Chapter Nine

Later that afternoon, once he was back at the inn, Franklin went to talk to Kira. He wondered if she had sent him on an errand because of the way things looked between them when her cousin had walked into the room, with them standing so close.

He’d seen how her chest was rising and falling. They’d become real friends, but there was also an undeniable attraction.

The door to her office was closed, so he knocked lightly on it.

“Come in.”

He peeped inside and saw that she was on the phone. She waved for him to enter.

“Oh yes, I’m so glad you enjoyed the party, Mayor Montgomery,” she said into the phone. Her tone was filled with glee.

Franklin smiled as he watched her animated facial expressions. “What?” he mouthed when she rolled her eyes.

“Yes, the ballrooms will be available for future events. It’s something new that we’ve added to our offerings.”

Accepting the rotary club’s event was already paying off if the mayor was calling. But Kira needed to be careful and not get ahead of herself. He had to admit that he got a kick out of watching the joy on her face and knowing that they’d done it together. For some reason, that fact had become important to him.

“If things go the way we’ve planned it, we want to have the rest of the year booked. So you’ll have to call us soon. I’m not sure how long we’ll have openings, but I really appreciate your call today.”

Franklin smiled to himself and hoped that the conversation she wanted to have with him had something to do with it. He waited a couple more minutes, and then she hung up.

“That was an intense conversation.”

Kira nodded. “Yes.”

Franklin chuckled. “No, but seriously. That was Mayor Montgomery calling you himself?”

“Yes, he was going on and on about ideas he had for his wife’s birthday. He wants to give her a surprise party and loved the way we had the ballroom set up last night.”

“That’s big, Kira.” He wanted to hug her, touch her, something, but he was trying to keep his hands to himself…for now.

She nodded eagerly, then came out from behind her desk to sit in the chair across from him. “I wanted to talk to you about that.”

Franklin loved hearing the enthusiasm in her voice, but they needed to do it the right way. “Before you get too happy…” he started, then took in a breath before continuing. “To be prepared for a constant flow of events is a big ask. But if we present it correctly, we might have a chance.”

Kira grimaced; she clearly wasn’t in agreement with him, so he broke it down even more. “We’d be asking for money to invest in tables, chairs, etcetera. That’s the only thing I’m worried about.”

“I know what I’m doing,” she said. “You don’t have to be concerned about it.”

Of course, he wanted to see her succeed. “Let’s make sure we’ve covered all our bases is all I’m saying.”

“I think you should be worried about yourself instead.”

Franklin sat up straight in his seat. “Why?”

“You’ll only be here six more weeks, then Mrs. Potter will be back.” She paused, as if searching for the right words, then said, “I can’t afford to pay you both.”

Being near Kira was now his focus, so the manager’s return didn’t matter. “I will help you see the project to the end. You don’t have to worry about pay. I just want you to win.”

She smiled. “That’s really sweet of you.”

It was all true, but there was more to it than just the job. It was time for him to make his intentions clear. “Once I’m not working here anymore, I want us to spend more time together.”

He watched Kira carefully, and even though she chuckled as if what he said was a joke, he sensed that she’d be open to it. He’d have to take his time, but he was interested.

“I know I’m changing the subject, but may I offer a suggestion?” he asked.

“Only if you’re not going to preach to me. I’ve finally found something that will show my family that I can make the inn successful.”

“And this will help you do that. We should research how to get this place certified as a historical landmark. It will make the proposal to set up the rooms as banquet halls more inviting.”

“Do you know what they need?”

“They will come out and tell us what we could do to the property structurally if we wanted. That alone could do more for the inn. They can place the plaque prominently in the lobby area. It would have a brief description of its history so that people can see it as they come and go.”

Kira slumped down in the chair before dropping her head for a moment. “Last night, I overheard one of the guests say they hadn’t seen the inn look this nice, ever.”

Sometimes when the right thing happened, it became more apparent. He figured that the Davis family hadn’t looked at their business with a critical eye in some time. He reached for her hand and made sure she met his gaze. “How did that make you feel?”

She removed her hand, but not before giving his a reassuring squeeze. “At first it stung, but as I saw the transformation for the party, I would have to agree with them. You’d mentioned it just hours before.”

Scooting to the edge of his chair, he tried to get closer to her without getting up. He touched her warm skin once again. “It wasn’t a put-down at all. I just see the place with fresh eyes, so I could be more objective about it. You, on the other hand, have your heart and emotions tied to the place.” Franklin was pleased that she had enough courage to accept his critique. “So, do you have your own vision of the inn transformation?”

She nodded, resting her hand on top of his. “I want our guests to have an unforgettable experience.”

“We need to get your cousin Gail and Ben involved as well. Collaborating and working as a team is the only way. We did it last night and everybody was on the same page.”

Franklin didn’t want her to miss the big picture, especially since everyone knew the inn was a family-owned business. Together they could make a difference.

“I didn’t grow up here like the rest of my cousins,” she said, her tone softer now. “By the time I was ten, my parents divorced. My mother was so angry with my father that I hardly saw my relatives at all. I didn’t experience the inn as much as the rest of the children.”

“You thought you missed out on something?”

“I loved being with Aunt Mary Louise. She was the only person that my mom trusted. I’ve become very fond of her.”

“So she allowed you to stay with your aunt from time to time?”

“Yes. I’ve always loved coming back to Clover, to this place, and was proud that it belonged to my family, despite the things my mother said about my father. She never felt he was good enough, even though he always gave her whatever she wanted.”

Franklin couldn’t have imagined his mother acting that way toward him or his siblings. What did his mother think about his father’s relationship with Sophia Davis? Then again, there was that looming question did she even know. Or how much? “She was probably angry.”

Kira nodded. “She complained constantly, and I didn’t understand why. Anyway, I’ve always been proud to be a Davis and wanted to continue the legacy. My dream since I was a teen was to run it.”

“You want to prove to your mother and anybody else who might doubt that you can.” Franklin rubbed his chin. “I get that. Your family might take the inn away and your mother would look at you differently. And I’m not saying you should be afraid to make a move.”

“You understand me so much better than my cousin.”

Franklin shook his head. “Don’t be so hard on Gail. I’m sure she has a story as well.”

“Yeah, that everything has always been given to her.”

The friction between them was starting to make more sense. “And you always had to work for what you have?”

“Exactly.”

“She may see it altogether differently, but anyway, you still haven’t told me what you see for the Red Rose Inn. I mean, the specific details.”

“I want the inn to display memorabilia, photos from my family. It’s a family-owned business, and we should pay homage to them.”

“Brilliant.” Franklin jotted down her ideas. “So I’d say that you want to make this a home away from home.”

“Yes. Dinner would be a family affair as well. If we play our cards right, convincing my family will be a breeze. It won’t matter that you’re involved.”

“Teamwork, remember. We can compare notes and then talk to Ben and Gail about the menu. I believe we can be thoughtful and do exactly what you want.”

Franklin stood and checked the door. Since he’d walked into the room all he wanted was to feel her in his arms. He didn’t want to wait any longer to be close to her. He’d stayed his distance long enough. “Come here,” he said.

Kira came over, and Franklin picked up her hand. “I won’t do anything that would put you in jeopardy as my boss. Just know that I’ll be waiting.” He kissed her knuckles. “Can I have a hug? It can be a friendly one.”

She threw her head back and laughed.

“I’m serious.” He lowered his voice. “I just want to hold you. If that’s okay.”

“We danced once, and you’ve gotten carried away, Mr. Bennett.”

He loved how she teased him. “Say it again. Call me Mr. Bennett.”

Kira laughed at him once again. He enjoyed seeing a smile on her face. She worked so hard and wanted so much for her career and her family’s legacy. “Okay”—he threw his hands up—“my bad. I just thought you wanted these strong arms around you. They are here to encourage you and let you know that I believe in you.”

Kira stepped closer to him. “I know you do, and it means so much to me.” She caressed his chin.

Taking a step back in order to resist the urge to pull her into his arms, he said, “Meet me later?”

Kira gave him a half smile as she nodded. “See you then.”

…

Once Franklin left, Kira stared at the photos on the wall of her office. One was of the family, which had to have been taken in the early 1900s. But the day they had the grand opening of the Red Rose Inn came into focus. Her great grandfather, two great uncles, and aunts were kids standing as onlookers as their father and his brothers stood out front, showing off the sign that had been put in the yard. The inn was in business.

She didn’t want to tarry on this project, so she started writing notes on what she wanted to do to make the inn a bit swankier. Because Franklin was so handy and willing to help, it would cut down on expenses. He could fix things like doorknobs, light fixtures, and switches.

Every time she thought of the tall military man, she smiled on the inside. He was turning out to be thoughtful, kind, and wise. She was so happy that she’d run into him that day at Hank’s store. As hard as she tried, she didn’t want to fall for him, but falling she might be…

It was like her aunt once said, the heart wants what it wants.