Chapter 2 #2
“I did,” Belle cuts in. “He should have everything ready in a few minutes.”
Grams smiles at her. “Wonderful. Come, Noelle, it’s time we have a little talk.”
When she loops her arm around mine and starts to pull me towards the dining room, I follow along next to her. I quickly glance over my shoulder at Belle who flashes me a thumbs up and an encouraging smile.
We take our seats at her favorite table in the corner of the room.
The one where you can see almost the entire lower level of the inn from when you sit with your back to the wall.
I help her into her seat before taking mine next to her.
Almost as if on cue, one of the servers comes and places two cups of coffee and some water at our table for us to enjoy.
I take a sip of mine, trying to steady my nerves.
Here we go, this is what we’ve been waiting for.
“How are things around here going?” Grams asks, pouring two packs of sugar into her cup.
“Good—great, actually. We’re fully booked for the next three months and all of our special events for the holidays are already booking too. It’s going to be another busy holiday season here at Holly House,” I explain with an excited smile.
She nods slowly as she takes a sip from her mug. “I have no doubt that you will make this place shine. You always do.”
I smile at my lap, feeling bashful all of the sudden. When I look up again, I find her eyes are on me.
“You look more and more like your mother every day.” Her comment catches me off guard and I feel myself retract in my seat.
“Thank you,” is all I can think to say.
“She would be so proud of the woman you’ve become,” she continues, smiling softly at me. “Both of your parents would be.”
Her withered hand reaches for mine and the sudden pricking of tears behind my eyes overtakes me. I blink them away quickly, not wanting to get overly emotional. I squeeze her hand tightly in mine and smile.
“I know they would be.”
She takes a breath and pulls her hand from mine. For a moment, her eyes fall to her coffee mug and I can feel the air between us shift. Suddenly, all the hype I had pumped into myself is gone and it feels like the wind has been taken out of my sails.
“As you know, I have a very big birthday coming up,” she starts, bringing her deep brown eyes back to me. Her white-gray hair doesn’t move as she lifts her head high and proud. “It’s not every day an old lady turns eighty.”
“You aren’t old, Grams,” I try to say but she lifts a hand to stop me.
“And with my eightieth birthday, comes a new wave of things here at the inn.”
Here it comes. She’s going to finally tell me it’s mine to have.
I bite back the smile I feel creeping across my lips.
“But—”
“But?” I can’t help but say.
Her penciled on eyebrows raise in my direction and I sink back in my seat, allowing her to continue.
“This inn has been under my ownership ever since my mother passed it down to me. It would have gone to your mother, but seeing as how she’s no longer with us, it will go to you.”
“Oh, Grams, thank you. Thank you.” The smile finally breaks free on my face as I reach for her hand to take. Again, she lifts it to stop me.
“I have no doubt you can handle the business on your own, you’ve proven that to me and the entire town these last several years.
You’re a strong woman, Noelle, I raised you to be as such.
Unfortunately, there’s one small thing you don’t have that is required for you to be able to become the owner of Holly House.
” She pauses and holds my gaze for a moment that feels long enough to last a year.
My heart is beating so loud behind my chest that I swear she and everyone else in town can hear it.
“What’s that, Grams? I’ll do anything you ask of me, you know how much I love this place. I want to keep it in the family like you did. Anything, I’ll do anything.”
“A husband.”
My face instantly falls at the two words that have just fallen from her lips.
“A what?” I mutter, feeling my shoulders slump at the same time.
“You need to have a husband. I know, it’s old fashioned, but it isn’t my rule in the first place.
Holly House has been passed down through three generations of Holly’s, each time going to a married couple.
My parents inherited it and passed it to me once I was married and I intended to pass it to your parents when they decided they wanted it. Now, it’s time to pass it to you.”
“So long as I have a husband?” I confirm. My face is contorted from a mixture of shock and horror.
She simply smiles at me and nods. “So long as you have a husband.”
“But, Grams,” I sputter. “I’m doing just fine on my own, you said it yourself. You raised me to be independent and I’m doing a good job running this place without anyone’s help.”
“And I have no doubt that you can run this place, even run it better than I ever did, on your own. But I promise you, Noelle, there’s going to be days when you’re going to want someone in your corner to help you through the hard times. Days where you will want a partner to lean on.”
Am I tilting or something? What’s with everyone telling me I need someone to help me out or someone to lean on today?
“That’s why I have Belle, she helps me out all the time,” I explain, waving my hand in the direction of the front desk. Grams won’t hear it.
“Belle is a fine friend, but in order to become the owner of Holly House, you must have a husband. It’s written into the will and the only way you can become the new owner.”
“What happens if I don’t get married?” I ask.
“Well, I guess I would have to consider selling.”
“Selling?” I almost shout at her. The thought of her selling the inn makes me want to hurl.
“I’m far too old to run this place much longer and I’d hoped by now you’d be able to take it on. The only other option is to sell the place to a suitable owner who can take it over.”
“But—” I try to object but I can’t come up with any kind of counter.
“Come now, Noelle, I know this is a shock. But you are almost thirty, it’s time you settle down and find someone to share your life with, don’t you think?”
I’m about to argue that I’ve been fine on my own all this time but I bite back my words when our breakfast is delivered to our table.
Without hesitating, she begins to eat and I know our conversation is over.
I glance down at my food and the sinking feeling in my gut makes me not feel very hungry anymore.
I look around the dining room and take in every part of the inn I can see.
I love this place and have my heart set on calling it mine before the year’s over.
Taking a deep breath, I finally pick up my fork and take a bite.
This isn’t the hardest thing I’ve had to live through.
And if I’ve been able to handle everything else life has thrown at me in the past, surely I can figure out my way around this too.
Seven days to find a new Frank.
Ninety days until Christmas.
And only ninety-one days to find a husband and get married so I can inherit the inn.
How hard can it be?