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She let the curtain fall back into place. “It was wonderful, Clara. Possibly one of the best nights I’ve ever spent.”
“You deserve it, Hope,” Clara said. “Ella hasn’t made a peep all night. She’s slept like a little angel.”
Hope smiled at Clara, feeling very grateful for the night out. “Thank you for watching her. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” Hope dug into her purse and handed Clara her payment. She walked her to the door, and once she was gone Hope locked up and leaned back against the door. Tonight had been magical. And she knew it would now be impossible to turn back the tide with regards to her feelings for Grayson. The kiss they’d shared had cemented it. She was falling for Grayson and there was no turning back now.
**
As soon as Grayson got back to his house he headed straight to his work area. He wanted to sketch Hope. It was more than that. He needed to do it. Grayson feverishly began to sketch with charcoal, his fingers flying over the canvas. It felt as if he was being driven to do this work of art by a force stronger than himself.
He had a feeling he knew what it was, but he didn’t want to give it a name. It was too scary. Too much of a life changer.
After about an hour, Grayson sat back and looked at his finished product. It was good. No, it was better than good. It was breathtaking. He’d been able to capture Hope’s true essence on the canvas. The shape of her face. The warmth in her gaze. The elegant slope of her neck.
He loved her. He, Grayson Holloway, was in love with Hope Matthews.
“The only things secrets do is hold us down. Once we’re free of them, we can soar.” Callie Duvall Holden
Chapter Eight
“Good job everyone. You’ve just burned about a thousand calories.” Hope wiped sweat from her forehead as she watched the group of guests depart fr
om her exercise class. She loved teaching Zumba. The upbeat rhythms and the cardio workout invigorated her. Being an instructor at Savannah House had allowed her to whittle off the baby weight she’d gained while pregnant with Ella. That, combined with a healthy diet, had shaved thirty pounds from her frame. And she’d kept it off!
Hope quickly made her way back home to take a shower. Today she was having lunch with the other owners of Savannah House. It was something they did once a month in order to take stock of things at the resort. Although Hope knew the inn was doing spectacularly well, there were always things here and there in need of tweaking. There was always that one random guest who complained about everything from the toothpaste to the bed linens to the morning flapjacks Morgan served.
Once she’d showered and changed, Hope sat with Ella for a few minutes while Clara fed her lunch. By the time she arrived back at Savannah House, she was the last one to gather in the parlor. The table had been set up with sandwiches and home-made potato chips and a lovely salad with pears and walnuts. Hope slid into the seat between Charlotte and Olivia.
“Why don’t we start with a prayer?” Charlotte suggested. “Fancy? Would you like to lead us in the prayer?”
Fancy nodded her head and held out her hands on either side of her. Everyone linked up by holding hands. “Heavenly father, we thank you for this food Morgan so lovingly prepared. We thank you for the bonds of friendship that only continue to strengthen. Most importantly, we thank you for blessing us each and every day with Your love and the relationships that nourish and nurture us. Thank you for blessing us on this journey we took to restore Savannah House to her former glory. It has brought us so much joy and satisfaction. We are humbled by all of Your continued blessings. Amen.”
A chorus of Amens rang out at the table. Everyone began helping themselves to the assortment of sandwiches—chicken salad and ham and cheese on French bread. Hope began tasting the chips, letting out a satisfied sound as her taste buds sprang to life.
She held a chip in the air. “You do know you could totally sell these and make a mint, right?” Hope asked.
Morgan smiled. “I’m up to my elbows trying to keep guests content and happy at Savannah House. Maybe in another lifetime.”
Olivia took a bite of sandwich. She nodded her head. “That’s not a bad idea, Hope. We could brand them as Savannah House chips.”
“Hmm,” Callie said. “Branding.” They could all see the wheels turning in Callie’s head.
“Fresh from Morgan’s kitchen.” Fancy chimed in.
“It’s definitely something to consider,” Hope said. It was fun brainstorming with her best friends. There was no dream out of their reach. They all knew anything was possible with vision, hard work and commitment.
“By the way, Grayson seems like a nice guy. I was able to talk to him a little bit at the soiree. I’m fairly impressed.” Olivia looked over at Hope. There was no question in her mind that Olivia’s comment had been designed to start a discussion about her relationship with Grayson.
“Especially now that he’s dropped the suit,” Charlotte quipped. “Let’s be honest. Before we all thought he was a troll.” All of the ladies laughed, even though there was a hint of truth in her words. Things were so much less tense now that litigation was off the table. Hope knew it would allow everyone to view Grayson with fresh eyes. It mattered deeply to her how they regarded him. She knew it would hurt her if they held a bad opinion of him.
“The two of you seem to be getting along like a house on fire,” Fancy said, looking at Hope with curiosity radiating from her eyes.
“Come on. Fess up,” Morgan prodded. “You like him, don’t you?”
All eyes were on Hope. She felt like a specimen under the microscope.
Hope gingerly took a bite of her sandwich. She might as well deal with the situation right here and now. They were like dogs with bones. There was no way they were going to let go of it.
“You’re right. I like him,” Hope said. “A lot.”
