by Helen Lacey
“Here, let me take over,” Jack said, scooting around behind the bar. “Have you had dinner yet?”
Where was Luke? What could be keeping him?
“No, but I will. I hope Luke’s okay.”
“I’m sure he is. Why don’t you have some dinner, and come back and sit down with Lindsay? She’s worried she might go into labor tonight.”
“Oh, dear. Well—”
Mary Cunningham appeared at the archway leading into the bar, her gaze sweeping the room until her eyes met Marnie’s. She nodded and wove her way past the people standing in small groups. “I’ve brought you the key to your new room. I’ve moved your things, and tomorrow your old room should be ready for you again. I assume Luke explained all this to you,” she said, handing her a large, ornate key.
Marnie’s heart stuttered in her chest. She’d forgotten all about the room change and her things being moved. Then she remembered she’d hidden her computer and her papers in the bottom of her bag, away from prying eyes.
Mary stood waiting, staring at her. Did she expect Marnie to leave with her? Had Luke sent Mary to deliver the key? What she wouldn’t give to ask where Luke was and when he’d be back. It would be a simple inquiry, and one she had every right to make, but her pride wouldn’t let her. Luke was busy, and she didn’t feel she could interfere. She was a stranger here. A helpful stranger, but still a stranger.
But why couldn’t Luke have spared a few minutes to come and tell her he’d be busy all evening? “Thank you, Mary. Would it be possible to leave Mr. Harrison a message?”
“Certainly.”
Suddenly, she wanted to go home to her family, to the security of people who loved her. “Please tell him I’ll meet him for breakfast tomorrow morning around eight.”
She was tempted to tell him she’d be leaving as soon as the road was plowed. Although she handled seeing Brad again tonight with as much savoir faire as she could muster, she was tired of feeling like the odd person out, of being the one who had to adjust her life to please everyone else.
“Would you like to order room service this evening?” Mary asked, her expression kind.
Why not? Her brother was paying the bill, and she hadn’t eaten since early that afternoon. “Sounds lovely. Thank you for suggesting it.”
“Why don’t I walk with you? Show you to your new room?” Mary asked, following along beside Marnie as they entered the main hall.
With the snow pelting the windows, she glanced down at the number on the key. “No, I’ll be fine,” she said, and started toward the stairs.
As she unlocked the door, she understood why Luke was so hesitant to put her in the room on the third floor. Even in the emergency lighting, this room was spectacular with its four-poster bed, fireplace and bathroom with a Jacuzzi and marble shower. The room also had a bay window that—if there hadn’t been such a horrific snowstorm blowing outside—would have offered a panoramic view of the gardens beyond the back patio.
She ordered from the menu and settled in to wait for her dinner, and her first opportunity to face the reality of having signed the agreement to sell her business. Despite the fact that she was leaving a huge chunk of her life behind, she now realized she didn’t want to work in a salon anymore, with or without Gina’s interference. As proud as she was of her accomplishments, it was definitely time to move on to something new and interesting.
When her steak and Caesar salad arrived a few minutes later, she decided she had earned a little luxury and settled in to enjoy her meal. Sinking into the wingback chair after dinner, she turned on the propane fireplace and watched as the flames swooped up then died down to a quiet burn.
As she sipped her glass of Merlot her gaze moved around the room, from the ornate dressing table, to the satin drapes and the flat-screen television, she wondered what it would be like to work at an inn like this. She’d never considered the hospitality industry as a career. But why not? When she got back to Boston she’d look into some courses.
In the meantime, she needed to get her rest if she was heading out tomorrow morning. The driving wouldn’t be easy, and she didn’t have the best snow tires in the world.
She finished her wine and pushed the trolley outside her door.
With the roar of the wind outside, she showered, got ready for bed and climbed up into what reminded her of a giant nest with its voluminous pillows and thick, fluffy duvet.
Sinking into the epitome of comfort, she closed her eyes.
CHAPTER EIGHT
THE NEXT MORNING, MARNIE awoke to complete silence. The windows were encrusted with snow, sparkling like diamonds in the pale morning light. Climbing out of her bed, she crossed the room to have a look outside. From what she could see, the entire patio had disappeared under the snow.
She’d never seen so much of the white stuff. A snowfall like this and Christmas only days away, the inn and Wakesfield would be guaranteed a white Christmas. Brimming with enthusiasm, she showered, dressed and went down to breakfast. As she reached the lobby, she heard the animated chatter of guests whose only topic of conversation was the storm—now being described as the storm of the decade. The word was that all the roads were closed, and the people at the weather center were calling for more snow today.
Now Marnie had no choice but to stay another day. She also had no choice but to keep her mystery-guest status hidden until she could leave. But all her concerns were swept away when she realized that because of the storm she had nothing to do today but relax and enjoy herself. Wow, for the first time in years she’d be free to do whatever she pleased.
When she reached the dining room, she chose a table near the windows that looked out on the patio, marveling at how much snow was packed against the windows, yet how cozy it felt. Sipping her coffee, she glanced around, only to spot Luke standing near the door.
As he started across the room toward her, a smile of pleasure on his face, she was reminded of the incredible connection between them. She couldn’t define it, but she didn’t care. She was simply filled with delight that he was here and about to join her.
“Good morning. I trust you slept well in your new room,” he said, pulling out the chair next to her and sitting down.
“I did. I didn’t wake until about an hour ago. What a lovely room. I can see why you get so many repeat guests here.”
His smile wrapped around her, his eyes searching hers. “I’m sorry about last night, but we had our hands full keeping the snow away from the doors and dealing with the power outage. I had intended for you and I to have dinner together.” He rubbed his face, his exhaustion evident in the lines around his eyes. “I survived the night, fueled by coffee and adrenaline. A shower this morning helped me regain my sanity.”
“I understand. Really,” she offered, his fresh-scrubbed scent sending a flood of neediness through her. His closeness, the way he leaned toward her, the sense that his attention was directed only at her, made her want to reach out and touch his hand where it rested on the linen tablecloth.
“The good news is that you won’t have to give up your room and go back upstairs tonight. There is no hope the road to the village will be cleared because a tractor-trailer unit got stuck last night, and they’re still working to get it dug out. On top of that, the highway going south is blocked. Rescue vehicles and plows are trying to reach those vehicles stranded on the highway.”
“I hope they get to these people soon,” she said, shivering at the thought of being stuck in the snow overnig
ht.
“Everyone’s hoping they can, but with more snow in the forecast, it isn’t looking very likely. They may get the people out, but the cars may take longer.”
The server appeared, poured coffee for Luke and took their orders.
“Where’s Ethan this morning?” she asked.
“He’s discovered Lego. Evelyn, the pastry chef, brought him a box filled with pieces that her son played with when he was little, and Ethan has them scattered all over the apartment. The evening shift couldn’t leave last night, so one of the cooks stayed with him all night, and is still there this morning.”
“What happens now?”
“We’ll try to keep the inn going until the roads are cleared. We have enough food and the guests seem to be getting into the spirit of it all. Several have even volunteered to help shovel.”
“So what am I doing today? As your assistant, I mean.”
“Not much. I’ve already emailed guests who were planning to arrive today, and mostly I’ll be making sure that we’re ready for the next round of snow due to start sometime this morning.” He glanced toward the windows. “I’d say it’s about to start again soon.”
“Do you have any office jobs I could do? I’m good at paperwork.”
“I’ll ask Amanda at reception if she needs help. In the meantime, if you’re interested, I do have some plans for changes to the gardens around the back of the inn next spring. You might like to see those, and if you have suggestions…”
He wanted her advice? “I’d love that.”
You’d love anything that brought you more time with him.
When they finished their breakfast, she followed Luke to the office. He pulled several large blueprints out of a drawer and spread them on his desk. As he began to talk about them, she witnessed firsthand the care and attention he’d put into the planning, how his face lit up when he told her how he’d worked with the landscape people to design a maze of cedar trees that would add an interesting walking exercise for his older clients who were no longer able to hike.
“This could all come to nothing if Advantage Corp has its way. There’s talk they’re going to sell one of the inns they own in the area, that someone from head office might make a site visit, but so far there’s been nothing confirmed.”
Luke didn’t know that the inn was going to be sold. Scott had told her they planned to sell it, confidential information that she wasn’t allowed to disclose. If it got out, Advantage would suspect Scott of being the source, and his agency’s relationship with Advantage would suffer. “I don’t know why they would want to sell this place. It’s beautiful,” she said in a lame attempt to hide her dismay at the realization that she had to keep quiet about what she knew.
“It is beautiful, and I love it here. I hope I never have to leave. But if the inn doesn’t produce the profit margin their shareholders are looking for, and corporate bonuses are tied to profit levels…” He shrugged.
She felt so guilty she wanted to climb under the table. She was not only working for the people who planned to sell the inn, she was helping them prepare it for sale, and in the process she would hurt someone she cared for.
Why had she gotten involved in this? She understood better than most people how difficult it was to run a successful business, and how running a business takes a great deal of personal commitment. If only she could back out of her promise to Scott....
She wished she could tell Luke what she was really doing here, and find a way to help him. With the lessons she’d learned running Total Elegance, she had lots of ideas that might prove useful. But none of it mattered if Advantage was determined to sell. If only they wouldn’t…or couldn’t.
“Running a company isn’t easy these days. In a way I’m glad to be out,” she said, more to make herself feel better than anything else. Right now, she was feeling like a traitor.
“It couldn’t have been easy to start up a business on your own.”
“I had a great partner—until he fell in love.”
“Oh, yeah?”
She nodded. “Shane and I worked really well together. We spent long and sometimes difficult hours finding ways to keep the business afloat. Luckily we were both hairdressers, so in the beginning we focused on that, but as the clientele grew we had to expand our services, and that meant having someone to look after the business side of it. So when we added massage and aesthetics, I took over managing the salon.”
“So why did you decide to sell?”
“Because the work had become too routine, too predictable for me, while Shane still loved what he was doing. When Shane met Gina, I couldn’t see myself working with her. Gina’s not my kind of person. She likes being in control, and too many bosses can ruin a business.”
“And she wants to be the boss.”
She nodded, remembering Julie’s remarks about Gina, and wondering how her friend was making out.
“I intend to own my own business someday.” Luke rubbed his hands together. “I’d love to buy this inn if Advantage decides to sell, but they’ll want a lot of money for the place.” His gaze moved slowly around the room, his expression one of sadness.
“You’d be really good at running it,” she said. And she could be the one to hurt his good reputation if the owners took some of her comments as condemnation of his management skills. Would her responses to the questionnaires influence their decision as to whether they offered him another position?
Luke was the kind of guy she enjoyed being around, talking business and sharing ideas. Her brother and his money-grubbing client could destroy this man’s dream.
When the phone rang, Luke answered it, his expression going from interest to anxiety in quick succession. He hung up, folded the landscaping plan and put it away. “I have to go.”
Wanting to ask what had caused him to look so worried, but afraid she might be intruding, she said, “And I have to make a phone call.”
He shoved his hands through his hair. “Nothing wrong, I hope.”
“No, but my mother is probably looking for me,” she said, trying to disguise her lie behind a bright smile. “I turned off my cell phone when I got here.”
“Okay.” He glanced at his watch hurriedly. “I’ll meet you for lunch, and we can talk a bit more. I’d really like to hear your perspective on starting a new business.” His distracted tone was unnerving.
What was happening? Had that call been from the owners? What had gone so wrong?
Whatever was going on, she couldn’t do anything to help him, or surely he would have asked her. One thing she’d learned about Luke: he was a man who valued his privacy, and she wouldn’t attempt to interfere. “See you,” she said. Waving goodbye, she slipped from the room.
Armed with renewed determination to block Advantage’s plans by any means possible, she practically ran up the stairs. She was on her way to the third floor when she stopped. Turning around quickly, she headed to her new room. She needed to talk to Scott.
* * *
CONFUSED AND CONCERNED, Luke wanted to simply sit in his office and talk to Marnie, but now he had a bigger issue to cope with, than the storm even. Jack had called to tell him that Lindsay was in labor, and the snowplow headed for them had had a breakdown. Jack was trying to get ahold of Dr. Pearson.
The sky outside his office was obliterated by the massive swirls of snow. Due to the rising winds and zero visibility the search and rescue helicopters were grounded.
The phone rang again.
“I doubt he would’ve left the inn because there’s literally no place to go. He wasn’t among those shoveling last night. Maybe he’s out there now?”
“Damn it! Where in hell could he have gone?” The tension in Jack’s voice made his words harsh.
“Try to stay calm. We’ll find him.” The last thing they needed was a medical emergency and no medical personnel available.
He headed out the door.
* * *
MARNIE CLIMBED INTO HER oversized bed and snuggled down while she waited for Scott to answer his phone. “Hi, sis. How’s the storm?”
“We are completely snowed in.”
“Too bad. Mom’s really putting the pressure on to know where you are, and I can’t hold her off much longer. Any chance you can be out of there before Christmas Eve?”
“None. There’s more snow coming,” she answered proud of how she’d managed to keep the smug tone out of her voice.
“Bummer. I need you back here, or I’ll have to tell another lie to Mom, and I don’t want to do that.”
“Then tell her the truth—I’m up in the Berkshires and snowed in.”
“Don’t think that will do. She needs you there to help her, and she’s blaming me for you not being around. She and Dad have decided to go all out with a big cocktail party the day after Christmas, and you’re on to be the greeter. Anyway, I told her you’d be home tomorrow, probably late in the day.”
What she wouldn’t give to spend one Christmas without being clucked at and sighed over because she was single, dateless and without any prospects—three major sins in the McLaughlan family. “I probably can’t make it home that soon.”
