Sammie smiled. “What’s first?”
“Pancakes,” Betsy said. “If you master pancakes and eggs, all the other breakfast items will be easy.” She took the empty bowl to the sink.
“Oh, I can cook eggs. It’s one of the few things I can manage.”
“Can you, now?” Betsy asked. “Which style do you normally cook them in?”
“Um, scrambled, I guess. I usually just crack them into a pan and move them around so they don’t stick.”
Betsy laughed. “It’s all in the pan, that’s for sure. But cooking for a group is a little different. Same for pancakes, but you’ll have the recipe for those too. Getting pancakes right means the pan needs to be heated just so, and it needs to be one of the pans best for pancakes.”
For the next hour, Sammie didn’t speak. She just listened and stirred and flipped pancakes and messed up over-easy eggs. She hoped no one asked for those. Shouldn’t they just get them however she made them, though? She wondered. This was a B&B, not a diner.
“Can you hand me the heavy black pan over there?” Betsy pointed to the counter where some random supplies and dishes were waiting for their turn.
Sammie grabbed it. ‘Heavy’ was an understatement for that pan. This must be where the idea of using a frying pan as a weapon had come from, she thought.
“Now, for the group, I do scrambled eggs. Crack them all into a bowl, whip them up, add a little milk and cook them in butter.”
“Butter? Do all your guests go home fat?”
Betsy shrugged. “I figure we’re not a health club. If I tried to serve these folks egg whites and yogurt, they might riot.”
Sammie grinned. “We don’t want that, especially not while you’re gone.”
Chapter 28
As lovely as Owen, Jenny, and Patty were, at the end of the day Dominic turned down their offer to invest in his bar. He appreciated and understood their desire to do something for him, and it did his heart well to know Sammie had them in her corner, but he’d only done what any human should have, and it did not deserve a reward.
Now, he wasn’t above enjoying some of the perks they’d offered. Having an entire floor to himself had been an experience. Of course, it would have been ten times better if he’d had Sammie with him to share it.
Dominic and Owen had clicked. Had he met Owen under other circumstances, he wouldn’t have guessed that Owen was a rich man. Maybe his shoes would have given him away a little bit, but Owen was a genuinely likable guy. Today, Owen and Jenny were leaving for Houston. They’d asked if he wanted to see more of the U.S., but he’d declined. He didn’t think he could handle one more prodding look from Jenny.
Now, as he put his bag into the trunk of the rental car to drive back to the airport, he was second-guessing his decision to go to Dover.
In spite of Jenny’s persistence, she had never mentioned how Sammie felt about him. Either she felt it wasn’t her place, or she didn’t know. If she didn’t know, it was because Sammie hadn’t told her, which meant there might not be anything to speak of.
Time had passed, and Sammie had never contacted him.
He got into the rental and sat there thinking. Dominic, what are you going to do? He would save money if he simply returned home. Or he could spend a little more and put all his questions to rest. What was the worst that could happen? It might be awkward if Sammie hadn’t been thinking about him. Jenny had said she was focused on her life right now. If he showed up now, maybe she wouldn’t have time for him.
A horn blew behind him.
Dominic jumped and growled. “Eh!” Roger had his rental brought to the front and he was now blocking the way. Maybe he could drive to Dover instead? It would give him time to consider what would be best.
“Nah. Who am I keeding?” No way could he drive on the right-hand side of the road for that many miles.
Instead, he drove to the airport—a much shorter distance by over fifteen hours. At the airport, he turned in his rental car, sat down at a charging station, and connected his tablet. Then he fished the phone out of his bag that rested at his feet and dialed the number on the website.
“Betsy’s B&B! This is Betsy. How can I help ya?”
“Hello,” Dominic said.
“Why, hello.”
Dominic chuckled. Was the lady flirting? “I was calling to see if you have a room available.”
“What dates are you needing? I’ll be happy to check.”
“This is probably not usually done, but I would like to come today.”
“A bit different, but that’s okay. Where are you coming in from?”
“Florida,” Dominic said.
“You’re in luck. This is a slower season. A week or two ago would have been a different story. How many nights do you plan to stay?”
Dominic reserved a room for a week. When Betsy gave him the price, he flinched. Ouch. “May I change that to three nights instead?”
“Sure,” she said. “I don’t anticipate us getting full up, so it shouldn’t be an issue if you decide to stay longer. But, of course, you never know.”
“I understand.” Dominic read his credit card numbers off to her for the deposit and payment once he arrived.
“What time will you be in?” she asked.
“I haven’t flown out yet, but sometime tonight. I wanted to speak with you before I booked my flight.”
“I see,” Betsy said. He thought he heard disappointment in her voice. “Well, I probably won’t be here when you arrive. Hopefully, you’ll still be here when I get back. I would love to meet the man behind this voice.”
“Ohhh!” Dominic said with laughter. “I would like to meet you as well.”
“Never fear. You’ll be well taken care of. My assistant is new, but she’ll do a wonderful job, I’m sure.”
“Great.”
Dominic thanked Betsy and wished her well on her trip. They would likely cross paths on day three if he extended his reservation. Maybe he would spend a day or two there before he contacted Sammie. It would give him time to sort his thoughts out some more. Probably not, though. If it went well, it would be two days wasted.
When he reviewed the flights to Dover, he was disappointed. He’d have to wait over two hours before he could board the plane. He used the time to arrange a rental car and get a snack. As he waited, he took the photos the detective had returned to him out of his bag and looked at the one of Sammie and Jenny together. When he’d put the Polaroid photos they’d taken together in her bag, he’d hoped seeing them would make her eager to see him again soon. Besides, if he’d kept them, he would have been tortured with her image every day. In the end, he’d been tortured anyway.
He found a more comfortable seat in the waiting area for his flight. It was silly of him to travel all this way and spend money from his meager savings. If nothing happened between them, he would go home and do his best to forget her.
After he checked in on Lery and Charles, Dominic tried to get comfortable. It was useless. Across the way, a teenager was stretched across a row of armless seats, his head resting on his bag. How he’d fallen asleep that way, Dominic didn’t know. He wished he had something to read and scanned the area for a left-behind magazine or newspaper. No luck.
Eons later, his group was called to board. As he feared, the seat on the plane was even less comfortable than the one in the airport. Fortunately, he sat in the middle seat, which gave him a little more room to breathe. However, the flight attendant who provided the safety instructions did so in the slowest possible voice. He’d watched a couple of very entertaining videos of this, but this monotoned attendant had no personality.
The flight was fast, and a few hours later, he found himself squeezing into his new rental car. In Florida, he’d been fortunate to receive a normal-sized vehicle, but the tiny Mitsubishi he had now was barely more than a two-seater. It had a back seat, but a child would barely fit back there. He scooted the seat back as far as it would go, but he still felt balled up and hunched. He adjusted the
incline on the back of his seat and the mirrors. That was as good as it was going to get.
He followed the directions to Dover. Once he was on the highway, it was easier to drive. On the way there, he saw at least two signs and one billboard about Betsy’s ‘famous’ B&B. He didn’t remember Sammie mentioning anything famous in Dover.
Once he reached the tiny town, he was careful not to drive on the wrong side of the road. He was happy when saw the big welcoming signage directing him to the paved parking lot of the B&B, but he cursed when it took him three tries to find the correct lever for the turn signal. He couldn’t wait to peel himself from the vehicle.
Chapter 29
Sammie checked the clock on the wall again. Betsy had booked a new guest for that day, and she couldn’t retire to her room until the nameless guy had arrived. Betsy hadn’t written it in the book, and Sammie didn’t want to bother her just for that. She highly doubted that a random guy would show up and claim a reservation he didn’t have.
Sammie had commented about the oddness of a guy booking a B&B alone, but Betsy had reminded her that Owen had done the same thing. Apparently, it wasn’t that uncommon. Some travelers tended to prefer B&Bs over hotels.
Before she started working here, she had never considered the number of people Betsy had been in contact with—and Betsy used to run the business alone, other than help from her grandson. Sammie wondered if Betsy had ever feared for her safety.
Not that Sammie was worried about the late-arriving guest. St. Lucia might have shaken her confidence a bit, but this was her home town, and though there weren’t as many people in the house now as there had been the night before, she felt safe, for the most part. Okay, so maybe she still had a little PTSD. But running the B&B alone shouldn’t be a big deal.
For goodness’ sakes, she was in her home town, where things like ‘raking festivals’ were news. Her apartment was four blocks away. Leslie lived three blocks the other way. But she still wished one of the housekeeping ladies had been there. The TV was on low, but it didn’t help calm her nerves. Maybe she should ask Leslie to come sit with her?
You should come visit me. I’m at Betsy’s.
She waited for Leslie’s reply.
To do what?
Just chat.
Got any beer?
Sammie sighed and then answered Leslie’s text. No, I’m working. Just want company while I wait for the last guest to show up.
Sounds boring. Besides, if I can’t invite you to anything, then the rule is the same for you.
“Ugh!” Frustrated, Sammie was tempted not to reply at all, then more tempted to send a snarkishly witty reply. Instead, she sent a quick, simple text.
No worries. Have a good night.
Better to not give in to it. Other than family stuff, she didn’t plan to bother Leslie ever again.
She looked at the time on her screen. It wasn’t even seven-thirty yet, but she was ready for sleep. Another family was checking in the next day. They’d scheduled far in advance like most people did. They had kids, though. She hoped they wouldn’t be little monsters set on adding a challenge in Betsy’s absence.
The sound of a car outside got her attention. “Finally. Let’s get this over with,” she said aloud as she jumped up. She scurried over to the table where the guy’s room keys lay. All she needed to do was give him the spiel about what establishments were in Dover, the extras about Topeka, see if he needed an evening snack, give him a quick tour of the inside, and then show him to his room. Outside would have to wait until after breakfast the next day. Easy peasy. In twenty minutes tops, she’d be crawling into her PJs.
She paced near the door, waiting for him to make it that far. “C’mon, man.” Footsteps sounded on the porch, and Sammie planted a smile on her face and put her hand on the doorknob. She put her eye to the peephole so she could time opening the door right before he knocked.
The somewhat distorted view of a man heading toward the steps caused her to take a step back for a moment. It’d been one thing not to be able to get Dominic out of her head, but now she was actually imagining she was seeing him. Get it together, girl!
More footsteps on the wooden porch drew her eye back to the hole. Now she didn’t see anyone. Maybe she was more tired than she’d thought.
A moment later, his image flooded her view again. “Dominic.” She whispered his name, still not believing it was really him.
He knocked on the door, and she stumbled backward. I must be crazy! She looked out one more time and watched as he stood there, waiting. The man was flawless in her eyes. Smooth skin. Exotic eyes. Strong build. He was so beautiful. She loved everything about him, and she worried that she would open the door and it wouldn’t be Dominic. It would be some other man, and she’d be crushed.
“Chapé kò,” Dominic muttered irritably before he knocked again.
Sammie’s world fell away piece by piece as she twisted the knob. The only thing she knew right then was that Dominic was standing on the other side of that door and she needed to remove what separated them.
Sammie pulled the door open, and it whooshed with the air pressure release.
Dominic had started back down the stairs, but he spun around at the sound of the door opening, his feet on two different steps. He wore a faded pair of jeans and a white t-shirt with black trim around the cuffs and neckline. When their eyes met, he froze. Sammie wanted to run to him, but she couldn’t read his expression, because it appeared blank. After a moment, he blinked and his mouth opened, but no words came out.
What am I doing? I should throw myself at him. But doubt coursed through Sammie. Maybe there was some other explanation why he was in Dover. Jenny! Had Jenny sent him here somehow? She remembered thinking that Jenny had been acting odd. This must be why. He truly didn’t appear happy to see her. “How long are we supposed to stare at each other?” she asked, finally finding her voice.
As if he were coming out of a trance, Dominic licked his lips, drawing her eyes to his mouth. “I... didn’t expect to see you.”
“Apparently,” she said flatly, tired of guessing his mood. She felt deflated at his lack of enthusiasm. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh, uh...” Dominic reached into his messenger bag and drew something out and shoved it into her hands. “These belong to you. It’s a long story, but Natasha is now in prison.”
“Whoa.” Sammie drew her head back. She looked down at the photos that’d once been stored in her wallet.
“The detective found those and asked if I had your contact information so they could be returned.”
Sammie drew her brows together and decided to play along. “So, you came all the way from St. Lucia to return my photos?”
“Not exactly,” Dominic said, holding up his index finger. “I’ve been in Destin...”
“What?” Sammie stiffened. “What do you mean by ‘been in Destin’?”
“I was invited...”
“By whom?” she demanded. Heat blasted her cheeks as her anger rose, bringing her blood pressure with it.
“By Owen,” Dominic sighed. “And Jenny.”
The information Dominic had given her should have been simple to understand, but instead, it pooled in her mind. “So, let me get this straight. My best friend and her husband invited you to Destin, and no one cared to tell me. You’ve been in the States for how long?”
Dominic sucked in a breath. “Had I known you would be so angry...”
“How long, Dominic?” Just saying his name undid her. How could he have been here and not contacted her? Because he doesn’t feel the same way I do.
He ran a hand over his ’locks and sighed. “Four days.”
“Interesting.” Sammie stood back and opened the door and motioned him through. She was here to do a job, so her job was what she would do. “Mr. Dupre, welcome to Betsy’s Bed & Breakfast. We’re an elegant yet casual establishment. And this charming town has a lot to offer.”
Dominic watched her with confused caution. “Ah, Sammie, l
et me...”
“Follow me, please. Over here is the sitting area, where you are welcome to lounge and chat with other guests.” And charm them with your amazing voice. “Through that door there is a full office should you need to conduct any business during your stay. Most things have been recently renovated, so I’m sure you’ll find everything up to date.”
“Sammie? I don’t t’ink...”
“Tomorrow, I’ll be happy to give you a tour of the property out back, which offers outdoor seating and Wi-Fi access should you choose to work from the back deck. We have walking trails and even some animals if you care to interact with them. Please read all the posted signs before you do.”
Sammie circled around to the kitchen. “There are two main eating establishments in town. Both close at nine p.m., but there’s a truck stop ten minutes away that stays open all night. But never fear,” she said, smiling sarcastically. “We always keep snacks available for our guests in case you get a little hungry.”
Dominic’s chin dropped toward his chest as he followed Sammie back around to the staircase.
“Allow me to show you to your room.”
She headed up the staircase ahead of him and marched to his room. Betsy had small whiteboards in the shape of beds hanging on each door. Sammie now saw Dominic’s last name written on the one on his door. Had she come upstairs earlier, she would have gotten a clue about Betsy’s impromptu guest. Why had he come, though?
Using one of the keys, she opened his door. “This one is obviously the key to your room. And this one,” she said, holding the other one up, “is to the front and back entrances. I hope you find everything to your satisfaction. Enjoy your stay.”
Sammie turned to go.
“Can we talk? Please?” Dominic put his palms together and thrust them toward her.
“You know, I’m really tired, and I have to get up early to make breakfast for everyone, so I’d rather not.”
Dominic drew his brows together. “You’re going to cook?”
The Conflicted Maid of Honor (The Conflicted Love Series Book 2) Page 14
