“Avery’s been pitching this B&B since I got here.”
“Well then, it’s my turn.” Prepared, Clare straightened up, leaned forward. “It’s more than a bed-and-breakfast. I think it’s going to have that kind of warmth and charm, but combined with the pizzazz of a boutique hotel. I’ve been through parts of it, gotten a sense of the setup, looked at the cut sheets and photos of furniture and fixtures. I’m still dazzled.”
“Living where you work.” Hope lifted her shoulders. “There are pros and cons there.”
“Come on, Hope, you practically lived at the Wickham anyway.”
“Maybe.” Unable to deny that singular fact, she blew out a breath. “The Prick and Miss Tits are officially engaged.”
“They deserve each other,” Avery muttered.
“Oh yeah. Anyway, she actually breezed into my office last week, wanting to discuss wedding plans, as they’ll have the event at the hotel.”
“Bitch.”
“And another oh yeah.” Hope toasted Avery. “Yesterday, the big boss calls me in. He’d like to discuss my contract as it’s nearly up. He offered me a raise, which I declined, explaining that I’d be tendering my resignation. He was, sincerely, stunned.”
“Did he really think you’d stay on after his son treated you that way?” Clare demanded.
“Clearly he did. When he realized I was serious, he doubled the raise.” One eyebrow arched, she lifted her glass again in toast. “Doubled it without a single blink. That was incredibly satisfying. Almost as satisfying as telling him thanks, but no thanks. Pissed him off, enough for him to release me from the remainder of my contract.”
“He fired you?”
“No, he didn’t fire me.” Hope grinned at Clare’s outrage. “We simply agreed that since I’d be leaving in a matter of weeks anyway, I could depart the premises on the spot. So, I’m done.”
“Are you okay?” Clare leaned over, squeezed a hand over Hope’s.
“I am. I really am. I have an interview next week in Chicago, another pending in Philadelphia, and yet another in Connecticut.”
“Stay with us.”
Hope gave Clare’s hand a squeeze in turn. “I’m not throwing it over, or I wouldn’t be here. It’s intriguing, I admit, what these people are doing. I want to see it, feel it out. Being so close to you and Avery is a big draw, but this job has to be the right fit.”
“It’s as tailored as one of your Akris suits. Don’t take my word.” Avery shrugged, leaned back nonchalantly in her chair. And smiled a very smug smile. “You’ll see.”
“I like the town, or I should say I’ve always liked spending a day or two here when I’ve come to visit. So, tell me more about the Montgomerys. Avery’s given me the basics. Mom, three sons. They lost their father who started the contractor’s business about ten years ago. They own several properties in and around town.”
“They saved the inn property. There was talk about just razing it, it had gotten so bad. And that would’ve been a crime.”
“I remember how it looked the last few times I came up,” Hope commented. “Saving it’s no small feat.”
“They have a good eye, and talent. All three are terrific carpenters and cabinetmakers. They built this deck.”
“Ryder—the oldest,” Avery continued. “He’s standing as job boss on this project. Owen’s the detail guy, runs the numbers, makes the calls, takes the meetings. Or most of them. Beckett’s an architect. Clare can tell you more about him since he’s sweet on her.”
“Oh?” That eyebrow arched again. “Oh, really?”
“Really,” Avery said before Clare could speak. “They shared a big, sloppy kiss in the dark, haunted halls of the inn.”
“Really? Wait, haunted? No, one thing at a time.” Hope waved her hands in the air as if clearing a chalkboard. “Now, tell me everything about Beckett Montgomery. I met him briefly in your place, Avery, but all I remember is an impression of yummy.”
“Yummy’s accurate, but Clare would have more details there due to big, sloppy.”
“I should never have told you about last night,” Clare said to Avery.
“As if. He’s gorgeous—they all are. He has his office and apartment over the restaurant.”
“Oh, that’s right, that’s right. I remember now. I met Owen long enough to say hi, there. Two out of three, at least, are yummy.”
“Ryder carries on the tradition. Anyway, Beckett.” Avery grinned at Clare. “He got his degree from the University of Maryland, worked for the family business in the summers, then apprenticed with a firm in Hagerstown for a couple years. He’s full-time with Montgomery Family Contractors now, handles the architectural needs, and still straps on a tool belt whenever he’s needed. Which looks fine on him.”
“Maybe you should go out with him.”
Avery just kept grinning at Clare over her wine. “He never gave me the puppy-dog eyes. He’s been stuck on Clare since high school. He told her.”
“Aww.”
Avery gave Hope a light slap on the arm. “I know. They’re going out Friday night.”
“Where?”
Clare shifted in her chair. “I don’t know. Dinner, I guess. He’s coming at seven. That should be dinner.”
“What are you wearing?”
“I don’t know. God, I don’t know. I don’t remember how to do this.”
“We’re here to help,” Hope assured her. “We’ll go up and pick something out.”
“I don’t even know if I have anything that’s date-wear. Everything’s Mom- or bookstore-wear.”
“I love your clothes,” Avery disagreed.
“We’ll see what’s what. And if we can’t find anything that makes you happy, we’ll go shopping.”
“I don’t really have time to—”
“Clare, you’ve been shopping with me.” Hope lifted a finger. “You know I can whip together an outfit, including shoes, accessories, and underpinnings, inside twenty minutes.”
“She has that talent,” Avery confirmed. “See, fun. We can do this all the time when Hope’s living in town. You know what you need to do! You need to move up here now. Move in with me until the inn’s finished. It’s perfect. We could be roommates again. You’ll get to know the area, the people, have a real handle on the inn before you really start working there.”
“Getting way ahead of yourself has always been one of your talents. I haven’t even seen the place. And, even if I decided I wanted the job like I want a new pair of Manolos, there’s no guarantee they’ll hire me. For all we know, Mom and Sons might take an instant dislike to me.”
“Never happen; they’re too astute. Especially Justine. Oh, Oh.” Avery waved her wineglass. “Did you hear about the gift shop?”
“I was in there earlier,” Clare confirmed. “The building next to the bookstore,” she told Hope. “Their tenant moved out, and they’re going to make it into a gift shop, specializing in local arts and crafts. Tying it in with the inn.”
“That’s a clever idea.”
“They’re full of them,” Avery told Hope.
“Uh-huh. Tell me about the place being haunted.”
“It’s a woman with a preference for honeysuckle. That’s all I know.” Avery shrugged. “The original part of the building is the oldest stone house in town. Seventeen-ninety-whatever. So she could be from any time. You know what? Owen ought to research her. That’s what he does—research things.”
“Owen’s the one I talked to. The detail man. Has this honeysuckle-loving ghost caused any problems?”
“Not that I’ve heard of. And I would, or Clare would. The crew eats at my place a lot, and gets coffee or books at TTP. They’d talk about it, believe me. Maybe you’ll make contact when we go through tomorrow. Clare, you’ve got to come.”
Clare tuned back in, shifted her gaze from the softening light over the backyard—that needed mowing. “I don’t think the Montgomerys want three little boys running around the place. Plus, it’s not safe.”
“It
wouldn’t take long. I could get Franny to watch them for a half hour. She’s on tomorrow.”
“I don’t know . . . Let me see. I might be able to drop them at my mother’s for a bit. A little bit,” she added. “We’ve still got a lot of back-to-school prep to do, and I’ve got yard work and housework.”
“Walk-through’s at ten.”
Clare juggled tomorrow’s agenda in her head. “Maybe. I’ll be there if I can make it.”
“Good enough. Now.” Hope rubbed her hands together. “Let’s go play closet.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
AS ARRANGED, OWEN ARRIVED AT VESTA AT NINE THIRTY sharp to meet and interview Hope. Since she’d promised to stay out of the way, Avery busied herself with the morning prep—firing up the pizza ovens, making the sauces in anticipation of Saturday business when they opened at eleven.
When Owen walked in, Hope sat at the counter drinking coffee as she looked over her notes.
Owen shifted his briefcase to his left hand, held out his right. “Hope.”
“Owen.”
“It’s nice to see you again. Appreciate this, Avery.”
“All for the common good,” she said from the stove. “Coffee?”