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Eventually, we manage to unpack everything. By evening, the kids are both fed thanks to Isaac, who makes sure dinner is sent up to the room by one of the other maids on the night shift. It’s been a while since we’ve had such a feast, too, complete with hot chocolate drowning in mini-marshmallows and cinnamon cookies—some of the inn’s signature winter delights.
“Alright, I think we’re set,” I whisper to myself as I leave Lucas on his cot, sound asleep, and Ava in a small crib next to him. In less than twenty-four hours, Isaac and his partners have done more for us than my ex-husband and mother combined, and the thought alone is enough to make me feel blessed and overwhelmed and excited all at the same time.
I’m restless. How could I sleep? I should, since I have an early start tomorrow. There are plenty of customers to clean up after in the breakfast room. There will be a big lunch with some outside guests, as well. It’ll be a full day, and it’s been a long time since I’ve had a full, eight-hour sleep. Yet I pace around my room, ignoring calls from my mother and switching my phone to silent mode before I leave it on the dresser and go downstairs, baby monitor in hand.
The bar is still open, and the glass-covered terrace overlooking the forest draws my eye. The outdoor heaters keep the place warm and comfortable despite the nocturnal temperatures of December, giving guests the pleasure of admiring the snowy woods without freezing their hind ends off. It’s beautiful at this time of night. Hanging paper lights adorn the wooden balustrade between colorful ceramic pots overflowing with blossoming night-queens-lily-of-the-valley shrubs.
Their scent is downright inebriating as I grab myself a beer and have a seat at one of the tables. The outdoor chairs are woven from rattan, with tartan-style cushions and fluffy blankets for lower temperatures. I take it all in with deep breaths and lazy gulps, admiring the old oak trees that open up before me. I can’t wait to see them in spring, when their bare branches explode with crude green buds.
“How are you settling in?” Isaac asks as he joins me on the terrace with a beer of his own.
He’s changed out of his suit into slacks with a pale blue shirt, the top loose and unbuttoned to reveal a patch of curly blonde chest hairs. I’m secretly thankful it’s warm enough out here for him to sport this mischievously relaxed style. My lips feel dry. I lick them and smile.
“Oh, we’re settling in just fine, thank you,” I tell him. “The kids are off in dreamland, but I couldn’t fall asleep just yet. I figured I could stay out here for a while.”
“You’re welcome to go anywhere you like,” he says, taking a seat next to me. “The Elizabeth is your home now.”
The local winter birds chirp everywhere in the night, a symphony rippling out through the pitch-black darkness ahead. Were it not for the paper lamps and the inn’s interior lights, I probably would’ve let myself be swallowed by that wonderful, mysterious nothingness that’s currently staring back at us.
“I’m definitely taking the kids out into the woods tomorrow,” I reply, almost laughing as I imagine their wonder and befuddlement. Neither Ava nor Lucas have ever been this close to nature before, especially with so much snow. “We’re lucky to be here, Isaac. And I will repay you for this kindness and privilege.”
“Please, Stella, don’t worry about it in the least. You’ve got enough on your plate. It’s the least we could do, and frankly, it’s a pleasure to be able to support you through this situation,” he says. “I spoke to Bella, by the way. She’ll be in at seven tomorrow morning to take care of the kids while you work your shift. We agreed to a reasonable rate, and we’ll deduct that amount from your pay.”
“That’s great news, Isaac. Thank you again.” I was genuinely grateful but couldn’t help wondering how much less I’d get paid now that I was paying a babysitter.
“We upped your pay,” Isaac said as if reading my mind.
I almost drop my beer. “Wait, what?”
“Well, the budget allowed us to give everybody a raise. We figured you could use it, too, regardless of your experience here.”
“Isaac, seriously…”
“What? Would you like me to cut your salary so you can feel like a martyr again?” he shoots back with a coy grin. Apparently, this man knows how to push my buttons in every possible way, and we’ve only known each other for one full day. Granted, we had a lightning round earlier in his car, but still, I am in awe of his confidence and ironclad character. “It’ll be okay.”
“It already is,” I exhale sharply.
We sink into our seats as the night continues to unfold with cricket chirps and nightingale bird songs, with a soft but cool, crisp midnight breeze and the smell of the ocean sneaking in from the beach. I can almost hear its foamy waves lapping at the shore. I can imagine the golden sands clad in patches of white snow as the water laps at them.
“I could stay out here forever,” I say after a long but surprisingly comfortable silence. There’s something about this man that soothes my senses. “It’s so beautiful, so peaceful.”
“It’s why Noah and I bought the place.”
I give him a surprised look. “Wait, I thought the Elizabeth has been in your family for ages.”
“We only came here once a year maybe. A winter, a summer, a couple of springs, a Halloween, a wine festival… and that’s pretty much it. Noah and I spent most of our time in Portland, where we went to school, where we grew up. This was the only place we ever felt like we could just be kids.”
“You and Noah had a pretty strict upbringing, huh?”
He nods once. “We carry the family honor. The legacy of the Kendricks. That always came with certain expectations. I don’t mind it, to be honest. I never fought against it because I grew into it from a young age. Noah tried to rebel a couple of times. He’s had his share of uncomfortable brushes with the local tabloids, but he got over that. Eventually, he found something he loved and stuck to it. We partnered up and bought this place because we both wanted to help preserve it and help it grow.”
“You’ve done a marvelous job with the upkeep, I’ll give you that,” I reply, my gaze wandering around with admiration before it returns to his masculine, back-lit profile. Those lips of his make my blood simmer, so I take another gulp of my beer and pray to the stars that I may taste them again. It’s a terrible thought to have, considering the fact that he is still my boss. I’m supposed to be a professional, dammit, but whatever is bubbling between us, it’s undeniable chemistry. “How long ago did you renovate? I remember you mentioned something during the interview.”
“About two years ago, shortly after we took over,” he says. “Levi and Beau contributed with outside funds for parts of the overall project, of course. I guess it’s safe to say that we did manage to breathe new life into the place. While it does carry the architecture and the general design of the past, we had a couple of brilliant Portland-based designers come in and assist us with a more modern shift in the aesthetic.”
“I can definitely see why the guests love it and keep snapping selfies everywhere.”
Isaac laughs, his voice echoing across the empty terrace. I briefly glance back through the wide-open terrace doors and notice the bar lights going off. There’s not a soul left down here, except for the two of us, and my heart skips a couple beats again.
