Chapter 3
Chapter Three
Sheridan
For our morning update, I was behind the front desk with all the employees working today. Light spilled in through the sliding doors, and the main room had been tidied after the breakfast rush. I clapped my hands and forced a big smile. It was Monday. The start of a new week.
This would be a good day, followed by six more. Then we’d start over. But that wasn’t why I smacked my hands together. Constance was rolling her eyes and shooting knowing looks toward Maria, the full-time desk clerk.
It’s going to be a good day.
It’d be better without Constance. Maria was at least trying to avoid catching Constance’s snarky expression. The other two part-time staff looked as bored as usual.
“Jasper Duke is going to be working with us for a while, doing some handiwork.”
“Handiwork?” Constance broke in with her nasally tone. “We need a maintenance person.”
“And how handy will he be for that?” I said brightly. “So when he gets here, direct him to the office. I’ll give him the tour and discuss some of the things that need to be fixed.”
“All of it,” Constance muttered.
No wonder Mom would talk about wanting to spit in the potluck meatballs some days. She loved everyone, but I thought she’d just had bad days since Dad died—but no. I’d spit in Constance’s meatballs. “That’s all for now. You know where to find me.”
Constance snorted and was the first to break away from our little huddle.
Maria was peeling away to follow her, but she stopped and stared out the front door. “Whoa. We got a good one. He’s a ten. Maybe he’s going to stay the whole week.”
I followed Maria’s gaze. Whoa.
Jasper swaggered toward the door. He had a ball cap pulled down to shade half his face, and he’d come ready to work.
A tool belt was slung over a broad shoulder.
A snug black shirt, with the letters KCC on it over a steer skull, hugged his chest. He was wearing cowboy boots that had likely been cleaned since I last saw him.
Butterflies took flight in my belly. He nodded at someone in the parking lot and trotted toward the door. When he entered, no one moved. We watched him.
“Ladies.” He dipped the brim of his ball cap.
Maria squeaked. Constance sashayed toward him. Age must just be a number for her since she had to have twenty-five years on him.
“Welcome to Bishop’s Landing,” she purred, nicer than she’d ever been to me. “How can I help you?”
He flashed her a polite smile, but his gaze found mine, and those lips stretched into a grin. “Sheridan. Nice to see you again.”
Warmth infused every pore. The view was more than nice from my end.
Maria put her hand to her mouth, her eyes wide. “Are you our new handyman?”
“Ma’am,” was all he said and crossed to me. “Tell me where to start.” He tugged on his tool belt, but all I noticed was the flex of his biceps. “I grabbed the general tools, but I have more in the box in my truck.”
I snapped my attention back up to him. “Oh. Okay. Thanks.” Everyone was watching us, and there was no boredom on their faces anymore. Act like a boss! “Yes. Let me give you a tour first. Want to put the belt in my office?”
“Nah, I’ll just throw it on.”
He unhooked it and swung it around his hips. The man had an audience, and if he noticed, he didn’t mind. Even two guests who were walking through stopped to watch him.
“Ready, boss.” He looked up and smiled. My knees trembled.
Giving myself a mental shake, I turned away.
If I didn’t see him, maybe I’d be more professional and less lusty.
“This is the check-in area. Maria runs the desk full time, and Constance is in charge of housekeeping.” I wouldn’t introduce them more than that.
He was mine for the tour. “Paola manages the restaurant, and Landon is our summer help with the lawn and flower beds. I can introduce you to the others as we go.”
“Sounds great.” He threw a hand up to wave at everyone.
I started walking. “The entry to the restaurant is right here. On the other side, there’s a door on the outside.”
I took him through the space. The restaurant didn’t open until lunch. Paola stocked a continental breakfast in the lobby. Jasper’s spiced pine scent wasn’t drowned out by the fried food smell. Whatever soap he used should be sold as an aphrodisiac.
“Heard they have good seafood there,” he said.
“You get twenty percent off as an employee.” Constance was giving herself fifty percent off, but I was working with Paola to put a stop to it.
“I’ll have to try it sometime.”
I took the first relaxed breath I’d drawn in on resort property since I’d arrived.
Just having him here made it feel like I had someone on my side.
Most of the employees were excellent and supportive.
But the ones who weren’t—the ones who doubted me more than my own family—well, they made this harder than it needed to be.
I stuffed the resentment back into the recesses of my mind. It would do no good until I earned their trust or they fully lost mine.
I led Jasper up and down the hallways on both levels, chattering off the top of my head. Whatever had made him easy to talk to last Saturday was still in effect, and I told him about saggy roofs, leaky faucets, cracked toilets, and smoke alarm schedules.
Next, we went outside. I breathed in the fragrant air. Tall trees dotted the property, and there were rows of bushes between the parking lot and the drive that wound in from the main road. More bushes and flower beds bordered the building.
Jasper noticed. “Gotta love lilac season.”
“I do. They were Mom’s favorite bushes, so Dad planted them by all the entrances.
” I pointed to the line of purple flowering trees on the far side of the lawn.
“And he planted them all along the border of this property and the empty cabin on the other side.” I swung my arm to indicate the area behind the resort.
“Conveniently, the strip of land between us and the dock is free, but I guess someone snatched up the cabin and acreage before Dad could buy it.”
“That sucks,” he murmured.
“Yeah. I just wish there was something I could do.”
“I’m sure she’ll sell. Eventually.”
“Not in time for this year, and I could’ve really used the boost.” If the doors stayed open that long.
I would need to bring in a lot of business this season.
Good thing I had no safety net. All my time would be dedicated to this place.
“We’ll just keep running deals and trying to get people in the rooms.” I started for the other end of the lawn.
“I’ll show you the shed that needs a new roof.
I feel like it’s one rain away from caving in. ”
When he saw the dilapidated square shed that housed our lawn mower and maintenance equipment, he let out a gusty exhale. “Your feeling is right. Let me get that reinforced today.”
“Just like that?”
“Yep. Does the resort have an account at the lumberyard?”
“I have no idea.”
He waved it off. “I’ll pay for it and then give you the receipts.”
Shame burned in my cheeks. He must think I was inept.
He was here to save me from myself because he was such a good guy.
I should’ve had this set up. Or at least thought of it.
I hired someone and he was spending his own money to help me.
Of course, he’d be paid back, but it wasn’t right.
“We should get it set up. I’ll give you the company card. ”
I’d have to see what our limit on the card was.
“Whatever works,” he said easily. “It’ll be nice to get my hands dirty again. Retirement is not for me.”
It’d never be for me if I tanked my meager savings with this resort. I’d have to cobble together a few part-time jobs to afford a place to live. “Okay. Um, you’ll let me know what you need from me?”
He slid his gaze toward me, and the heat glimmering in the warm brown depths stole my breath. Then it was gone, replaced by the charming cowboy I’d run into. “Will do, boss.”
Oh, that I liked too much.
I didn’t fight the small smile on my face when I walked back to the office tucked behind the registration desk. Jasper didn’t know me, but he treated me with respect. He treated me like I was capable. People I’d known my whole life didn’t do that.
I sat behind my desk and Maria appeared at the doorway, not bothering to hide the curiosity in her brown eyes. She patted her salt-and-pepper hair. “Where did you find that man candy?”
I mentally sighed. As much as I wanted to high-five her, I was the boss. “You can’t call coworkers man candy.”
Perplexed, she put her hand on her chest. “It’s a compliment.”
“It’s also harassment.”
“If he called me that, I wouldn’t have an issue.”
Me either. “No matter which direction, it’s not allowed. Is there something I can help you with?”
She rolled her eyes like I was a buzzkill. I was. “We’re out of paper. I can’t give anyone receipts.”
How could we be out of paper? “Is there a box in the storeroom?”
“I don’t think it got ordered.”
What the… “Did you miss it in the last order?”
Her smile was tight. “Your mom used to take care of all the ordering. I offered, but she always wanted to do it.”
“Oh. Yeah, I’ll run to town, but if you’d like to take this over, we can talk about it. Is there anything else you can think of that we need?”
She blinked. “Your mom always decided.”
On office supplies? After Dad died, Mom put all her extra time into the resort. Was it her way of hanging on without him? “Was she a micromanager?”
“A little bit.” Maria’s smile was sympathetic, surprising me. “I quit asking for different things.”
Was that some of the resentment thrown my way by staff like Constance? “If you don’t mind, send me your ideas, and I’ll see what works.”
She considered me a moment before nodding and returning to the front desk. Had I made headway with one person here?
I bit back a wide smile. Maybe this would be smoother than I thought. I would get further if I purchased paper, and there was someone running to town on the resort’s behalf. I pushed away from my desk and went right for the front door.
“I’ll be back,” I called to Maria.
“A stool and a rubber mat,” she called. When I stopped, she tucked a graying curl behind her ear. “These knees aren’t as young as they used to be.”
Those were simple enough items to provide. Mom had turned her requests down? Was it the cost? I’d buy them out of my own pocket. Which wasn’t much fuller than the coffers of this place.
Outside, Jasper was climbing into his vehicle. Delight coursed through me. Emboldened by the positive interaction with Maria, I hurried my steps. “Jasper?”
He got back out, grin in place. “Got anything else you need me to pick up? I was thinking of taking some pictures of the busted faucet in the Sakakawea room so you can decide what to order.”
“Do you mind if I come with?”
His smile grew. “You’re the boss.”
Jasper
Sheridan was in the cab of my pickup, her bare legs a temptation to look at. She looked like she worked at a resort in her shorts and polo with her silky hair in a ponytail. So damn young and full of drive. I’d had that once.
“How long have you been back?” I asked.
“Less than two weeks. Mom died a month ago, but she had everything arranged.” She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
“Constance kept everything going, and the funeral home dealt with the cremation. Mom didn’t want a big celebration.
I think she was worried about what would happen with the resort and wanted that cared for. ”
“That was nice that you didn’t have to worry about that part.”
“No, after Dad, she didn’t want to leave that mess to any of us, and my brothers decided to sell my grandparents’ ranch she was leasing out. I guess it was just land by now.”
“And they have their own operations?”
She nodded. “Both moved to Nebraska. They never liked…” She wiggled her fingers around. “All this.”
We were just leaving resort property. I rolled up my windows before we hit the highway. “Does it look different? Coal Haven?”
“So much.” Her eyes sparkled, and if I didn’t have to pay attention to the road, I’d stare. “It’s really grown. I didn’t get a lot of vacation time, and my ex didn’t think this kind of travel qualified.”
“It’s a resort,” I said lightly.
“Exactly. Perfect, right?” She laughed and rested her elbow by the window. “I wish I’d come back more, and here I am. It’s grown.”
“The coffee shop for one.”
“Most definitely.” She nodded. “I’m glad to see the furniture store is still there.”
“One hundred percent. There’s also Rattler’s.”
“Mmm.” Her groan punched right below my navel. “It smells amazing every time I drive by.”
Now I was going to pass it and hear that sound she made. I wasn’t normally like this. I was helping her. I was her employee. I might be sexually deprived, but I wasn’t going to keep lusting after her. It would be rude and creepy.
I’d get back into work. That was safe. “Office supplies first?”
“Yes. Thank you for letting me tag along. Remember to turn in your mileage.” Her eyes got the slightest pinch at the corners.
Was she stressed about paying for mileage? It wouldn’t be much. Sheridan Bishop was going to do everything she wanted with this place. I’d make sure of it.