Logan nodded. “Goals and plans have a way of boosting motivation.”
“I appreciate everything you’re doing,” Max said. “Really. What else ya got?”
“Okay, well,” Logan said. “This may be a sensitive topic, but what do you think about getting someone to watch Lilly during the day? You were right about Lyle having all of his guys working for him in Meredith. So, it’s just us for a month, and I could really use you.”
“Way ahead of you on that front,” Max said, sipping his iced tea. “I’ve known for a while that I need help with her, and my parents have already agreed to step in. They’ve moved here for the summer. Just arrived two days ago.”
“Perfect. Are they staying at the inn?”
“Yes,” Max said. “And my dad’s pretty handy. Maybe we can talk him into helping too.”
“Great. We’ll take whatever we can get until Lyle’s back. Next, the front desk. I noticed you work it a lot. Do you have anyone else to do that? To free up your time?”
“Yes, Dixie and Janet normally run that. I only do it when both of them are unavailable—on sick or vacation leave. Dixie returns tomorrow, so I’m all yours.”
While they ate, Max looked over Logan’s notes.
He’d spent the morning mapping out the summer, prioritizing what needed to be done first, and planning the logistics of how to finish the work as soon as possible.
“Any thoughts on the timeline I’ve proposed?” Logan asked after Max had read through it all.
“You think we can start demoing by Tuesday?” Max asked, eyebrows shooting up.
“No time like the present.” Logan shrugged. “That okay?” Maybe he was pushing a little hard, but he wasn’t hanging around Green Valley Falls just to make plans and write to-do lists. A decision had been made, and now it was full steam ahead.
“Yep,” Max said. “Let’s get to it.”
They spent a good hour going over the to-do lists and divvying up tasks.
The plan was to do the room remodels a few at a time during the summer’s peak season, and then do the lobby and remaining rooms during the September lull.
“The bedrooms will be pretty straightforward,” Logan said. “Replace the carpet, repaint or redo the wallpaper, and bring in new furniture. It’s the bathrooms that’ll be a pain. Especially if we get in there and find any plumbing issues, mold, or rot.”
“Sounds right,” Max agreed. “The plumbing was redone in the seventies, but that’s been fifty years ago now. There are a few units that need some piping replaced. We’ve just been keeping those rooms out of circulation.”
Logan made notes as they talked.
“I looked at what you had in mind for the room design, and I love it.”
“That was all Jenny,” Max said. “She was the one with the eye for fashion and Feng Shui and all that.”
“Do you know if she had ideas on where to purchase the décor?”
“I don’t think so, but I’ll take a look through her stuff. I do seem to recall she had some wallpaper samples at one point. She wanted a rustic-chic vibe.”
“Do you mind if I check around for sources?”
“Not at all.”
They finished their food, and Edna brought two pieces of pie. Logan dug in immediately, demolishing it in four bites.
“Does the pie live up to the hype?” Max asked.
“Absolutely.” Logan wiped his lips with his napkin. “Probably should’ve savored it a little more,” he said with a chuckle.
“It’s GVF’s brand of heroin,” Max said, finishing off his own piece with a satisfied sigh.
“Okay.” Logan refocused. “So tomorrow, I’ll get the LLC set up, open and fund the bank account, and write up a contract to lock Lyle in as soon as he’s done in Meredith.”
