Chapter 36
Chapter Thirty-Six
The next day, Gwen had already spotted several things that they needed to improve. The tables at the restaurant hadn’t been bussed quickly enough. There was a backup in the dishwashing process. And the piano had become too loud throughout dessert, making it difficult for people to hear each other talking. All things that could be easily fixed.
There was a broken tap in the bathroom and a leak in the sink. A plumber would resolve those issues. Also, some of the bedrooms didn’t have light bulbs fitted. A quick call from the inhabitants alerted the inn’s staff to the problem, and they were able to address it.
Gwen stayed in one of the rooms herself and was pleased with the comfortable mattress, easy access to the TV remote, the well-stocked bathroom, and the room service breakfast the next morning. Since the staff had everything under control, Gwen had chosen to play the role of guest to see for herself what her guests would experience while staying at the inn. So far, she was very happy with her stay.
She was also kept busy with calls from the staff or from family and friends with suggestions for improvements or wondering where things were or how they worked. By mid-morning, she had a list of items to include in a Frequently Asked Questions sheet for each of the rooms. She figured it would save them a lot of phone calls and time spent answering questions.
By morning tea, some of the guests had gone home, including her four adult children and their spouses. A few would be staying Saturday night as well, but most of her work was done. She collapsed in a chair in the dining room opposite Debbie with a sigh.
“I’m utterly exhausted,” she said. “How am I supposed to do this every day?”
Debbie laughed. “It won’t be this much work all the time. Getting started is the hard part. At least, I imagine it is, like with any business.”
“You’re right. It will get easier,” Joanna added. She sipped a cappuccino and then dipped a freshly baked ginger biscuit in it and took a bite. “The kitchen staff is even better than I’d hoped,” she said around a mouthful.
“They’re fantastic.”
Chris and Joanna looked very cosy sitting next to each other. Gwen had noticed that the previous evening as well. She’d hoped the weekend together at the inn might move their relationship forward. She couldn’t help being a bit of a matchmaker. She was beginning to wonder if Chris would ever take the initiative, but the rosy hue on Joanna’s cheeks made her think that perhaps he already had.
Just then, Aaron and Emily walked into the dining room, hand in hand. They sat close to Gwen and ordered lattes and chocolate cake from the waitress. Then they waved hello to the rest of them.
“Where have you two been this morning?” Joanna asked. “I haven’t seen you since last night.”
Emily smiled at Aaron, who beamed back at Joanna. “We have an announcement.”
Joanna sat up straight in her chair. Gwen felt a sudden jolt of energy in her tired body.
“We’re engaged!” Emily shouted, holding up her ring finger for them to see.
There were congratulations all around then. Gwen hurried to hug each of them, her eyes filling with tears at the sight of their happy faces.
“Congratulations, darlings. You’ll be so happy together. I just know it.”
There was nothing more satisfying in Gwen’s opinion than love and family. Her own marriage had broken down, but she’d had decades of happiness, and together they’d raised a loving and beautiful family. She could no longer call that a failure. It was a success by any metric. And she hoped Aaron and Emily would have even more love and success than she’d had.
“Thank you, Gwen,” Emily said.
“This is incredible,” Joanna cried. “I can’t believe you kept this a secret from me. I thought for sure I’d figure it out if you planned on popping the question.” She playfully slapped Aaron’s shoulder. “You sweet boy. You’ve picked the best bride in the world.”
“I think so too.”
“I have a great-grandchild, a granddaughter living under my roof, and now a grandson engaged to one of my best friends. What more could a person ask for?” Joanna asked, her eyes glistening.
“You could ask for your lifelong friends to give you a hug,” Gwen suggested, dabbing at her own eyes.
“Hug!” Debbie cried.
They all embraced, laughing and doing their best not to fall over as they did. Then Gwen excused herself to see to some guests. She stood outside the dining room, listening as the visitors enquired about booking for the following weekend. Then she noticed that a line was forming, eager locals looking to try out the new inn. She beamed with pride.
“Yes, of course you may book for the weekend. We’re delighted to welcome you to the Aurora Boutique Inn and Bistro, where dreams come true.”
Thank you for reading Sunshine Reservations ! I hope you enjoyed visiting Sunshine, Bribie Island. And if you’d like to visit with Joanna, Debbie, Gwen & Emily again, you can order the next book in the series, The Summer Pact now.