AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Amelia set her bag down and put a reassuring hand on her mother's arm. "Hey, it's okay. This is why we're doing this together, right? What matters is that we're both here now, ready to fix this place up."
Charlotte smiled gratefully at her daughter's optimism. Maybe this renovation disaster could still turn into something good.
"You're right," she said. "Now, let's get to work cleaning up my mess before we do any more demolition. I clearly need your help!"
Amelia playfully tossed her a broom. "Roger that! Operation Crown Inn: Phase One - Clean Up Mom's Chaos!"
Together, they laughed and started tackling the debris. Charlotte wiped her brow, smearing a streak of dust across her forehead. Her hair was matted with sweat, strands falling haphazardly from her ponytail. She glanced down at her ripped jeans and dirt-smudged shirt, sighing at the utter disarray of her appearance. This was not how she had envisioned the day.
The sound of the ballroom door opening drew Charlotte's attention. She turned, surprised to see Isla entering the room. Charlotte felt a flush of embarrassment, acutely aware of her own unkempt state.
"Oh! Hello," Charlotte said, quickly trying to smooth her hair.
Isla paused, taking in the debris and Charlotte's flustered demeanor. "I hope I'm not intruding. The door was unlocked, so I let myself in."
"No, not at all!" Charlotte said hastily. She attempted a nonchalant laugh. "As you can see, I'm just working on some, uh, renovations."
Isla nodded, glancing around the wreckage. "It looks like quite the project. Is everything alright?"
Charlotte cringed inwardly. This was not the polished impression she had intended to make on Isla. But she straightened her shoulders and met Isla's gaze.
"Everything's under control," she said, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt. "Just a few minor setbacks, that's all."
Isla smiled kindly. "Of course. Well, please let me know if I can help with anything."
Charlotte gestured to the exposed wiring dangling from the ceiling. "I was trying to replace this light fixture and things got a bit...out of hand." She shook her head ruefully. "I thought I could handle it on my own but clearly electrical work is not my forte."
Isla tilted her head, examining the precarious setup. "Electrical can be tricky if you don't know what you're doing. It looks like you gave it a good effort though."
Charlotte laughed. "That's one way to put it. The truth is I had no idea what I was getting into."
She swept a hand over her disheveled appearance. "As you can probably tell from the state I'm in."
Isla smiled warmly. "You should see some of my DIY projects. I once demoed my entire kitchen only to realize I had no idea how to install the new cabinets."
Charlotte felt herself relaxing. "Oh no! What did you do?"
"Let's just say we ate a lot of takeout that week while I figured it out," Isla said with a grin.
Charlotte chuckled, appreciating Isla's effort to commiserate and put her at ease. She found herself wanting to make a good impression on this woman. She almost asked—we? at Isla’s confession, wondering if the woman was married, but held back. Perhaps Isla wasn’t a spy for Windnell, but a woman mid-divorce, as Charlotte had been.
Gathering her composure, Charlotte said, "Well, I won't keep you. But thank you for the empathy. Maybe I'll take you up on the offer for help soon."
Isla nodded. "Of course.”
Charlotte smiled as Isla walked away, and then looked around at the mess she'd made, shaking her head and laughing softly. "Alright, let's try this again," she muttered.
Taking a deep breath, she went to find a broom. The inn wasn't going to renovate itself, after all. And now, she felt motivated to tackle it one step at a time. Charlotte swept up the debris with renewed energy, making a mental list of tasks for the day. She'd start simple - clearing up this mess, checking for any electrical hazards. As she swept up the last of the debris and leaned the broom against the wall, she stood in the center of the room, surveying the damage. The exposed wiring still sparked intermittently, and the hole in the ceiling let in a draft.
It wasn't exactly the vision she'd had. Charlotte sighed, pushing a strand of hair off her sweaty forehead. The work ahead seemed daunting. First things first - she needed to call an electrician before she could fix the ceiling.
“Honey, you want to finish up the painting on the far wall? I have to go make a call.”
Amelia nodded.
In her office a moment later, Charlotte took a deep breath as she dialed the number for the electrician. She knew first impressions mattered, and she wanted to come across as calm and collected on the phone.
"Hi, I'm Charlotte Moore, the new owner of the Old Crown Inn," she began, hoping her voice sounded steadier than she felt. "Unfortunately, I've run into a bit of a wiring issue that I could use some help with."
