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"I'm not a baby," Noelle chimed in.
Nick wrinkled his nose at her. "Not you, Noelley. Your brother."
"Chris is the baby," Noelle said to Grace, raising her eyebrows like she wanted to make sure she got the message.
Grace nodded solemnly. "Yes, you're a big girl."
"She'll be three in a few weeks," Joan said, rubbing her granddaughter's back. "Definitely a big girl."
"I wanna help now," Noelle practically yelled, waving the wrench in her hand dangerously close to Nick's nose.
Nick grimaced, dodging her swing. "You got it, just be careful with that thing."
Grace watched as Nick put Noelle down, then he followed her over to the antique brass handle on the front door. Noelle got to work with the wrench—obviously not doing anything productive with it—while Nick used a screwdriver to fix whatever was actually broken.
"The handle's loose," Joan explained with a sigh. "If it isn't one thing it's another around here. Such is life when you run an inn, I guess."
Grace smiled. "Well, at least you have a good maintenance team to fix things."
"Oh, absolutely. He can be a bit of a grump, but we love him anyway," Joan teased, patting his head affectionately as he stayed crouched in front of the door with a bland expression on his bearded face.
Grace couldn't help but be charmed by the mother-son dynamic playing out before her. Despite his gruff exterior, it was clear that Nick cared deeply for his family, and they cared equally for him. It was no wonder the inn radiated such warmth and comfort; it came from the people who brought it to life.
What was with the people in this town, determined to show her examples of the kind of life she'd never had? It was like she had a neon sign on her forehead that read, "Show me what I've been missing."
But, wait.
She'd never thought she was missing out on anything before, and it wasn't like this was the first place she'd traveled to that was the home of happy families.
It had to be the town. Something in the water, maybe?
"Anyway," Joan continued, "they'll be out of your way in a minute. I hope you have a lovely day exploring the town, and if you need anything, just let us know."
"Actually, I was thinking I'd stick around here for a bit this morning. Maybe set up near the tree in the front room and get some work done?" Grace explained, her eyes lingering on the sparkling lights and ornaments garnishing the inn's grand tree.
Joan's warm smile lit up her face. "Of course, dear. Whatever you want. Breakfast will be ready shortly... I got a little side-tracked when Noelle woke up. Would you like me to bring you some coffee while you wait?"
"Thank you, that would be wonderful," Grace responded, feeling her heart lift at the thought of sipping on a steaming mug of coffee while she worked, surrounded by the festive ambiance of the inn.
As Grace settled down into a plush armchair near the tree, she marveled at the intricate details of the decorations, each one seemingly more beautiful than the last. She opened her laptop, her fingers itching to capture every little nuance of this enchanting place in her writing.
But then the internet icon on Grace's screen blinked mockingly, steadfastly remaining on the frustrating 'No Connection' message. She exhaled sharply, her frustration growing with each unresponsive click.
Seriously?
She was inspired to write, and the inn's Wi-Fi chosethismoment to falter?
"Wi-Fi troubles?" a man’s voice sliced through her growing irritation. She glanced up to see a tall stranger wearing a conservative sweater and black-rimmed glasses standing nearby, a warm, inquisitive smile on his face.
"Yes, and I’m close to giving up on it," Grace responded, pushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “I don’t know what’s going on.”
The man chuckled, pulling out a chair opposite her. "Mind if I give it a try? I'm fairly good with tech stuff."
"Please, go ahead," Grace said, sliding her laptop across the table. "I'm usually pretty good with it, but right now I’m feeling about as tech-savvy as a typewriter."
His laugh at her comment was light and genuine as he began navigating her laptop. “Lemme see what I can do. I’m Ethan, by the way.”
“Grace,” she replied as she watched him work.
