But it kind of happened ... somehow. A few years back, we woke up in the morning together, actually holding each other—something I swore would never happen again. But then it happened again. And then again. And then it became a thing. So he started bringing a bag of clothes just in case, including a pair of board shorts, because we also started going to the beach together. And after a while, I got sick of it sitting on the floor, so the thing got a shelf.
I was a practical woman.
ON MY WAY TO THE MAINbuilding, I pulled out my phone and opened my friends’ group chat, which we aptly named “Beach, Please.”
“I think the storm damage is officially ugh,”I typed.“I’ve called in contractors.”
Evangeline replied fast, probably mid-flower arrangement prep.“Oh no. How bad is it??”
“Two leaky cabins. Serious damage to the top floor of the main house. Roof’s sagging in one corner.”
“Shit. That’s serious. How can we help?”Rio typed.
“Want me to come interrogate the contractors?”Daphne chimed in.
I grinned, slowing on the path, not far from the entrance.“Quiet day at the Coral Bay police?”
“I wish,”Daphne replied, then went quiet. Her status changed to offline a moment later.
“Need flowers? Muffins? Emotional support sugar of any kind?”Evangeline wrote.
“Oh, I think if any of the crew is hot, Ruby will find her sugary treat herself.”Rio inserted a tongue emoji and a winky face.
I could have said that Sebastian was here and helping. With that, too. But there was no point in fanning the fire. Rio, especially, already suspected I was tracking his arrivals more precisely than the guest bookings.
“#sorrynotsorry,”Rio added before I could reply.“But seriously, Rub, say the word and we’ll help. I can bring scented candles. Lavender and chamomile for a calming effect.”She worked at a health shop in Riviera View and made her own products, which I featured in the guest rooms.“We haven’t set a date yet, but the inn’s where I’ll be married, so I’ll do whatever it takes,”Rio added, along with a heart-eyes emoji.
“Appreciate the chaos energy, ladies, I might need it. I’ll keep you posted,”I typed before shutting the chat down as I reached the front door.
“Hey, Sandra. Did the couple in twelve find her bracelet?” I asked when I walked into the lobby.
She glanced up from the computer. “Yeah. And they apologized for accusing Dayna.”
Dayna, one of my permanent cleaning staff, didn’t deserve that. I exhaled. “You didn’t tell her about it, right?”
“Of course not.”
Sandra had a great smile. Efficient, friendly, generally solid—except for her creative list of last-minute absences. Last week, it was her cat’s therapy session. The week before, she needed a “personal reset day” because her favorite podcast ended.
Still. When she showed up, she was good.
“I can’t wait for those two to check out,” I muttered. “Guests like that always come with a sequel.” If they’d just canceled, they’d have spared us the headache, and I could’ve donated the extra food, like I always did with last-minute no-shows.
I kept walking, heading down the corridor. The three rooms on the ground floor were occupied, and out of the twelve on the upper floor, only six were still operational. The other six had been closed for two weeks. First came the smell, then the blistering paint near the ceiling. And after the last storm, even the still-open rooms were starting to look a little suspicious.
Upstairs, I paused at the landing and breathed in. Yep. Still musty.
To my right, the closed-down rooms. To my left, those that were currently occupied.
Fifteen rooms in the main building, eight cabins scattered in the large garden. Twenty-three rooms total.
My little house used to function as the largest cabin, but about ten years ago, I made it into my home.
Now, only fifteen were bookable, and that number was about to massively drop.
This whole wing would have to shut down even if I took Sebastian’s advice and staggered things. Renovate in phases, stay open at half capacity, and push promos for the cabins.
By the time I circled back to the lobby, I heard his voice.
