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Was there more to it than that?
All night, she’d driven herself to distraction wondering. Unfortunately, that morning, he’d been back to his old self, focused on the job.
“Okay, show me what you’ve been working on,” she said as Marissa set her own stuff down.
Marissa opened her account on Android Studio and typed in her access code and password. Immediately, her app in Kotlin language appeared on the screen.
Impressive. She’d thought the little girl would be using some kid-friendly coding program, not the highest-level-technology app-building system on the market. She moved her chair closer to examine Marissa’s work. “This is really good,” she said.
Marissa beamed. “Really?”
“Yeah. Like almost ready to go to market good,” Sarah said. She turned to look at Marissa. “Where did you learn to do this?”
“I took a few courses at school…but mostly I taught myself. A lot of reading and playing around with the program.”
“Well, you must be a fast learner. What are you, ten?”
“Almost,” she said.
“Honestly, I think other than a few bugs we might have to work out, this looks ready to test…” She hesitated. She’d wrongfully assumed that she’d need to coach and direct the kid. She had made a list of things to teach her the night before, but Marissa was far more advanced than Sarah had thought.
“So what should we work on?” Marissa asked.
Good question. She wanted to offer Marissa some value to this experience, not just pick her brain for the SmartTech app. “Um, what about updating your dad’s website?” She didn’t even need to visit it to know it could probably use some work. Wes didn’t strike her as someone who updated and maintained an online presence.
“What website?” Marissa asked, her tone conveying her own disdain.
“He doesn’t have a site?” Sarah needed to sit down. She pulled up a chair at her desk. “How is he getting business?” Was he taking out ads in theBlue Moon Bay Gazetteor advertising on the bowling alley display screens?
“Word of mouth around town and a Facebook page,” Marissa said with a shrug of her tiny shoulder. “He stays busy, but I know we’re not doing so great…money-wise. He had to close his office on Main Street after Mom died. Aunt Carmen is his assistant, and she works out of our kitchen.” She seemed reluctant to admit all of this to Sarah, as though she sensed she was betraying her dad’s confidences.
“Okay, well, I think it’s time he had one, don’t you?” she asked Marissa.
Marissa smiled. “I think it’s way overdue.”
“Great. I have a fantastic hosting site we can use for free. I’ll set it up, and then I’ll leave you to your first official intern assignment,” Sarah said.
Marissa’s smile was full of eagerness when she looked at her but also something else—gratitude, respect, and friendship…and Sarah felt herself being drawn in to the family even more.
If she wasn’t careful, leaving Blue Moon Bay might be harder than she thought.
…
From his perch on his ladder two days later, Wes could hear Marissa’s laughter coming from inside the B&B as he worked, and the sound warmed him to his core. All week she’d been so excited to get to the inn to work with Sarah that she’d been up early enough that he hadn’t needed to wake her. Plus, all her chores were done before breakfast. He wasn’t sure what magic carrot Sarah was dangling in front of her, but he’d never seen his daughter so hyped about something before.
Which made his affection for Sarah grow to an unhealthy level.
So much so that he’d purposely avoided her as much as possible the last few days. He had to get a grip and see things for what they were—she was a friend from his past doing what she felt was the right thing out of obligation…she had no plans to stay in Blue Moon Bay. And while she was the hero of the moment for his daughter, it only meant Marissa would get hurt again once she left.
Sarah might be bonding with his daughter, but she’d definitely been prickly toward him since being back in town, and that was good. Knowing she was not struggling with the same sudden attraction to him helped keep his in check.
Except a few days before, that prickly exterior had vanished. He’d been seconds away from kissing her. Thank God her phone had interrupted them before he could do something foolish.
The sun dipped low in the sky, signaling quitting time, and he climbed down the ladder and gathered his tools. He paused outside the den window. Inside, Marissa and Sarah were sitting at the old-fashioned mahogany desk, their laptops opened in front of them, both typing furiously…but obviously chatting and making jokes as they burst out laughing every few seconds.
The knot in Wes’s stomach tightened. Marissa was getting attached to Sarah really quickly. Every evening, all he heard was Sarah this, Sarah that… Hell, he was starting to like having her around. Her easy, unassuming confidence; her determination in this venture; and the way she was the complete opposite of his usual type, he already knew he would miss seeing her every day once the renovations were done.
And he had no idea what to do. He certainly didn’t want to get in the way of the connection his daughter was making. The first real one in a long time, but he also didn’t want to see her get hurt…
