“One guy isn’t enough. I want it done perfectly. I have guests arriving to the neighboring cabins in a few days, and I want that whole section of the property clear of workers. Same with the restaurant—I want the deck fully done.”
“I can shift focus for today, but if you want me to finish on time, we need to get to this building.”
“Not when your plan is a copy-paste of the cabins. You don’t just duplicate a plan and hope for the best,” I quoted Sebastian.
“It meets code,” he said just when his phone rang. “I have to take this. I’ll have my guy call you.”
“Don’t bother. I’ll call him myself.”
I turned and headed back downstairs. On the way to my office, I stopped at Reception.
“Hey, Lani, if anyone comes in to work here today, call me. They need to clear out until I give the okay.”
“No problem. I didn’t know ...”
“It’s fine. Starting tomorrow, we’ll switch to breakfast-in-a-basket for the cabins.”
The main house was clear of guests, and this morning would be the last we’d use the breakfast room. The few remaining cabin guests—thankfully, the regulars who hadn’t canceled—were due to check out the day after tomorrow.
I closed my office door and called the engineer.
He picked up after a few rings. “It’s solid,” he said after I asked about the plan. “And it works.”
“But this isn’t the same structure.”
“It meets code. And it fits the price range your contractor gave me.”
“So it’s not the best plan, just the cheapest,” I said flatly.
There was a pause. “It’s safe.”
“That wasn’t the question.”
“What can I tell you, there’s cost and—”
“Thank you for your honesty.” I hung up before I said something I’d regret.
After a cup of much-needed coffee and letting my phone charge, I picked it up and texted the engineer.“Please send me a plan that’s based on what the structure actually needs, not just what keeps Dave’s costs down.”
He replied within a minute.“Sure, but it won’t be anywhere near your budget.”
I stared at the screen, thumbs hovering.“I’ll be the judge of that.”
“Give me a few days,”his response came in.
“I’ll give you one day,”I texted back.
He didn’t reply.
I tossed my phone onto the desk and pressed my fingers to my eyes.
Was I doing it again—pushing everyone too far and risking them packing up and leaving me in the lurch?
This was the choice: go with the “cheap but safe” plan and risk the integrity of the most important building on the property, or blow the budget and get into serious debt.
Neither felt like something I could afford.
After a beat, I picked up the phone again and texted Sebastian.
