by Leanne Banks
“Marshmallows,” Temple said. “And I happened to find an old chocolate bar and some stale graham crackers,” she said with a rare jubilant smile as she held up her finds like trophies.
“S’mores,” Jilly said. “Oh, wow. With my sisters, eating s’mores by the fire next to the lake. What could be better?”
Vivian still worried about Jilly. It was her nature. She chastised herself for not pressing Jilly for more details during the last few years. She’d been too wrapped up in her own life and making her messes. But for the moment, Jilly was right. What could be better than s’mores with her sisters?
Chapter Four
Vivian made a quick trip to Atlanta to oversee a business conference she’d booked several months ago. She felt guilty leaving her sisters to continue the backbreaking work of refurbishing the cabins. At the same time, Grayson and Millicent were stepping up their game with repairing and cleaning the lodge. Vivian wasn’t all that comfortable with Grayson and Millicent working so hard. If they got hurt, she would feel even more guilt. Still, she couldn’t boot them out because they didn’t have a retirement plan. If she wasn’t painting or telecommuting for her full-time job, she was plotting, planning and blogging about the lodge.
Alternately swearing with worry and trying to escape her troubles by singing as she drove back to the lodge, she turned on some music to distract her. She hummed along to her mom’s oldies hits and a few eighties songs followed by more recent hits.
By the time she drove up the hill to the lodge, she was in a much better mood. After parking her car, she grabbed her purse and bag, climbed out and headed to the main building.
She mounted the steps and felt a unique sense of home as she entered the foyer. Her life had been chaos for the last several years. How could an old wooden entryway give her such peace?
She took a deep breath and dragged her luggage up the stairway to her room. Sinking onto her bed, she stared at the ceiling. In any other circumstance, she would have wanted, craved, more square footage. Somehow, tonight it was enough.
Vivian closed her eyes, ready for some rest.
Her door burst open. Temple stared down with a slightly crazed expression on her face. “Your blog went viral. Everyone wants to have a wedding here.”
“What?” Vivian asked, unable to rise from her bed.
“That blog post you wrote last week,” Temple said, sitting next to Vivian. “It went viral. Since you left, we’ve received dozens of requests from people wanting to hold their weddings here.”
“Oh, you’re joking,” Vivian said. She covered her eyes and forehead with her hand. “I posted only three photos, two of the lodge and one of the lake. Tell me you’re joking. We’re nowhere near ready.”
“We need to get ready,” Temple said. “This could mean the difference between making it and not making it.”
“That’s too much to load on me tonight,” Vivian said.
“Okay, okay,” Temple said. “But tomorrow morning, we’re going to have to work overtime.”
“I thought we were already doing that,” Vivian said.
“Apparently overtime is relative,” Temple said. “But sleep tonight. We will all be begging for sleep soon.” She patted Vivian’s arm. “Rest well. You’ll need it.”
Vivian stared at the ceiling. After her insane schedule, she should have been dead asleep. Instead her brain was racing. How had this happened? She’d written the blog post on a friend’s site as a test, hoping for feedback. She never would have dreamed so many people would have been interested with so little information. She tried to imagine getting the lodge ready within four weeks, and the prospect nearly made her head explode. She sighed. She wondered if she could possibly sleep with her eyes wide open and her brain so busy.
After she tossed and turned most of the night, Vivian gave up on sleep, took a two-minute shower, dressed and took her laptop and a pad of paper downstairs. It wasn’t quite dawn and the lodge was quiet. She got the coffeemaker going and decided to work from the couch on the screened-in porch. The scent of late phlox wafted into the porch, and the sound of the lake lapping at the shore took the edge off her anxiety.
Vivian started out by making a list of the condition of the rooms in the lodge, minimum repairs and upgrades to be made, and then wishful thinking upgrades. Next she began a list of bed-and-breakfasts and the very few decent hotels within thirty miles.
“You’re up mighty early,” Grayson said from behind her.
Startled, Vivian glanced around to find the elderly man holding two cups of coffee. He offered one to her. “Thank you,” she said, accepting the cup.
“I didn’t know how you take it, so I added cream and sugar. Seems like most young people don’t drink it black,” he said and wandered toward the edge of the porch. He looked at the lake. “One of the prettiest sights in the world. Sunrise on the lake from one window. Sunset from another isn’t too bad, either.”
Vivian took a sip of her coffee and rose from her chair. “It is beautiful,” she said.
“Never gets old,” he said. “It can get a little dreary in the winter, but the lake makes up for all the gray.” He took a few draws of his coffee. “What’s got you all bothered this morning, Missy?”
Vivian sighed. “We’re going to try to hold more events here at the lodge. I put some information out on the internet, and Temple told me we’re already swamped with people asking for information. We’re not ready.”
“Then tell them that,” Grayson said.
Vivian heard an echo of her father in Grayson’s words and felt a twist of missing him. She’d been so busy she hadn’t had time to dwell on grief, so it seemed as if the feeling came out of nowhere. She took a slow, deep breath to push aside the tight feeling in her chest.
“It may not be that easy,” she said. “If we’re going to make the lodge profitable, we need to grab these opportunities.”
“Hmm,” Grayson said thoughtfully. “One of the things I always respected about your father was that he didn’t pretend to be anyone other than who he was, and he didn’t promise what he couldn’t deliver. This ain’t the Biltmore.”
Vivian chuckled. “You’re right about that. Maybe that’s how we should advertise. Not the Biltmore.”
“I’ll be glad to help you with painting and repairs. I’m slower than I used to be, but I’m handy.”
Vivian’s heart softened at his offer. “You’re already doing more than you should.”
“Not really,” he said. “Millicent and I used to do a lot more, but during the last couple of years, your father wasn’t much interested in repairs and improvements.”
“Well, I appreciate the offer,” she said.
“Millicent and I appreciate having a roof over our heads,” he countered. “I see it’s your nature to worry, but you and your sisters will make this work. You come from pretty stubborn stock.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” she said.
She had a powwow with her sisters, but there were too many details to settle before they could put together a brochure with final prices. Instead, each of them selected a room to paint in the lodge. Just after lunchtime, which had been a protein bar and energy drink for her, she heard a loud scream followed by a thump. Another loud wail echoed from down the hall.
Vivian’s stomach clenched. That sounded like Millicent. Dropping her paint roller into the pan, she jumped from her ladder and ran down the hall.
“Millicent,” she called. “Millicent, is that you?”
“Oh, dear,” Millicent cried as Vivian pushed open the door. The woman was crumpled on the floor, holding her leg. “I fell off the chair,” she said. “I think I might have broken it.”
Vivian rushed to her side. “Oh, no,” she said. “Can you move it?”
“I’m afraid to,” Millicent said, her face wreathed in pain.
&nbs
p; “We need to get you to the doctor,” Vivian said.
“What’s wrong?” Temple asked from behind her.
“Oh, Millicent,” Jilly said, rushing to the old woman’s side. She ran her hand gently over Millicent’s leg.
“She’s afraid to move it,” Vivian said.
“She probably shouldn’t. Even if she can move it, it can still be broken.” Jilly shrugged. “I once temped in a pediatrician’s office. We need to get you to the clinic. We just need to figure out a way to transport you from here to the car. I don’t think you should hop your way downstairs.”
“Should we call an ambulance?” Temple asked.
“That will cost a fortune,” Millicent said, shaking her head.
“Insurance will cover it,” Vivian assured her.
“Millicent,” Grayson said as he entered the room. “What have you done?” He bent down beside her, his hands shaking and his face filled with concern.
“I fell,” she said. “The fixtures and curtains needed a good dusting, and like you told me, we need to help these girls as much as possible.” Her face crumpled. “And now I’m just causing a heap of trouble.”
“Oh, no,” Jilly said. “Don’t you dare think that. We know you work hard. Right now, we just need to concentrate on getting you treated.”
With Jilly’s assistance, they reinforced a sun lounger, strapped Millicent into it and carried her downstairs to Temple’s SUV. Grayson rode with Temple and Millicent while Vivian and Jilly followed in Vivian’s car.
Jilly went into the examination room with Grayson and Millicent because the nurse wouldn’t allow all five of them to crowd into the room. Given Jilly’s experience, Vivian decided to wait outside. Temple spent the time texting with her firm. After a while, when Millicent was getting X-rays, Vivian took a walk outside.
She paced the sidewalk, worried about Millicent, worried about the lodge, worried about her sisters, worried about everything... She took a deep breath and exhaled. Maybe she should try some yoga, as Jilly had been suggesting.
“Hey, there,” a familiar male voice said from behind her.
Benjamin, she thought, her heart beating faster. “Hi,” she said, turning around to face him.
“I heard Millicent took a spill,” he said. “Is she okay?”
“That news traveled quickly,” she said.
“It does around here,” he said with an ironic half grin. “So, how is she doing?”
“We’re waiting to hear about the X-rays. We were so worried about her when it happened that we all came to the clinic, but the nurse didn’t want a crowd in the room during the examination. I can’t blame him for that.”
Benjamin shook his head. “No. How’s everything else going?”
Vivian took in his straightforward gaze and the strength of his shoulders and almost burst into tears. She bit the inside of her cheek, horrified by her reaction. He was just being nice. He didn’t want her to fall apart in his arms, even though the prospect was way too inviting.
“It’s been a little challenging,” she said through a tight throat.
“In what way?” he asked.
“Well, I suddenly feel completely responsible for my sisters and Grayson and Millicent. We’ve also received interest in booking the lodge for weddings. On the one hand, that’s great. On the other hand, I don’t want to seize the opportunity too soon, we don’t want bad reviews.”
“Sounds like a lot,” he said. “How can I help?”
She opened her mouth, then closed it. She shouldn’t start relying on Benjamin. She suspected it could get addictive, and that wouldn’t be good for anyone. “We’re okay. Just working it out. I shouldn’t have complained.”
“Everybody needs a little help now and then,” Benjamin said. “Don’t be afraid to ask for it.”
She took a deep breath. “I don’t want to ask too often.”
“You sound like your dad.”
She shrugged. “That’s not all bad, is it?” She tried to shore up her defenses.
He gave a low chuckle that rippled inside her. “I guess not. I’ll be in touch, Miss Monterey Aircraft Carrier.”
She smiled in return. “Thanks.”
She watched him walk away and felt another skip of her heart. Why did he affect her that way?
* * *
The good news/bad news was that Millicent’s injury was a sprain instead of a break. That said, this sprain required a great deal of recovery time, so everyone in the house would be catering to Millicent.
Vivian and her sisters got back to renovating as well as they could. Jilly kept pushing yoga, and Vivian finally gave in. “Okay, let’s do it in the morning,” Vivian said. “I’m too tired at the end of the day.”
“It would really help in the evening, too,” Jilly said.
“So, it won’t help in the morning?” Temple asked.
“No, I didn’t say that.” Jilly nodded. “Let’s do mornings.” She added under her breath, “It’s better than nothing.”
Vivian joined in the whole namaste thing for the next several days, despite how distracted she was. As each day passed, she felt more sore. Wasn’t she supposed to feel better? Her shoulders were still rising upward in tension.
Tuesday night, she went down to the dock after dark with a glass of wine. She felt achy and discouraged. How was she going to make this work for everyone who was counting on her?
“Vivian,” a voice said from behind her. Benjamin.
She glanced over her shoulder as he strode toward her. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here for the next two weeks,” he said. “Your dad gave me a lifetime two-week fishing trip.”
“I didn’t know that,” she said.
“Check his will,” he said and sat down next to her. “I could be helpful. I’m decently handy.”
Benjamin popped open a beer and offered her the same.
“I’m sipping my wine,” she said.
“I’ll bring wine next time,” he said.
“No need,” she said. “There won’t be a next time.”
“Don’t say that,” he said. “Anything can happen.”
“That’s what I thought when I was a teenager,” she said. “I tried to get you to join me in the lake, but you said no.”
“Well, now I’m saying yes.”
Her heart skipped a beat, but she ignored it. “It’s a little late.”
“Think about it,” he said.
She glanced at his too-appealing half grin and strong body. Broad shoulders, muscular arms and lean hips. He had aged quite well. Why was she noticing his body? she asked herself. She needed to ignore it.
“No need,” she said and rose.
Vivian successfully avoided Benjamin the next night, but she couldn’t stay away from the dock too long. After dark two nights later, she carried her glass of wine to sit and sip under the stars.
Despite Jilly’s best efforts, Vivian found evenings on the dock more therapeutic than anything. Hearing heavy steps on the dock, she braced herself. It had to be Benjamin.
Without saying a word, he sat down beside her, his legs hanging over the edge of the dock. He put an open bottle of wine between them.
Vivian picked it up and studied the bottle. “It’s white. Well done.”
“Good to know. I thought I noticed you preferred white.”
She poured a half glass. “I can’t drink this whole bottle.”
“You could try,” he said with a grin.
“You are bad,” she said.
“In a good way,” he returned. “Wanna go for a swim?”
“No,” she said immediately. “It’s too cold.”
“I could keep you warm,” he suggested.
“Why couldn’t you have said this when I
was fifteen?” she asked.
“Your father would have killed me,” he said.
“Coward,” she said.
He met her gaze for a long moment. “You’re calling me a coward?”
“You turned me down all those years ago,” she told him.
“You need to look at the overall picture. I was respecting your father.”
“And now?” she asked.
“Now I’m going to get you,” he said, lowering his head to hers. “In every way.”
Her heart spiked. “Oh, I don’t think so. I’m older and wiser.”
“But you still feel it between you and me, don’t you?” he asked. “It hasn’t gone away, has it?”
Vivian frowned at him. “There’s a remnant. I’m sure it will go away soon.” She grabbed the bottle of wine and stood. “You’re a little too cocky for my taste.”
Benjamin laughed, and the sound was lusty and full of life. She wished she could laugh that way. “You like your men cocky. You always have,” he said as she tramped down the dock, her peace totally destroyed by her interaction with him.
She sighed. He needed to go away. She should check her father’s will.
“Hey, Viv, don’t forget I’m at the end of the hall on the second floor. You have an open invitation.”
Chapter Five
Vivian did some number-crunching in her bedroom. She played HGTV in the background, but watching how all the fix-it people seemed to repair everything at the speed of light made her feel more frustrated.
A knock sounded at her door. “Don’t be Benjamin,” she whispered under her breath. Then she called, “Who is it?”
“Temple. Let me in. Why is your door—”
Vivian opened the door.
“—locked,” Temple finished and studied her. “You look cranky. What’s wrong? Are the numbers worse than we thought?”
“Not really. I just wish we had one of those HGTV teams where they come in and fix everything overnight.”
Temple shot her a skeptical look. “I’m not sure how long-lasting those overnight jobs are. But we’re not doing badly, and now that Benjamin has shown up, things are moving even more quickly. He’s a real workhorse.”
