Hope clapped her hands together. “Hallelujah! That’s the best news I’ve had all week. All month, in fact.”
“I knew you gals might not roll out the red carpet for me, but I wanted to come over here and deliver the news in person.” The corners of Grayson’s mouth began to twitch. He leaned his elbow on the counter and wiggled his eyebrows at her.
“Something tells me you’re angling for a tour of the resort. Am I right?” Hope asked, feeling light and airy due to Grayson’s news. Now they could continue to run Savannah House without the threat of it being taken away from them.
Just then one of the part-time college employees—Mary—walked up to the front desk. “Hi Hope.” She greeted her with a smile, then turned toward Grayson and gifted him with an even wider smile. “Hey there,” she said with a grin.
“Hey there,” Grayson said, smiling back at her.
“It’s my turn at the desk,” Mary said feebly, her eyes still trained on Grayson.
Hope rolled her eyes. “It’s all yours, Mary. Grayson, why don’t you come with me? I can show you around.” She couldn’t explain why it annoyed her so much to see Mary all goo-goo eyed over Grayson. Mary was barely nineteen-years-old. For goodness sakes. She felt as if she was being attacked by the green-eyed monster.
Grayson sidled up to her, standing way too close for Hope’s comfort. Mary was watching them closely, her eyes full of interest. Hope couldn’t help but cut her eyes at Mary, hoping she would take the hint and look away.
“Why don’t I take you to the kitchen first? You can meet Morgan.”
“Morgan Lucas.” He snapped his fingers. “Morgan Duvall now that she’s married to Callie’s brother, Luke. Chef extraordinaire. Her mother, Pearl Lucas, was a dear friend and assistant to my grandmother.”
Hope’s jaw dropped. “I see you’ve been quite busy investigating us. Do you also know her social security number?”
Grayson threw back his head and heartily laughed. His white straight teeth were on full display. “I consider myself to be very thorough.”
She stopped in her tracks right before the entrance to the kitchen. “So what do you know about me?”
“That you’re one of the most beautiful woman I’ve ever encountered.” Their gazes locked and Hope couldn’t seem to look away. The air was filled with electricity. It hummed and pulsed in the space around them. A loud coughing broke up the intense moment between them. Hope turned her head toward the kitchen. Morgan was standing by the stove starting at them, a bemused expression on her face.
“Hello there,” Morgan called out. “Are you guys coming to see me?” she asked.
Hope tore her gaze away from Grayson and stepped into the kitchen. Grayson trailed after her.
“Morgan, I wanted to introduce you to Grayson Holloway,” Hope said. “Morgan, this is Grayson.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet such a talented chef,” Grayson said, looking around at the large, impressive kitchen. Morgan liked to say there was no kitchen like this in Savannah. It had all the amenities that allowed Morgan and her sous-chef to cook for a resort filled with guests who enjoyed culinary delights.
“The Grayson Holloway!” Morgan’s eyes widened. “What brings you here?” she asked, with an emphasis on the word you. “Are you trying to check out the premises before you swoop down on our property?”
Hope wanted to laugh out loud at the indignant look stamped on Morgan’s face. Although she was a sweetheart through and through, Morgan didn’t mince words. Like the other women of Savannah House, she was a fighter when it came down to the important things.
“I don’t blame you for thinking that, but I have no interest in Savannah House. The lawsuit has been dropped.” He glanced over at Hope. “Our meeting this morning was very fruitful.”
“Oh,” Morgan said, her face reddening. “I-I’m glad to hear that.”
“Grayson simply wants to tour the place and get a sense of his family’s heritage. In exchange for our cooperation, he ditched the lawsuit. All things considered, I think it’s a good thing.”
Morgan and Hope exchanged a loaded glance. They both knew that they had dodged a bullet. Allowing Grayson access to the resort and providing him with information regarding the Alexander family was a piece of cake compared to being tied up in endless litigation over the bed and breakfast.
Morgan beamed. “It’s a great thing. Welcome to Savannah House, Grayson.” She beckoned Grayson over to her stove. “Don’t stand on ceremony in my kitchen, Grayson. I need someone to taste this chili. It may have come out a tad spicy, so if you don’t like heat, step aside.”
Grayson walked over to the stove. “Bring it on,” he said. “It smells delicious.”
Morgan turned back to the stove and used a ladle to dish out two small servings of chili. Hope gently blew on hers then placed a spoonful in her mouth. On a scale of one to ten the heat factor was a solid seven. “Mmm,” Hope said as the savory chili hit her taste buds. “This is amazing.”
Morgan was looking at Grayson with an intense expression. Hope knew that look well. She was trying to gauge if Grayson was enjoying her dish.
“This chili is fantastic. I would daresay it’s the best I’ve ever had,” Grayson said in an enthused voice. He continued to devour the chili until his bowl was bone dry. Morgan’s expression radiated extreme pleasure.
“How about some cornbread? It’s just about to come out of the oven,” Morgan said, putting on oven mitts and opening the oven. She pulled the cornbread out and placed it on top of the stove, then closed the oven with her hip.