Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
It was eight-thirty on a Monday morning and Elliot’s new puppy had just peed in the corner of the lobby, right next to the foot of one of the few guests still staying here. Said guest was not amused.
His brother was arguing, quite loudly, with the dry-wall guy who apparently had mis-measured and not delivered enough.
Jack was too busy flirting with Gabe to be of any help. (Gabe was flirting right back, which was lovely and all for Elliot’s friend, but not really his top priority at the moment.)
They’d found asbestos in the walls of the motel-style rooms.
Mary and Joseph didn’t like his designer’s choice of wallpaper for the new luxury suites in the main building, and Elliot had to be the one to tell her that. His designer did not take notes well.
The electrician was supposed to come yesterday, and he hadn’t shown up or called.
But the mayor did call to tell Elliot he’d had a dream that the inn should lean into a strong nautical theme, which was definitely not happening.
Today’s muffins were orange cranberry.
Elliot hated orange cranberry.
But Daisy had just walked in with her flowers for the lobby so the roof could fall on his head, and Elliot would still call it a good morning.
He was a besotted idiot.
‘Hey,’ he said from his crouch on the floor where he was sopping up dog pee with a towel as Goldie ran around Daisy’s ankles, yipping like a deranged …
well … puppy. She had certainly woken up over the past few days, and his sleepy baby had turned into a high-strung nightmare.
He shouldn’t have brought her here, but she cried every time he left (and all night long for that matter), and she should be in her crate behind the desk, but she cried there, too, so he let her out for just a few minutes, and this was how she repaid him.
‘Uh-oh,’ Daisy said, putting the flowers down on the nearest table.
‘What did you do, baby girl?’ She kneeled down to pet Goldie, who responded by spinning in delighted circles before trying to climb Daisy’s body to aggressively lick her face.
This dog had no chill. But Elliot kinda felt the same way around Daisy, so he understood.
‘You can’t do that on the carpet! That’s bad, bad…
’ Daisy couldn’t finish her admonishment because she was giggling too hard at Goldie’s attempt for a kiss.
Daisy gave up and sat on the floor and let Goldie get her fill before she ran off to cause more trouble.
‘Dog-dad life not going great?’ she asked with a wince.
‘We’re still working out some of the kinks.’
‘Like house training?’
‘And sleeping through the night.’
‘Yikes.’
‘Good thing she’s cute.’
Daisy agreed with a laugh as they both got up off the floor. Elliot went to toss the towel in the laundry and wash his hands, and by the time he got back, Daisy was happily chatting with Jack and Gabe at the front desk.
‘It seems kind of silly to keep bringing in flowers,’ Daisy said, gesturing to the plastic sheeting draped up behind Jack to keep the dust from the construction from drifting into the lobby.
‘We still have guests staying in the main building and they deserve your beautiful blooms,’ Jack said. ‘And besides, Mary and Joseph are so busy paying for all this, they’ll barely notice a monthly flower budget, so take the win.’ He winked and Daisy laughed.
‘Thanks, Jack.’
‘That reminds me,’ Gabe said, running a hand through his artfully messy hair. ‘Can you come and look at something … uh … outside. I wanted to get your opinion on … it.’
Jack’s face flushed red and he was out from behind the desk in a second. ‘Sure, yeah, of course.’
Gabe grinned.
Daisy raised her eyebrows at Elliot as the two walked away, their shoulders brushing together and Jack’s laughter echoing in their wake.
‘What’s going on there?’
Elliot rolled his eyes. ‘They sneak away at least several times a day to make out and I’m sure other things I don’t need to know the details of.’
‘Wow, scandal at the inn.’
‘Jack’s had a crush on him for months, so it’s kinda sweet.’
‘That is sweet.’ Daisy took a quick glance around the empty lobby before pinning Elliot against the desk and wrapping her arms around his neck.
‘You’re sweet, too, Elliot.’
‘Am I?’
‘Yes, and I can’t stop thinking about you.’
‘Oh?’ The one-syllable sound was the only thing he could make come out of his mouth after his brain stuttered to a stop at the feel of Daisy’s body in his arms.
‘A lot.’ She brushed her lips against his.
‘Mmm.’
‘I can’t sleep.’
Elliot breathed her in. Roses and sunshine.
His fingers flexed against her hips, and she whimpered.
‘Actually,’ she whispered, her lips brushing the shell of his ear. ‘I thought about you last night while I’—her voice dropped even lower like she was confessing to him—‘while I touched myself.’
‘Fuck, Daisy,’ he groaned and she giggled, breathy and sweet.
‘I can’t believe I just said that.’
‘Me, neither, but I…’ He squeezed his eyes closed before confessing, ‘I do the same. I think about you, Daisy.’
Far too often. Being near Daisy had become his new favorite type of torture. He wanted nothing more than to be with her but being with her only made him want her more. His hand and his imagination had seen more action in the last few weeks than they had in years.
She hissed out a needy little sigh and Elliot thought he might die. Or come on the spot. Or possibly both.
‘I think I’m losing my mind. I’ve never—’
‘Wanted someone like this?’ he finished for her.
‘Yeah,’ she said, her lips tracing his jaw, his neck. ‘So, I think we should … I think we need to—’
‘Elliot! You can’t let this dog wander around a job site…
’ The sound of his brother’s voice broke them apart like they were teenagers caught making out behind the school.
Caleb stomped out from behind the plastic shield carrying a squirming Goldie in his arms. His disapproving face and obnoxiously huge frame was a very effective mood killer.
‘Oh, is this the famous Daisy?’ Caleb asked, switching from aggravated to charming as soon as he spotted a beautiful woman.
Elliot cleared his throat, trying desperately not to look as wrecked as he felt. ‘Yes, this is Daisy. And I’m sorry about the dog. I’ll crate her.’
Caleb handed over the puppy and held a hand out to Daisy, who was half hidden behind Elliot like she was still recovering from their confessions. He knew he sure was.
‘It’s nice to finally meet you. In person, I mean,’ Caleb said.
Daisy took his hand. ‘Nice to meet you, too.’
Caleb flashed the smile that had no doubt gotten him into bed with every woman he’d ever chosen but Daisy’s gaze flickered to Elliot’s. She gave him a secret smile before turning back to his brother. She really was perfect.
‘How’s the work going?’ she asked.
‘Oh, you know, a new disaster everyday but that’s pretty standard, right, El?’ he said, smiling at Elliot now.
Elliot had to admit that despite all the usual hiccups that came with major renovations, things between him and his brother were going quite smoothly. He’d almost forgotten how well they worked together. Their opposite personalities helped them fill in where the other one was lacking.
They were a good team.
‘Yep. Always something.’ Elliot was about to put Goldie back in her crate, but something was odd. ‘Is she breathing funny?’ He put his head closer to Goldie’s little body, and she licked his cheek.
Daisy leaned in close, too, her forehead creased in concern. ‘She does sound a little wheezy.’
‘Do you think she swallowed something?’ Caleb asked. ‘Or maybe she just breathed in too much dust. It’s a real mess back there.’ To his credit, Caleb did not say he told him so, which Elliot appreciated. He felt bad enough as it was.
‘Shit, I don’t know. I took my eyes off her just for a minute…’
Daisy looked immediately guilty. She’d make a terrible criminal.
‘Maybe we should call the vet?’ she suggested.
‘Good idea.’ He was the worst dog-dad ever. Daisy snuggled Goldie, humming a little song to her, while he made the call. Lucky for him, Dr. Vivienne was in the area and said she would stop by.
‘The vet is on the way.’
‘I’m sure it’ll be fine,’ Caleb said, giving him a hearty pat on the back.
The three of them went into the back office to wait for the vet and Goldie was delighted by the extra human attention. They all ended up sitting on the floor, letting her run between them, soaking in all the head scratches and tummy rubs.
‘It’s possible we overreacted,’ Elliot said as Goldie growled and attacked Caleb’s work boot. The puppy did not seem to be in any distress.
Caleb shrugged. ‘I needed a break anyway.’
‘How are you liking Dream Harbor?’ Daisy asked.
His brother had decided to stay at the inn while they worked.
He’d rented out his house in New York and moved to town.
Mary and Joseph wanted to keep at least part of the inn open for guests, so they were working in sections.
At the moment, Caleb had a room in the main building.
Elliot had offered him the guest room at his house, but ultimately, they decided working together was enough.
They were just starting to mend their relationship.
Living together would have been too much.
Elliot was glad they were getting along, but he still needed time alone at the end of the day.
‘It’s … quirky. I like it.’ Caleb laughed. ‘I feel a little like I’m being interrogated every time I go for coffee, but yeah, it’s nice.’
Daisy rolled her eyes. ‘Yeah, they’ll get tired of you eventually, but this town loves to vet its new inhabitants. Unless you’re lucky enough to fly under the radar,’ she added, winking at Elliot, and he liked the way she made his quietness sound like a superpower.
Caleb’s gaze flicked between the two of them. ‘So … how are things going between you two?’