“Where in tarnation are my manners today?” the blonde crowed. “I’m Betty, darlin’. And you are…”
“I’m Andie,” she replied reaching out to shake her hand. “Nice to meet you, Betty.” At least the women in this town had manners.
“The pleasure is all mine. It sure will be nice to have another female around here. I get awfully lonely for some of that late-night girl talk if you know what I’m saying.”
Andie eased into a state of comfort, her defenses dropping in the woman’s warm presence. “Well, I’m not sure if you saw the two I came with,” she said, “but I’m pretty outnumbered myself.” Suddenly she felt a new guard go up. The relocation program aside, Andie had always been a private person. Having some late-night girl talk sounded like a good way to slip up and volunteer something she shouldn’t. She’d have to be very careful.
“Oh, I spotted your brothers, alright. And I spoke with one of them on the phone as well. They’re going to have every eye-batting female who comes through town chasing after them, I’ll tell you that. Likewise, I’m afraid you’ll be warding off the menfolk with a stick. Or should I say with a palm tree. You from California?”
“Yes,” Andie lied. “L.A.” There, easy.
“I could use some L.A. weather about now. My tolerance for winter was gone, say…the day after Christmas,” she said with a wink.
Andie grinned, relating, though she couldn’t say so. “I can imagine. Is it going to warm up around here soon, do you think?” She hoped so. Just talking about warm weather had her longing to fly out to the Maldives and soak up the sun.
“It might take another week or two, but soon all that snow will give way to a whole lot of life. Flowers, shrubs, and baby calves too, come to think of it. It’s magical time to step into life at The Homestead Inn. I really think you’re going to enjoy it here.”
“Thank you. I hope so.” Already, Andie was regretting her unsavory behavior while Betty was on the phone with the other owner. It wasn’therfault she worked for a jerk.
“While we’re waiting for Trenton to get here,” Betty said, “I’d be happy to give you a tour of the place.”
Trenton, huh? Betty’s use of the man’s first name said the two were on familiar terms.
“Thank you,” Andie said, “but I’ll wait.”
“Well then, if you’ll excuse me. I’ll go ahead and restock the snack bar.”
“Oh, of course.” Andie circled in place to take in the foyer. Modest, but pretty. She’d always appreciated the shabby chic look while studying interior design, though she’d never decorated in the style herself. It didn’t go well with the contemporary feel of her penthouse. But here, it worked nicely.
The wide, open layout offered a lot of variety. In the space at her far right, a wall of built-in shelves held dozens of weathered books, possibly hundreds. A combination of couches, side chairs, and window nooks with pillows welcomed guests who wanted to relax with a good book. In fact, she realized, spotting a pair of sock-covered feet peeking from a plush blanket, there was someone doing that very thing beside the fireplace. Side tables, foot stools, and a central coffee table gave the space a homey appeal, along with the soft flowers, unique vases, and the cozy, crackling fire.
Stirs of warm appreciation swelled in her chest. If the exterior of the place had put her at ease, the inside had taken things to a new level. If this was to be her place of exile, it was not so bad. It wasn’t a luxury stay by any means, but perhaps that’s what made the place…refreshing in a way. And she couldn’t deny, quite charming as well. If only she could add an extra room onto her cabin for a master closet. And maybe a private deck with an outdoor hot tub too.
The fast-paced clank of boots on the pale wood floor caused Andie to spin around. Betty strode in with a basket of croissants in one hand and a bowl of fruit in the other. She hurried over to a long serving bar at the opposite end of the foyer. An array of round white tables with matching chairs filled a spacious, sun-lit dining area.
“This is just the breakfast nook,” the woman explained as she placed bright oranges in the missing spaces of a fruit tower. “The formal dining area is over here.” She motioned to an area Andie couldn’t yet see. “Mable runs the kitchen, along with her husband, Don. You’ll love them both. Everyone does.
“As far as dining goes, guests can choose to eat wherever they feel most comfortable. We also have picnic areas out back, a few firepits too.”
“That sounds nice,” Andie said. But the truth was, she’d never enjoyed sitting around outdoor fires. Not only was the obnoxious smoke a force to reckon with, the environment seemed to attract all sorts of pesky insects and crawling critters. She fought off a shiver.
“On weekends,” the pretty blonde continued, “we have live talent performing either inside or out. We let the guests show us what they’ve got, and of course the staff participates too. We get guitar riffs, banjo strumming, even magic shows put on by the kids.” She nodded toward the library. “See that treasure chest over there?”
Andie spun back to see an old wooden box with brass clasps doubling as a side table.
“On top is a stack of magician manuals. Inside, families will find all the items they need to put on an impressive magic show.”
Andie eyed the weathered throw covering one corner, and the small stack of books on top. She nodded, but couldn’t quite get past a question that bloomed in her head. “So…a family, like parents, brothers, sisters and all that, will do the showtogether?”
Betty nodded and grinned. “All the time. Of course, every once in a while we have a brave little soul who wants to run the whole thing by him or herself, but this place encourages family interaction. Good, wholesome entertainment and fun activities that bring everyone together to create happy memories they’ll hold onto for life.”
It took Andie a moment to smooth the crease out of her own brow. Vacations didnotlook like that for her family. In fact, their getaways always included nannies, electronics, and a choose-your-own-adventure approach. If two of the kids wanted to do the same thing, which rarely happened, then they’d double up with their respective nannies and go. Mom and Dad were always off doing their own activities, which almost never included the kids.
“I’m kind of surprised that families get along well enough to spend all that time together,” Andie admitted. “Or that they’d even want to.”
Betty tipped her head to one side, a sad sort of look on her face. “God willing, we get two shots at the whole parent and child thing. Once as a child ourselves, then again as a parent. What we never got or wished we had, we get to create the next time around.” She winked and grinned. “I have a feeling you already know whatyou’dlike to change next time.”
“I have no desire to be a parent,” Andie assured. “So I guessthat’swhat I’m doing different.”
