by Jeulia Hesse
From their perspective, it was worth a strong consideration. If she decided to run the inn, then according to them, it would not impact the overall activity of her business. But at the same time, if she decided to sell the property, she would be breaking her land into two separate parcels, with a smaller one remaining for the inn. She would need to consider the impact of that transaction. Either way, she stood to have a substantial financial gain from her inheritance.
Sitting back in the dining chair and running her hands over the property map, she considered her options. There were a couple of wild spring fed ponds on the land parcel that the developers were interested in. As she ran her fingers over the pages, memories of watching a family of deer drink from one of those ponds with Annie arose in her mind. She had been fascinated to see the wildlife so close. Then another memory took its place – it was of Kevin, jumping naked into one of the ponds many years ago. Her mind drifted to the keen recent memory of his warm flesh beneath her palms.
“Hello,” Kevin said softly while clearing his throat. He stood in the doorway from the kitchen. “You are a million miles away.”
Startled, her hand flew to her chest, and her belly flipped, surprised with his unexpected appearance. It had been particularly shocking, as she was just fantasizing about him. “I... I didn’t know you were back,” she said, rising to her feet.
He held her gaze and approached her slowly. Her heart began to race in her chest. The last time she had seen him was their encounter in his cabin that had left her humiliated. She could not believe that her body was responding to him again. Anger and desire rose conflicted in her belly; her heart pounded in her chest.
He reached the table and smiled, as a smoldering flame rose in his eyes. “Did you miss me?” he asked huskily, with his eyes on her lips.
She stepped back from his approach, and an unexpected warmth grew on her face. In her awkwardness, she let go of the map and it floated to the floor, along with the developer’s proposal. The falling paper distracted both of them, and they knelt to retrieve the documents.
The map caught Kevin’s eye as he replaced the paper back on the table. “Building something?” he asked, his eyes taking in the content of the documents as his brows furrowed deeper the more he absorbed.
He was about to ask further questions when Gina and an elegant woman, attired in white pants and white flowing blouse, entered the room. “Look who I found wandering about the parking lot!” Gina exclaimed over Kevin.
The woman had an easy grace with her hair pulled back in a classy French twist. She revealed her brilliant blue eyes as she removed her Jackie O sunglasses. “Hello, so nice to meet you all. I am Claire Stone Devine from The Inn at Stowe.” She put her perfectly manicured hand out to Christina.
Christina took her hand and introduced herself, subtly wiping cookie crumbs on her pant leg. “Stone? Are you related to my aunt?” This was an interesting development, although Stone was a common name.
“Yes, but only distantly. Her husband was a cousin. My condolences on the loss of your aunt, my dear,” said Claire. “Oh, but I’m so happy to be stopping by. I have always wanted to see the inside of this inn.” She paused a moment, taking in the room before her eyes went to Kevin.
It was then that Christina realized that Kevin was filthy, since he was freshly back from a few days and nights on the trail. His grime was in direct contrast to the white attire of their guest.
Surprising them all, Claire gasped, clutching her chest. “Kevin?” She laughed; her voice melodious as she beckoned him to her. “I didn’t recognize you.”
He took her offered hand tentatively, cautiously avoiding soiling her gleaming outfit.
“Let me look at you. I haven’t seen you in years.” She took him in as her gaze traveled thoroughly over the tall man.
Christina felt an unexpected pang of jealousy and tried to tamp it down. She interrupted the inspection. “It’s so nice of you to stop by, on such a short notice....”
Claire waved her off with her free hand, not taking her eyes away from her assessment of Kevin. “Not at all dear, not a bother. If I had known you were harboring the only child of my dearest departed friend, I would have come by sooner.”
She touched Kevin’s arm gently. “Anyway, give us a kiss, young man, and go get cleaned up. We can catch up when you are scrubbed and shaved. You clearly need both,” she directed authoritatively.
Kevin obeyed and wordlessly leaned in to kiss the older woman’s cheek. She waved him away, saying, “Now go. I’ll wait for you, and we’ll have a chat after I am done talking to these lovely ladies.”
Kevin exited, summarily dismissed. Claire turned her superior gaze to the two women, saying, “All right then, let’s have us a tour. Then we can chat over a nice glass of wine.”
The three women chatted amiably on the patio after the tour of the inn. Christina’s initial impression of Claire dissolved as she recognized the astute business sense the older woman possessed. Claire and her husband had bought The Inn at Stowe immediately after they had married, and at the time, it was a run-down local bar. Together, they had transformed the property into a charming estate that benefitted all the businesses in the town by bringing in weddings and business retreats. Their location turned out to be a solid centerpiece for increasing tourist activity to the area.
“In my opinion, my dear,” Claire offered, “you are not starting from nothing as we had been. This inn is fully operational. And highly desirable should you decide to sell. If you decided to run it, though, I would gradually expand the overall offerings and amenities. You have two major things we didn’t have, and that’s property to expand to and a true history. You can expand to four-season outdoor activities. Your stables are in decent shape, so you could consider expanding to horseback riding, mountain biking, cross country skiing, or even snowmobiling.”
Both Christina and Gina sat open mouthed as Claire shared her knowledge of all the business opportunities they might consider. It was overwhelming and exciting at the same time.
“Engage with your local businesses and establish relationships as you can benefit each other as you expand. And work with the town to do something about that road up here. It needs to be better maintained and widened to support the additional traffic your inn will create.”
She took a moment to sip the Sauvignon Blanc Gina had procured that morning. Claire smacked her lips. “Exquisite. What wine is this?”
Christina glanced at Gina to answer. Smiling, she handed over the bottle, saying, “I got it just this morning at a local wine shop.”
“Now that’s what I am talking about, working with the local vendors and suppliers, creating a symbiotic relationship,” Claire said, studying the bottle.
“What about food?” Gina asked.
“Getting to that, my dear. I take it it’s an interest of yours?”
Gina nodded attentively, perching herself on the edge of her seat as she eagerly took in the advice.
“Food is of utmost importance. Your guests will expect to have fine dining options as well as a tavern fare. Your bar area seems sufficient to accommodate the tavern options. Of course, you will not want to become the local bar, so I wouldn’t recommend too much expansion in that area. But it’s always good to have a few interesting local ales on tap.”
She peered into the windows of the dining area and then looked around herself at the patio section. Her keen eye also took in the view of the gardens and the valley below. “You have some real potential here to capitalize on this space. Frankly, my dears, I am jealous of this outside area.
“Honestly, should you decide to sell, I’d like to consider the option of buying. My husband and I would kill for an opportunity for a place like this,” she said laughing gracefully.
The three women took in their surroundings as Claire continued, “I see weddings, receptions, family events, corporate events.... It would be easy to pitch a tent in this area.”
“My vote would be to expand the dining room to include
the overall patio,” Gina offered.
Claire nodded. “A larger dining area would be nice. I am sure there are ways to work around the historic preservation needs in order to enlarge the overall space. A good architect can help you with that. It will be important to the overall financial success of the inn if you are able to accommodate larger groups by expanding this area while preserving its beauty.”
Just then, they were interrupted by Kevin’s appearance on the patio. He was freshly showered, and his hair combed neatly back. “I agree on the preservation of beauty and nature,” he said.
Keeping Christina in his sights, he continued, “Preserving the natural beauty of the area, you will also help the overall business of the inn. That’s the much better option over parceling up, selling off the land, and digging it up to build ugly ski condos.”
Claire nodded her head in agreement. “Developers are the scourge of good land. They come in and build acres of ugly condos, trying to sell clients on the beauty of the place, but they are the ones who are ruining it by building there. Vermonters want to keep Vermont, Vermont. It’s such a waste. You aren’t considering selling to those people, are you?”
Christina inwardly shrank at the condescension in Claire’s tone. All eyes were on her as she opened her mouth to speak, but then Claire interrupted. “No matter, my dear. It’s none of my business. But before you make any decisions, please do your due diligence by looking at their other properties in person and not by examining the builder’s 8 x10 glossies. I am sure there are other ways to raise cash if you need that. There are lots of conservation funds available in the state. Now, if you ladies will excuse me, I’d like a few moments to catch up with this young man.” She waved the two women away and beckoned Kevin to sit beside her in the chair vacated by Christina.
Christina and Gina entered the dining room and closed the French doors behind them. Gina was excited, exclaiming, “I see such potential here! It’s so enticing. Imagine if we both were to quit our jobs to stay here and make a go of the place?”
Christina smiled. “Sounds nice after everything Claire was saying. You would come with me if I decided to run the place?”
Gina smiled and nodded. “You tell me if its pure fantasy or not, but it sure is appealing.”
Christina stood and looked around the dining area. It really was exciting and scary at the same time to have the option to run her own business. The thought of no longer working for a large corporate empire appealed to her. She wanted to be her own boss and build her own brand of hospitality. But it was also terrifying. She would no longer be protected by being an employer, and she would have employees and be responsible for the ebb and flow of the business. A business partner – someone she trusted, knew well and was a crackerjack chef –would be appealing.
Gina gestured to the documents left on the table from the developers. “You want to talk about it?”
Christina was again grateful for Gina’s company and presence on this trip. Together, they reviewed the offer from the developers and discussed the potentials for the property. It was becoming clear to both of them that the inn had a great business potential that they could tap into and develop. Unspoken between them was what this opportunity would mean to both of them, if they were mutually included in the plans. It was wild to think that they might leave the lives they knew in the city – including their jobs, apartments and social circles – to take a chance on a new venture. It would be a big step, and a potentially life changing move.
Chapter 15
Christina entered her small office. She stood at the desk, sliding the note pad pensively across its surface with her back to the door. She was lost in her thoughts. All the potential aspects for the property were whirling in her mind, and she didn’t sense a presence behind her until she heard the click of the office door closing. A flash of apprehension shot through her veins when she heard the sound. Suddenly, an iron grip clasped her wrist as Jeremy yanked her around to face him.
His face was contorted by rage and his eyes burned with fury. “I don’t know what you are up to,” he said with a voice shaky with rage, “but the bank accounts have been frozen.”
She shook her head and tried to pull her hand out of his grasp. Her mind immediately inventoried whatever was in her reach to defend herself. Her years of living as a single woman in the city, complete with several self-defense classes, benefited her response to this outrage. Her free hand fell on a heavy, old-model stapler. She grasped it tightly, as her self-defense strategy fell into play.
“Let go of my hand,” she demanded evenly, controlling the fear that rose in her.
They stood for a moment eye to eye. His rage was seething. Help was not far away, as Gina and Maude were in the house. Kevin was just on the patio. Distantly, she heard the dog barking, likely outside.
“I said, let go of my hand,” she repeated, raising her voice authoritatively.
He removed his grip on her hand and stepped back, releasing his breath, and looking at her with a disgusted sneer. She continued to clasp the heavy stapler in her other hand, stepping back as far as she could from him in the small office. He continued to stand between her and the closed door.
“There are bills to be paid and expenses to cover,” he sneered at her. “I need access to the accounts to pay them.”
“Then let me know what the bills are. They are my responsibility now, so you can forward them to me. If you have any expenses, submit an invoice and I will see that it is paid,” she replied as she tried to keep her tone civil.
“I’ve been taking care of the place for years; a little notice would have been nice. I have payments set up in the accounts.”
“I am the new owner, and I wasn’t able to access the accounts. My attorney has formed a new corporation to manage the business and the property, so I will be managing everything from here on out,” she said in a dismissive tone.
He took a menacing step toward her again. The look in his eye caused fear to rise further in her chest. Her heart pounded.
“Your lawyer?” he asked. The words dropping like acid from his lips.
His forward movement was interrupted by a frenzied barking at the office door as the dog pawed the wood of the heavy panels. Jeremy hesitated, and a shadow seemed to pass over him as he contemplated his next move.
The office door burst open as Jim let the dog into the office. “Here Boy,” he said, “What’s all the racket about?”
Jeremy stepped back, fear flashing across his face as the dog hurtled into the tiny room, growling. Christina bent down to welcome the dog as he burst in the room. She was grateful for his protective interruption. “Here boy!”
He immediately went into her arms, placing his body between the two adults. A low growl emanated from his throat as he fixed his eyes on Jeremy and bared his teeth. Jeremy stood stock still as the dog settled himself between them with his watchful eyes never leaving the tall figure.
“I think we are done here,” Christina stated, attempting to end the conversation between them.
Jeremy glared at her, unmoving. “What about the land offer?”
“Like I said before, there is a lot to consider. I head back to the city in a few days, so I will need that time to think about all the options. They didn’t give me a deadline to consider the offer, and I won’t be pushed into a decision,” she stated, becoming bolder now that there was space and a protective animal between them.
Although she had known the dog for less than two weeks, she had spent nearly every hour with the animal at her side. She had no doubt that he would likely attack Jeremy if he approached her again.
Jeremy raked his hand through his hair, leaving it disheveled. The dog growled quietly at the movement. He looked down at the animal with contempt written all over his face. Clearly, his plans were unraveling. The depth of the reaction puzzled Christina. She was the new owner, and it was in her rights to do everything that she had done so far for the inn. She had made it clear that she was capable of making decisions and would
fully consider all options before taking any steps for the future of the inn.
Perhaps he had expected her to simply sell and walk away, just as she had done all the past years. Maybe he thought she’d want to maintain the distance between herself and the painful past. She was further puzzled by his reaction to the bank accounts. Did he really think she would have been fine to let him continue to handle things? And since she was not able to access the accounts, did he originally plan on locking her out? Clearly, there was more to this story. She also thought Victor had more information than what he was sharing. It was unnecessary for her to continue to work with Jeremy, since she was totally competent to move forward on her own.
“I can take over this project from here. Please send me the bill for your time. If I decide to sell, I’ll connect with the developers. I have their information,” she said authoritatively.
The venom in his look was disconcerting. “Fine. I’ll send you my bill.”
He yanked the office door open and it swung against the wall in a loud bang, rattling the old window in the office. Loud footsteps marched down the hall and the heavy front door slammed behind him, reverberating through the lobby.
The dog looked up at Christina, wagging his tail. His tongue lagged from his mouth in a half dog smile. She reached down and scratched his ears. “Well, that was interesting,” she murmured to the animal.
Clearly, things were not going as Jeremy had planned. She knew she should be disconcerted by his angry reaction, but she was distracted by the conversations of the day. It wasn’t the first time she had encountered an angry male when she showed her authority and independent thinking. He had had no right to question her, and she felt comfortable in her decision to let him go. Now, she wouldn’t have to deal with him again directly.
After a brief time passed, she had moved onto other tasks and plans. She reviewed the options discussed earlier and her mind drifted away from Jeremy’s behavior and their unpleasant interaction.
