Only when she pulled to a stop at the large cabin did she have second thoughts about confronting Mack again. A flash of lightning spurred her on. She needed to get inside, out of this approaching storm.
And into a storm of a different kind.
Chapter Seven
Mack put the lid on the Spackle can and tapped it tight with a mallet. He heard the golf cart pull up and watched Carly enter the cabin. She was the last person he’d expected to see so soon after their disagreement.
She stopped inside the door and surveyed the area, a large roll of paper held in her hand.
“I thought you’d be further along. What have you been doing all this time? This will never be ready for guests by the deadline.”
Mack swallowed the curt remark on his tongue. “Probably not. You seem to forget there are only two of us working on most of these repairs, and the plumber and electrician are trying to work us in around their other jobs as a favor to your dad, but we’re not the only place in town needing them.”
“How long will those repairs take?”
“Just depends on what else pops up. Unfortunately, we seem to find new issues every day. I think your dad was holding a lot of things together with a hope and a prayer.”
Carly exhaled an exasperated huff. “I can’t believe this. We’re running out of time.”
Mack set his jaw. “No one’s giving up yet, Carly. What have you got there?”
“I found this in Dad’s office.” She spread it out on the counter. “They’re plans for a huge expansion.” Mack leaned over her shoulder, keenly aware of how her nearness always caused a skip in his pulse. A clap of thunder shook the cabin, causing Carly to jump back against him.
“Still afraid of storms?”
“Of course not. It was just unexpected, that’s all.” She glanced over her shoulder to the open door as the sky opened up and a curtain of rain poured down. “We’ll never get done if the rain keeps coming.”
“I checked the radar. It’s a narrow band. Won’t last long. Unfortunately the forecast calls for showers nearly every day for the next week or so.” He tapped the drawing with his fingertips, pulling her attention back to the plans. She glanced at him briefly, then down at the drawing.
“These are all the things we used to talk about a long time ago. Do you know anything about this?”
“No. I never saw it.” He looked at the date on the designs. “This was drawn up after I went off to Mississippi College in Jackson. This would have been the summer you came back.”
“Why didn’t he follow through on this? It even looks like he was thinking of buying more land to expand the campgrounds. We never talked about that.”
“Wade was always looking for ways to make Longleaf better and more appealing to guests.”
“I know, so why didn’t he follow through?”
Mack had a pretty good idea, but he hesitated to share it.
Carly wasn’t fooled. “What? What aren’t you telling me?”
“If I had to guess, I’d say he gave up on the idea after you left that summer after the divorce.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
He leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest. “He looked forward to you coming home that summer. That’s all he talked about. He wanted to celebrate your seventeenth birthday, but you only stayed a week, then ran away.”
She set her jaw, brown eyes flashing. “I didn’t run away. Why does everyone think that?”
“Because that’s exactly what it looked like. To everyone. After you left he was different. I think he was hoping you’d be with him all summer and that you could repair your relationship, but you didn’t give it a chance. It was as if you couldn’t stand to be around him. I think it broke his spirit. He was different after that.” He searched her gaze for some flicker of regret, but she looked away quickly. “Why did you leave so suddenly?”
Carly blanched. “I had my reasons.”
“You didn’t even say goodbye. To me or your dad or the Thompsons.”
Carly rolled up the designs. “I had to get back to my mom. She needed me.”
“Your dad needed you, too.”
She whirled around and pinned him with a glare. “He had you. I’m sure that was more than enough.” She strode to the door, then stopped as another roll of thunder boomed.
Mack stepped up behind her, watching the rain pour off the roof. Soon it eased up, signaling the end of the storm and triggering a memory.
“Do you remember that day we were closing the cabins for the season and a storm blew in, and we ducked in here to get out of the rain?”
Carly nodded and smiled, warmed by the memory. “We sat on the porch for an hour waiting for it to stop. That’s the first time I heard you talk about being a lawyer. I was so proud of you.”
“And you were going to work alongside your dad at the lodge.”
“That was a long time ago. I didn’t know any better.” She looked over her shoulder at him and their gazes met and held.
He told himself to look away, but he’d always been drawn by her lovely eyes. He was so close to her it would only take a shift of his arm to pull her around into his arms. Her gaze softened, and her lips parted slightly in a silent invitation. Dare he risk the consequences?
Distant thunder broke the spell and Carly quickly darted away, slid into the golf cart and drove off, leaving him with the same melancholy feeling he’d experienced years ago.
He was such a fool.
* * *
Carly parked her car and slipped her phone into her purse. Ashley’s phone call had been a welcome interruption after Carly’s visit to the cabin. Her pulse still raced when she thought about the moment when she’d looked into Mack’s eyes and knew he wanted to kiss her. The memory of the kiss they’d shared long ago had made her want to repeat the experience. Thankfully, they’d both come to their senses and she’d hurried off. No. Run off. Her attraction to Mack was starting to grow, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about it. She was just as confused about her feelings for him today as she had been that summer. The difference was she’d been a dreamy-eyed teen with a crush on the older boy. She was a woman now, and she understood attraction and chemistry between a man and a woman, and she knew it wasn’t enough to take seriously. Thankfully, a call from her old friend requesting a meeting was exactly what she needed to shove dangerous memories of Mack from her mind.
Ashley waved and joined Carly at the charming bistro table on the deck outside the Perked Up coffee shop at the Marina Village. She’d been anxious to discuss something, and Carly hoped Ashley might be able to help her track down the woman named Bonnie.
“Thanks for coming, Carly.”
“You sounded serious. Is everything okay?”
“Yes, I just wanted to ask you a question, well, more like ask for your help.” She took a deep breath. “I’ve been visiting your website about the lodge and following you on social media. And I’m so impressed. Anyone who visits your sites and sees those pictures you’re posting will be pounding on your door for reservations.”
“I have to admit we’ve been receiving inquiries. I just wish I could give them a solid date for the opening. You know we have a deadline and if we don’t meet it, we could lose everything.”
“I know. But I don’t see that happening. You have a real gift for marketing. I’ve been over every inch of the campgrounds with you growing up, but I’m seeing it in a whole new light through that website and your stunning pictures.”
“That’s encouraging. Thanks. I have to admit taking pictures of the campgrounds has reminded me how beautiful Longleaf is and why people enjoy coming here.”
“So here’s my question. Would you be willing to work your magic for me and the store? I’m really bad with social media. I’ve tried to get the hang of that stuff, but I’m always too busy with wo
rk and taking care of the kids. My eight-year-old knows more about it than I do. I just thought... If I could hire you to promote my business, it would free me up to concentrate on the actual work.”
Carly mulled over the idea. “I suppose I could do that. Once I had things set up, it wouldn’t take any longer to broadcast your information than it does for the lodge. And I’m already doing postings for my job back in Atlanta.”
“Thank you. That would be such a blessing. I’m just not very savvy about what to do to draw people in. Business in the village is growing, but there are still so many who don’t know we’re here. Publicity would benefit all of us.”
Carly laid out a quick plan for Ashley, promising to return and take pictures before heading home. She hadn’t planned on turning her new virtual-assistant position into a real job, but she was beginning to wonder if it might not be a way to earn extra income. It was definitely worth considering.
Carly drove home from the Marina Village with a lightness in her heart that had been absent for a long time. Ashley’s request had fueled an idea that was quickly taking root. Maybe she could start her own business, a virtual-assistant service, doing the social media tasks that so many business owners found frustrating or overwhelming. It was working well for her boss, Jessie, at the shop and it was gaining momentum for the lodge. Adding the marina store to the list would be easy. If it went well, she might be able to add more village stores.
Thelma was sitting on the back deck watching the girls play when Carly came home. They had the two little dogs, Poppy and Petunia, in a small baby carriage and were pushing them around the yard.
“Looks like they’re having fun. Is that my old doll carriage?”
“It is. I found it in the storage room under the lodge. There are a bunch of your old toys in there.”
“Really? I would have thought Dad would have gotten rid of that stuff a long time ago.”
“They belonged to you. He would never dream of parting with them.”
Carly’s heart pinched. She couldn’t keep pretending that her dad didn’t care. There was too much evidence stacking up to prove otherwise.
“Did you have a nice visit with your friend?”
“I did.” She took a seat in the cushioned chair beside Thelma. “In fact, she wants to hire me to handle her social media.”
“Like you’re doing here?”
“Yes. I’m beginning to think it might be a viable business for me. I could work from the lodge and spend more time with Ella. If it goes well with Ashley, then I might be able to expand to the other businesses in the Marina Village.”
Thelma studied her. “Are you thinking about staying here permanently, then?”
Carly jerked her head toward the woman. “What? No. Why?”
“You said you could work from here, at the lodge.”
Carly realized her mistake. “It was a slip of the tongue.”
“Of course. Well, Dwayne and Mack want to have a meeting at supper to see where we are on the repair list. I’m fixing pork chops tonight. Your favorite.”
Carly smiled. “Dad and I loved your cooking. Why don’t I help you?”
“I’d like that. I always enjoyed it when you helped in the kitchen.”
Carly’s anxiety about the meeting rose steadily as the afternoon wore on, despite her playing with the girls and the puppies on the lawn and starting a plan for Ashley’s business. However, it looked to her like little progress was being made toward opening the lodge. She prayed the update tonight would prove her wrong. Helping Thelma prepare the meal kept her mind off it all. The girls had been seated at the counter and were shredding the lettuce for a salad when Dwayne and Mack strolled in. Carly avoided making eye contact with Mack, afraid her confusion over their almost kiss would show on her face.
They settled at the table. Dwayne said grace and the food was passed around. It smelled delicious, but Carly feared she wouldn’t taste a bite of it. Thankfully, the conversation centered on mundane things. The girls talked about the baby carriage they’d played with and the promise of more old toys to enjoy from the storage room. Carly shared Ashley’s request for social media assistance. As usual the girls finished their meal first and asked to be excused to watch a video. With them out of the room, Dwayne rested his elbows on the table and clasped his hands.
Carly held her breath braced for bad news. The look in Mack’s eyes reinforced her concern.
She wasn’t going to like what she was about to hear.
* * *
Mack toyed with his fork. He’d half expected Carly to miss this meeting with the Thompsons. Dealing with the to-do list caused her anxiety. He could tell by her posture that she was tense and edgy about the updates. She wanted everything done instantly, and he knew that was not how anything worked in this life. There was a lot to do and everything had to go according to plan and in a certain order. He’d flipped enough houses to know that rarely happened. But he would do his best. For all their sakes.
Carly didn’t wait for them to start. “Where do we stand on getting this place open? I was by the big cabin today and it didn’t look like much progress had been made. I’m getting worried. Will the cabins be open soon? I’m already getting requests for registrations.”
Dwayne took a sip of his sweet tea. “That cabin probably won’t be ready, but the others should be. The electricians should be here tomorrow and the plumbers the day after. I’ve looked at the pipes in cabin number one and it might be a bigger job than we thought. They probably will have to replace a large section of the drainage run. Then we’ll still have to wait for the inspections before we can allow guests on the property.”
“How long will that take? We’re running out of time.”
Mack tapped his electronic tablet and scanned the list. “We’ve made considerable progress. Cabin two’s roof is done and the canoes will be returned tomorrow. The AC units in the lodge are working and I patched the holes in the walls. As you saw, the big cabin still needs painting, new floors and new furniture. Dwayne’s right. I don’t think it’ll be ready in time.”
“And the trails?”
“We haven’t been able to clear them because of the frequent rain.”
Carly pressed her lips together. “What does that leave?”
Thelma sighed. “I don’t have good news on my end I’m afraid. The repairs to the rooms are completed, but it’s taking longer than I anticipated to get our supplies ordered and delivered. The lodge kitchen will be steam cleaned on Friday, but then I don’t know how long it’ll take to get the health department to come and inspect it.” She glanced at the list on her notepad. “I felt sure I could rehire most of our former employees, but it’s been too long. They had to move on to other jobs. I did manage to get Blanche Messier back to manage the rooms and the maids. She’ll be able to handle all those preparations. I’ve also found a young college student to run the snack bar at the pool. He worked fast food last year so he knows what’s expected, though he can’t start work for a few weeks.”
Mack knew Thelma well enough to sense there was more. “What else?”
“Our former chef has taken a job in Mobile. Finding another one will take a while. We might be able to manage with a cook if we offered a buffet for each meal, but we’d still have to hire waiters and I’m having trouble finding suitable people.”
Carly spoke up. “What if we didn’t open the kitchen? What if we offered a simple continental breakfast only? With the snack bar at the pool open during the day, the guests can get hot dogs, burgers and nachos there. Of course the campers like grilling their own food anyhow. And there are several restaurants at the new Marina Village for guests to go to for dinner. And the new hotel, of course.”
Thelma nodded. “That could work. The goal is to be open for business, but we don’t have to have all the amenities available, do we?”
Mack rubbed his jaw. “I don’t think so, but
I’ll check with the attorney. Time’s running out and there’s still a lot to do.”
“Mack and I will have our repairs done in time. It’s all a matter of the subcontractors and how quickly they can make their repairs.” Dwayne shrugged. “Though I have been leaning on them to give us a break since it’s for Wade. They’re more than willing, but they still have to finish other jobs first.”
“Then we’ll pray that they work swiftly.” Thelma patted her husband’s arm.
Carly pushed back from the table and stood. “In the meantime I’m going to focus on the website for the lodge and getting the word out. We’ve got to start getting people interested in staying here.”
Mack’s ringtone sounded and he glanced at the screen, then quickly moved off. Carly watched his expression shift from irritation to concern to stern resolve. His jaw flexed, sending a twinge of concern along her nerves. “Is everything all right?”
Mack took a long moment to reply. “I’ve been called into work.”
“Work? I don’t understand.”
“The sheriff’s department is organizing a manhunt for three escaped prisoners and they need all hands on deck.”
A cold chill raced through her system. She’d never thought much about Mack’s real line of work. In her mind he was always the guy who worked at the lodge. “But you don’t work for the sheriff’s department. Why are they calling you?”
“I’m assigned to them on a temporary basis. It’s the only way I could get the time to stay here at the lodge.”
“How long will you be gone?”
“As long as they need me. Could be a few days or weeks.”
“But you’re needed here. Can’t you explain that to them?”
“And what about the people in danger from the escaped prisoners?”
Carly’s cheeks turned bright red. “Sorry.”
Dwayne spoke up. “Mack’s absence might slow things a bit, but it’s time for the subcontractors to take over. The three of us can handle the rest.”
Their Family Blessing Page 10
