Chapter 9
Morgan and Grace sat at the table waiting for Greg to arrive to help fix the kitchen cabinet. As promised, it was mere minutes before he knocked on the door, toolbox in hand.
Grace greeted him and promptly showed him the pesky cabinet. Working his magic, it took him only a few tries to have it closing properly.
“Thank you, Greg. I knew you would figure it out and come to my rescue. I swear, you’re a handyman extraordinaire.”
His cheeks turned a tinge of pink. “Glad I could help. Locke Pointe’s cabinets have the same problem. Tina has me in there at least once a week fixing them.”
The inn’s owner pinched her thumb and index finger together. “I have one more tiny favor, if you have a minute.”
Greg shot his boss a questioning look. Morgan nodded. “You know I don’t mind if you give Grace a hand.”
“It’s in the front.” She nudged her head toward the hallway. “The light switch screws for the foyer chandelier are stripped.”
Morgan sprang to her feet and followed her friend and employee down the hall to the front of the inn. She knew the precise second Greg spotted Hailey who was standing on a chair, feather duster in hand, dusting the crystals with her back to them.
He stopped in his tracks, tightening his grip on the toolbox’s handle. “Hailey.”
She tensed and slowly turned; a “deer-in-the-headlights” look on her face. “Greg.”
“I’ve been trying to track you down.”
“For days now,” Grace muttered under her breath.
“Yes. I…uh…have been busy, spring cleaning at the inn and all.”
“You’re not answering my calls or texts.”
She twirled the duster in her hand and bit her lower lip. “I’ve been meaning to.”
Grace bumped Greg forward and took a step back. “It appears you two are long overdue for a chat. Morgan and I will give you some privacy.” She slid the pocket door shut and crept toward her friend. “Well?”
Morgan crossed her fingers. “There’s no avoiding each other now.”
The women hovered in the hallway, agreeing it would be best to hang around to make sure the conversation didn’t go sideways considering a recent past incident when Hailey struck Officer Grady MacDonald and Greg had almost gotten himself arrested.
Low voices. Soft thuds, and then quiet.
Grace cast a nervous glance toward the door. “It got quiet.”
“Maybe they’ve decided to give their relationship a second chance.”
“I know it’s none of my business, but I hope not.”
“Same here,” Morgan agreed.
The door opened. Greg stepped into the hallway, a flicker of surprise on his face when he noticed them standing there. “Which switch is giving you trouble?”
Grace showed him the switch, and in the blink of an eye he had it fixed.
“Thank you. How much do I owe you?”
“Nothing,” Morgan answered. “We’re happy to help.”
Greg turned and waved goodbye to Hailey. “See you later.”
“Okay.” Hailey, her shoulders relaxed and with a smile on her face, continued dusting. “Have a good one.”
Morgan shot her friend a furtive side glance. “I’m heading back to Locke Pointe.” She called Chester, who was sniffing around the parlor, and the trio stepped onto the porch.
“Did you and Hailey discuss…your relationship?”
“We did. Like I mentioned before, I’ve been trying for days and she’s been avoiding me,” Greg said. “I guess I caught her before she could sneak off.”
“I don’t want to stick my nose in where it doesn’t belong, but I hope you two worked things out and…agreed on the direction you want your relationship to take.”
“We did. I’ve never had to break up with a girl before.”
“Did you break up?”
He scratched his forehead. “I guess so, or maybe we mutually broke up. She said she has a lot going on and wasn’t able to date right now.”
“What did you say?”
“I agreed. She has some issues. I think it would be best for her to figure them out.”
“Because of her past.”
“I don’t need to get involved in someone else’s problems,” Greg said.
“Hailey appears to have a few skeletons in her closet.”
“I’m honestly relieved we were finally able to clear the air.”
“Me too.” Morgan linked arms with him. “And you know what I’ve been telling you.”
“The perfect person for me is out there.”
“Do you still believe it?”
He grew quiet, mulling over Morgan’s question. “I suppose so, but I’m not in a hurry. If it happens, it happens. Like I said, I don’t need to be dragged into someone else’s troubles.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” Morgan returned to her office, thankful that what she and Grace had instigated hadn’t blown up in their faces.
Greg was a good guy, a great guy who deserved a loving, caring partner, a woman who was attracted to him for who he was and what he had to offer. Was Hailey that woman? It was possible, but first she had some unresolved issues to work through.
Morgan knew one thing for certain—affairs of the heart could be complicated.