7
HENRY
“I’m back!” I call out walking through the unlocked door to what will soon be the lobby of the renovated Dew Drop Inn. Miles is sitting at a makeshift desk looking through paint swatches.
“What took you so long?” He stands and walks over to grab his coffee. “It’s literally right next door.”
“Remember that waitress from the other day? Maisie?”
He eyes me skeptically.
“She was in front of me in line and we talked for a little bit.” I place his coffee on the desk. “I also gave her my number.”
He pops the straw into his lid. “Didn’t you already give her your number? On the napkin?”
“Yes, but she never reached out.”
“Oh, so you’re harassing her now?”
“That’s not—” I pause wondering if she thinks I’m harassing her. “That wasn’t my intention.”
“Make sure she knows that before you go forcing your number on heragain.” He scoffs. “Or anyone else, for that matter.”
“I wasn’t planning on it, or talking to anyone else, really.” Which is true. There’s something about Maisie that makes me want her and only her to take up my time.
Is it the blonde hair that looks softer than a feather?
Is it the freckles that look like constellations across the bridge of her nose and cheeks?
Is it the way she blushes when I’m near her?
Miles points at me like my dad used to when I was in trouble. “I don’t care what you do, just don’t let me walk in on anything, hear anything, or get anyone pregnant, okay?”
“Don’t worry, Daddy.” I slap his shoulder. “Like I said… I wasn’t planning on it.”
“It’s not too soon for me to kick you to the curb.”
“You would never, you love me too much.” My hand flies to my chest, somewhat offended.
“Yeah, yeah. Anyway, back to work.” Miles claps his hands together and walks back around the desk to where I’m standing, laying out the paint swatches in front of me. “Do you think we should stay with the same color scheme or try something new?”
I lean in closer to see what exactly we’re working with. Some match the cream and blue color palette the Inn already has going on and the others are warmer oranges, browns and green.
“Hmm. That depends… Do you want to enhance what you already have or begin something new?”
We sit in silence for a minute, eyes locked on the paint swatches.
“What if we do both?” Miles looks up at me and then back down to the swatches. “We keep the cream and blue that the town knows and loves, but we restore the wood on the tables, trim, desk and all that with a warmer wood stain?”
“I love that idea. You’re still keeping the old roots but making this place your own.”
“It’s settled then. Are you down to drive into town with me this week to grab some new paint? Maybe new wood trim and stain too?”
“I’m here foryou, so you get to tell me what I’m doing.” I take a sip of the coffee I got—Maisie’s order—and she must be onto something because it’s pretty good. “What’s the plan for today, boss? Make me your bitch.”
After a long dayof taking inventory, we call it a day and head back home. I didn’t realize how exhausted I’d be but I’m not surprised since I haven’t worked a full day shift in a while, unless you count my all night study sessions in school.
Miles stays on the front porch flipping through some paperwork and blueprints, doing whatever Inn owners do. As much as I love being around people, it’s nice to have a bit of alone time, and just overall time to recharge.
