She’d scare herself and the guests. He couldn’t determine the best path to dealing with her on the lawn. But in the process of standing outside, he had made everyone involved nervous with his glowering. He retreated upstairs, eating a sandwich brought to him by a shaking server before spending the rest of the day at work.
Now, as the sun hung low on the horizon, he couldn’t help but question himself. Perhaps his straightforward strategy to fix the situation was the problem. If he was more creative and free-spirited, like her, he might choose to leave the chair and umbrella submerged in the lake as an offshore oddity in case anyone snorkeled.
He snorted. The murky freshwater lake wasn’t conducive to exploration. Which was probably for the best. A sunken obstacle could be a danger. He did his best to keep his guests safe and happy. Once one lawsuit was served, others would follow. No matter how baseless, he’d have to fight every claim. He’d lose a fortune in legal fees.
His business was set for its most profitable year yet. But there was never a moment in the hospitality industry that wasn’t rife with worry. To properly staff and run the resort, he had a lot of overhead costs. In addition, maintaining an old building wasn’t inexpensive or easy.
If he wanted an easy buck, he was in the wrong profession. While he was aware of his miserly persona to the community, he didn’t focus on the bottom line for his profit margin and hadn’t taken a bonus in years. He remained because of his passion for continuing the Inn’s legacy.
A knock sounded on the door.
“Enter,” he called and scanned his planner for his next meeting.
“Oh, good! You’re here,” Ashley said, slightly breathless.
From the climb or enthusiasm at seeing him or both? He met her bright-eyed gaze and smiled despite himself.
She stepped over the covered tray outside the door and breezed into the room.
He frowned. The cleaning staff never left room service trays in the corridor. He’d call downstairs and ask why no one had cleared the trays in the hallway. He was looking for trouble. In it strolled.
“Sorry, is this a bad time?” She stopped, frozen in place in front of his desk.
“Just a long day.” He scrubbed his face, wiping away his scowl and waving to his chair. He’d give the staff a break. They weren’t the source of his frustration. Ashley claimed the role. “Please, sit down. What did you want to discuss?”
She pulled out a chair, scraping the floor.
He ground his molars together. He would not wince. He was interested in what had her so happy after her disastrous start to the day.
“I was fully undercover at the boardwalk. I stopped in and chatted with just about everyone,” she said.
“Good. Learn anything useful?”
“Did you know the sounds are amplified on the water? It’s clearer to hear someone across the lake rather than someone whispering next to you?”
He widened his gaze. He hated to think what he might have said that was overheard. He mostly kept his thoughts to himself. She’d been his confidant. Once she was gone, he adapted to holding in every thought.
“And you were right…”
He straightened. He liked hearing that.
“They hate you. They really, really hate you.”
He hunched in his chair. So much for feeding his ego. “I guess you went to see Zach Jenkins?”
“He was my first stop. Is he their leader?”
“In a way, I suppose.”
“I would have defended you, you know. I think there must be some middle ground between you and the shopkeepers. But I didn’t really think it would help our case if I did. I’m supposed to be coming back to lay claim.”
“What would you have said?” he asked, suddenly realizing how important her answer was. He felt just as fragile and unsure as he’d been as a kid when he learned he’d have to pay his own way. She might always have it easy. And he never wanted to make life hard for her. But he hated retreating into that scared little kid, the one that motivated his every choice for stability and security.
“I would have said you probably were too enthusiastic about the idea, but it had some merit.” She smiled. “You want the best for everyone.”
Her sad, shy expression tugged at his heart. It hinted at shared memories and that he wouldn’t need to explain his reasons.
“But I didn’t need to. Zach conceded as much.”
