Chapter Twenty A New Face at the Table
Dex
Breakfast at the inn had become crowded around the large table with new guests and the family.
Fairly soon, they were going to have to start using the second table rather than just somehow adding yet another chair.
Coffee poured, chairs scraped, and someone always needed a knife that was already in use.
I took the end seat near the window with a black coffee and tried to enjoy my Eggs Benedict before the usual Bennet chaos ensued.
Lydia arrived with her chin high and her phone already recording. She kissed Helen’s cheek, spun once for the camera, and held out a hand like she was presenting a prize. “Everyone, this is my boyfriend, Gavin Wickham.”
The word boyfriend did most of the work. Helen said oh in a tone that covered pride, nerves, and hospitality in one syllable. William stood, shook Gavin’s hand, and said welcome.
Gavin looked like a brochure. Perfect teeth, perfect haircut, the kind of tan you pay for. He wore a dark sweater and a watch with a face too clean to belong to a working man. His handshake had the right amount of pressure.
I suppose one might call him charming as a first impression.
“Pleasure,” he said as he made the circle. “I’ve heard so much about your family. Lydia has told me everything.”
“That’s concerning,” Jane said under her breath, and slid another plate onto the table.
Gavin smiled at Helen. “You’ve created an incredible space here. There is warmth and welcome. A real brand.”
He turned to Lucy, holding her hand longer than necessary for a simple handshake. “You must be the organizer. The one who holds everything together.”
“We all do,” she said with a smile.
“Modesty,” he answered, like it was a compliment he gave out often. He kept moving and landed on me. “You’re Dex, the architect. Lydia says you’re volunteering your time for the dance.”
“That’s right.”
“I love when professionals give back." He laughed a little. “We all need to support small ventures, right?”
I didn’t bother with a smile. There was something about him that felt off. Perhaps it was just the way he had held onto Lucy’s hand, putting a second hand over her captive one, or the way she had smiled at him.
I was jealous. He was Lydia’s boyfriend, there was no threat, yet I didn’t like Gavin Wickham one bit.
“Gavin runs a hospitality training company. He coordinates events all over the province. He’s already lined u p staff for the dance to help us out,” Lydia informed everyone.
Helen beamed. “Oh, marvelous. Will they know how to handle over a hundred guests for a dance?”
“They can handle anything. I’ll make sure of it. I brought a preliminary schedule and a list of rentals we’ll need. I have discounts through my partners, so you won’t be paying full price. Consider it our gift,” Gavin offered.
Lucy frowned. “I wish Lydia had consulted with me on this. Can I please see the quotes before we commit?”
“Lucy, we need the help and Gavin’s crew are experienced,” Lydia said.
Gavin opened a neat leather folder and slid a sheet across the table. “Here’s the estimate. I’m donating my coordination time. This just covers the cost of staff and materials.”
I leaned over, trying to read sideways as Lucy skimmed the paperwork.
Helen waved a hand. “If you say we need it, we need it. We want it to look special.”
“It will be very special,” Gavin assured her.
Lucy took the paperwork and her mug, excusing herself from the table. Swallowing the last of my coffee, I followed her to the front desk.
“How are the rates?” I asked, angling so I could read the invoice she was perusing.
“It looks standard,” Lucy replied as she read the invoice. “Extra glassware and serving staff. Nothing fancy.”
“Are you sure you should be using a company where you just met the owner?” I questioned.
“Sometimes I still treat Lydia like she’s too young to know how to properly do things, but she finished college. She did a hospitality program and she knows about handling rates and staffing. This is her part of the project and I want to show her that I trust her judgement,” Lucy replied.
“It’s your inn.”
She tested the pen on her palm and tossed it in the trash when it wouldn’t work. “What’s really wrong that you don’t want to hire Lydia’s boyfriend?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. I couldn’t tell her that it was a simple case of jealousy. I would sound like a fool.
“We have a hundred and twelve guests coming. We don’t have time for a fight. If he delivers what he has promised, we’re fine,” Lucy decided.
“Okay." I nodded, deciding I would keep an eye on Gavin Wickham right after I finished with the last touches in Lucy’s Library.
The morning was spent sanding, painting, rolling out a rug and positioning a pair of chairs.
There was an extra lamp stationed on the small table between the two chairs.
With the help of William, we had managed to create a cozy space with white shelves, green wallpapered walls, and a reading nook at the window complete with cushions.
All it needed was a bunch of books and Lucy.
“Why green?” William wondered as we stepped back to look at the completed space.
“It’s the same shade as her eyes,” I murmured. It was like a stormy sea behind which were so many thoughts I couldn't access. I cleared my throat at William’s knowing look. “It’s her favorite color as well. She liked to have binders with that exact pale shade of green.”
“Is that so?” William mildly asked. He patted me on the shoulder just once. “I think I shall see what my wife is up to before she invites the town orchestra to perform.”
“Is there an orchestra?” I asked in surprise.
“No. Yet I don’t doubt Helen could figure out how to make one happen if she set her mind to it,” William noted as he left the room.
I took a moment longer to enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that it had been my plans, my idea, my labor that had helped to produce this room for Lucy. I could only hope that she appreciated the effort.
Locking the door and pocketing the key, I found there was a multitude of people in the reception room. Leaning in the doorway, I watched as Gavin ran staff orientation with his catering crew.
He lined up a dozen servers like it was a stage and walked them through a script.
He told them idiotic phrases like ‘smile with your whole face’ and ‘anticipate what they want’.
A few of them nodded like this was obvious while others were entirely bored with the process.
He showed them how to stack glasses and where to stand while waiting for directions.
Gavin kept saying the word brand until it stopped meaning anything.
It was ridiculous.
Lydia drifted from station to station with her phone, catching angles and asking for retakes when Gavin said something quotable.
He obliged most willingly. Gavin knew how to play to a camera.
When it came time to hand out schedules, he handed them to Lydia first, kissed her on the temple, and said she was a natural. She glowed at the compliment.
“You can stop scowling,” Lucy dryly drawled from beside my elbow and I was startled by her presence. I had been far too engrossed in watching the proceedings.
“Was I scowling?” I asked, more to gather my thoughts and compose myself at her sudden presence.
Maybe now would be a good time to show her the library, to try my best to win her back.
I knew that she would like it. Lucy would understand the time and effort put into the endeavor and hopefully it would soften her feelings towards me a little.
Perhaps we could start over and I wouldn’t make such a large blunder again.
“You were,” she stated with amusement. Her smile slipped and a frown marred her brows. “You don’t like him.”
“I don’t know what my liking him or not has to do with anything,” I murmured, my eyes drawn back to Gavin as he
“He’s Lydia’s boyfriend. He seems nice enough,” Lucy mentioned.
He was charming and handsome. He turned all the ladies' heads with compliments as he instructed the servers, giving them their schedules. Gavin even winked at one or two of them.
“You’re going to get permanent frown lines,” Lucy remarked.
I glanced at her. She hadn’t been paying attention to Gavin and had missed the winks. The only good thing was that she had been looking at me instead. Perhaps she was immune to him? I felt some of the tightness in my chest ease. “I suppose I am not as joyful as some people.”
“Why is that?” Lucy asked. “You have a good life. You have a career, wealth, and a good friend in Braxton. Why don’t you smile more often?”
“Braxton adopted me. I couldn’t shake him off in school,” I dryly commented. The truth was Braxton had been badly bullied. I stepped in once, and he had declared himself my best friend. In retrospect, I probably had needed him more than he needed me.
Lucy laughed. “You shouldn’t make light of such a good friendship. He is like a brother to you.”
“He is,” I reflected with a small smile before sobering. “I suppose I am a very dull person.”
“No. Just somber unless you are in a snowball fight. Then you can smile, laugh, and aim like an olympian,” Lucy cheekily replied.
“I had a good teacher in Braxton,” I told her.
“Didn’t you say he was a three time champion?” she recalled.
“Yes,” I agreed.
“You also said your parents have passed. That must have been very difficult,” Lucy gently pressed.
I watched Gavin schmooze Lydia, taking her for a dance around the room as she laughed gaily. “I was in college. My sister was in high school. I became responsible for her overnight.”
For once Lucy seemed without words.
I had a small smile at that. “Georgianna is a better sister than I am brother. I think she would like your family as long as she didn't become overwhelmed.”
“We can be overwhelming,” Lucy admitted.
“ It’s a good kind of overwhelming when one gets used to it,” I remarked.
I turned to face Lucy. “I’m not very good with people.
I’m sure you noticed that, working for me.
I tend to say the wrong thing, or am too quiet.
My parents were very strict and preferred their friends to their children.
I’m not particularly social and people find me difficult or think I’m a complete snob. ”
“That’s not true,” she weakly protested, a guilty look on her face. I knew she had thought the same of me and I really didn’t blame her.
“It’s entirely true. I’m just not sure how to change. It’s part of why Braxton and I make a good team. People like Braxton. He’s kind and easy to get along with. Sometimes I envy him a little,” I admitted.
“You shouldn’t. You’re just fine the way you are,” Lucy told me.
Her cheeks stained pink and she looked away.
Her head tilted to the side and her lips firmed as she spotted Kitty and Meri down the hall.
“Not there! We can’t have people dipping into the hall to kiss under the mistletoe and get in the way of the serving staff. ”
I watched Lucy go to talk with her sisters and felt there might be some hope for me afterall.