Chapter 5
“You feeling all right?” Wyatt asks as he leans against the bathroom door, watching me wash my hands after I finish cleaning the room.
“Yeah, just a little nauseous. I didn’t eat my normal breakfast and I’ve been going nonstop since I woke up.” I offer him a small smile before bending to put the cleaning supplies in the back corner of the cabinet under the sink.
It’s been a long day, and it’s only three o’clock.
I’m used to handling a multitude of tasks throughout the day, but lately my days have been longer than normal.
The exhaustion isn’t necessarily new, but the queasy feeling in my stomach definitely is, as is the pounding that’s starting behind my left eye.
“Madison, you need to hire someone,” Wyatt whispers, the worry more than evident in his tone. “Mom and Dad have been telling you for months to bring on more staff.”
“I know, but it’s not as easy as everyone thinks.
” I sigh, standing to lean against the counter and give him my full attention.
“We live in a small town where most people already have a job they’re quite happy with.
And before you tell me I could hire a high school student, I don’t want to spend my time training someone I’m going to lose within a year of hiring them.
I need to find the right person for the job. ”
“But you’re looking, right?”
“Yes. I have the job posted anywhere and everywhere you can possibly think of.” I slip past my brother, moving back into the living space to double-check everything’s been wiped down and straightened for a new guest.
My brothers may not work at the inn, but we all spent our childhood helping out before we got to high school and started to work here regularly.
Wyatt was never good at managing the front desk and was quickly banned from working it, but he’s always been good at getting rooms and cabins ready for new guests. He has an eye for making a place feel warm and welcoming.
It’s not surprising everything looks great out here.
“Have you had any applicants?” he asks, following a few steps behind me.
“A few, but none of them have made it past a simple phone interview.” I move toward the stairs, wanting to check the loft one more time.
Millie’s Cottage wouldn’t be my first choice for a guest like Beckett. I’m well aware I know absolutely nothing about him, but if Wyatt’s reaction is anything to go by, he’s a pretty big deal.
While I’ve finished renovating this place and I’m more than proud of it, I’m not entirely sure it’s meant for such an extended stay.
It’s got everything he’ll need, but the space is small—just over eight hundred square feet—and the bathroom is in the most inconvenient spot in relation to the bedroom.
The biggest problem with renovating a cottage built in the early 1800s that’d been left untouched for almost two centuries was the lack of modern amenities. Specifically, indoor plumbing and electricity.
I tried my hand at learning the trades myself, wanting to say I did everything on my own, but I quickly learned how big of a mistake that would be.
The company I hired let me watch and even let me try a few things, but knowing people were going to be staying here, even if they weren’t official guests of the inn, I wanted to make sure everything was done right.
I can be proud of the space and everything I accomplished with it, but still admit its shortcomings.
Beckett will be more than fine here—definitely much better than staying in one of the rooms at the bed and breakfast for three months—but that doesn’t mean I’m not nervous about having a guest here—a paying one at that.
“I love you, sis.” Wyatt’s voice sounds behind me as he follows me up the stairs. “But are you sure you’re not being too picky?”
“Yes, Wyatt.” I roll my eyes, both appreciating his help and regretting accepting it. “Having standards for staff doesn’t mean I’m being picky.”
The truth is, while my workload really hasn’t changed in the last few months, I’ve been losing all my energy and motivation earlier and earlier every day.
I used to get up and jump right into my day immediately with a three-mile run before breakfast and heading to work, not really flagging until I finished my tasks for the day.
But now I need to rest more, and as a result I’m working later to stay on top of everything.
My family isn’t wrong, I desperately need to hire someone to help out around the inn, but small-town living isn’t for everyone and it’s hard finding people who want the slower pace of Stonebridge Hollow.
“I’m just worried about you, Mads. We all are.” Wyatt’s words are soft, his tone gentle, and when I turn to look at him, the furrow in his brows tells me exactly how worried he is.
Wyatt isn’t around as much as we’d all like him to be—jet-setting around the world will do that—but he stays in the loop as much as he can.
Not only texting, but calling and FaceTiming too.
And I can guess, based on the one-on-one conversations Wyatt and I have about Aiden, they’re probably having similar conversations about me.
I know my parents have been pressuring me to hire more staff, but Aiden hasn’t said a word. And if he and Wyatt are talking about being concerned for me, I’m a little surprised Wyatt is the first one I’m hearing it from.
Aiden is the biggest worrywart in the family—not that he doesn’t have valid reasons for that worry, he’s seen some pretty messed-up stuff—but he’s not one to keep those concerns in.
He’ll be the first person to search you out and tell you exactly what he’s thinking, even if he knows it’s going to piss you off.
“I swear I’m working on hiring someone.” I take a few steps toward Wyatt, needing him to know how serious I am. “I doubt it’ll be before the new year, but I’m working on it.”
“And in the meantime? You’re on the edge of burnout, Mads. You can’t keep working like you are.”
“In the meantime…” I take another step closer, grabbing his hand in mine and squeezing tight. “I’ll lean more heavily on the staff we already have.”
“You promise?” Wyatt tightens his hold on my hand, reaffirming just how worried he is.
Maybe I haven’t been doing such a great job keeping my exhaustion a secret. My family’s around to help out at the property, but not on a daily basis. I honestly didn’t think anyone knew just how hard things were getting around here.
“Yes, I promise.”
“All right. Then I’ll leave you alone about it.” He tugs me in for a quick hug, but grips my upper arms as he pulls away, his eyes staying trained on mine. “For now.”
Twisting my wrist to check the time, I only get a quick glimpse before lifting my hand to cover the massive yawn that breaks free. It’s insane I’m this tired at five o’clock on a Friday.
Maybe it’s time for me to call the doctor.
“That’s a big yawn,” Sarah teases from her seat behind the front desk.
“I don’t know what’s up, but I’m exhausted.” I collapse against the desk, recognizing it’s the only thing keeping me from falling to the floor right now.
“You’ve been running around a lot today. Well, all week, really. I’m sure you just need a few days of relaxation. Are you working this weekend?”
The smile that stretches across my face is the furthest thing from genuine. I love Sarah but sometimes she’s the most oblivious person around.
“I’m always working,” I note, just as the front door opens.
Spinning around, I find the man I’ve been expecting, and unfortunately for me, I have the same reaction seeing him the second time as I did earlier this morning. Stunned silence.
“Sorry I missed your call earlier, I got caught up talking with…you know what? You probably don’t really care.” Beckett chuckles, his hand lifting to squeeze the back of his neck.
“Oh my god,” Sarah whispers behind me, keeping me from saying anything in response. “You’re Beckett Stone.” She’s not loud, but her tone is more high-pitched than she normally speaks, and I can’t help the slight wince that courses through my body.
It’s like nails scratching across a chalkboard, and I don’t get how Beckett has such a serene smile stretched across his face. “That, I am.” He steps forward offering his hand. “If you could keep my presence in town on the down-low, that would be appreciated.”
I shouldn’t be surprised Beckett is able to peg Sarah for the kind of person she is. I may not know exactly who Beckett Stone is, but it’s become obvious the world loves him, and Sarah is all about what’s popular. It’s surprising she hasn’t pulled her phone out and asked him for a picture.
It used to be comical how she reacts around Wyatt whenever he’s in a ten-foot radius of her but it’s gotten a little old, and seeing her react in a similar manner with Beckett? I’m a little concerned he’s not going to get the peace he’s searching for.
Beckett lets his hand fall back to his side and releases a small chuckle when Sarah doesn’t move and continues to stare at him, mouth open and eyes round.
My eyes fall closed and I take a deep breath before turning to move around the desk, gently shifting the mouse and keyboard my way so I can get Beckett checked in and out of here.
“I just need a card to put on file and then I can get you checked in. It’ll just take a couple of minutes.”
“Of course.” He pulls his wallet from his back pocket and easily slides a card across the desk.
The second my fingers touch his, a zing runs up my arm. Without thinking about it, I jerk my hand away, my eyes going wide at the sensation.
I’ve never had such an instant reaction to a simple touch, and there isn’t a single part of me that understands why it’s happening now.
My gaze lifts to Beckett’s, and I wonder…did he feel it too?
Sarah shuffles in the seat next to me, jerking me out of the moment, and my eyes quickly fall to the card in my hand. “Beckett Corbin?”
“Stone is a stage name,” Sarah offers, pride evident in her voice. She moves to pull the card from my hand, but I don’t let her.
“I’ll handle this check-in, Sarah. Beckett’s staying in Millie’s Cottage which hasn’t been set up in the system yet.”
“Oh.”
I don’t have to look at her to know she’s disappointed to hear the news.
Sarah’s great at her job—most of the time.
It’s one of the reasons she works the front desk as often as she does.
I wouldn’t be surprised if she knows all our cabins are full and expected Beckett to be in one of the rooms upstairs.
He’d be significantly closer, and it would guarantee he’d be around far more often than Millie’s Cottage suggests.
He’ll be less than a mile from the main house, but he’ll also have everything he needs at his fingertips. Unless Beckett wants help planning activities around town, he won’t have very many reasons to come back up this way, and I can imagine how disappointing that is to a fan.
Focusing on the task in front of me, I ignore whatever force is trying to pull my attention back to Beckett.
I hear his deep voice as he talks with Sarah, but I don’t focus on it, no matter how much my body is yelling at me.
There’s something soothing about the timber of his voice, it’s gentle yet commanding.
Part of me desperately wants to look him up so I can hear him sing—if this is what he sounds like speaking, his music must be amazing.
The other part of me wants to make sure I never hear his music—if I react this way just from hearing him talk, what will I do when I hear him sing?
“All right,” I say when I finish getting his information put into the system, interrupting whatever he’s saying to Sarah.
Beckett offers me a small smile, but the huff from Sarah has me apologizing for my misstep.
“It’s fine. Not like I won’t be around to talk more with Sarah.”
I don’t blame Sarah for the little sigh I hear. The combination of his words, smirk, and wink would be enough to do me in if they were directed my way.
“Here’s your card back and the key to Millie’s Cottage.” I slide both across the desk and pull my hand back before he has the chance to reach for them himself. Trying to cover my nervous energy, I grab a copy of the map we provide to guests and place it on the desk for both of us to see.
“This is a map of The Lantern Inn and the land. Millie’s Cottage isn’t on this map since it’s not officially guest accommodations, but it’s over on this part.
” I gesture to the upper left corner of the map, the complete opposite side of where we currently are.
“There’s a footpath that connects everything, but you’ll actually have to go back down the drive and turn right on Heritage Lane…
” My words trail off when I realize he probably has no idea what any of the road names are around here.
“You know what? It’s probably easier if I just take you there myself. ”
“Are you sure? I’ve already been a massive inconvenience for you, I don’t want to make it worse.” It’s cute, the little self-deprecating smile he offers, and I want to hate him just a little bit for doing it, but I can’t.
“It’s fine. You and I are actually going to be next door neighbors.”
’Cause who doesn’t need a little forced proximity when they’re insanely attracted to someone?