by Kaci Hart
“Not really. I just want to speak to the manager please.”
“I’m sorry but we don’t have a manager here. Just the owner, Connor, and he’s not available right now.”
“Come on Libby. I’ve heard that before. Pretend the manager isn’t here until the angry customer goes away. I’m from New York. I know all the tricks.”
“No, really. He isn’t. He runs a youth camp in the summers and he just headed out a few minutes ago.”
She watched Libby look down at her watch.
“He’ll be at least two hours, maybe three. I promise that when he comes back, I’ll send him to your room right away. But I can most likely take care of whatever the issue is.”
Tessa really would rather deal with the manager over something like this but she didn’t want to go back to a rain soaked room.
“Alright. As long as I can still talk to him later. My room has a leak and all of my clothes are soaked. The worst part is that there were documents in my bag and the rainwater made the ink bleed all over my clothes. Everything in there is ruined and I am going to need it all replaced. You think you can handle that?”
“I’m so sorry. We didn’t know there was a leak. You were in the Abeline suite right?”
“Yes.”
“Wow. We thought all the rooms with leaks were accounted for.”
“Apparently not this one.”
“I know for sure that there aren’t any leaks in the Josephine. We had a guest in there last night and it was pouring worse than this.”
“Fine. I will take it. Now what about my clothes? I have nothing to wear but this.”
She motioned to the swimwear she was clothed in.
“I’ll have to let Connor talk to you about that.”
“Yeah. And tell him that I am seriously thinking about just cancelling my trip. This is turning out to be the worst vacation I’ve ever taken.”
“I’m sorry Ms. McGuire. I’m sure that Connor will make this all right if you give him a chance. If you stay, you’ll like your time here. I just believe that.”
“Yeah . . . well tell that to my clothes, and food, and everything.”
Tessa followed Libby to her next room and, to Libby’s credit, it didn’t seem to have a sign of any leaks even though the rain was still falling outside. Still, Tessa didn’t want to get her hopes up for the place. It had already tricked her two or three times in less than half a day.
If she was going to stay longer than the night, things were going to have to get a lot better pretty soon.
***
Connor was glad that the thunder and lightning stopped. Since he was the football coach for Stanton Falls high school, he could always use the gym for his camp but unless they were doing basketball time, he preferred getting the kids out in the sunshine with games like kickball, baseball and the like. He figured video games kept kids in the air conditioning enough.
The more he considered things, the more he realized that he enjoyed coaching--even more than some of the kids who were playing. And that was because of the kids. They all had a chance for a really bright future ahead of them. Most of them wouldn’t have to take over a struggling business and work hours on end just to barely make it. And half of the time that didn’t even happen.
The hardest part about running the bed and breakfast was easily that he had employees. People who counted on the results of the decisions he made. It was a huge burden on him to know that people could suffer because of him but that was the reality of being the boss. If things continued to go south, it wouldn’t just be him out of business. It’d be people like Ms. Celia and Libby--two people he practically considered family. They’d have to find new work too, and probably not in Stanton Falls.
That was the problem with a town this size. He hated the idea of seeing them leave town like chef Alvin did simply because they wanted to make a decent living. It wasn’t so easy though and it seemed like everything was imploding around him. A lot of the time, the only reason he didn’t give up on the whole thing was because of them.
Connor looked around as he pulled his pickup truck to a stop at the light. To his right he saw Reverend Remy standing under the church marquee with a sign pole, exchanging letters. The reverend smiled when his head turned up and he saw Connor. He quickly waved him over which led Connor to sigh inside.
Jeez. I am not in the mood for one of his mini sermons.
Connor rounded the corner and pulled his struck into the grass on the side of the road. Of course, he could have just pretended that he didn’t see the other man but Connor wasn’t that type of guy. Besides, he and Reverend Remy were old buddies. They grew up together in Stanton Falls but had taken different routes. Remy went to seminary school and got deeper into his faith. He had come back to town a few months ago and had taken over as the youth pastor and music minister at the church. To Connor it always seemed like his friend had everything easy.
Connor’s path up until now was anything but easy. With his parents dying when he was in his late teens, he didn’t have much of a choice in what he wanted to do with his life. His grandma ran the bed and breakfast and he helped her out there until she passed a few years back, leaving him with no real family in town and a business to run. He didn’t have the luxury of waiting on faith to make things happen like people with stable lives did.
That didn’t mean he resented the reverend. They had always been good friends and that didn’t change too much over the years, even with his friend growing further into religion. They might have each changed some but Connor didn’t consider himself a bad guy, even compared to his pastoral friend. He thought of himself as a down to earth guy who wasn’t really into craziness anyways. Not big on drinking, smoking, or general foolishness. On many occasions his old friend told him that he seemed to be always on the fence with his faith. Halfway into calling himself a Christian and halfway into just not really caring. He would tell Connor that he couldn’t help but try to push him a little since he was so close to making the decision.
Connor would humor him. He didn’t dislike Christianity. He just didn’t see how it had made a difference in his life. Regardless, each time they met, he would let Remy have his say about the matter really quickly and then they’d have a regular conversation. That was just how things went with them and as long as Reverend Remy respected Connor’s boundaries, they would continue to do so.
He got out of his truck and closed the door before walking across the grass to stand beside his friend under the old church sign.
“Connor.”
“Reverend Remy.”
“Reverend Remy? Wow.”
“Well that’s what they call you now, right?”
“Them. Sure. But not the guy who had me sneak onto his dad’s tractor with him at midnight and going for a joyride down the streets of Stanton Falls. He can just call me Remy.”
The two looked at each other before Connor smiled slightly and embraced his friend.
“That was your idea Remy.”
“And don’t you tell anyone. I have a reputation to uphold around these parts. Speaking of which, where you been buddy? I haven’t seen you in church in a few weeks.”
“Yeah, I know. I’ve just been kind of busy running the bed and breakfast and all.”
“Come on Connor. You can’t be too busy to take one day out a week to attend a service.”
“Right. Listen Remy, with all due respect, you don’t really know my situation.”
“Doesn’t matter. We all have situations.”
Connor was surprised. That was a little bit pushy, even for Remy. He looked at him and tried to hold back his words. Maybe he was getting a bit tired of the whole holier than thou routine with Remy but his thoughts slipped out verbally.
“Well, Remy, it might not matter to you but it certainly matters to me. And if my situation doesn’t matter to God, then I have no idea why you think I’d come there.”
From the look on Remy’s face, Connor could tell that he’d surprised him. Remy was quick to apo
logize.
“I’m sorry Connor. You know I didn’t mean it like that. You’re just a good friend.”
“I know. I didn’t mean to snap at you. I just have so much on my mind right now.”
“I hear you buddy.”
“I’ll see if I can make it one day soon.”
“Hey, that’s all I can ask. Besides, between all the cutting of the grass and the helping out you do when we need just about anything fixed, you’re here as much as I am.”
It was true. Even though Connor didn’t go to church regularly like other people, he still volunteered his services at times. He’d seen his dad do it all the time when he was a kid. Connor might not have been the most deeply religious, but he did his little bit. If God was real, then that would have to be enough.
“Just doing my part. “
“Good. So it sounds like you’re stressed. Anything I can help with?”
“Not unless you know a way to turn the bottom line of my business around without any money, visitors, and a building that is in need of a lot of reinforcement. Lately it feels like I’ve been struggling just to patch up the holes in the place.”
“Well it’ll work out. I’m sure of that.”
“I know but speaking of the house, I gotta get going soon. We finally got a guest and from what Libby just called and told me, it’s some city girl who is demanding to speak to management right away.”
Remy slapped him on the shoulder and laughed.
“Sounds like a fun time for you tonight.”
“Yep. See you later.”
“Yeah.”
Connor walked back to his truck and got back in. Before driving off, he saw Remy grabbing more letters and putting them on the sign. Even though it wasn’t complete, there were only a few letters missing and anyone could tell what Remy was spelling out. Connor only shook his head while reading it softly.
“God is still in the miracle business.”
Connor didn’t doubt that God still did miracles. It was just that he’d never seen them. He was big enough into church when he was younger to know the multitude of miracle stories that were constantly recounted, but he was starting to become the kind of person who just didn’t think that was something that happened these days. No. If God wanted Connor to believe in miracles--He’d have to show him to his face.
Chapter Four
The new room Tessa got seemed to be better than the old one. At least in the leaks department but she didn’t want to call the new room a success just yet. Who knew what could possibly blow up on her next. The bottom line was that this was the last way she wanted her first break from work in years to start.
Tessa stood and looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. She was lucky that she and Libby were so similar in size because the other woman shocked her when she lent her a tee shirt and jeans to wear for the evening. That was definitely better than her walking around all night in a swimsuit.
After sifting through her bag, she’d found that there were still a few items of clothing that were salvageable. She held up her favorite pink blouse and examined it. To her dismay, it would be one of the casualties of the leak.
I’ll never be able to wear this out again. Five hundred dollars!
Tessa heard a knock on the door and began grabbing the clothes that weren’t ruined. Tessa shouted out towards the door.
“Coming!”
Libby said she’d be up in a bit to take whatever clothes she’d found still worth keeping, promising to run them through the washer and dryer for her. Tessa opened the door without thought, still talking.
“This is all I’ve was able to f-”
She stopped when she realized it wasn’t Libby at the door. It was the gardener from earlier.
“Oh I’m sorry. I thought Libby would be coming up to get my stuff herself.” She reached out to give him her stuff. “This is all I was able to find.”
“Huh?”
“Did you not understand what I said?”
“What?”
“Oh. So you do speak English?”
“Yes I do.”
“Then why are you looking at me like you don’t understand what I’m talking about? Are you here for my clothes or not?”
“Actually no. You asked to see me, but I can take care of your clothes for you as well.”
That was when Tessa remembered that she had requested time with the manager and was promised he’d be by later.
“I’m sorry. Are you the manager?”
Talk about being cheap. He’s the owner and the gardener.
“I am he.”
“Great. Listen, I have never been so disappointed in a hotel stay in my life. This place is nothing like the brochure that I got. I mean it’s pretty enough from the outside but I can’t believe you would expect me to pay for that room I was in. My room leaked and it ruined all of my clothes. The food was horribly bland and there’s not even a flat screen television in the room. It’s like this whole place is in the stone ages.”
“I’m sorry that your trip hasn’t been--”
She interrupted him. She wasn’t just accepting some apology. Not after what had happened so far.
“Sorry. Yeah that’s nice and all but I don’t know if I want to stay the rest of my trip here. It may be worth salvaging but if I do, I want a refund for tonight. Do you think we can make that happen here in backwards Texas?”
“Yes ma’am. You’ll be comped for the night and breakfast tomorrow will be on the house.”
“Good. Now about my clothes. I also . . .” Tessa couldn’t help but notice how visibly annoyed he seemed. “. . . is there a problem?”
“Excuse me?”
“You seem to be bothered. I’m sorry if it’s an inconvenience for you to come to my room but you did give me a leaky room. I wouldn’t think it would be such a problem to spend a few minutes making it right for a customer.”
“No ma’am. It is no problem at all.”
“Whatever. Most of my clothes are also ruined thanks to your leaky building. How are we going to deal with that?”
“Yep. We’ll get it handled. Let me know how much it costs before you leave and we will deduct it from the final cost of your bill. Anything else?”
Anything else? Did this guy not take customer service 101 in his southern hospitality class.
“Okay, what’s your major issue?”
“Nothing. You are the customer and the customer is always right.”
“I know that slogan but I’m not stupid. You’ve never met me before today but it’s obvious you have a problem with me so what is it?”
“You really want to know?”
She was barely able to contain her frustration as she nodded her head.
“Okay then. I can’t stand guests like you.”
“How rude. You don’t even know me.”
“Yeah, but I know your type. Pretty woman who thinks the whole world revolves around her. Probably babied too much by your dad and now you think everyone should worship the ground you walk on. You’re probably some rich executive with a high paying job from a big city. You’ve been all over the world doing whatever pointless thing it is that you call work.”
“Wow. You got all that from conversation huh?”
“You told me enough when you opened the door. You know what. Ms. McGuire right?”
“Yes.”
“You’d probably be better off at a chain hotel. More your speed and you’re in luck. There’s one in the next town over and if you decide to leave tonight or tomorrow, I’ll let the receptionist know to refund you in full. If there is nothing else, goodnight. “
She hadn’t been left speechless in forever but she had no comeback. No response. Not when she knew that he might be right about her for the most part. He’d pegged her in just one conversation. Tessa was stunned as she watched him turn and walk away.
***
Connor made his way back down to the lobby, chastising himself along the way. He was not happy with how he had acted at all. Sure, she was a b
it uppity but he had dealt with plenty of people like that in the tourism industry. Being able to deal with people like that was almost a prerequisite of the job. And it wasn’t like she didn’t have reason to feel that way. She had come to his place as a guest for a getaway and was running into problems left, right and center. She had every right to be a little bit less than cordial to him.
She had just gotten under his skin at the wrong time. Either way, he needed to fix what he’d done because in spite of what he told her, he didn’t want her to go to the chain down the street. A two week stay by anyone was worth accepting a little bit of humiliation, especially considering the fact that it was his roof leak that damaged her clothes. If he lost her tab and had to pay for her clothes, he’d be in the negative bad. If he was right about her in any way, the stuff in her suitcase had the potential to run him a couple grand.
