by Jen Talty
Actions, not words.
He followed Stacey back through the village, past Million Dollar Beach, and then up Assembly Point, all the while wondering how to buy The Heritage Inn. There was a lot to consider, but he’d make it work.
Stacey pulled into a driveway containing two big black pick-up trucks with Sutten & Tanner Construction painted in bright white letters on the sides. The house was older, but huge, and it looked as if everything had been remodeled. A two-car detached garage stood on the far side of what could have been a mini parking lot, and the house also had a three-car attached garage.
“Wow,” he said as he got out of the car. “I’ve seen this house from the lake. It’s fantastic.”
“My dad bought it when I was a baby and restored it. I guess it was in pretty bad shape, and he got it for next to nothing.” She ran her hands over one of the trucks. “Looks like you get both my dad and his business partner tonight.”
“That’s a good thing, right?”
“Depends on how much you like to get harassed.”
“Wonderful.” He followed her down the pathway toward the main garage. The house was very private, sitting on the last lot on the point. The evening sky was clear and thankfully, the wind was non-existent. It wasn’t parka cold out, but he’d left his fleece behind.
“Before we go in, I need to warn you about something that you won’t remember from your last encounter with my dad and his partner.”
“I don’t remember anything about it, anyway.”
She laughed. “My dad is a little weird, and his partner even weirder, and since I didn’t have the chance to tell them you were coming, it might be down right bizarre.”
“So I really am just dropping in.”
“I meant to firm up the details since I texted them earlier, but I got into a discussion with Todd on the ride home.”
“Who’s Todd?”
“My boyfriend.”
“All right,” Reese said, feeling awkward.
She opened the door, and he followed her through a small hallway into the kitchen, where a man sat at the table reading the paper and drinking a beer. A younger man with shoulder-length dark hair, wearing an apron, was cooking something over the stove. The cook seemed to be about the same age as Reese, maybe a few years younger. The one at the table didn’t appear to be old enough to be Stacey’s father.
“Hey, baby girl,” said the man at the table without looking up. “How was your day? Shoot anyone?”
“Har, har,” she said.
He looked up then. “Well, who did you bring home?”
“Dad—”
“You’re the drunk dude from the other night,” the long-haired guy said. “You still owe me twenty bucks.”
“Since I don’t remember betting you, I’m going to wager that I don’t have to pay that bet.” Reese shook the younger man’s hand. “Sorry if I offended anyone.”
Both men laughed. “You were highly entertaining,” Stacey’s father said. “Does this mean Todd is chopped liver? I’ll take this drunk over Stupid Face any day of the week.”
“Oh, my God, Dad. Really. This is my partner, boss, and trainer, Reese.” She kissed her father on the cheek. “Reese, this is my dad, Jim, and that guy over there with the spatula is his work wife, Doug.”
Spatula Guy waved. “For the most part, ignore Jim, except when it comes to Todd. He really is a weasel, and we’d both love to see her dump him.”
“Drop it.” Stacey waved her finger at Doug. “It’s not like my dad likes your choice in women any better.”
Doug shook his head. “I’m not his daughter. There is a difference.”
“Where is the little woman?” Stacey chided. “Working late? Out of town? What you think of Todd is exactly what I think of her.”
Reese didn’t know the man, but Doug’s tone was neither playful nor upbeat. Stacey’s was even worse.
“Play nice, children,” Jim said, “and get our guest a beer.”
Reese felt like he’d just entered a Twilight Zone with a state-of-the-art kitchen. Richly-stained hardwood floors. Granite counters. The cabinets matched the floors, and all the appliances were top-of-the-line stainless steel. A large oak table stood in the middle of the huge space.
“A beer would be great,” Reese said.
Jim folded his paper then put it on the table. “Have a seat. So, you’re not after my daughter’s honor, which is too bad, really, because we’d help pave the way.”
“I’m just looking into the possible purchase and renovation of the Heritage Inn, sir.”
“Dad,” Stacey said sternly. “Would you mind not trying to sell me off to my boss?”
“Jared is your boss. This guy is—”
“This isn’t funny,” Stacey muttered.
Jim nodded. “Sorry. So what can we do for you, Reese?”
Doug put a plate in front of Jim, and one in front of Reese.
Reese looked down at the plate, which contained toast with some beef and white sauce. “Thanks. I haven’t had shit on a shingle in years.”
“It’s the only thing Doug can cook,” Stacey said.
“Well, at least I can cook something healthy. All you can do is bake cookies.”
“I could shoot you between the eyes from a mile away,” Stacey said, “and I’d look damn good doing it, too.”
“Both of you shut up. You’re worse than toddlers fighting over a pacifier,” Jim said.
Reese laughed.
Stacey and Doug shot Jim daggers. Jim smiled widely. Interesting family. Explained a lot about Stacey.
“Thanks for dinner,” Reese said. He hadn’t realized he was hungry, but he dug in. Doug sat on his left, and Stacey on his right. It was actually kind of nice. Sort of like being at the Harmons’, except with fewer people and double the sarcasm.
“Reese is interested in the Heritage property,” Stacey said between bites.
“Really?” Jim raised his brow.
“Wish we could have bought that place,” Doug said. “Heard just today that there is some interest. Just hope they want to restore it, not destroy it.”
“I’m thinking about buying the place,” Reese said, surprised he had possible competition.
“What are your plans, son?” Jim asked, his tone serious.
“I want to restore it, modernize it a bit, and make it one of the go-to family places on the south end of the lake. I want to put in an offer, but I admit I’m out of my element.”
Doug and Jim exchanged a few looks, then nodded at each other.
“What do you mean by ‘restore’ and ‘modernize?’” Doug asked.
“I mean to keep the structure, but make it more modern, more appealing to people wanting to stay a week or more. Add to the waterfront. Keep it a family place. There is a whole section of land that could be used to put in family-friendly activities like shuffleboards, a basketball court, that sort of thing. I see it as more of a long-term cabin rental and small hotel.”
Jim and Doug nodded at each other again.
Reese enjoyed their secret communication, but wished he was in on it. The Harmons did that kind of stuff all the time, and it drove him nuts. Hell, even Frank and Jared often had some kind of secret mind-reading going on.
“Why don’t we take this discussion to the family room? Baby girl, how about some cookies?”
“Really, Dad? You want me to make cookies from scratch? Now?”
“I know you have frozen cookie dough hidden in the freezer.”
“And how often have you dipped into that?” she asked, then started rummaging around the kitchen.
“I just make a couple every day to munch on at the site,” Jim said. “Come on, Reese, let’s go to the family room. Doug, any chance you have those blueprints?”
“I have some workups on my laptop. I’ll go get it.”
Reese followed Jim into the family room. It soared up the full two stories of the house, with a spiral staircase to one side, which led to a balcony and windows that overlooked the
lake. Living in anything other than an apartment hadn’t crossed Reese’s mind in years. He didn’t need much, so a small space suited him. A family, however, needs more than just a place to rest ones head. A family needed a place to gather and feel safe and Reese wanted to provide that for his… family.
The family room opened to another room, probably the living room, and he saw a deck off that room. Next to the staircase, he saw a couple of doors, and on the other side of the room, a set of French doors. The house was huge, even compared to what he’d seen from the waterfront.
Reese didn’t know what to say, so he said nothing. Instead, he sipped his beer and planted his butt on the sofa across from Jim’s chair. They sat in silence for a few moments.
“How long have you lived here?” Jim asked.
“A couple of years. You?”
“My entire life. My folks live over on Cleverdale, about five houses down from Jared Blake. Your boss. Good man.”
“He is,” Reese said.
Doug walked in with a laptop already fired up, then placed it on the coffee table. “We have a few different blueprints of The Heritage Inn. A few, we had done for the original owner a couple of years ago, and some, we were considering if we could have bought the place ourselves.”
Doug tapped the keyboard a few times, and a 3D image appeared. He clicked a few more keys, and the images rotated. “The cabins are all in good shape, so not much to do there, but here”—He pointed to the screen—“we thought of adding a few more cabins, a playground, tennis courts, and a few other family-friendly activities, as you mentioned.” The images on the screen changed, showing the suggested layout. Doug tapped away again. “The main building has some problems, but if you gut the lobby, reconfiguring it like this”—He pointed to the screen as the plans replaced the old Heritage images—“you’ll be able to get into all the walls and fix every problem, maybe breaking only half the bank. Everything else just needs to be updated, refinished, et cetera.”
Reese took a long sip of his beer. Money wasn’t the object. Winning over Patty was. “What about the main residence?”
“Nothing wrong with the house. It was built in the early seventies, but renovated about ten years ago. I did the work on that. Would you plan on living there?”
“I guess so,” Reese said. “Let me ask you this.” He put his beer on the table and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “In its current condition, do you think the property is worth six-point-five million?”
“Yes,” Jim and Doug answered at the same time.
“So what do you suggest I offer?”
Jim and Doug exchanged glances. “Not far under the asking price. Maybe six-point-two million,” Jim said, “and I’d do it as soon as possible. Personal question, but do you have the money to offer top dollar?” Jim asked.
“I do,” Reese admitted.
“And do all the necessary work?” Jim asked.
“I do,” Reese admitted.
Stacey entered the family room, carrying a tray of freshly baked cookies. “What did I miss?” She’d changed from her uniform into jeans and a trooper sweatshirt. She’d also pulled her hair out of the bun, and it hung in waves to her waist.
“Reese is going to buy the Heritage,” Jim said.
“I’m considering hiring your dad to do the work,” Reese said.
“We can get you a list of references. Anything built on Harmon Hill in the last eight years, we’ve done both the construction and the design,” Doug said. “Also, we’re totally redesigning the Village Place. You can stop by anytime.”
Reese didn’t know a lot about construction or design, but he could tell quality work when he saw it, and Frank and Lacy had hired Sutten & Tanner to build their house. Add the fact they were locals that sealed the deal. “I think I’d like to retain your services now.”
“We appreciate that,” Jim said, “but feel free to look around. We won’t take it personally.”
“We can also sell you my designs,” Doug said, “if you decide to go with someone else.”
“I’ve seen your work on Harmon Hill, and I’ve heard from others that locally, you are the best in the business.”
“If you really want to hire us, then you should include these plans in the offer,” Doug said as he snagged a couple of cookies. “I’ll get you copies, but we can make it all contingent on the sale.”
“I’m meeting the realtor tonight.”
“We’ll get you these plans by morning. Let the realtor know that,” Jim said.
Reese took a cookie then nibbled on it while he considered what his Nana would say about hasty decisions, but if someone else was interested in that land, he knew he should move quick. “Do I get the friends and family discount?”
“Yes,” Jim said. “That said, its going to take me a day or so to prepare an estimate.”
“I appreciate that,” Reese said. He finished his cookie, which he had to admit was the best damn cookie he’d ever had. “Do you need a deposit?”
“If we are filing the plans for you in the morning, that will cost five hundred, so if you can give that to us now, while we prepare a contract, we’d appreciate it. The final estimate will include a two-year, three-phase working plan that puts the Heritage Inn as a full rental facility starting next spring. Maybe even earlier. That’s based on the work we’ve already put into it on our own.”
“I’m looking forward to working with you,” Reese said.
“We’ve wanted to work on that place for years,” Jim said. “It’s going to be a pleasure.”
“Reese enjoyed another cookie. All in all, it been an interesting and productive evening. Now he just had to tell Patty.
4
Patty waited nervously in the front seat of her car in the parking lot of the Heritage Inn. Being Reese’s casual fling had been easy, but the idea of dating him seemed more bizarre than the fact that she was pregnant with his child. Meeting at the Heritage Inn? That was just weird. The property had been abandoned when the owners could no longer take care of it themselves. Last Patty heard, they’d been placed in assisted living. A run-down property seemed like a very odd place to meet indeed. She thought about suggesting the little café with the great chocolate cake, but curiosity got the better of her. She was seeing a new side to Reese. It was both delightful and terrifying.
Memories of her childhood made her heart flutter. As girls, she and LuAnn Riley, daughter of the owners of the Inn, were inseparable. A fair amount of private land, owned by the Harmons, separated her from the Heritage Inn, but could still walk through the lush trees to the Heritage family home, as she had so often done. At one point, the girls had made a path lined with reflectors. Once, they’d even pitched a tent in a small clearing and spent the night, until a group of raccoons scared them away. Later, they found that Frank and his friends had put food around the tent to draw them. She and LuAnn plotted for months on how to get the boys back, but they were nowhere near as devious.
Headlights flickered in her rearview mirror. Reese, and someone she didn’t recognize followed behind him. She shut off the engine, then stepped from her car. Reese greeted her with a huge grin on his face and a playful twinkle in his eyes. It was a look she hadn’t seen often on him, if ever. He looked light, carefree. Happy.
“Hey, there,” he said. “I’ve got a surprise for you.” He kissed her check.
She tilted her head so his lips landed in just the right place. They lingered on her skin, sending tingles to the rest of her body. “What are we doing here?” she asked, trying desperately to keep her cool. This was all about becoming friends so they could co-parent. That was it. Nothing more. Nothing less.
The stranger he’d brought with him got out of his car and waved. He was older, most likely in his late fifties, wearing blue pants and a North Face coat. She recognized him then, from realty signs plastered all over town. Charlie Vicor, of Vicor Commercial Reality.
“Charlie, I’d like you to meet Patty Harmon.”
“I’ve met your f
ather a few times,” Charlie said. “He’s a good man.”
“Yes, he is,” Patty agreed. Drunk and depressed, but pretty good at putting on a show for the people outside the family until about a year ago.
“Let me show you around,” Charlie said.
“Why are we looking at this place with a realtor?” she whispered to Reese.
“Humor me.” Reese took her by the arm, and they followed Charlie into the main lobby of the Heritage Inn. The furniture and wallpaper were dated and it smelled a bit musty, but the view of the lake was breathtaking, just as she remembered.
“I was devastated when the Riley’s closed the place,” Charlie said. “My children loved to stay here when they came to visit, but neither of the Riley children wanted to take it over, and it was just too much for Harold. Then his wife got sick. What a shame. Sweet lady.”
“I was close to LuAnn once,” Patty said. “I lost touch with her after high school.”
“She’s some big designer in New York City,” Charlie said proudly. “She’s paying for her parents’ living arrangements now. She really wanted to keep the property, but it just wasn’t in the cards.”
“Could we see the residential living quarters?” Reese asked.
Nostalgia overwhelmed Patty as she pictured herself as a smile child racing between the Heritage Inn property with LuAnn, giggling without a care in the world
“Sure thing,” Charlie said.
Reese’s hand rested on her elbow, his thumb caressing ever so slightly, a gesture that could be seen as love, or simply a man who understood and respected other human beings.
Reese was the latter, never the former.
“LuAnn and I spent a lot of time on this front patio. Not to mention jumping off the huge sundeck over the boathouse as boats passed by.” Patty left out that both girls had their first kiss on top of that boathouse.
The house sat on the north side of the property, tucked up tight to the trees lining Harmon Hill. It had a separate driveway on the other side of the Inn. The hotel and house stood next to each other, with only some overgrown trees and the driveway to separate them. A long path wound from the hotel to the house. The front lawn was massive, looping along a large stretch of the lakeshore. To the south side, the cottages sat closer to the water, with a small grassy parking area in back, and lots of land between them and Route 9. All the property needed was a little TLC and maybe some upgrades to attract more seasonal renters. They really were the bread and butter of the village, not the people who lived here year-round.
