28
As Matt began to paint the final wall in the last bedroom of the inn, his phone vibrated in his pocket.
Finally.
He set the roller down and pulled out the cell. Checked the screen.
Yep. It was Kay.
He put the phone to his ear and watched through the window as two seagulls soared overhead. “Hey, Sis. You’re a hard person to reach. How’s Cora now that she’s been home for twenty-four hours?”
“She’s doing wonderful. The antibiotics knocked out the infection, and she’s back to her feisty self.”
“I heard that.” Cora’s gravelly voice was muffled in the background.
Matt grinned. “I can tell. I want to talk to her before I hang up.”
“She wouldn’t have it any other way. So what’s up? I talked to you last night. You don’t usually call in the middle of the day. I ran over to the garden center this morning to help with a special order for a couple of hours, and I had my phone on mute.”
“I have some news.”
“Good or bad?”
“Not bad. Could be good. Depends on your perspective.”
“No. It’s a possible offer on the inn.”
Several silent seconds ticked by.
“Okay, you’re going to have to back up. What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about a potential sale. Vienna may be interested in buying it if you’d like to get out of the innkeeping business. Assuming you two can come to terms.”
More silence.
He waited her out while she digested that shocker.
“Is this for real?”
“Yes. After all the work she’s put into the place, she’s fallen in love with it.” And was maybe on the verge of falling in love with him too—but he left that unsaid. He’d delivered enough startling news for one day.
“Wow.” Kay blew out a breath. “I never expected anything like this.”
“I don’t think Vienna did either. She had her sights set on a high-level job somewhere with a glitzy hotel chain. But Hope Harbor is special, Sandcastle Inn has tremendous potential, and her mom lives here.”
“Yeah. I can understand her motivation. I mean, I think she’s done wonders with the inn and I like the town too, but it was kind of lonely for me. I really missed Cora.”
“You could stay in Boise if you sold out. Spend more time with Cora and your friend at the garden center.”
“Funny you should mention that.”
“How so?”
“Liz was talking this morning about how she’d like to expand, but she said it was too much for one person to take on. I think she’d be thrilled to find a partner. Matt . . . it would be a fun business. She and I click, and you know how much I love flowers and gardening.”
A caution flag began waving in his mind.
“Puttering around in a home garden is different than working with plants and flowers all day, every day.”
“I know, but I’ve been at the garden center on a regular basis over the past few weeks, and I’ve enjoyed every minute I’ve spent there. Much more than I’d enjoy making gourmet breakfasts at an inn.”
That, he could believe. Her interest in fancy culinary chores had been underwhelming.
“You could always hire someone to do that.”
“I guess.”
Zero enthusiasm, suggesting she was also fast losing interest in running an inn.
That didn’t mean she should jump headfirst into another venture, however.
“Kay, you’ve been down this road once, with the inn. You’re incredibly fortunate that someone came along who may be willing to take it off your hands. That won’t happen a second time.”
“I know. But the garden center opportunity seems like a gift from God. Think about it. What were the odds someone like Vienna would appear out of nowhere and not only tackle the redo but be interested in buying the place so I would be free to pursue a different future? That alignment is too perfect to be coincidence.”
She had a point.
“I’ll concede it seems providential, but I wouldn’t recommend jumping into anything without a great deal of thought and research up front, plus due diligence that includes a thorough examination of the property and the books.”
“Trust me, I’m done leaping before I look.”
Good to know.
“If Vienna does end up buying the inn, I’d also suggest you work at the garden center for six months before you put a dime into it. That would give you a chance to see if you like dealing with plants and flowers as well as the business side of the operation day in and day out.”
“That sounds reasonable to me. Should I call Vienna today to discuss this?”
“Why don’t you let me tell her you’re receptive and have her call you when she has a spare minute? She’s got a full plate until the opening’s behind us.”
“Okay.” Kay exhaled. “Listen, if this all comes to pass, I should apologize for asking you to leave your practice behind to babysit a property I probably never should have bought in the first place.”
“No apology necessary. I’ve enjoyed my weeks here.”
“Right.” She snorted. “Being a construction foreman and painter is exactly how you’d have chosen to spend your precious vacation days.”
“There have been other compensations.”
“Like what?”
“The town is charming, and I’ve met a lot of nice people.” One in particular.
In fact . . . should he begin laying the groundwork with Kay for his possible relocation to the town?
Maybe.
Putting it off would serve no purpose.
He propped a shoulder against the window frame as the gulls wheeled overhead. “To tell you the truth, I wouldn’t mind living in Hope Harbor.”
“I thought the same thing. But now that I’m back in Boise, I realize how homesick I was. And you have a life and a career in San Francisco.”
“My skills could find a market anywhere.”
“I doubt a place the size of Hope Harbor would support a vet practice.”
“You might be surprised.”
A few beats ticked by.
When she spoke again, there was a note of caution in her inflection. “We are talking hypotheticals, right?”
“Not necessarily.”
“Matt.” Caution had been replaced by alarm. “Aren’t you the one who just told me not to make any big changes without a great deal of thought and research?”
At least she’d been listening to him.
“I didn’t say I was going to be rash. I said I’m considering it.” Even if he was already past the considering stage. But unlike Kay, he had another incentive for a major move.
Namely, Vienna.
“You’re full of surprises today.”
“All happy ones.” He turned away from the window. “I should get back to work. The carpet layers are waiting in the wings, and I want all the painting finished before they show up. Let me talk to Cora for a minute first, though.”
“You got it. Promise you’ll have Vienna call me ASAP?”
“Yes.”
“Here’s Cora.”
As the woman greeted him, Matt smiled. Kay hadn’t been exaggerating. The spunk was back in her voice.
“How’s my favorite chocolate-chip-cookie baker?” He wandered back to the paint tray.
“Improving by the day and on the mend. But I don’t want to talk about me. Tell me how you are.”
“Busy. No complaints, though. The inn’s shaping up. Vienna’s done a terrific job redoing the place. Kay wouldn’t recognize it. It’s an innkeeper’s dream.”
“From what I picked up of your conversation with Kay, I got the impression she may not be an innkeeper much longer. Which I believe would suit her fine. She’s in the kitchen, by the way. We can talk freely.”
“I’d say her innkeeping days could be numbered. Vienna may be interested in buying the place.”
“Ah. That would explain why you’re thinking of opening a practice in Hope Harbor. I did pick that up correctly, didn’t I? Not that I was eavesdropping or anything.”
His lips flexed. “Perish the thought. And yes, I am. But Vienna isn’t the only reason for that.”
Whoops.
Slip of the tongue.
And of course Cora homed in on it, astute woman that she was.
“Only suggests she’s one of the reasons, though—and I’ll wager a big one.”
“Cora, before you get carried away, I—”
“Matt.”
He shut up. When she used that tone, it was better to let her speak her piece.
“I don’t think I’m the one who’s getting carried away. Which isn’t a criticism, mind you. If I had all my energy back, I’d stand up and cheer.”
“Just don’t get too carried away yet.”
“Duly noted. But at least you’re moving forward. That’s what counts. I want to meet this young woman.”
“That can be arranged as soon as you’ve recuperated and are able to travel. Assuming she and Kay come to terms on the inn.”
“They will. Kay is probably doing a happy dance as we speak. I think if she can get most of her investment back, she’ll be ecstatic. So what’s your plan? You can’t walk out on your partner with no notice.”
The very subject he’d been thinking about as he rolled paint onto the walls today.
“No. I expect it may be a four to six month transition. But we do have a competent vet on staff who can take my place. In the meantime, I have to research the area here and find the optimal location for an office.”
“I want regular progress reports.”
“Will weekly updates suffice?”
“I’ll let you know if they don’t. Love you, Matt.”
“Love you back, Cora.”
Smiling, he ended the call and stowed his phone.
If everything worked out as he hoped, it appeared Sandcastle Inn was going to be launched with several of the happy endings it was designed to promote already under its belt—even if all of them weren’t romance-related.
As Vienna waved off the final blogger she’d entertained for two and a half nonstop days, she exhaled.
The last two weeks had been a whirlwind, but everything had come together flawlessly and with dizzying speed. There’d been only a few minor glitches during the soft opening earlier in the week with paying customers, and the blogger weekend had been phenomenal. If the inn didn’t get superlative coverage from all three of them, she’d be dumbfounded.
Once the dust from the departing car settled on the newly smoothed-out driveway, she turned back toward the front door.
Matt was watching her from the threshold, a suitcase behind him in the foyer.
Her stomach dropped.
This was the moment she’d been dreading.
Yes, she understood why he had to go back to San Francisco. He had loose ends to tie up there, as she did in Denver—and his would take longer. You didn’t walk out of a long-term practice with two weeks’ notice.
She, on the other hand, was set to become an innkeeper as soon as all the paperwork was ready to sign. Back in Denver, there was only an apartment to pack and moving arrangements to be made. A short shutdown of the inn to give the bloggers a chance to post about it and to let reservations begin to roll in would give her ample opportunity to take care of all her business.
The corners of Matt’s lips rose. “You did it.”
“No. We did it—and I’m including Andrew and Paige in that.”
“Rightly so. We couldn’t have managed this without them.”
She walked over to him. “I guess you have to leave.”
“Soon. Unless I want to be driving late into the night.”
“I wish we’d had more time together these past two weeks.”
“We snuck in stolen moments here and there—and we’ll make up for it going forward. I do have a few minutes to spare if you want to sit with me on the terrace before I take off. I’d open a bottle of champagne to celebrate a successful launch, but you told me the bubbles tickle your nose.”
“Having a few minutes alone with you will be intoxicating enough.”
His smile broadened, and he waggled his eyebrows. “I’m flattered. Unless you say that to all the guys?”
“Nope.” She stopped in front of him and rested her hands on his shoulders. “Only you.”
His eyes darkened, and he leaned down. She rose on tiptoe to meet him, letting her eyelids drift closed and—
“I’m getting ready to—oh.”
Vienna pulled back and peeked past Matt as he twisted around.
Paige stood in the doorway that led from the foyer to the back of the house.
“I was, uh, getting ready to go and wanted to give this to Matt.” She lifted a white box like the ones she’d prepared for each blogger as a parting gift, filled with goodies to nibble on during their trip home. “I can, uh, leave it in the kitchen.”
She started to retreat, but Vienna stepped out from behind Matt, willing the heat in her cheeks to subside. It wasn’t as if she and Matt were going to be able to keep their relationship a secret for long in a place the size of Hope Harbor, anyway. Especially since the building he was eyeing for a vet office was at the edge of town on 101, and everyone would soon be seeing them together on his weekend visits.
“Matt was saying goodbye.”
“Yes. I saw that.” Paige seemed to be having difficulty keeping a straight face. “I should be going too. Andrew promised to hang curtains in our new apartment, and I don’t want to keep him waiting.” She crossed to Matt and held the box out to him. “In case you get hungry during your trip.”
“Thank you.”
“That was an inspired idea, Paige.” Vienna motioned to the box. “One final positive impression to leave with the bloggers. All the food you made was also fantastic. Thank you again for working everything out at the Myrtle so you could handle that for us.”
“It was my pleasure, believe me. And don’t worry about the inn while you’re back in Denver. Andrew or I will swing by every day to do a walk-through. Now that he’s working for BJ, his hours are more regular.”
“I appreciate that.”
“Safe travels, Matt.” Paige wiggled her fingers, pulled her keys from her purse, and sidled past them to exit through the front door.
When it clicked shut, Matt held out his hand.
Vienna took it and let him lead her toward the back of the inn, through the spacious great room that looked even more airy and large without all the excess furniture she’d ditched. Past the beautiful flower arrangement Kay had sent after they’d agreed on a price for the inn that included her original modest investment plus a significant share of the cost of improvements.
The deal had been a win-win for both of them.
Out on the terrace, Matt tugged her to the far side, where the sea stretched to the horizon unobstructed by the boughs of the evergreen trees that sheltered the inn. “Alone at last.”
“Not quite.” She motioned to two seagulls, sitting side by side on the flagstones a few yards away.
“Those kinds of witnesses I don’t mind. They won’t tell tales. Except maybe to Charley.”
“What?” She arched her eyebrows.
“He seems to have a special connection to birds.”
She gave the two gulls a skeptical survey. “I’m not too worried. Besides, I don’t care who knows about us.” She angled toward him. “Now where were we?”
“I think we were at the part where I sweep you off your feet and the soundtrack is supposed to soar.”
“Swept off my feet—check. As for the soundtrack, I’ll settle for the waves and the wind.”
“I’m with you.” He touched her cheek. Sighed. “It’s going to be tough not being in the same place for a while.”
“You’ll be here on quite a few weekends, though.”
“But the weeks in between will be long and empty.”
“So let’s use the time we have together to make memories that will carry us through until we’re together again.”
“I like that plan. What do you say we start with a kiss to remember?” He held out his arms.
She moved into them. “Ready whenever you are.”
He didn’t need a second invitation to dip his head and capture her lips in a kiss that was filled with dreams and magic and stardust.
And as the avian duo serenaded them in the background with a sweet coo that was most unusual for gulls . . . as the distant boom of waves against the craggy offshore sea stacks pounded in tempo with her pulse . . . as the tangy salt air swirled around them and the warm breeze caressed her skin . . . joy bubbled up inside her.
For even though they were still in the early stages of a romance neither of them had expected, and it was a bit difficult to clearly see the road ahead, she knew with absolute certainty that wherever it led, she’d be traveling it with this special man beside her.
Now and forever.