Читать книгу The Christmas Inn - Stella MacLean - Страница 10
ОглавлениеCHAPTER TWO
A WEEK LATER JULIE CRAWFORD, Marnie’s best friend and Lady Gaga look-alike, sat on the foot of the bed while Marnie packed her bag for the trip to Wakesfield. “What do I tell your mother when she calls? I really like her, and this doesn’t seem fair.”
Marnie rubbed her forehead in consternation. “Probably not, but I don’t know what else to do. It’s like this every Christmas. I’ve joked about running away from home at Christmas so many times, only this time it’s going to be true.”
“Can you talk to her about how you feel?”
“I’ve tried, but each time, I end up giving in, mostly because I don’t have a reason not to go along with her plans. This year I have, and I need to get away for a bit. This whole negotiation thing has been a lot more stressful that I expected.”
“Still…”
“Tell her that you can’t reach me, which will be true since I’m turning off my cell, letting my calls go to voice mail, and only turning it on when I need it.”
“You’re really not going to talk to her?” Julie gaped.
Marnie sighed. “Don’t worry. I’ll call her eventually.”
“So while you’re off for a restful few days in the mountains, I’m left to deal with Gina. If she tells me one more time about her matching wedding band to go with her square cut diamond—” Julie pulled a thick blond curl from behind her ear and examined it for split ends. “She’s already acting like she owns the place and you haven’t even signed the agreement yet.”
Hearing the despair in her friend’s voice, Marnie sat down next to Julie. “I know how hard it is for you to watch what’s going on with Shane.”
“I know you do.” She gave Marnie a huge hug. “Why did I have to fall for a man who is making a total fool of himself over a woman who—” Julie grimaced. “You know, when I first came to Total Elegance, the first time I saw him, I really believed I’d met the one person for me. And look at me now, sitting here with you feeling like I’ve lost everything.” She tucked her chin into her neck, hiding her face.
“You haven’t lost everything,” Marnie said, wishing she could ease her friend’s heartache.
“I have! Meeting Shane made me believe in love at first sight. I felt so alive, so thrilled to be around him…and now I feel like a walking cliché. What’s even worse, he’s about to marry a woman who is so completely wrong for him,” she wailed.
“Love at first sight went out with the dinosaurs.”
“Like you’d know.” Julie snorted.
“I’ve seen firsthand what it does to people.”
“You mean Shane?”
She sighed. “Julie, Shane is getting married, and you and I may be upset with him, but there’s nothing either of us can do about it. You’re going to have to get used to working with Gina, or you’re going to have to leave the salon.”
“If she keeps pissing people off and the staff and clientele make tracks, Shane won’t have anything left of what you and he built together. Won’t you feel bad if that happens?”
“Of course I will, but I can’t change how Shane lives his life. Neither can you.”
“Promise me you won’t sign until you come back? Please?”
She and Julie had spent many late nights over bottles of wine discussing Gina and Shane. Julie had wanted to intervene, but Marnie had managed to convince her to stay out of her partner’s personal life.
“I can’t make that promise. I’ve agreed to sell, but he’s allowed me a few days to reconsider should I need it. I don’t think I will, but it never hurts to be cautious. Meanwhile, you have to face the fact that nothing will change Shane’s mind about Gina,” she said gently.
Tears shimmered in Julie’s eyes. “He can’t marry her, Marnie.”
“Julie, we’ve been over this.”
Julie gave a disgusted sniff, checked her manicure and tilted her chin toward the mirror on the dresser beside the bed. She got up, smoothing her fiery-red top over her narrow hips. “On a whole other topic, our landlord called before you got home, and he has agreed to the estimates for cleaning up the flood damage in the basement.”
Marnie and Julie had clothes and personal belongings destroyed by water damage a couple of weeks ago when a pipe broke in the basement of the house they rented. “That’s great. We can shop for new shoes and purses now.”
“Guess so.” Julie tucked one booted leg under her as she settled back on the bed.
Marnie pulled her one black dress out of the closet. “Darn! That reminds me. I don’t have a decent pair of heels to take with me.”
“You’re telling me you don’t have one pair of high heels you could wear with a black dress?”
“None. Remember, I’d been reorganizing the closets when the flood happened—all my shoes were on the floor in the basement, along with boxes of my winter clothes.” She stuck her head into the bottom of the closet and reappeared with a pair of three-inch heels. “All I have is this pair of canary-yellow ones, and I don’t have time to shop for a new pair.”
“Not given your inability to make a decision where clothes are concerned. Now, if it were me, I could buy ten pairs in an afternoon. Guess you’ll have to make a fashion statement with your yellow ones. I wonder if you’ll have to dress up for dinner?”
“I went on the internet to see how formal this place is. There was no mention of a dress code, but the photos of the dining room are pretty classy,” she said, worrying that she might not have the right clothes. So much of her wardrobe involved casual pants and tops for work, or jeans.
“You’ll be fine.”
“I want to look good, but not draw attention to myself. It would make my job a whole lot more difficult if people began to notice me. If they started paying attention to me they might wonder why I was checking things out.”
“You wouldn’t be that obvious.” Julie got up again and sauntered over to the chair next to the window. “So, how does this mystery-guest thing work?”
“Scott made the reservation for me and guaranteed it with his credit card. All I have to do is show up, enjoy every service the inn has to offer and fill out a bunch of questionnaires. That’s it.”
“Sounds simple enough. Hope it doesn’t snow too much while you’re there. You might not make it home for Christmas.”
“Christmas is the last thing on my mind.” Marnie bundled her curling iron, makeup and hair products into a bag and packed them in her suitcase. She gave the room a quick once-over. “Well, I guess that pretty well does it.”
Julie peered over the edge of the suitcase. “Underwear?”
“Oh, yeah.” Marnie scooped her undergarments out of her dresser drawers, dropping her pink bustier onto the floor in her haste.
“Wow! Are you up to something on the man front without telling me? Planning on meeting a hunky skier, perhaps?”
“You never know. I’m going to pamper myself, and if there’s an available male, you just never know what might happen. I haven’t had a decent date in months, and now that I won’t be logging tons of time at the salon, a decent date just went to number one on my list of priorities.” She stuffed the bustier and the rest of her underwear in her suitcase and closed the zipper.
“Well, here’s hoping that none of the guys you meet up there in the Berkshires bear the faintest resemblance to Mario.” Julie arched her eyebrows in warning.
“So I’m lousy at picking men.”
“No, you’ve got to stop letting them pick you. There’s a difference. As I’ve said before you’ve got to be assertive and pick the best apple from the dating tree, not the duds.”
Marnie smiled out of the corner of her mouth and reached her arms out to her friend. “Wish me luck on all fronts.”
“Absolutely.” Julie jumped up, towering over Marnie as she hugged her. “Call me as soon as you have a free minute and let me know what the man situation is like. I might take a couple of days off from the delightful repartee with Gina the Hun and join you so I can look for a mountain man of my own.”
* * *
LONG HOURS LATER AND NEARLY out of gas, Marnie crested a hill, following the road as it trailed along a stream that wound through the countryside like a velvet scarf. To the right, in the middle of a sweep of land framed by pine trees, she spotted a sign in navy blue edged with gold announcing The Mirabel Inn. Beyond the sign, a long driveway led up a gentle slope to the inn.
Marnie had never seen anything quite so beautiful and majestic in her whole life. She pulled to a stop on the side of the road, captivated by the sight. Two large wings extended back from either side of the inn’s front entranceway and peaked roofs accented the elegant structure sparkling in the afternoon sun. The Mirabel Inn looked like something out of a fairy tale. Its generous expanse of windows glittered in the light and the wide verandas wrapped around two sides. The eaves adorned with intricately carved wood emphasized the inn’s Victorian feel.
Her research revealed that The Mirabel Inn had once been the private residence of a lumber baron who owned most of the land in this part of the valley. It stood as a magnificent testimonial to his wealth and position in the community during the early years of development in this area of the state.
When Marnie was a child, she’d dreamed of living in just such a place, a dream that was immediately tempered by the reality that only the very rich could afford a house like this. But she could still dream, and she now had days to experience what living in a house like this would be like.
She started along the winding drive leading to the entrance with its tall white columns framing a beautiful front door, festooned with the largest Christmas wreath she’d ever seen, and set off by inlaid glass panes on either side of the door. She passed a towering fir tree, whose brightly colored Christmas lights added to the ambience, before entering a section of the driveway flanked by sprawling rock gardens. She could only imagine the types of flowering plants and shrubs that the gardens would hold in the summer. At the moment they were mulched and ready for winter, the bark chips peeking through a light blanket of snow.
Why would Scott’s client want a mystery guest to assess this inn? There wasn’t a shingle missing off the roof, or a bit of peeling paint anywhere to be seen.
But Marnie’s only concern was getting a few questionnaires filled out while she relaxed by the fireplace in her room with a hot toddy. Add to that a soaker tub where she could soothe her sore muscles after a nice hike along some of the trails she’d read about in the brochure. Absolute heaven.
She parked in front of the door and got out. Clutching Scott’s emailed directions along with her confirmation number, she slung her purse over her shoulder, and crossed the stone driveway toward the entrance. Her hand was on the huge brass doorknob when a little boy raced around the corner of the inn toward her, screaming in excitement as he grabbed the back of her jacket. A small dog that resembled a barrel with legs circled her, its fervent bark adding to the pandemonium.
“Ethan, come back here!” a man, following in pursuit of the child, yelled.
Marnie looked down into the bluest, roundest eyes she’d ever seen, and couldn’t help smiling. The child had what looked like tomato sauce on his cheeks and a grin that made him impossible to resist. “Well, hello there,” she said, kneeling down.
“Sorry,” the man said, coming to a stop in front of her. “My son believes this inn is his private play area, and he’s a little too young to get the message that not everyone who arrives here wants to play with him.” He gathered the boy in his arms.
“And I take it the dog has the same idea,” she said, still kneeling as she patted the animal, which immediately lay down, rolled over and offered his belly for a rub. “What’s his name?”
“Henry. He adopted us a year ago.” The man’s smile reached into an untapped part of her heart, creating a sense of longing so unfamiliar it stole her breath, followed by the sensation that they’d met before. But they hadn’t. She would have remembered a man who looked this good.
Trying to regain her composure, she focused her attention on the little boy. “He’s so cute,” she said, groaning inwardly at her use of such a cliché, but surely she could be forgiven for being so predictable. The man was beyond handsome. Sure, there were lots of movie stars who looked good—thanks to special lighting and camera work—but this man was every woman’s dream personified. He was tall, taller than any of her brothers, and he appeared very at ease with himself. His jet-black hair and sea-green eyes—haunted eyes—completed the package.
Get a grip! He’s got a son. And he’s probably married.
But Marnie couldn’t help marveling at her luck. First, the most beautiful place she’d ever seen was to be her home for the next few days, and now this…
“Can I help you?” the man asked, giving her the full benefit of his sexy smile as he hoisted his son onto his shoulders, much to the delight of the child, who promptly clutched his father’s forehead and grinned down at Marnie.
“I’m expected. I have a reservation.”
His eyes darkened, and the smile faded from his face as he glanced at her car and back at her. “You have a reservation here?”
“Yes.” She held out her brother’s email, with her confirmation number scribbled along the bottom. “I have a reservation for The Mirabel Inn, starting tonight and checking out on the twenty-fourth.”
“Is your…husband, I mean your spouse…partner…here?” Consternation knit his brows together.
Marnie didn’t know how to respond to such an outrageous question. All she wanted was to check in and relax before dinner. “Do you have to have a husband to stay here?” she asked in her you’ve-got-to-be-kidding tone.
Hesitating, he gently tugged on his son’s legs. “No. No, of course not. At least most of the time you don’t. But as of tomorrow night, the inn will be filled with couples. It’s our Christmas Getaway event and it’s meant for couples wanting to enjoy the romantic holiday away from all the stress of Christmas preparations. I’m sure the person doing the reservation would’ve told you that.”
She couldn’t stay here because she was single? Was this covered in the Constitution? It had to be. She had a valid reservation because her brother wouldn’t make that kind of mistake. But why was she wasting time talking to someone who was clearly a lot more handsome than he was gracious?
“Look, I drove all the way up here. I have a reservation and I’m going to check in.” With that, she opened the door and strode into the lobby. Immediately, Henry jumped up and ambled in behind her, his nails clicking on the hardwood flooring.
Under different circumstances she would’ve stopped to admire the fabulous Christmas tree filling the main hall with the scent of balsam and outdoors, but she had to determine if her brother had made a mistake. If there’d been some mistake with the reservation, she’d be forced to return to Boston. If that was the case, surely they could help her find a place to stay somewhere in the vicinity as she was too tired to drive any farther. She walked to the desk off along one wall and rang the antique bell resting on the gleaming mahogany.
A woman appeared, dressed in a classy black dress, a smile warming her angular features. “How may I help you?” she asked.
“I’m here to check in. My name is Marnie McLaughlan, and I have a reservation.”
A frown knitted the woman’s perfectly tweezed eyebrows as she scanned a printout. “Could you wait just a minute?” she asked before disappearing into an office down the hall.
The man she’d met outside came in with his son, his expression neutral as he edged past her and went into the same office. Henry promptly settled in behind the reception desk, his chocolate-brown eyes pensive.
Was everyone in this place either frowning or looking far too serious for such a lovely day? What was the problem with them? She was here, and all she wanted was a pleasant room with a soft bed and a deep tub.
She’d gone over the questionnaires before she left Boston, and there was a section covering the reception desk. She’d be sure to give them a failing grade on how they received guests. Only the little boy and the dog had shown her any true courteousness so far.
She resisted the urge to tap her foot as she gazed up at the vaulted ceiling with its dark wood and hanging brass light fixtures. No wonder Advantage Corporation wanted this place checked out. No hotel employee should be this unpleasant with a paying guest, regardless of what plans had been made for activities at the inn.
She was left to twiddle her thumbs for a few minutes longer, and then the man reappeared without the child, the woman trailing behind him. His smile was back on his face.
“I’m Luke Harrison, manager of The Mirabel Inn.” He held out his hand, a welcoming smile on his face.
Now, that’s more like it.
The warmth and the firmness of his touch drew her in despite his recent behavior. So this was the manager of The Mirabel Inn. His penetrating gaze could prove dangerous should he have reason to believe that she was anything other than a paying guest. The last thing she needed was for him to suspect that she was doing a private assessment of his operations. It would probably be a good idea not to press him over his preoccupation about her traveling alone. The less involvement she had with the man over the next few days, the better.
“It seems we’ve made a mistake. You’re right, you do have a reservation, but I’m afraid the only room available is on the third floor. Unfortunately, it’s very small and the bathroom doesn’t have a Jacuzzi tub. It is not up to the standards of the other rooms here and is seldom used.”
“Does it have internet access?” she asked.
“It does, but only because it’s about to be converted to an office.”
“Well, as long as it has a bathroom—”
“We’re sorry about this situation. We don’t normally rent that room. If you’d like, we can call another inn just a couple of miles down the road. The Chancellor is very intimate and offers the best of everything, including a four-star dining room. They have a vacancy, and we’d be more than happy to compensate you for our mistake.”
Obviously she preferred a full-size room to what sounded like a broom closet with a bathroom. But she didn’t have a choice. She had to stay at The Mirabel Inn. Still, she could indulge her curiosity. “Does the Chancellor have a spa?”
“No, it doesn’t. Was our spa part of your reason for choosing The Mirabel Inn?” he asked, pleasure lighting his handsome features.
He was clearly proud of his spa. “Yes, it was.”
“That’s really too bad. But this is a very popular season of the year, and we’d like you to have the best experience possible during your stay at our inn. We could, of course, offer you a certificate toward booking another time. We would be pleased to provide the Ambassador Suite, should you decide you prefer the accommodations of the Chancellor Inn for this visit, and then return for another visit here.” His eyebrows lifted, his parted lips showing off his perfectly straight teeth.
She wished she could agree to his offer—the chance to see him a second time adding to the appeal—but there was her brother to consider. “No, I prefer to stay here. I’ve read so much about your inn.”
He nodded slowly. “Then welcome to The Mirabel Inn. I do hope you have a pleasant experience here with us,” he said, giving her a forced smile before turning on his heel and marching out of the lobby. Henry issued a mammoth dog sigh as he followed the man down the hallway.
The woman in the black dress stepped forward. “I’m sorry about this. You are travelling alone, correct?”
Marnie stared at the woman in disbelief as she yanked her cell phone out of her purse. The minute she got to her room she would get Scott on the line and have him deal with these people. With the way they were acting toward her, she’d happily get back in the car, find a gas station and get out of here. “What is the big deal?” she muttered.
The woman started to say something, then thought better of it.
Marnie leaned closer to read the woman’s name badge. “Amanda Buckland, is that correct?”
“Yes…”
“Mr. Harrison didn’t seem very pleased when I refused his offer to switch inns.”
The woman passed Marnie a form for her signature. “Mr. Harrison is anxious that each guest have the best possible experience while staying at The Mirabel. He’s simply concerned for you. Starting tomorrow, the only guests here will be couples.”
An inn full of romantic couples—just her rotten luck. But there was the spa, and hiking and good food, and a timeout for her. “Not to worry. I understand. I’ll be as quiet and discreet as possible. I won’t interfere with your special Christmas event.”
“We have a large clientele who come here for pampering and socializing with other guests. Our manager simply wants each guest to enjoy his or her experience with us.” Amanda pursed her flawlessly painted lips.
“I understand.” In truth, as gorgeous as Mr. Harrison might be, what the manager of this inn wanted came in last on her list of priorities.
“Mr. Harrison is a lovely man and a great manager. Everyone here at The Mirabel likes him, and of course Ethan is such an adorable little boy. We’re like a family.”
The whole family thing didn’t live up to its billing as far as she was concerned. Yet, she had a job to do and she would do it.
Amanda passed her an antique key embossed with a coat of arms. “I hope you have a wonderful stay with us, and if there’s anything any member of the staff can do for you, please don’t hesitate to ask. I’ll show you to your room.”
“That’s not necessary. I’ll get my suitcase and go up by myself. Room number 311, right?”
“Yes. If you’d like someone to park your car for you…”
“That would be nice.” Oh, she could get used to this sort of luxury very quickly. She imagined the spa and what treats awaited her there. She intended to indulge in all of them.
Amanda pulled the long velvet pull cord hanging at the back of the desk area and a bell tolled somewhere deep inside the building. “Again, please enjoy your stay, and let one of the staff know if you need anything.”
Marnie got her bag from her car, gave her keys to a young man who was waiting outside for her and then headed up the stairs to the third floor. The wide-angled staircase, carpeted in heavy paisley-patterned carpet, led to a much narrower stairway leading to the third floor. Reaching the top of the stairs, she faced a narrow corridor with a tall window at the far end. Her key clutched in her hand, she huffed along down the hall, dragging her suitcase until she found her room. Unlocking the door, she discovered a narrow room made even narrower by the slope of the roof.
Although the room was small, it was a decorator’s dream. The double bed, bracketed by two brass lamps, was covered with a heavy brocade bedspread in shades of cream and gold. The walls were covered in antique fleur-de-lis wallpaper, and the carpet beneath her feet was a rich shade of blue, and so thick she nearly stumbled on it.
She put her suitcase down on the luggage rack at the foot of the bed, catching a glimpse of the tiny bathroom as she did so. But neither the size of the room nor the bathroom mattered as she kicked off her boots, pulled back the bedspread and sank onto the mattress, her head coming to rest on a pillow that felt like a cloud. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she remembered that one of the questionnaire sections related to the comfort of the bed, and she’d be sure to give the inn a perfect rating on that feature.
But it had been a long drive and she needed a short nap before dinner....
* * *
LUKE SAT AT his desk, staring at Marnie McLaughlan’s reservation. It was made out to a Mr. and Mrs. Scott McLaughlan, and yet she’d shown up here alone…and no wedding ring. Where was Mr. McLaughlan? Amanda said he’d been very friendly and so disappointed when she didn’t have a vacancy that she’d felt sorry for him, and offered him the room on the top floor. But why hadn’t he arrived with her if he was so anxious to come here? His wife hadn’t made any mention of him or when he’d be joining her.
It didn’t make sense. He tapped the desk, his mind running over the possibilities.
His concerns aside, he’d been surprised to find Ethan hanging off the woman’s leg when he got to the front of the house, but she seemed to take it in stride. What could have been an embarrassing situation had turned into a pleasant interlude with a beautiful woman. And with her heart-shaped face framed by short, dark curls and her well-toned body, Marnie McLaughlan was gorgeous and sexy....
Her husband probably planned to arrive later, a simple enough explanation, and he hadn’t offered her much opportunity to explain why they hadn’t arrived together. He’d simply find a diplomatic way to learn when her husband was going to join her, because otherwise, a woman alone meant problems from seating arrangements in the dining room to any activities planned for the next few days. Married couples, especially the wives, came to this event because they wanted to escape and spend time with their husbands. It was essential that there be no disruptions this year—and a woman as beautiful as Marnie McLaughlan could prove to be a serious disruption.
He was still distracted by the problem of Marnie when Jack Fowler, the bartender, appeared at the door. “You look awful, my friend. What’s up?”
“We’ve got a single female guest for the next three days, unless her husband decides to join her.” He picked up the reservation, and noted down Scott McLaughlan’s number. “And we have thirty couples who’ve registered for the Christmas Getaway event, most of them arriving tomorrow. I wanted this thing to go off without a hitch. I’d like to really promote it next year and maybe build a little momentum around our programming for the winter months. The last thing I need is a beautiful woman making the wives feel on edge or jealous.”
“I hope she’s not one of those women who likes to hang out at the bar. The last one of those just left yesterday and I’m exhausted,” Jack grumbled.
Luke knew what he meant. Although the bar was popular with the guests because of Jack’s charm, in addition to the quality and variety of the liquor offerings, no one appreciated a guest wanting to spend the night getting drunk. In Jack’s case, he had another reason for wanting to see his guests leave the bar at a reasonable hour. His wife, Lindsay, was expecting their first child and was anxious about the delivery, especially with respect to getting to the hospital on time. Jack didn’t like leaving her alone and had worked mostly day shifts until this week.
“I don’t know anything about her except that the reservation was for two, and here she is, all checked in and ready to enjoy her stay…alone. Her husband insisted that the small room was fine for them. I can’t shake the feeling that something else is going on here.” Restless, he picked up a steel pen, one his parents had given him years ago.
“I assume she’s beautiful.”
“That, too.”
“I take it you tried to convince her to reconsider?”
“I suggested the Chancellor but she refused. It seems she’s very interested in our spa.”
“Well, then I wouldn’t worry. Her husband will probably show up,” Jack said, rubbing his hands through his short-cropped brown hair. “Maybe she and her husband had a fight, and she decided to come on her own, hoping he’d follow her and they could have great makeup sex.”
Luke groaned. “I don’t need that—her deciding to cry on one of the other husbands’ shoulders when hers doesn’t show, and we end up with an argument, or worse still, the couple leaves. Not the image I want to portray.”
“You know there is something you could do if you’re worried about the other guests.”
“What’s that?”
“Until the other guests arrive, I don’t see a problem. But if her husband isn’t here by tomorrow night for the dinner that launches the Christmas Getaway event, you could invite her to be your guest. That way you’ll be able to keep an eye on her.”
“And if she doesn’t want to be my guest?”
Jack shrugged. “She won’t object. Half the women I serve at the bar ask me about you. Married or not. They’re all interested.”
He hadn’t dated anyone since Anna died. There was simply too much to deal with between raising Ethan and running the inn. And if he were to be perfectly honest, a new relationship with a woman would mean he’d have to face his feelings around Anna’s death, feelings of anger over her unwillingness to listen to his warning about the road conditions, all the emptiness of having been left alone.
Yet, meeting Marnie had sparked something. He was attracted to her, and he didn’t want to be. First, she was married, and second, he didn’t want to care for someone when caring could lead to so much hurt. “That might work for tomorrow,” he conceded.
“Her husband will probably arrive tomorrow, anyway.”
“Then why didn’t she say so?”
Jack shook his head. “Did you ask?”
“No.” He sighed. “I should have.”
“My advice? Leave it for tonight, and deal with it tomorrow.”
* * *
MARNIE WOKE WITH A START—nothing seemed familiar, and the only sound was someone outside the door talking about a room number. Then she remembered where she was. How long had she slept? She checked her watch. Six o’clock! She’d planned to go for a hike, but now all she’d have time for was a walk around the grounds. She jumped up, hitting her head on the sloped ceiling. “Ow!” she muttered, rubbing the spot just above her hairline.
“That’s what you get for agreeing to stay in this room,” she said to the empty space as she bent over, searching for her hiking boots. Pulling them on, she noted how dark it was outside, only the sliver of moon peeking through the blind. She hurried downstairs and out the front door. Taking a quick look around, she spotted a stone path leading to the side of the inn. She took it, past a cluster of spreading juniper toward the back. The path led to a stone patio where someone had removed all the snow.
Near the edge on the other side of the patio, Ethan was on his hands and knees digging in the soft loam of a flowerbed, while making loud dump-truck sounds. Squinting around the poorly lit patio space she realized the little boy was out here alone. Except for Henry, who had settled in near the patio door, his chin on his paws, one ear flopped rakishly over one eye. He observed her carefully, his ears doing a flip-flop before settling back.
She went over and knelt down beside the boy. “Ethan, what are you doing?”
“I drive the truck,” he announced proudly, his blue eyes taking her in, a smile dawning on his face. “I need help. You push,” he ordered, getting behind the toy dump truck loaded with dirt and giving it a shove.
She laughed. “You want me to drive your dump truck?”
He nodded, then stepped back and nodded his head again.
“Okay, here goes,” she said, pushing the truck along the edge of the flowerbed toward a spot where he’d clearly dumped other loads.
He toddled along beside her, and when she stopped he pulled the lever that raised the box on the dump truck, spilling his load onto the ground.
He promptly got behind the truck and with a cacophony of enginelike noises he drove the truck back to the spot where she’d found him. She hugged herself against the chill of the night air. “Aren’t you cold?” she asked, noting his fleece jacket partially zippered.
“No!” he howled, looking up at her and scrunching his tiny face. “I’m not cold.”
“Okay. Do you want to load the dump truck again?”
“Yes.” He began shoveling dirt into the truck with his plastic shovel, and again she wondered if anyone in the inn knew this child was out here on his own.
“Where’s your daddy?”
He pointed to the tall windows overlooking the patio. Inside, she could see a cluster of tables covered with white tablecloths and candles, and staff moving around the room. The room looked so inviting with its twinkling chandeliers, the golden walls and dark trim. She went to the window for a closer look, only to attract the curious attention of one of the young female servers. Embarrassed, she wiggled her fingers at her, then turned away and went back to where Ethan was busily filling the dump truck.
“Push,” he ordered, pointing at the truck.
Dutifully, she knelt down and pushed the truck toward the dump spot to the tune of Ethan’s squeals of delight. They dumped the dirt out together, and then Ethan turned to her, a bright smile on his face. Wrapping his arms around her neck, he hugged her.
Startled, at first she didn’t know what to do, but feeling his arms tighten, she hugged him back. What a wonderful feeling! How she missed this now that all her nieces and nephews were older. Feeling the warmth of the little boy’s body and breathing in his little-boy scent, she felt a strong sense of missing out on life....
He sprang out of her arms. “You help me some more?”
“Sure. But why don’t we go inside for a bit first?” she asked, the evening air cooling rapidly.
“No!” He pushed his lips out in a pout. “I don’t want to.”
She had begun to shiver and tucked her chin into the top of her jacket. “But it must be time for you to eat,” she offered, hoping to encourage him to go in with her. She got up, stretched her legs and moved toward the patio doors. “Why don’t you come with me?” she asked, glancing over at the sound of the door opening. Henry barked and ambled toward the door, slipping past the man back-lit by the light of the room behind him.
Luke Harrison stood there, his face in partial shadow. “Oh, it’s you.”
“Yes, I went out for a walk around the property and discovered Ethan playing with his dump truck.” Why did she feel nervous? Was it the detached tone of the man’s voice? Did he think she was trying to kidnap his son?
“One of the serving staff told me a strange woman was out here, so I came to check.”
“I’ve been called a lot of things, but until now ‘strange’ hasn’t been one of them,” she said, making an attempt at humor. After her previous encounter she wanted to make a better impression this time around, if only to ease his concerns over her being here alone.
Moving toward her, he chuckled, a deep, sexy sound that made her body tingle. “I didn’t mean to imply that you’re strange.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Thanks for being here with Ethan. I got called to the phone and meant to return sooner than this.”
Ethan had moved to stand between them, his head tilted back, staring up at them. “He’s going to be an engineer when he grows up,” Marnie said.
“Or a dump-truck driver.” Luke glanced down at his son, then back at her. “I want to apologize for the way I behaved when we first met, but I was concerned about whether you’d enjoy your stay here with us. I don’t normally rent that room, and certainly not on such a special occasion. How is it, by the way?”
She remembered the bump on her head, but didn’t mention it in case he tried again to convince her to move to the Chancellor Inn. “It’s…cozy.”
“That’s one way of describing it,” he said, picking Ethan up in his arms and nuzzling his rosy cheek. “You’re cold, little buddy.”
“I’m hungry,” Ethan said.
“Maybe it’s time to go inside. Want to come?” he asked her, making her feel included, part of his world.
“Sure.” She followed them inside, and was surprised to find the lobby bustling with activity. The first seating for dinner would begin momentarily, and the bar across from the dining room was filled with guests, most of them older than she was, all of them laughing and talking together.
Luke carried Ethan to the office and stepped back, inviting her to enter the room first. “Have you met our housekeeper, Mary?” he asked, nodding to a woman seated at a tiny desk near the back of the room.
“Nice to meet you,” Mary said, extending her hand in welcome.
Marnie shook hands with her. “Nice to meet you, too,” she said, taking in this woman’s open, direct smile. She liked her immediately. “I’m looking forward to my stay here. And my room is—” she let her gaze drift to Luke—and only one word came to mind “—gorgeous. Though a little small,” she added, eliciting a smile from him as he lowered Ethan to the floor.
“I’ll take Ethan for his dinner and maybe I’ll see you later,” Mary said, giving Luke a long sideways glance before taking Ethan by the hand and leading him out.
“I’m hungry,” Ethan announced again on his way out the door.
“How does mac and cheese sound?” Mary asked.
“Yes!” Ethan could be heard racing down the hall despite Mary’s warning to slow down and wait for her.
“He’s a sweet little boy. He and I had a great time outside.”
“Thanks again for watching him. I don’t usually leave him alone like that, especially at this time of the evening.”
“Not a problem. You and your wife must be so proud of him.”
Luke’s eyes swept her face, and his expression faltered. “My wife died three years ago, around this time, actually.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t know.”
“There’s no reason you should.”
Her heart went out to him. How hard it must be to lose the one person you loved, especially at Christmas, and be left to raise a child alone. She searched for something appropriate to say, but realized that he was past being helped by words of sympathy. No wonder his eyes looked so haunted.
He smoothed his hand over his hair. “Would you—” He stopped as if he remembered something. “Would you like to have dinner with me this evening?”
He smiled his son’s smile, and Marnie was captivated. “I would.”
“Then why don’t I meet you in the bar around nine? We could have a drink and talk—” He shrugged. “Talk about anything you want.”
He seemed uneasy. Why? Surely he had his pick of women who would happily go to dinner with him. “I would love to have dinner with you.” She waited to see if he’d say anything more, and when he didn’t she headed for the door, sucking her stomach in, hoping to appear thin and beautiful in spite of the fact that she was still wearing the same pair of jeans she’d been napping in only a short time ago. “See you soon,” she said.
Marnie was nearly bursting out of her skin. She had a date with the most gorgeous man she’d ever met, and that was the truth, pure and simple.
A real live date. Wonders never ceased.
She literally skipped up the first flight of stairs. Belatedly, she realized that she had exactly one dress with her that would be suitable for a date—a little black dress that was still in the bottom of her suitcase. And one pair of canary-yellow heels to wear with it.
