Chapter 4
Ford
It had been a few days, and I was still waiting to hear back from Natasha. She'd said she was fine working with me, but maybe she'd changed her mind. Should I have reached out to her again, offering to alleviate her concerns?
Instead, I'd stayed busy handling all requests for estimates. My brothers warned me that some of these were a waste of time. The owners might not want to do renovations soon, or ever.
I'd just come from a consultation from a home where the owner seemed more concerned with getting the cheapest contractor, not the best. It was close to Christmas Town, so I decided to stop in and get coffee.
The bell over the door to Coffee Dreams jingled as I walked in.
I got in line, scanning the room. Hopefully, I'd be spending a lot of time in Christmas Town soon enough.
My gaze snagged on two women by the window, seated at a two-person table, their heads leaning toward each other while they talked intently about something. It was Eve and Natasha.
"Can I help you?" the barista asked.
I turned my attention to her, ordering a black coffee, then moved to another counter to wait for my order. When it came, I approached Natasha and Eve's table, wondering if this was a good idea.
"Ladies," I said, and they looked up at me.
Eve smiled. "Ford. What are you doing in town?"
"I was in the area for an appointment and needed coffee. How are you?"
Eve exchanged a look with Natasha. "We're just reviewing our plans for town events over the next few months."
I glanced at the laptop that rested on the table. It was open to a spreadsheet with events listed like Santa Meet and Greets, Thanksgiving Day Parade, and a Hot-Cocoa Crawl. "Looks like you're busy."
"I prefer to focus on the inn, and Eve is in charge of events. But since everything is new, we're working together."
"Have you given any more thought to the estimate I delivered the other day?" I asked Natasha.
Eve's forehead creased as her gaze moved from me to her sister. "You haven't signed the contract? I thought we agreed that we should get started as soon as possible."
It probably wasn't nice to bring it up in front of Eve, but it gave me a glimpse into what was going on. Natasha was the holdup.
Natasha blew out a breath. "I need to sign and send it over."
"Why don't I stop by tonight and get it from you?" I wasn't past being pushy, especially since they wanted the job done.
Eve smiled at me, clearly realizing we were on the same side. "That would be great. Thanks, Ford." Then she turned her attention to Natasha. "This is why we wanted to work with someone local. They go the extra mile."
"I'm happy to help with whatever you need." I was itching to get moving on something, and the inn was my only prospect. I was positive I could avoid Natasha once I got my crew started.
I tapped the table, and Natasha's gaze snagged on the movement. "I'll leave you ladies to it. I'm sure whatever you plan for the town will be great."
Eve smiled. "Thanks again."
"I'll see you later," I said to Natasha, and her gaze narrowed on me. I was positive she was going to let me have it later for putting her on the spot.
I headed to the office; the afternoon stretched out before me. Assuming that I'd receive the signed contract tonight, I could plan the project and get my crew ready to go. I got to work, and when it started to get dark, I stood, stretching my back.
Cooper popped in. "You get the Mistletoe Inn project locked down yet?"
I grabbed my phone and my keys. "I'm heading there now to get the contract."
Cooper moved out of the way as I turned off the light. "I bet you're glad to get started on something. I know estimate appointments aren't the best."
"You know me. I don't like to be idle." My brothers wanted me to get settled in civilian life before I started working for the business. But I didn't want to sit around, thinking about what I was going to do with my life. I preferred to stay busy.
Cooper fell into step with me as we walked down the hallway. "How’s Aspen?”
I gave him a look. "Why are we keeping an eye on Aspen again?"
Cooper cleared his throat. "I promised your brothers I'd watch out for her. They worry about how’s she’s doing.”
Maybe it was because I'd been gone for a long time, but I saw Aspen as an adult. "I don't think she'd like to hear that you agreed to that."
Cooper huffed out a breath. "You're not going to tell her."
"I won't be reporting on Aspen to you or my brothers," I said firmly.
Cooper winced. "You make us sound overbearing."
I shrugged on my jacket, which was hanging on a hook by the door. "I call it like I see it."
Cooper opened the door, waiting for me to step outside before locking it. "If we're responsible for Mistletoe Inn's renovation, everyone will respect our business. We'll have more work."
"I'll do good work." The pressure was on for me to not screw this deal up.
"I know you will." Cooper stuffed his hands in his pockets. "You cleared the air with Natasha?"
"She wasn't concerned about us working together." That was concerning in and of itself.
His brow raised. "It was a long time ago. But we wouldn't want any lingering emotions getting in the way of business."
"Of course not." It was a good reminder that I needed to keep any feelings for Natasha firmly in the past.
When we reached my truck, Cooper said, "I hope to see the contract in my inbox tomorrow morning."
"You'll get it." I'd prove that hiring me on wasn't a bad decision.
I got in my truck and drove to Mistletoe Inn. Once I had the signed contract in hand, I'd be commuting here daily. I parked by the inn and went inside, greeting Aspen.
Aspen came around the counter and hugged me. "It's so good to have you home."
"It's good to be home." I'd missed being around my family.
"Are you here to see Natasha?" Aspen asked.
I nodded. "Is she in her room?"
Aspen typed something on her phone. "She likes to work at home in the evenings."
I frowned. "Didn't she work during the day?"
"When you own a business, you work twenty-four seven." Aspen looked up from her screen. "She said you can go on up."
"Thanks."
Before I could move, she tipped her head to the side, considering me. "I heard you got the contract for the inn."
I nodded again. "I'm getting the contract tonight."
"I hope this doesn't mean that you're going to be keeping an eye on me like the rest of our brothers?"
"Your brothers want to know that you're safe." I didn't agree with reporting back to Cooper, but I'd sure as hell keep an eye on my sister.
She rolled her eyes. "You're the same as them, aren't you?"
I puffed out my chest. "I'm my own man."
She laughed. "Sure you are. You're a Sterling through and through."
I enjoyed the sound of that after being just another soldier in the army. I was back to being Ford Sterling, and I kind of liked it. "Yeah, but I'm not going to gossip about you behind your back. I want to know that you're okay, but your life is your own. You won't see me butting into it."
Aspen smiled. "You're my favorite brother."
"That has a nice ring to it." Since I was gone for so long, I wasn't anyone's favorite anything. I was more focused on my work than family. But that was going to change now that I was home for good.
I was here to reconnect with my family, not rekindle an old flame. Especially when I was seeing her to finalize our business arrangement. I could compartmentalize my work and family life. Right now, Natasha was squarely in my business world, and I couldn't forget that.
"For what it's worth, I'm excited that you'll be updating this place. It sure could use it."
"Tell Natasha I'm on my way." I took the stairs, marveling that I'd be spending most days here soon enough. It was a big project, but nothing I couldn't handle. My brothers wouldn't have given me free reign if they had reservations about my ability.
By the time I made it to her floor, I was a little out of breath. I strode to her door and lifted my hand to knock.
Within seconds, Natasha opened the door.
Tonight she wore a cream sweater that hung off one shoulder, exposing a blush-colored bra strap, and leggings, covered with black leg warmers.
Her hair fell over one shoulder in a braid, tendrils framing her face.
She was dressed casually for an evening at home, but she was sexy as hell.
She opened the door wider so I could step inside. "Thanks for stopping by."
"Sorry about earlier. I probably shouldn't have brought up business when you were meeting with your sister."
Natasha shrugged, and the sweater slid farther off her shoulder, the bare skin tantalizing me. "Eve is my partner. We make these decisions together." She turned and led the way to the balcony. "The truth is that I was dragging my feet."
She sat on the couch, curling her knees under her before covering her lower half with a cozy-looking blanket. I sat next to her on the couch, stretching out my legs, crossing one over the other. It felt good to relax after a long day.
Shoppers passed on the street below us, and holiday music played softly from a speaker. Flurries swirled around us, making it feel like we were in a real-life snow globe. The town was decorated for the holidays with twinkling lights and wreaths adorned with a red bow on every window. "Why is that?"
She sighed. "I've never owned anything before, and this purchase was scary.
It took our entire inheritance, and I keep wondering.
Is this what our parents wanted for us? What if it doesn't work out?
What if I do too much and the business fails?
My practical side tells me we should wait to do any updates.
Our profit margin is so low right now. But I know it will be good for business too. "
"You can do a little at a time, starting with what will give you the most bang for your buck.
" I hadn't meant that to sound sexual, but now that the word bang had left my mouth, I couldn't help but think about stripping her naked and sliding into her wet heat.
Would it be different from when we were kids?
"And what would give me the best return on my money?" Natasha asked, oblivious to my dirty thoughts.
"The bathrooms. You'll want to retain the history of the place while modernizing it.
I'm fairly sure we'll need to update the plumbing and electricity.
But those upgrades are strategic because you won't want to wait for them to break before fixing them.
You'd have a much bigger mess on your hands, and it wouldn't make a good impression on your guests. "
She grimaced. "Ideally, we should have done this before we opened."
I didn't know anything about running a business besides what I'd observed since I came to work for Cooper and my brothers. "It made sense to get the inn up and running as quickly as possible to get money coming in. For what it's worth, I think it's smart to do it as you go."
She rested her head back on the cushion. "Thank you for reassuring me."
I smiled at her. "I'm glad I could help."
She reached for the papers on the end table. "I signed these earlier, and I can email you a copy too. I have to say it's nice to do business in person."
I set the contract aside, and we gazed at the square for a while. The town was beautiful. I could see why couples and families visited for the holiday ambiance. "Your parents would be proud of you."
She sucked in a breath. "You think so?"
"Your parents wanted you to fulfill your dreams, and you've always wanted to run an inn."
She sat up. "But this is so much more. Sometimes I wonder if we got ourselves into something that's too big to handle."
"You're not in this alone. You have Eve and now me. We'll talk every step of the way, and I won't do anything without your approval."
Natasha reached across the couch and squeezed my hand before leaning back. "I'm glad it's you that I'm working with."
Did she feel like she could trust me because we had a history? That was a factor in my favor. "Just think about how the rooms will look with updated bathrooms. Your guests will get the historic feel of the inn along with a luxurious spa feel. It's the best of both worlds."
Natasha laughed. "That does sound amazing. You convinced me. How soon can you start?"
"I can have my crew here tomorrow. You want to start with the vacant rooms on this floor?"
"I'll get you a list and a key to the rooms. Once the existing guests check out, we won't accept reservations on this floor until the work is done. Then we can move to the next floor."
"That sounds like a good plan."
"You want to toast to our new relationship?" When she broke things off with me, I thought I'd never see her again. But now she was in my life again, and I wouldn't be able to avoid her.
Without waiting for me to respond, she stood and went into the kitchen, returning with two glasses of wine.
She lifted her glass, the twinkling lights on the railing reflecting in her eyes. "To our new business relationship. May it be beneficial for both of us."
I lifted my glass, clinking it against hers. "To our partnership."
The warmth of the alcohol slid down my throat. I couldn't lose sight of my goal. I wanted to prove to my family that I was capable of directing a job this size. And that I hadn't made a mistake in leaving the army.
The biggest challenge would be to view Natasha as just a business partner.