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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
LIVY
Livy awoke to silence in the house and sat up with a start. Eight o’clock. She was supposed to have met John in the kitchen a half hour ago. She quickly got dressed, ran a comb through her hair, and took off, wondering at her lack of discipline. This time in Florida was what she’d needed, but she couldn’t get too used to it. She had work to do for Gran. And it was Billy Bob’s day off.
She hurried into the kitchen to the aroma of cinnamon and butter and sighed happily. Baking had always filled her senses with pleasure: touch, taste, smell—the whole works.
“Ahh, there you are,” said John. “Thought you might not show at all.”
Livy placed a hand on her hip and grinned playfully. “You know me better than that. I forgot to reset the alarm clock.”
He laughed. “No worries. I’ve taken care of getting these cinnamon rolls made. Thought we could freeze what we don’t use this morning. There are six couples coming in together right after Ellie and I leave.”
“We should be starting on our project by then and having these ready will be helpful,” said Livy while tying an apron around her waist. She slipped a baseball cap over her curls and went to the dining room to see if the table was set. With only two couples in the Inn, it would be an easy morning, giving her enough time to clean out kitchen cupboards and work on an inventory. Until Gran and John left, the regular routines would be done by them.
As she entered the dining room, she automatically made sure the sideboard was set up for self-service coffee and tea and that John had remembered to put out a selection of juice carafes in a tub of ice.
A man and a woman entered the dining room.
Gran rushed in from the living room. “Good morning, Bill and Sue. I hope you slept well. What do you have planned for the day?”
Bill greeted Gran and poured himself a cup of coffee while Gran and Sue chatted about sights in the area.
Livy quietly left them to help John.
Guests had the option of choosing what they wanted for breakfast ahead of time. It wasn’t a requirement, but it was helpful to John and Billy Bob in the kitchen.
“It’s Bill and Sue,” Livy told John, surprised how well Gran did memorizing people’s names.
John looked at the posting for the day. “Yogurt and fruit for her. Bacon and eggs for him.”
While John started to cook the eggs, Livy prepared a tray for Sue. She carefully arranged yogurt, fresh berries, sliced oranges, and granola. As soon as John plated the pre-cooked bacon and eggs for Bill, along with toast and jam, Livy carried the tray holding their breakfast into the dining room.
“Thanks, Livy,” said Gran when Livy walked into the room. She turned to the people at the table. “May I introduce you to one of my granddaughters? Livy is a professional baker and will be working here for the summer. It’s sure to be delightful for our guests. Please tell your friends.”
Livy said hello, answered their questions about training, and returned to the kitchen with a new respect for Gran. She had an easy way of making everyone feel right at home.
A short while later, the second couple staying on the property ordered a full breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage, home fries, and plenty of juice. Gran greeted them by name and chatted with them before they got ready to go exploring.
“I don’t know how you do it,” Livy said to Gran after the guests left the dining room. “You know everyone’s names and something about each one, making them feel as if they’re friends.”
Gran brushed a curl away from Livy’s face. “You’d be amazed by how many do become friends. Some guests want their privacy and prefer to be left alone. I respect that.”
“One of us will have to take over for you in the mornings,” said Livy.
“You’ll have to rotate, but to begin, I’d suggest Charlie acting as hostess while you work in the kitchen and Brooke and Beryl, head of housekeeping, review and schedule cleaning requirements for the day.”
Livy laughed. “You’ve already thought this through. How did you know we’d all promise to stay and help you?”
Gran put an arm around her. “All three of you are treasures, and the timing was right for each of you.”
Affection washed through Livy. “We all love you, Gran.”
“To the moon and back?” Gran said, using one of her favorite sayings.
Livy hugged her tight. “And more.”
