Lucy gasped. “Is that fleece?”
“High-quality fleece,” Dex said proudly.
“And a heater. How did I get so lucky?” Lucy grinned.
Dex plugged in the heater. It rattled and made a noise like a groan, but then a faint warmth drifted out. Lucy clapped once, delighted.
“It works,” she said.
“We did have a suggestion,” Dex ventured. “We are willing to switch our room for yours. It doesn’t have a kitchenette, but it does have heat and working plumbing.”
Lucy looked at him in surprise. “You can’t. You and Braxton are paying guests.”
“We don’t like you and Jane being so uncomfortable,” I added.
“No. We aren’t switching rooms. I’m sure Jane and I will be fine for seven days. Besides, I need a kitchenette to brew coffee. I’m a fiendwithout it in the morning,” Lucy informed us.
“At least use our bathroom whenever you need it. Just tell us the schedule,” I offered.
Lucy grinned. “I promise not to use all your hot water.”
We stayed long enough to help Lucy arrange the rug, stack extra blankets at the foot of the bed, and adjust the heater so it wouldn't scorch the wall.
Back inside the inn, Dex and I entered our new shared room. It was clean, neat, and perfectly fine for one person. Possibly two if they were quiet sleepers. Dex looked at his half of the bed like he was preparing for war.
“You take the wall side,” he said. “I need an escape route.”
“That’s fine.”
“If you snore, I am waking you up,” Dex added.
“I don't snore most of the time,” I stated. Although, I really wasn’t sure if I did.
“We will see.”
He dropped onto the mattress with a dramatic sigh, then reached for his laptop. “Lucy seems better with the blankets. Good thinking.”
“It’s too bad Lucy wouldn’t switch,” I said. “I don’t like the thought of Jane up there in the cold.”
Dex began checking his emails. “You like her.”
I didn't deny it. “Yes.”
“She likes you too.”
I stared at the floor. “She has a lot going on. I don't want to overwhelm her.”
“Then don't,” Dex said simply. “Just be there for her.”
I sat in the chair near the window. From there, I could see the pool house.
Jane would soon be somewhere inside that glow, likely worrying about tomorrow or organizing something that didn't need organizing. I wanted her to rest. I wanted her to feel supported. And for the first time in a long time, I wanted to stay exactly where I was until she felt steady again.
“I am going to get some work done before Kitty gives us a list of chores. The way she keeps recruiting us to do things, you would think we were employees.” Dex’s fingers typed away on the keyboard.
“I will get back to the project in a minute,” I said.
Dex grunted something like acknowledgment.
