Page 5 of Three Hearts Hideaway

“Honestly, as long as I have a bed, a shower, and a toilet, I’m satisfied. Thank you, again.”

“Don’t thank me yet. I can only give you one out of three of those things,” he happily stated and ducked into the back room once more.

“Wait, one? What do you mean? You have a toilet, right?” she called after him.

They drove in Roman’s vintage Chevy Cheyenne to the outskirts of town, which took less than ten minutes. Turning down a dirt road surrounded by forest, they emerged into a clearing where rich brown timber beams rose to form a breathtaking two-story cabin. She wasn’t even sure it could be called that. It stood so much bigger than what she would typically picture a cabin to be.

When Roman told her on the drive that he and Logan owned a bed and breakfast they were opening in a few months, this wasn’t what she expected.

A large deck appeared to wrap around each side. Brushed bronze sconces lined the outside walls, creating a welcoming glow. Floor-to-ceiling windows flanking the front doors further contributed to the impressive building.

Deep-green pines stretched on all sides as far as she could see. The ground was littered with dried needles, creating a blanket of brown and orange. The late September air smelled fresh and earthy. The perfect autumn backdrop for the beautiful building in front of her.

Ava exited the truck. She stood staring at the giant log cabin in front of her, taking it in. It might’ve been one of the most magnificent buildings she’d ever seen. She rounded the back of the pickup to retrieve her single piece of luggage. “Your place is gorgeous.”

Roman put out a hand to stop her, and grabbed her suitcase from the truck bed. “Thanks. It’s taken a lot of work.”

She allowed him to help her, appreciating the kind gesture. “Work? You mean you built this?” Her face must have given away how dumbstruck she was, because Roman let out a laugh.

“Well, Logan and I did. I can’t takeallthe credit.” He headed toward the front door.

“It’s magnificent. I can’t believe you made this,” she said, quickly drawing alongside him.

“It’s the fourth bed and breakfast we’ve built. There are two others in Ontario and one in Quebec, so we figured we’d build one for ourselves. Give it a go. See if we can make some supplemental income between projects.”

She noticed two other trucks parked in the lot. “Are other people staying here, too?”

He shook his head. “You’re our first guest. Why do you ask?”

She pointed at the other vehicles parked beside Roman’s.

“Those are just our work trucks. We use them for the construction business.”

They entered through the front doors together, and her jaw dropped for the second time that day.

Behind the welcome desk was a living room with overstuffed couches and plush armchairs. A grandiose stone fireplace occupied a good portion of the wall, extending to the top of what she guessed were sixteen foot ceilings. An area rug of greens, browns, and creams anchored the space and added to its coziness.

“What’s it called?”

“What?”

“Your bed and breakfast. Does it have a name?”

“Not yet. That’s one thing Logan and I can’t seem to agree on.”

At the back of the house was a full kitchen with well-oiled butcher block countertops and white oak cabinets. Five leather stools were neatly tucked beneath a breakfast bar. Next to it was a dining area with four small, round tables and matching chairs.

A grand staircase sat in the middle of everything, with intricately carved wood railings and an elegant runner drawingthe eye toward the second floor, which was open to the rest of the house. She counted three large doors—one on the left, one in the middle, and one on the right—that most likely led to bedrooms, and several smaller doors that she guessed were closets, storage, or bathrooms.

“You’re letting me stay here?” No way there wasn’t a catch. Sure, she was paying, but this place was way too nice.

Roman shrugged. “You need a place to stay, and we have the room. The guest suites aren’t completely finished, though. So you’re going to have to deal with a few inconveniences.”

She nodded, eager to show that a bother here or there was nothing to her. He was hot andgenerous. This impromptu getaway was seeming better by the minute. “A few inconveniences aren’t a problem.”

“Good. Because none of the guest rooms have the plumbing fully installed yet.”

She stared at him. No plumbing. Wait…no toilet?

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