One Chance at Hart's Inn

Chapter 1

BOONE

"We're thrilled with the opening of the restaurant and now the brewery," Dad announced when only our family remained after the grand opening celebration.

Mom stood next to Dad. “But we want to ensure that the inn is keeping up with the changes."

I looked at Rowan, who appeared just as uneasy as I did.

"So we've hired a hospitality interior designer to evaluate the inn and give us advice on updates. Ms. Barnes is an expert on profitability and guest trends," Dad continued.

Malcolm's brow furrowed. "Since when do we need someone on the outside giving an opinion on our business?"

"Isn't that what you did when you asked Beck to consult on the brewery?" Dad asked him.

Malcolm scowled. "This is different. Beck was a friend. We don't know anything about this woman."

"She came highly recommended. She'll be staying on the property to get a feel for the customer experience, and she'll be visiting the restaurant and the brewery, maybe even going for a hike or two, and touring local tourist destinations," Mom said.

Dad nodded. "It would be ideal if one of you could be her guide while she's here."

"I was thinking Boone would be perfect for this," Mom said.

I raised a brow. "Me?"

"You've been asking to design furniture for the inn for years. Now's your chance to see if it's feasible," Dad said.

"I'd prefer to hang out in my woodshop all day, not spend time with some city girl who has opinions about how we do things here," I grumbled.

"We want to ensure that the inn is set up when we retire. We don't want to make a wrong decision and waste time and money."

"If it makes Mom and Dad feel better about retirement—" Rowan began.

"So we don't have a say in this?" Malcolm interrupted.

"She's a consultant. We don't have to do anything she recommends if we don't want to. As always, we'll vote as a family on her suggestions," Dad said reasonably.

"But I want you to take her seriously. She came highly recommended, and she knows what she's talking about," Mom added.

Malcolm shook his head. "I don't like this."

"There's not much you do like around here," Callum shot back.

Dad cleared his throat. "I thought it would be a good idea to get a fresh perspective. She's an outsider, so she won't have any preconceived notions on how things should be done."

"We want you to feel comfortable about retiring. And if this is what you need, then we'll support you," Rowan said.

"You're just saying that because you're in love with Hattie," I said.

Rowan touched Hattie's shoulder. "I am happy. And I want what's best for the business. If bringing in an outside consultant is what makes Mom and Dad comfortable, then why not?"

Mom and Dad stepped down from the stage.

I leaned closer to Rowan. "Mom and Dad were finally going to give me free rein to design new furniture for the inn. Do you think this city designer is going to be okay with homemade furniture?"

Rowan grimaced.

Hattie winced. "Probably not."

"She'll want to modernize everything with sleek, cheap furniture. The whole thing will be a waste of my time. My furniture will never be in the inn now. She's going to ruin everything." I stood abruptly, my chair teetering precariously on two legs.

I pushed through the front door and into the cold night. I should have stuck around and asked when Ms. Barnes was arriving and where she'd be staying, but right now, I couldn't see past my anger.

I was finally getting my chance to build furniture for the inn. People would see my designs online and enjoy them when they visited. I'd finally be able to contribute in a meaningful way to the family business.

Everyone else in the family held a significant role in the businesses.

Clara ran our grandmother's Christmas Shop, Callum managed the inn, Malcolm opened the restaurant, and Rowan just opened the brewery.

Hunter was in charge of hikes and tours, whereas I had a side business that didn't relate to anything else.

Rowan probably only asked me to make the furniture for the brewery because I wasn't a part of anything else. The decor at the inn was dated, so it was the perfect time to renovate the inn. My craftsman work fit in with the aesthetic better than some city girl designer's ideas.

But now it was clear I'd never be involved in the family business. I was never going to be good enough for my parents. If they weren't going to utilize my furniture, then maybe it was time to think about moving. To establish my business somewhere else, outside the influence of my family.

I got in my truck, wondering where I wanted to go. Should I go home to my cabin or hit a bar and get wasted?

I drove down the road that led to the inn. It was the original family home, and when they'd hit hard times financially, my grandparents turned it into an inn. They originally lived in one of the rooms on the top floor but later built another smaller home on the property.

As always, I was filled with a sense of pride when I saw the inn, and the sign indicating that it was Hart Inn. This was my legacy, and I wanted to be part of it.

I got out of the truck and headed inside. There was no one at the counter at this hour.

I was drawn to the windows at the back of the building that showcased the view of the mountains. There was an atrium off the patio where Boone and Hattie had held their engagement party.

When Mom and Dad had made their announcement, I felt my dreams slip away.

What was I going to do? Should I go along with this ridiculous plan and let some city girl tell me what to do with the furniture? Or should I step aside and let her take over?

I hated the idea of a stranger putting her mark on our family business. It would be unrecognizable if she got her hands on it.

I couldn't back away now. I had to be front and center so I could stop her from ruining Hart Inn, and everything that made it great.

I headed for the staircase, hand on the sloping wood railing. I'd always loved this place and couldn't wait to put my mark on it. Now I might never get the chance.

I kept walking up the stairs to the top floor. The rooms were larger and marketed as suites.

I loved to walk the halls and imagine what furniture I'd make to line them, or what bed and dresser set I'd design for each room. I had visions of making each one unique. It would be a lot more work, but I liked the idea of something exclusive at the inn.

What I would make would be so much better than store-bought furniture that looked the same.

At the end of the hall, I pushed open the French doors that led to a balcony. From here, I could see the mountains and the property below.

I braced my hands on the railing, the wind whipping through my coat at this height. I breathed in the cool night air, wondering how I was going to get through the next few weeks with a stranger rendering her opinion on my family's inn.

"I thought I was the only one here," a woman's voice said from my right.

I glanced over and, for the first time, saw a woman wearing an evening gown, peeking out from under a long black coat, and heels.

Her hair was straight and sleek, reflecting the overhead twinkling lights, and her eye makeup dark.

My breath caught. "I didn't mean to intrude."

She laughed softly. "I thought no one else would be crazy enough to stand outside in the winter."

I shrugged. "I'm a local. This is nothing."

She turned to face me, her hip leaning against the railing. "Well, I'm just visiting."

"Where are you from?"

She pursed her lips, bringing my attention to the red lipstick that was giving me all kinds of thoughts about them being wrapped around my dick. "My home base is Florida, but I travel often for work."

I should have asked her if she was here for business or pleasure. "How are you liking Colorado so far?"

She raised a brow. "I just arrived, and ordered a drink at the bar. The entire vibe is quaint. It has that small-town feel."

"Quaint?" I asked, wondering who this woman was.

She laughed. "It's cute. I can see the attraction."

"How is your room?" I asked, my mind immediately going to her bed.

She sighed. "It's lovely."

"I'm glad you're enjoying your stay so far." I should be talking to her from the point of view of an owner, not someone who was interested in one of our guests. She could be here with a boyfriend or a husband. Just because she was standing outside alone didn't mean that she was single.

A smile curved over her face. "Are you staying here?"

"Not in the hotel. I have a cabin on the property." It was actually an apartment over my workshop, but those were details I didn't intend to divulge.

"Oh? I didn't realize they rented out cabins."

We didn't, but I didn't want to tell her that I was part of the family that owned the inn. I didn't want her to shut down, because I was enjoying this conversation. It was helping me forget about my parents' announcement. "You have any plans while you're in town?"

Her gaze moved to the property. "I want to see everything this place has to offer. I read that there's a brewery that just opened."

I nodded. "The grand opening was tonight."

"I'm sorry I missed it. I'll have to check it out."

"Are you here for the skiing?" I asked, wanting to get to know her better.

"I want to try a little of everything while I'm here."

Should I stick around and talk to her more? What was the point if she was only here for a short time? Or did that make her more attractive?

"There's a hot tub on my deck," she said softly.

I chuckled. "Then why are you on this balcony?"

"I was curious about what was out here, and then you came. You looked so lost in your thoughts. And I was curious about you." She moved toward the French doors, and I wondered if I should follow her.

When she reached the door, she turned slightly, "Would you like to come inside for a drink? You can tell me what you know about the area."

I could go home by myself. Alone was my preferred state of being. But something about this woman was calling to me. I could forget about my parents' announcement and have one night with a stranger. A woman who'd be on a flight out of here in a few days, maybe a week.

One night.

Then I'd avoid her until she was gone.

It was the perfect arrangement.

She glanced at me over her shoulder, and my heart rate picked up. "Well?"

"I'd love a drink."

She grinned, and I reached around her to pull open the door.

"Such a gentleman."

"I can be when I want to be."

"And when you don't?" she asked, her voice pure seduction.

I practically growled as I followed her to her door, which was just to the right of the balcony. I didn't think she wanted me to answer that, because it was going to be entirely inappropriate.

I didn't date often. I didn't want to deal with flirting and the dance that was necessary to move to the next level with a woman. But this was easy.

She swiped her card and pushed the door open.

I stepped inside, and the door fell closed behind us. She took off her coat and hung it on a hook by the door.

I did the same.

"I thought we could test the hot tub," she said breezily as she moved toward the bar where she poured two drinks.

She handed me a glass, and I followed her to the balcony. She opened the door, and we stepped outside.

I turned on the heaters and took the top off the hot tub. I turned the jets on and adjusted the temperature since I was familiar with everything in the rooms and how it worked.

There were towels in a cabinet, and I pulled a few out, leaving them on the bench which doubled as a warmer. "I don't have a suit."

"Do you mind?" She was standing in front of me, her back to my front, and her hair brushed over one shoulder.

I swallowed hard. This was moving a little faster than I anticipated, but then again, this woman was easy to read. I didn't have to second-guess her meaning or doubt my assumptions. I slowly unzipped the black dress which revealed a bare back.

She let the dress fall to her feet where she stepped out of the shoes and the dress, wearing a tiny thong.

She gripped the strings of the thong and eased it over her hips. I wanted to take over, but this was her show.

I was afraid to move or even breathe, to break this moment.

A gorgeous woman invited me to her room and was undressing. She threw the thong in my direction, and I caught it, stuffing it into my suit pants. I was never giving it back.

She stepped into the hot tub and looked over her shoulder at me. "Are you joining me?"

That got me moving. I made quick work of my clothes and in seconds was following her into the tub. The hot water felt good, but it was the woman who had my full attention.

"This view is gorgeous."

"It is." But my gaze was on her.

A smile played on her lips as she shifted her gaze from the mountains to me. "I'm glad you're here."

"I am too."

She stood, and her breasts were visible above the surface of the water. Her nipples were pebbled and her skin rosy from the heat.

She was the seductress in this situation, and I was helpless to resist.

She settled on my lap, her legs straddling my thighs. "Is this okay?"

"More than," I said as I touched her neck and guided her mouth to mine.

This was the perfect escape. I'd forget about everything that was happening in my life even if it was only for one night.