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They always have been.
“The bathroom in the Sleepy Orange room needs the toilet fixed and the closet door in the Painted Lady Room isn’t closing right. Do you think you could look at those for me while I start tonight’s dinner?”
“You got it.” I release her shoulders and turn to head outside for the tools, then I pause. “Hey, Mom?”
“Yes dear?”
“Could you and Dad keep Nora overnight this week? I was thinking of going to the bar with Sally, Dominick, and Penelope on Friday.”
“That sounds fun, of course we can keep her. We love having that little ball of energy here.”
“Thanks, Mom. I have to check with everyone to see if they’re free. Do you know when Penelope will be back?”
“She said she was going for her walk and then to the diner for lunch with Sally. So, maybe later this afternoon?”
“Perfect. I’m going to go get the tools from the shed and then get to work. I took the day off, so I can help with whatever you need.”
“Does that mean you’ll be here for dinner too?”
“Yep, Nora and I are going to come over if you have enough food for us.”
“Hmm, let me think about it.” She pauses, giving me a teasing smile. “I think we can swing it.”
“We’ll be here then,” I tell her with a chuckle.
As soon as I open the back door, the cold wind whips around my face, and the smell of snow hits my nose. “You can’t be serious, not snow again.”
I head to the shed in the backyard and slowly open the door, taking in the scent of sawdust, cigars, and my dad’s cologne. This is his favorite spot at the inn and where he spends most of his time.
He makes things out of wood, really beautiful pieces. When we moved back to Winterberry, he handcrafted Nora’s headboard, footboard, and bed frame. He’s insanely talented and could sell his work for thousands, but he refuses. He only does it because he loves it.
He’s also a meticulous organizer and all his tools hang on the wall in a specific order, grouped by type and size.
I grab what I need, then I linger a little longer to check out his newest project—a new sleigh for Santa that will go in front of the inn. It’s beautiful. I run my hand down the side, noticing how smooth the wood is. He hasn’t painted it yet, but I can picture what the final project will look like.
Wrapping my arms around myself to ward off the cold, I close the door tightly behind me and make my way back to the inn. I know my mom has other things that need to get done, so I’m hoping I can work quickly and get much of it done before I have to get Nora from school.
The first room I visit is the Painted Lady Room to fix the closet door. The guests who are staying in this room are out for the day, which is why Mom is having me fix it now, but I knock anyway before entering.
I love the rooms here. Each one is named after a species of butterfly—Mom’s favorites— and they all have individual fireplaces, en suite bathrooms, and flat screen TVs. But there are subtle differences in each room, too. Like the colors of the comforter or the type of furniture. In this room, the furniture is all white and the bedding is a pale orange. The bathroom has black and white tiles on the floor and in the shower, along with white cabinets and a granite countertop.
It’s really a beautiful combination.
The closet doesn’t take long to fix, and I make my way to the Sleepy Orange room, where all the furnishings are dark wood and the accents are pale orange colors, matching the butterfly it’s named after.
The toilet is a quick fix, but some of the parts need to be replaced, so I go back to the shed to get the parts before finishing.
My mom gives me another few projects off her list, and by early afternoon I’ve completed everything. It feels good to help out, especially since I’ve been slacking.
I have just enough time to shower before leaving to get my little girl. Hopping in my truck, I make my way down Main Street, past the town Christmas tree, and park on the street in front of her school. It’s freezing out, but I exit my truck to wait for her on the sidewalk.
“Hi Dad!” Nora yells as she comes running out of the building.
Her curls bounce as she skips down the steps and jumps into my arms, wrapping her little arms around my neck and giving me a squeeze. She still gets so excited when she sees me, and I hope that never changes. Everyone tells me it will one day but I’m crossing my fingers they’re wrong.
“Hey little love bug!” I say, smooching her cheek. “How was your day?”
“Booooooring. School is so boring,” she whines.
