15
Practical justifications aside, this was probably a huge mistake.
Vienna eased back on the gas pedal as she passed her mom’s apartment complex, laptop on the seat beside her, her two suitcases in the trunk.
If Matt hadn’t caught her in a frazzled state last night after she’d battled yet another round of fog on her drive back to Bandon, she might have mustered the resolve to decline his invitation to stay on-site as token compensation for all her work on the project.
But it wasn’t too late to back out. He wouldn’t care if she changed her mind. She could give Mom’s couch a shot instead, see how that worked out.
Except what excuse could she use after subtly wrangling for an invitation before common sense prevailed? A sudden case of cold feet? Worries about another electrical storm? Fear?
Accurate as those were, admitting such qualms would raise all kinds of questions. Ones she couldn’t answer without adding a whole new layer of awkwardness to the situation.
Flipping on her blinker as she approached the drive to the inn, she faced the truth.
If staying here proved too uncomfortable, though, she could always find an excuse to leave. Too much noise. Too much dust. Lack of privacy. A change of heart about staying with Mom. Something. Anything.
But there was safety in numbers, and if she focused on the task at hand, stayed hunkered down in her room at the inn, or took her laptop to The Perfect Blend or Mom’s apartment and worked there during the day should both Andrew and Paige be off-site, she ought to be able to avoid too many one-on-one encounters with Matt. Especially now that she and Kay had touched base via email to discuss decorating ideas.
She maneuvered around a pothole.
Everything should work out fine. And if it didn’t, she’d vacate the premises on a trumped-up excuse.
She finished the drive and parked beside a pickup truck as the woman from the bench on the wharf appeared in the doorway of the inn, followed by Andrew. He spoke to his wife, and they approached as she set the brake.
“Nice to see you again, Andrew.” She greeted him as she slid from behind the wheel.
“Likewise. Since we’re all going to be roommates for a few weeks, let me introduce my wife.”
Vienna shook her hand as he did so. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
The too-thin brunette returned the sentiment. “We just finished putting our stuff in our room. Can we give you a hand with your luggage?”
“Thanks, but all I have is a laptop and two suitcases. I can manage.”
“Why don’t you let me take one of the suitcases?”
“I can do that, Andrew.” Matt appeared from around the side of the house, wiping his palms on his dirt-smudged jeans. “I heard the car pull up, and I have to show Vienna her room anyway.”
“Okay. I’ll see Paige off, then get back to work.”
The two of them walked hand in hand to the truck.
Vienna gave Matt a sweep. “Whatever job I interrupted must be messy.”
He grimaced. “Gardening. Kay has a master touch with flowers, and she kept a lid on the weeds while she was here. But they’ve gone rogue in her absence. I don’t have any expertise at decorating or installing drywall, but I can wield a paintbrush and pluck weeds. I decided that for the remainder of my stay, my main job will be slapping on paint and keeping the jungle at bay. Standing around watching other people work doesn’t sit well.”
The grin he gave her turned her insides to mush.
Oh, brother.
This wasn’t a promising start.
Maybe playing their encounters pert and perky would help disguise the more unruly emotions he stirred up in her.
“Far be it from me to divert you from such a worthwhile task on this bright, sunny Thursday morning. We don’t want our fairy tale inn to turn into Sleeping Beauty’s bramble-barricaded castle. If you’ll give me directions, I’m sure I can find my assigned room.”
“Nope. I’ll take you up. Pop the trunk and I’ll get your suitcases.”
Since his offer of assistance didn’t appear open to discussion, she did as he asked.
While he pulled them out, she reached back into the car for her laptop.
“The lady travels light.” He circled back to her with her two carry-on-sized bags.
“I didn’t plan to stay more than a couple of weeks. Funny how plans can change, right? Who knew I’d get pulled into a This Old Inn redo?”
“Having second thoughts?”
“Nope.” Not about that, anyway. “I’m excited to tackle this challenge. Did Kay tell you we’ve been emailing?”
“I got a short text from her last night. Late. She said the two of you had touched base and that she was devouring all the links you sent.”
“I figured it made sense to begin communicating with her directly, unless you want to be involved in everything.”
An emotion that read as relief washed across his face. “No. I’m more equipped to discuss construction than interior decorating.”
So he was fine with them keeping their distance.
That was good.
It really was.
She called up her brightest, perkiest smile. “In that case, lead me to my room, oh grungy guide.”
His lips quirked. “Follow me. And watch your step.”
Oh, she’d be doing a ton of that in the weeks ahead.
He guided her up the stairs and down the hall. “Your room should be the quietest spot, not that anywhere will be super quiet while the Thompsons are working. But Andrew says the walls are well-insulated, which should help. He and Paige are in the first room on the other side of the stairs. I moved into the innkeeper’s quarters off the kitchen. That means we should all have plenty of space to ourselves. As I told you on the phone, though, the kitchen and laundry room are community property. Feel free to use both.”
“I appreciate that, but I tend to eat bagels for breakfast and yogurt and fruit for lunch. No cooking necessary. All I need is a small spot in the fridge.”
“What about dinner? I’m planning to provide the evening meal for everyone.”
That was news.
“You cook?”
He hiked up one corner of his mouth. “No, but I’m excellent at picking up takeout. As I’ve discovered over the past few days, the food at the Myrtle is almost as tasty as homemade. Charley’s tacos will also be on the menu. I understand there’s a world-class pizza place up 101 too.”
“There is. Mom and I ate there last Saturday. But I’ve been having dinner with her every night and will probably continue that for the rest of my stay. We haven’t spent much time together for years, and I want to take advantage of my stay here to see her as often as possible.”
“Understood. But you have a standing invitation to join us.”
“Thanks.”
He stopped at the last door and pushed it open with his shoulder. “Everything should be spotless. No one’s been in here since the cleaning crew’s last visit, other than our walk-through with Andrew. This room and the one the Thompsons are using will be the last to be rehabbed. Neither of you will have to play musical rooms until the very end, and then only one switch.”
She followed him in. Near as she could recall from her whirlwind tour, this was the most spacious room in the inn, with a sliding door on one side that led to a balcony and a large window on the adjacent wall that also offered a spectacular view.
Far, far nicer accommodations than her cramped quarters at the small motel in Bandon, and a huge step up from the Gull, homey as the latter was. In fact, once the redo was complete, this would be the premier room in the inn.
“I love this space. And it has huge potential.” She set her laptop on a soon-to-be-gone easy chair upholstered in a dark-green flocked fabric. The nicked headboard was also slated for banishment. At least all the mattresses were of excellent quality, based on the inspection she’d given them during her first visit. “I can visualize this once it’s done in a natural palette with more contemporary furnishings.”
“I’m glad one of us can.” He set her suitcases at the foot of the bed. “The Thompsons moved in earlier and I’ve already seen Andrew roaming around with a hammer and T square. Expect the noise and dust to descend soon.”
“Not a problem. I can work around him for any measurements I have to take. I can also hang out at the coffee shop in town or Mom’s apartment during the day if it gets too distracting here. My aim is to stay out of everyone’s way as much as possible. Kay and I should be able to handle most decisions by phone or email, so I’m not expecting to have to corner you with fabric swatches or paint chips.”
“For that, you’ve earned my eternal gratitude. Well . . .” He wiped his palms on his jeans again. “Back to the jungle. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to let me know.”
“Thanks. I will.”
She edged aside as he walked toward the door, a faint whiff of his aftershave tickling her nostrils and setting off a flutter in her stomach.
Closing the door behind him, she took a deep breath.
It was going to be tricky to mask her interest in the innkeeper’s brother, but she’d dealt with harder challenges.
Maybe.
As long as she kept her distance as much as possible, though, this should be manageable. After all, he hadn’t given any indication the attraction was mutual.
So unless that changed, she should be fine.
Andrew was never going to believe this.
Mouth bowing, Paige swung into the inn’s drive and wove around the potholes, the construction supplies she’d picked up in Coos Bay rattling around in the back of the truck.
Vienna’s car rounded the copse of trees ahead that hid most of the inn from view, and she edged over on the narrow drive, returning the other woman’s wave as they passed.
Interesting that she was staying on the premises too. Why would she do that if she was from around here? And if she wasn’t, how had she ended up getting pulled into the inn redo? Was it because she and Matt were involved? That wasn’t out of the question, with all the sparks pinging between them.
Yet there was no outward indication they were a couple.
Curious—but the news she had to share took precedence over musings about the connection between their housemates.
After parking the truck, she went in search of Andrew.
She found him at the back of the inn, prying off rotted shakes.
“Hey.” She crossed to him and leaned over for a kiss.
He returned it with an enthusiasm that suggested his promise to her last night to make up for lost time had been sincere.
“Mmm.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and erased the distance between them. “Is Matt around?” The words were muffled against his lips.
“He’s in the shower. I heard it running while I was inside getting a refill on water.” He deepened the kiss for an instant before backing off. “How did it go at the Myrtle?”
“They hired me.”
“For real? I didn’t think a small place like that would have much turnover.”
“They don’t. The timing was once again providential. One of their morning shift servers was supposed to go on maternity leave in five weeks, but she had the baby early last night. They need someone to take her slot for the next three months.”
“Huh. I wonder if that’s the wife of the guy Charley mentioned last night. The one whose tacos we inherited.”
“Could be. The important thing is I’m in. Long enough for the income to supplement our pay here and for the word to spread about your work.”
“What are your hours?”
“Tuesday through Saturday, six to eleven. That will give me every afternoon to help out here on my work days.”
His brow rumpled. “That’s an early start. You’re going to be exhausted.”
“What time do you plan to clock in?”
“Matt and I agreed on eight.”
She shrugged. “I can always crash for an hour in the afternoon if I get tired. Let’s not look a gift horse in the mouth. This is an incredible stroke of luck.” She gave him another quick kiss. No way did she want him worrying about her when they had so much to be grateful for. “Now tell me what I can do to help.”
“My next chore is unloading the material you picked up from the building supply store.”
“Why don’t I give you a hand with the heavy supplies, then you can go back to what you were doing while I get the smaller items?”
“Did you buy a pair of work gloves, like I asked?”
“Yep. They’re in the truck.”
“Put them on and we’ll get to work.”
As they walked through the house, Paige glanced toward the innkeeper’s quarters, where the faint sound of running water indicated their boss was still in the shower. And Vienna was gone. Nevertheless, she lowered her voice as she spoke. “Did Matt tell you how Vienna got involved in this project?”
“Not directly. He did say she used to have a big job with a hotel chain, and she’s in town visiting her mom. That’s the woman who owns the bookstore where you posted the ad.”
“So why is she staying here?”
“No idea.”
“Hmm.” She pushed through the front door.
“What does that mean?” Andrew fell in beside her as they walked to the truck.
“Did you pick up the sizzle between them?”
“Sizzle, like in attraction?”
“Yeah.”
“No. I don’t think they even knew each other until she came to town to visit her mom.”
“It doesn’t take long for romance to happen.” She smiled and shoulder-bumped him. “Look at us.”
He shook his head. “I’m not seeing it.” He opened the tailgate and hoisted himself up. “You just have stars in your eyes because you married the handsomest guy around.”
At his eyebrow waggle, she giggled. Like she had in the pre-scandal days, when good-natured banter had been the rule between them rather than the exception. “Don’t forget modest.”
“That too.” He winked and began working a sheet of drywall loose while she retrieved her gloves from the front seat. “But I think your imagination is working overtime about Matt. For all we know, he has a girlfriend back wherever he’s from.”
She waited until she had the gloves in hand to respond. “Nope. He looks too sad and lonely. You can see it in his eyes.”
He squinted at her. “Not me. But you were always better at picking up nuances.” He slid out the drywall. “Let’s tackle this first. It’s not heavy, but it’s bulky.”
She pulled on the gloves and caught the edge, balancing it until he jumped down and took the other end of the sheet.
As they reentered the foyer, Matt appeared in the doorway that led to the kitchen, his hair still damp. “You two aren’t wasting any time.”
“There’s none to waste if we’re going to meet the schedule we agreed on.” Andrew veered toward the stairs.
“That’s what Vienna said. Have you seen her?”
“She was driving out as I drove in.” Paige shifted the drywall to get a clearer view of his face.
“Oh. Well, if you need a hand with anything, let me know.”
They continued up the stairs juggling the drywall, Andrew in the lead as she watched Matt retreat.
Her husband might be oblivious to subtle nuances of attraction, but the expression that had flitted across Matt’s face when he’d realized Vienna had left was easy to identify.
It was disappointment. No question about it.
Whether their temporary boss realized it or not, he was definitely interested in the woman who’d come to help spruce up the inn.
So perhaps, in light of all he’d done for them, they could return the favor by helping him spruce up his heart with a little romance.
As soon as she got Andrew on board with the plan.