Both cottages had spectacular views of Flathead Lake and had the potential to become something special. It was the ‘potential’ that had turned away most people. But Cassie was used to hard work. After four weeks of remodeling, Honeysuckle Cottage looked incredible.
Armed with even more determination to make the second cottage a unique vacation experience, she’d spent long days stripping drywall, plastering, painting, and replacing the kitchen. A month later, she was the proud owner of two pretty cottages overlooking one of Montana’s best-kept secrets.
The house closest to the water had become Acorn Cottage and, to her surprise, she had bookings right through to Christmas. If it weren’t for a last-minute cancellation, her next guest wouldn’t have been able to stay.
With one last look around the living room, she walked outside and ran a critical eye over the yard. By the end of next week, she’d need to mow the lawns and give the hedge between the two cottages a trim. Hopefully, she could tidy the yard when her guest was fishing or visiting the towns dotted around Flathead Lake. If he were more inclined to stay close to the cottage, she’d find a time that suited them both.
The sound of a vehicle traveling over the gravel driveway made her frown. Mr. Devlin wasn’t supposed to arrive for another two hours.
She looked at her baggy tracksuit pants, the T-shirt that had been a favorite for the last five years, and her paint-splattered sneakers. At this rate, her new guest would mistake her for the gardener.
Taking a deep breath, she straightened her shoulders. Regardless of what she was wearing, she was sure Mr. Devlin would be impressed with the cottage.
Taking long, confident strides, she walked around the edge of her house. While Mr. Devlin parked his black SUV in the shade of the old oak tree, she silently rehearsed everything she needed to tell him.
Usually, before her guests arrived, she asked them what activities they were interested in doing. That way, she could have some options ready for them to explore. But Mr. Devlin’s reservation had only been made three days ago. Her request for more information had gone unanswered. Because of the timing of his booking, she’d assumed it was because he was traveling to Montana and couldn’t reply.
Cassie’s eyebrows rose when her guest stepped out of his vehicle. Of all the people she’d greeted, none of them had been wearing a white business shirt and dark trousers. That wasn’t to say he didn’t look good, because he did. But it was unusual. She half expected him to reach into the back seat and pull on a tie and jacket.
Stepping forward, she held out her hand. “Welcome to Acorn Cottage, Mr. Devlin. I’m Cassie Harper.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” Warm brown eyes settled on her face. “You can call me Noah. Do you own the cottage?”
“I do. How was your flight from New York City?” Crossing her fingers, she hoped he’d left from there. All she knew about Noah was that he lived in Manhattan.
“It was what I expected.” He turned and looked at the view of the lake. “You made a good decision when you purchased this property. You don’t see views like this from many homes.”
Cassie followed his gaze. Flathead Lake looked like a polished jewel against the clear, blue sky. “I’m lucky I found it. I hope you enjoy the next two weeks.”
“So do I,” Noah muttered.
For someone who’d traveled more than two thousand miles to be here, he didn’t seem very excited. “If you’re interested in fishing or spending time on Flathead Lake, there are some excellent tours you can join. Or if you prefer to drive around the lake, I can give you suggestions of places you might like to visit.”
“Thanks, but that won’t be necessary. I won’t be going far from Sapphire Bay.”
Cassie wasn’t worried about what he wanted to do, as long as he enjoyed his vacation. “In that case, the folder of information on the coffee table will be helpful. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. I live in Honeysuckle Cottage, the house you drove past to get here.”
She took a key out of her pocket and handed it to Noah. “This is for your front door. I don’t usually use the security alarm, but if you’d like to use it, I can give you the code.”
Noah nodded. “I’d appreciate that. I plan on catching up on some work while I’m here. I don’t want to worry about someone taking my laptop.”
Cassie froze. “Were you planning on using the Internet?”
“It’s the only way I can look at my files.”
Her heart sank. She couldn’t afford for him to leave. If the Internet was a big issue, she could end up with a two-week vacancy that would never get filled. “When you booked the cottage, I made it clear that it doesn’t have Internet access.”
Noah’s eyes widened, but he didn’t say anything.
Cassie had to come up with a solution before he jumped into his SUV and drove into town. “I have satellite Internet at my house. We could organize something, so you have access to the connection all the time.”
Noah pulled out his phone and checked the screen. “Don’t worry. At least there’s cell phone coverage. I can use my phone as a hot spot.”
Cassie breathed a sigh of relief. “I’ve left a gift basket of locally grown produce on your dining room table and inside the refrigerator is milk and butter. If you need anything else, the general store is a good place to visit. I’ll take your suitcase inside.”
Noah grabbed the handle. “It’s heavy. I’ll do it.”
Cassie stepped away. A handsome, workaholic businessman whose life wasn’t complete without the Internet had just walked into her life. And, no doubt, he would leave just as quickly if his cell phone stopped working.
