee.

  Constance continued, “Do you have your key, dear? I’ll be in bed long before you get home.”

  Aimee patted her front pants pocket. “Right here.”

  Then Dillon said, “Are you ready to go?”

  She swung on her sweater. “I can’t wait to see what you’re driving.”

  He smiled. “Well, you’ll have to wait a little longer. Close your eyes.”

  She closed them and put one hand over her eyes.

  He thought he might have to argue with her at least a little, as she’d had to do with him. He took her free arm and led her out the door and down the walk to the bike. “Okay. You can open your eyes now.”

  Her mouth dropped open. “Oh, how fun!”

  What a relief that she liked the idea of the tandem. “Do you want to drive or ride?”

  “Ride.” She hopped on the seat in the back.

  He climbed on the front and drove them to the Mission Point Resort on the east point of the island. He parked the bike and retrieved two coats and a blanket. Then he paid admission, and they found a place on the grass with the few other early arrivers. He’d wanted to make sure they got a good spot. A huge screen stood at one end of the lawn. Several rows of folding chairs were set up farther back, and people were laying out blankets in front of them. He unfolded the blanket, and Aimee took two corners and helped him spread it out.

  “Do you want popcorn and a soda?”

  “Sure.”

  He headed for the vendor and bought two sodas and a long plastic bag of popcorn. He eyed the cotton candy. Would she like some? No. Steve had said she didn’t eat candy—a tidbit of information Jovan didn’t know. When Dillon returned, Aimee was sitting in the middle of the blanket. He sat next to her and handed her the soda and popcorn.

  She opened the bag and grabbed a handful. “I was curious why you chose to sit on the grass instead of in the chairs?”

  Would she rather sit in the chairs? “I figured it would be uncomfortable to sit in hard chairs for four hours. If you’d like, we can switch.”

  “No, this is fine. I wouldn’t have thought about the chairs being uncomfortable and would have regretted not bringing a blanket to sit on. See, that’s why you do so well as a planner. You think of all the options. I would have just come, wiggled around in a hard chair all night, then woken up sore the next morning.”

  At least his planning didn’t drive her nuts. That was a good sign.

  Halfway through the second movie, he noticed Aimee shiver. He grabbed the back of the blanket and brought it up over her shoulders. He was about to pull his arm away when she leaned into him and stayed there the rest of the movie.

  Once back at Constance’s, he parked the bike at the curb and walked Aimee up to the door. She spoke in a whisper probably because of the late hour. “Aren’t you glad you finally saw those two movies clear through?”

  He actually was. “They were good.” He’d thought they would be boring, but though one was a little silly and both were romances, he’d enjoyed them. Or was it the company?

  She fished her key out of her pocket and turned to look up at him. “Thanks for taking me.”

  He swallowed and nodded. Should he kiss her?

  She stared up at him a moment longer, then turned to unlock the door. She stepped inside and gifted him with a smile before closing the door.

  His heart drummed hard in his chest, and he raked both hands through his hair. He needed to figure out what he wanted and fast. Did he want to pursue a relationship with Aimee? Or was it best to leave well enough alone?

  ❧

  The day after the festival ended, all but one of the rooms in which the treasure might be hidden became vacant.

  “I’m so excited I’m shaking.” Aimee held out her trembling hands. “This could really be it.”

  Dillon gave her hands a squeeze. He was excited, as well. Part of the hotel’s untold history could be revealed. “This is what you came for.” He unlocked the door and let her in first.

  He pulled out his pocketknife and knelt down inside the closet. He ran his knife along the board seams and joints carefully as to not damage any of the wood. After a couple of minutes of failed attempts, he backed out. “Nothing.” He handed her his knife. “You want to try?”

  She shook her head. “I trust that your search was as thorough as possible. If you didn’t find a loose board, then there isn’t one in this closet.” They searched the other rooms with the same result. There was one room left, but it was still occupied.

  The following day, Dillon said, “They checked out this morning. I’ve blocked the room so it can’t be rented until we have a chance to search it.” He held his hand out to her. “Shall we go?”

  “Right now?” she snapped. “I can’t.”

  He knew her schedule better than she did. She had nothing critical pending. Neither one of them did. Now was a perfect time. “Why not?”

  “Maybe later.” She got up and marched out of the office.

  Dillon stared after her. What was that all about? Why didn’t she want to search the room? The room that likely held what she was looking for? Something was wrong.

  ❧

  Aimee strode to the front desk. “Katie, Mr. Thurough blocked a room.”

  Katie typed on her computer keyboard. “Yes. I see it.”

  “Coul
d you unblock it?”

  “Sure.” Katie tapped on her keys. “Done.” She looked up. “Anything else?”

  “Can you put the next available guest in that room?”

  Katie shrugged. “Sure, if you want.”

  “Thanks, Katie.”

  Aimee turned and walked to the front doors.

  Henry opened the door for her. “Miss Mikkelson.”

  “Good afternoon, Henry.” She headed east on the porch and kept walking down Cadotte Avenue.

  ❧

  Dillon sat at his desk. Should he go after her? He would give her fifteen minutes or so, then go looking for her. When the fifteen minutes were nearly past, he looked up when a knock sounded at his open door.

  Henry stepped over the threshold. “Sir?”

  “Henry?” Henry had never come to his office before that Dillon could think of.

  “I’m on my afternoon break. The doors are covered.”

  He had to smile. Henry was so true-blue. “I never doubted you’d leave the entrance unattended. Have a seat.”

  “I would like to get off my feet.” Henry sat in the extra chair next to his desk.

  “What can I do for you?”

  “I just wanted to let you know that Miss Mikkelson left the hotel a few minutes ago.”

  Well, he wouldn’t go looking for her inside the building then. She probably needed some time to herself. “That’s fine. Thank you for informing me.”

  “I just wanted to let you know she seemed upset.”

  She had been upset when she left his office, and he still couldn’t figure out why. “What makes you think she was upset?” He wanted to hear Henry’s observation.

  “She didn’t smile when she greeted me. She always smiles. I didn’t know our little angel could be awake without a smile on her pretty face. Is something wrong?”

  Of course something was wrong, but he didn’t know what. “She didn’t tell me anything. I’m sure she’ll be fine.” He would give her the time and space she needed. She hadn’t taken her purse, so she’d be back.

  When Aimee did not return by the end of the workday, he became concerned. He had hoped to explore that last room with her, so he could unblock it to be rented out. He pulled it up on the computer to find it occupied. He headed to the front desk. “Who rented out the room I blocked?”