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“Juliet,” she greets. “Your dad told me you were gonna stop by.”
“Hey, Rosie. The inn’s looking great.”
“Thanks. Just don’t go upstairs,” Rosie says with a laugh. “It’s been a huge undertaking. Much bigger than I thought it’d be.”
“I can’t even imagine. Is Dom able to help you much?”
Dominic Harper is Rosie’s twin and Autumn Ridge’s most skilled handyman. He’s helped Dad countless times with electrics and plumbing at our own house and even Dad’s office at Town Hall.
“He helps when he can.” She folds her arms and leans against the counter, motioning toward me. “So your dad tells me you’re taking a break from BU for a bit?”
“Yeah, I am.”
“Big city life,” she says, shaking her head. “It wasn’t for me.”
I lower my voice as if Dad can hear me, even though he’s probably reached Town Hall by now. “It’s not all it’s cracked up to be, is it? I really prefer Autumn Ridge.”
“Same. Hence why I’m back here running the inn. Anyway, your dad mentioned you had something to ask me about in his phone call this morning?”
I straighten, leaning into that Monroe Magic I’d promised Dad. “Yeah, that’s right. I’m actually hoping I might be able to help you with the festival.”
Instantly, Rosie’s brows lift in surprise. “Oh, well, I signed up to lead the whole thing...”
“Oh, I know,” I say, pulling back with an impressed shake of my head. “My dad says you’re doing a great job. He has zero concerns that the festival will go off without a hitch. He’s even saying this is going to be the best Fall Festival Autumn Ridge has seen in years.”
She blinks, a panic setting into her expression, so I continue.
“But...” I lean in, looking over my shoulder as if we might be overheard, though we’re alone in the still vacated inn. “Can I be honest with you?”
“Of course.”
“My dad’s kinda driving me crazy. He keeps asking me what I’m doing with my life, how I’m gonna spend my break, if I’m gonna get a job during it. Blah, blah, blah.” I trail off, rolling my eyes. “I love him, but sometimes, a girl needs a break, you know?”
Rosie’s features soften. “Parents. They’re suffocating sometimes.”
“Right?” We share a knowing look before I launch into my next tactic. “Anyway, I’m not looking for a permanent job or anything. That’s why I thought of the Fall Festival. It would be the perfect thing to satisfy my dad, and it would keep me occupied over a few weeks while I try to figure out what I want to do next.”
Rosie nods, her expression turning thoughtful—the crack I need to finally wedge myself into the door. I love her determination to see the festival completed on her own, but no person alive could run something like this without help.
“So,” I say, pressing my hands flat together in a gesture of prayer, “what do you say?”
Rosie peers down at a stack of papers on the counter and chews the inside of her lip. “I guess I could find a couple things for you to do.”
Mission accomplished. “Excellent. Give me whatever your top priority is. I’ll see it gets done.”
She hesitates again, then extends the handwritten list to me. “If you see anything that sounds fun, I guess you’re welcome to do it.”
I accept the papers. “I’m sure all of it’s gonna sound more appealing than being harangued at home.”
But as I skim through the six pages, I’m no longer that confident. There are at least a hundred to-dos left in the week and a half before the festival.
Confirm street closure permits, check up with the daily refresh team for weather damage, create a load-in schedule, add visible trash cans and sanitation points.
It’s going to take a miracle to pull this off.
“The ones with stars next to them are the top priority,” Rosie continues, unnecessarily pointing them out.
There are more starred on her list than not, as many of the ones without stars have been crossed out and accomplished already.
