Cute cottage-style houses line the road, interspersed with the occasional larger Victorian. Finally, I come across a large house that I would describe as a mansion, but that is really a multi-story Victorian house, complete with turrets.
A sign in the front yard reads The Bee’s Knees.
“Welcome to Honeypot,” I murmur, and grab my keys and wallet. I climb the steps to the front porch and lift my hand to knock, but before I can, the door flies open.
“You must be Hope!” A friendly older woman greets me. Her grey hair is up in a bun and she’s wearing a button-down blouse with a comfortable-looking pair of jeans. The first thing that pops into my head is home. She reminds me of my mother. She reminds me of family, of my childhood, and I bite back the tears that threaten to spill over.
“The one and only,” I answer cheerfully, and the woman ushers me inside. We’re in a spacious foyer with a large staircase that takes up most of the area. To the right is a sitting room and to the left is the dining area.
“Come on in,” she points to the sitting room. “Let’s talk rooms.”
I take a seat on a comfortable blue sofa and lean back.
“Lovely place,” I comment. “I bet you have a lot of fun here.” One side of the room has a bunch of instruments, including a piano and a guitar.
“Oh, some of the guests like to get a bit noisy sometimes. Don’t worry, though. I only let them play on the weekends. Nothing you need to feel concerned about. I know my guests need their beauty sleep and that’s my first priority.”
I like this woman already.
“Now, Selena said you have an interview tomorrow? That’s just fine. If you’re going to be working with the Blair brothers, they do have cottages on their property for employees, so they’ll probably give you a place to stay if they choose you, but let’s go ahead and book you for two nights, just in case they don’t decide right away. Sound good, honey?”
“Perfect,” I say. She shows me the prices for the different rooms and I choose the cheapest one. She takes off 30% and I can’t believe her generosity.
“No big deal, honey. We take care of our own around here and you really made an impression with Selena. She doesn’t take kindly to just anyone, so I want to make sure you have a good experience in our little town, no matter how long you might be here for.”
After I pay Mrs. Marsh, I retrieve a small bag from my car. I’m glad I thought ahead enough to pack a bag for my first few days. Otherwise I’d be sorting through different boxes trying to find something appropriate to wear.
I head back inside and she shows me to my room, but doesn’t come inside.
“If you need anything at all, I’ll be up until about 10:00,” she tells me. “After that, only come get me if it’s an emergency. All right, dear?”
“Of course,” I tell her. She points to the end of the hall where there’s a single door decorated with a wreath.
“That’s my room. Take care, now, hon, and remember that breakfast is between six and nine. Any later than that, and you’re on your own.”
I thank her once more, then go into my room and close the door. I flip the lock and turn back around to take in my new space. There’s a large bed against one wall and a fireplace against the opposite. I love fires, but it’s the beginning of summer, so I won’t be using it. There’s a dresser against the back wall and the entrance to my private bathroom.
Convenient.
I’ve never stayed at a bed and breakfast before, but I had pictured something more communal, like shared bathrooms. I’m glad I have a space that’s all my own. Closing the blinds, I quickly strip down and head into the bathroom to soak.
The tub is huge. It’s more like a hot tub than a bathtub. Three people could easily fit inside. Maybe the people in Honeypot are kinki
er than I thought. Blushing, I picture a mini-orgy in the tub. Hands groping, pulling hair, spanking, teasing, touching... Suddenly, I’m sad I’m staying alone tonight.
Mrs. Marsh seemed nice enough and even a bit conservative, but you never know what people are secretly like.
You just don’t know.
Maybe this B&B is secretly used for sexcapades and naughty weekends. The thought excites me more than it should.
The tub fills quickly and I slip into the water. I can’t hold back the moan that escapes my lips. The water feels so good against my skin. I’m much more sore than I planned to be. Who knew that a lengthy road trip would feel more like a trip to the gym than a relaxing drive?
Fighting back the urge to think about all I left behind, I close my eyes. Tomorrow is a new beginning. It’s a fresh start. No one in Honeypot knows anything about me. No one knows my history, my past, my story.
No one knows how my boyfriend completely humiliated.
Most importantly, no one knows that it was all my fault.