Chapter Two
Madelyn made her way down the stairs and through the lobby toward the large living area she’d spotted when she had checked in. She waved and smiled at Daisy as she passed.
Her eyes widened at the size of the room. There were five or six seating areas with sofas and chairs. There were two fireplaces, one on each side of the enormous room. She could see a few pool tables and arcade games through a large doorway. On the other side, she could see tables and chairs in what she guessed was the dining room.
Her breath caught in her throat at the beautiful vista through the large windows. There were miles of woodlands, and in the backdrop were the white-capped mountains. The views were so stunning they looked like artwork.
She knew there was an indoor pool but hadn’t asked where that was yet. She had brought her swimsuit but didn’t know if she’d have the guts to wear it in front of people. Although she enjoyed swimming, it had been many years since she’d had the chance to. She just hadn’t had the time.
“Are you getting settled in, Mrs. Freeman?”
She turned and smiled at Daisy, who had come up to stand beside her.
“Please, call me Madelyn.”
Daisy grinned. “Thank you. I will.”
“I have already put my things away and am ready to explore now.”
“There is a lot to explore. What do you think so far?”
“The drive up was spectacular, and then you come to this place.” Madelyn paused and drew in a soft breath. She threw her arms out and smiled. “It’s the most beautiful place I have ever seen.”
Daisy grinned and nodded. “I’ve always thought so, too.”
“How long have you worked here?”
“Since high school.”
“You still look like you could be in high school.”
Daisy laughed. “Yeah, I get that a lot. My mom says I’ll appreciate it when I’m older.”
“I’m like you. And your mom is right.”
Daisy narrowed her eyes as she stared at Madelyn. “Let me guess. Thirty-two?”
Madelyn laughed. “Forty-nine.”
Daisy’s mouth dropped open. “No way.”
Madelyn chuckled. “Yeah, way. I’ve got kids older than you.”
Daisy wrinkled her nose. “I’m going to have to thank my mom, aren’t I?”
“If it comes from her side of the family, absolutely.”
Daisy nodded, looked over Madelyn’s shoulder, straightened, and smiled.
“Hey, Boss, this is Madelyn Freeman. She’s the one staying for a month.” Daisy turned to Madelyn. “I’d like you to meet Garrett Walsh. He and his brother Trey are the owners of this place.”
Madelyn saw the surprise on his face and thought they might have met, but she knew she would have remembered. She stiffened at the suspicion that instantly darkened his eyes. He smiled, but she could tell it was forced.
She had just met the man. What had she done to deserve that? Maybe she was being overly sensitive because she was tired, so she tried to put it out of her mind. She swallowed and held out a hand.
“It’s nice to meet you,” she said and waited a long moment. Embarrassed, she was starting to lower her hand when he suddenly grabbed hers.
His jaw bunched as his skin came into contact with hers.
“Welcome, Madelyn,” he murmured and then dropped her hand like it was poison.
Why did she get the feeling he really didn’t mean it?
“Thank you. I’m glad to be here. What I’ve seen of your place is beautiful.”
Garrett dipped his head forward once. “Yes, it is. If you’ll excuse me.”
Both women watched him walk off with matching looks of dismay.
Daisy looked as confused as Madelyn felt.
“I’m sorry about that. Garrett isn’t usually so … abrupt. However, he is the hardest of the two owners, who happen to be brothers. Trey is a lot more laid-back.”
“It’s fine. He’s probably just had a hard day.”
Daisy shrugged. “Let me show you where dinner is served. The dining room is this way. It’s usually a buffet so you can choose when to come. We serve breakfast from seven to nine, lunch from eleven to one, and dinner from five to seven.”
“I’ll remember. Thank you so much for showing me,” Madelyn said.
“Dinner should be happening now.”
“It smells wonderful. I think I’ll eat right now instead of coming back down.”
Daisy smiled and waved.
“I hope you enjoy the meal.”
“I’m sure I will. Thanks again, Daisy.”