When we invested in the town and the inn, we made a promise to the existing shop owners that we would revitalize the town, nurturing their existing customer base while cultivating a new one.Not everyone was happy with our takeover, and there were a lot of people depending on us to make this endeavor successful.We couldn't let them down.
Iwas working the front desk, checking in guests and ensuring they had everything they needed for their stay.
I'd just finished with a couple checking in when I noticed a man walking around the great room.I approached him."Can I help you?"
He turned to face me."I'm here because someone requested an estimate."
It was Ford Sterling.
My heart pounded, and I felt hot all over."Ford?What are you doing here?"
His biceps strained the limits of his T-shirt, and his thighs looked thick under his jeans.He'd filled out since he was eighteen.
He patted the printed words over his chest."I work with Sterling Brothers now."
There was a roaring in my ears."I didn't know you'd moved home."
He nodded."I left the military, and there was nowhere else I wanted to be.
"You're working in construction?"I didn't want to deal with renovations, and now I had to interact with my ex?I wanted to pretend that him being here didn't affect me, but that would be a lie.
He raised a brow."If you want to work with someone else?—"
I pasted on a smile, which might have looked like a grimace."I can work with you."
His brow creased."Are you sure?"
I'd broken up with him after all.I should be able to be in the same room with him."Why don't I talk to you about what we need before we agree to anything?"
He nodded, switching easily into work mode when I wanted to ask more questions.
When had he come home, and how had I missed it?We'd been busy with the funeral, clearing out my parents' house, then buying the inn and Christmas Town.Still, this was a small town, and someone could have warned me.
"Eve said you needed some updates."
I moved behind the counter to put a barrier between us."When we bought this place, we wanted to get it up and running as soon as possible, so we didn't do much more than cosmetic changes."
"You didn't have the place inspected?"
I winced."It was sold as is, but things are running.The bathrooms are functional but dated.I'm just not sure how things are going to look once you start ripping stuff out."
He headed toward the stairs."That's always the issue in older places like this.It would have been easier if you'd done this before you accepted reservations."
"The restaurants and shops were already in operation when we took over, and we wanted to keep things running."I followed him up the stairs, trying not to check out the way his ass filled out those worn jeans.
He paused at the top of the stairs, waiting for me to lead the way.
I continued up the stairs to the top floor."I'll show you my room first, so you can get an idea of what you're working with.Then we can make a plan of how to tackle the guest rooms."
"You live here?"Ford asked as I continued to the end of the hall.
"I have the innkeeper's room."I unlocked the door, pushing it open.It was the largest because it had a kitchen and a living room.It was a corner apartment with views of the town square as well as the mountains.
The kitchen was all dark wood cabinets with stained laminate countertops.
"Do you want us to update your place?"
"I think we should focus on the guest rooms.I just wanted to give you an idea of the age of the bathrooms."I led the way through my bedroom, pleased that I'd managed to make the bed before I went downstairs.In the bathroom, I stood off to the side so he could look around.
