Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Jasper
“Jasper, I’m gonna need you to breathe.”
Daddy’s hands came to rest on my shoulders as I put together more trays to take out to the lobby area of The Lavender Porch.
Today was my soft opening, where townspeople could come and check out the B&B and try a little sample of the breakfast menu.
I had been up since about five a.m., double-checking all the cleaning upstairs and in the lobby and kitchen.
I hadn’t hired anyone to help me with the cooking or the cleaning yet.
It would make for long days, but I didn’t wanna give someone the promise of a job and then end up having to let them go when I didn’t make any money.
It would be much better to work hard and get it established, and then be able to offer someone a job once I knew it could sustain itself. But that meant I was working nonstop.
Totally worth it.
“I don’t have time to breathe, Daddy. I need to get these trays out onto the buffet table.”
I’d anticipated a lot fewer people showing up.
It was the best kind of problem. Luckily, I assumed everyone would eat like a lumberjack after a double shift, so there was plenty of food and no one would leave hungry.
Heck, I was grateful that they’d shown up, even if some might be here just to see what the inside of Sissy’s house looked like.
But if it meant them potentially telling a friend about the cute bed and breakfast they saw, it would be worth it.
I’d cleared out the living room and dining room to make it more commercial and less like a family space.
The dining room had several tables set up so people could eat individually or family-style if they preferred.
The living room was divided into several different seating areas with the occasional reading chair, so people only had to socialize if they wanted to.
The front of the house now looked more like a hotel.
I’d installed an island workspace for myself directly in front of a closet that I turned into an office in the downstairs area.
It was all polished live oak and Hill Country limestone.
If Sissy could’ve seen it, I hoped she’d be proud of what I’d done.
“A soft launch means people are expecting there to still be kinks.”
“Heh. You said kinks,” I said, with a legit lecherous grin. I danced away with a laugh when Daddy tried to swat my butt. As stressed as I was, I was still beyond happy that this place would be open to the public as of today.
“All right, I’m going back in there.” I pushed my way through the swinging kitchen door into the dining room, carrying a tray piled high with fresh berry tarts.
“Hello, you must be Jasper.” A cowboy with snakeskin boots strode forward with an outstretched hand.
“I know right now won’t work for you, but I’m hoping we can chat tomorrow about renting out the rooms for Fourth of July weekend.
Myself and a few friends are always here for the parade and barbecue, and this will work better than staying all the way in Kerrville or Boerne and having to drive over in the morning. ”
I juggled the tray to shake his outstretched hand. “Sweet! How many rooms are you looking for?”
“How many do you have?”
“We’ve got eight upstairs and an accessible room downstairs. There isn’t an elevator to the second story.”
“Then I’d want to take all of them.”
“Pardon me?” I croaked. It was odd because I could’ve sworn he said all of them, and that was some crazy talk.
“Yes, all of them,” he repeated with a laugh.
“Some of us grew up here, and some are friends who have joined the tradition by tagging along. We’re all queer, and a few of us are in nontraditional relationships.
If we rent out the whole place, we don’t have to worry about anyone else’s thoughts.
We’ve done Airbnb rentals close to each other in the past, but this is a much better option. ”
“But Fourth of July is months away.”
“The Comfort Parade and BBQ are a pretty big deal. There aren’t a lot of options, so if I find a good one, I book it right away.”
“Wow. Okay. Yeah. “
“I’m James Whitaker, by the way, but everyone calls me Whit.”
“Nice to meet you.” I hoped my voice stayed on an even keel because, inside, I was jumping up and down with excitement. “I’m thrilled you stopped by. What brings you to town this weekend?”
“I spend weekends on my parents’ ranch a few times a month. Selena told me about the open house and thought it could work for the Fourth of July, so I stopped by.”
“Selena might be my new favorite person.” I needed to send that woman flowers.
“She’s a helper, and she’s pulled my ass out of the fire more than once.”
“Hank, good to see you again.” Whit reached around and offered a handshake to Hank. “It’s been a long time.”
“Hey, Whit, same to you. Too bad Riley’s ankle kept him away from the Saddle Up. I know that’s y’all’s thing.”
Pain flashed in Whit’s eyes for a second, and then it was gone. “It happens. Hopefully, he and I can catch up on this trip instead.”
Whit looked approvingly at the cozy corner I’d made in the lobby near the front window of what used to be the parlor. There were overstuffed chairs, baskets of books, soft throws, and a few vintage trucks and trains. It wasn’t overly obvious that it was a little space, but if you knew, you knew.
A rule of business repeated over and over on podcasts I’d been listening to while I’d been prepping rooms popped into my brain: get the commitment on paper.
“Actually.” I turned and shoved the tray into Hank’s hands. “We can talk now.”
Hank looked surprised, but he gamely started wandering around with the tray.
I paused for a second to appreciate how he’d done exactly what needed to be done, even though he was likely hating it.
The locals knew him well enough to ignore his scowl as they snagged another piece of brunch dessert off the tray. It was kinda cute.
“I appreciate it. Once word gets around about this place, you’re going to be booked solid.”
“Feel free to tell all your friends,” I answered with what I hoped was a dazzling smile. “But for now, let’s get you booked. Since you’re taking all the rooms, we can do a discount.”
“You’re a new business, and frankly, I don’t need it,” Whit said firmly.
Obviously, it was arrogant, but it put more money in my pocket, so I wasn’t going to argue with him. There was a definite attempt to soften the statement. If he wanted to spend more, then I’d let him.
“I appreciate you being mindful of that. No worries, though, I’ll make sure your stay is fantastic.”
Once I’d gotten Whit’s rooms booked for the Fourth of July, my feet began fidgeting a little in anticipation of the happy dance that was near bursting from me. At my toe tapping, he looked down and smirked a little.
“Keeping the happy dances in check takes a lot out of a guy,” Whit said with a wink before he sauntered off in the direction of Selena and her husband.
Before I could find him, Daddy came and found me.
On his way across the room, he unceremoniously dumped his now-empty tray on the brand-new hosting desk.
It was hard to get upset as he crowded me into the back office room because…
O-M-G…it was hot. Like, do me right now, and I don’t care if anyone hears us hot.
“Get the rooms booked?”
“Yes,” I whisper-squealed, and then I did the happy dance I’d heroically controlled until right then. Daddy smiled at my antics without telling me to keep it down. “The entire Lavender Porch for the Fourth of July weekend. All. Of. It.”
“Sugar, I’m so fuckin’ proud of you.” Daddy swept me off my feet—I was literally dangling—and pressed a firm kiss to my mouth.
After his first quick one, he returned for a longer exploration.
The second time, his tongue slipped into my mouth and curled around mine.
Our breaths mingled and hearts worked in unison.
Never before had it felt like I was part of a team, a partnership.
He was my person.
“I love you, Daddy.”
The words slipped out before I could stop myself, but I wouldn’t pretend it was an accident or that I didn’t mean them. They were true, and I did. That he might not feel the same didn’t matter because I got to feel what I felt, and didn’t need permission for it.
“You don’t have to say it back, but I’m not gonna apologize for it,” I said with a defiant head shake. “I get to feel how I want.”
And that’s that.
Knock. Knock.
“Jasper, maybe you should be with your guests instead of in the closet.” My dad’s voice floated through the closed door.
I heard the exasperation in his voice and was immediately annoyed.
The door had been shut for less than thirty seconds.
Barely long enough for a quick happy shimmy and clearly not long enough for us to properly kiss.
And even if Hank wanted to declare his undying love for me, Dad interrupted before he had the chance.
Lectures weren’t needed, dammit.
“Hey, Dad, sorry. We just needed a moment,” I said as I slipped the door open and walked back into the reception area. Fortunately, I guess, he’d already slipped away and was giving himself a tour of the downstairs area.
Critical observation was his specialty, and it felt like no stone was left unturned when he examined something.
Every nook and cranny, from the purple front door to my little “little” corner, was review, judged, and cataloged.
I held my breath because I suspected what was coming, but I wanted to be wrong.
I desperately wanted to be wrong. Hell, I wasn’t religious, but I’d pray for it too.
“I see you cut a few corners with the paint over there,” Dad said as he examined the reception area where my check-in counter was.
“You think so? I thought I did a pretty good job with the paint.”
“It’s not bad. It’s just a little wobbly.”