Page 83 of Claimed By my Frenemy

Even though I won’t normally be offering lunch or dinner, I make a small spread for guests to enjoy as they arrive– chips and dip, muffins, and a cheese and meat tray.

I hear a car pull into the driveway, and my stomach turns over. This is it. This is the moment.

I run my hands over my sundress, pushing it down. I want to look like the perfect hostess. I hear a thumping on the frontporch, then the distinctive sound of suitcase wheels rolling. Even though people will be able to come and go as they please through the front door, I decide to open it myself to welcome them inside.

I swing the door open, and my smile grows only wider when I see my cousin with a suitcase that’s almost bigger than she is.

“Breanna! You’re here!” I’m glad my first guest is someone I’m familiar with.

Breanna lets go of her suitcase and wraps her arms around me. When she stands back, she’s also grinning. “Am I allowed to hug you? Sorry. I wasn’t paying attention to the rules of interacting with my hostess.”

“Oh, stop it. Yes, you can hug me, just not around the other guests. I don’t need them thinking that free hugs are part of the amenities.”

Breanna laughs and continues to fight with her suitcase. Her husband slams the trunk closed and approaches the house with another two.

“Breanna, you’re not staying that long.”

“Maybe not toyou, but I need to make sure I have all the perfect outfits.”

Breanna huffs and puffs as she gets the suitcase through the door. I help her up the stairs with it so she doesn’t bang up the walls.

“Here’s the room I’ve picked for you two,” I tell her, rolling her suitcase inside.

Breanna stands just inside the doorway, her eyes scanning all the features before she nods approvingly. “It’s beautiful. Thank you. I love the room you’ve picked.”

“It gets the afternoon sunshine so you can sleep in in the morning. Is that weird? Should I ask guests when they book if they prefer morning or afternoon sunshine? I mean, it’s something that I would care about when booking.”

Breanna smiles and pushes the curtains open a little wider. “It’s a good question. One I’ve never been asked before. But I wouldn’t mind it if someone cared enough to ask. It would feel like an extra touch, a super caring hostess.”

“That’s what I’m going for.”

Breanna’s husband finally makes it up the stairs and finds us. He rolls the suitcases toward the closet then plops onto the bed. “I don’t know what you packed, but it weighs as much as a baby elephant.”

Breanna giggles then goes over to kiss her husband. “Thank you for carrying my baby elephant.”

“Well, I’m going to leave you two to enjoy yourselves. Here’s the key to your room and your key card to the resort next door. You can go over and enjoy bowling, the movie theater, or any of their other amenities. The movie schedule is on the table by the front door, and I’ve got a few snacks out if you feel hungry.”

Breanna squeals. “Wow! Mia, you’re like a full-grown adult hosting this whole place. I’m so proud of you!”

“Please don’t scream that too loudly. I don’t need anyone else who comes to think of me less professionally.”

Breanna covers her mouth, but I can still see the smile peeking out on either side. I head back downstairs and continue greeting guests throughout the afternoon.

Guests are charmed by the cozy rooms, the homemade food–though I did use a pre-made mix for the muffins–and the welcoming atmosphere. My heart swells with pride every time I overhear a compliment or see someone enjoying their stay. It's more than I ever hoped for, and I can’t help but feel a bit emotional about it.

One guest comes in after spending the afternoon on the back porch reading. She’s older, maybe in her seventies, and she smiles at me. “I hope you don’t mind if I take pictures of everything. My grandkids told me they want to see what I’mdoing this weekend, and I promised I’d take pictures of the place.”

“Sure, go ahead. If they want to come stay, I’d love to have them, too.”

“It’s really gorgeous, and I’m sure they would love all that bowling and movies more than I would. I just like the quiet atmosphere you’ve got here.”

Theo arrives in the afternoon, a bouquet of flowers in hand. He looks around, taking in the busy atmosphere, and gives me a smile that makes my heart skip a beat. "How are things going?”

I take the bouquet of flowers and immediately start mentally rearranging all the decorations I have to think about where I can add it in. “Good. Everyone seems happy. Most of the guests have gone out for dinner. I think just one is here at the moment.”

“And have they given you any feedback?”

“They love it. They all love it.” I can’t stop the smile from spreading across my face. I want to dance excitedly, but I have to remember that I’m not alone in my house anymore. A guest could come downstairs at any moment.

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