Page 28 of The Christmas Eve Delivery

“Are you trying to earn your keep or something? You already know I’m not going to charge you for a room when you sleep in here.”

“I’m aware of that, but I also know this place needs constant attention.”

“You’re going to pay attention to the old girl?” Lydia asked.

“I thought it would be a good way to worm my way into the affections of the woman who looks after the place.”

Lydia tossed back the blankets and put her feet on the ground before standing with a large stretch and yawn that put her breasts on the most distracting display.

I completely forgot what I was saying as all the blood from my brain rushed straight to my groin. “You keep that up and I’ll end up only screwing one thing around here,” I said as I ogled her.

With a giggle, she turned and grabbed a pillow off the bed to throw at me.

“You are incorrigible.”

I ended up completing a shortlist of little tasks that she had set aside. Holding up the sheet of paper with her to-do list, I said, “You really need to think about the big picture and not focus on all the little things.”

“That would involve a much more in-depth time and financial investment than I can make at the moment. I know the inn needs someone to come in to do a full assessment, but at the same time, I need to be able to keep it running. I get that major bathroom remodeling for all the rooms on the north wing is what really needs to happen. I can really only manage to make sure that everything works properly.”

“Why redo one bathroom at a time if ripping out fifteen bathrooms all at once is too daunting?” I asked.

“Honestly, I know it’s more cost-effective to rip out and do fifteen bathrooms at once. I’m stuck juggling the whole how to be cost-effective and how to get the job done since it’s just me right now. My goal is to keep it running long enough to save up enough to take care of the second and third floors of the north wing. But I’m stuck with the limited finances that I do have.”

It was clear she had put a lot of thought into the rock and the hard place she was stuck between.

“It’s easier and cheaper to get a crew of a couple of guys to come in and rip everything out one day, and then production-line assemble the rebuild. It’s more efficient, in both time and money. Unfortunately, it takes money to be cost efficient at that level. So, until that can happen, I keep things running the best I can.” She shrugged. It was a lot to process.

“If this place were a boat, it would constantly be sinking,” I said.

“No lies there,” she said. “But Sweet Mountain is really pretty, and I think she’s worth it.”

I did the best I could in the time between breakfast and just after lunch when Lydia’s new desk clerk came in to give her the rest of the afternoon off. Mrs. Griffin showed up, Lydia reviewed the computer system with her, and then we left. I noticed she hadn’t introduced me, so maybe I was still somewhat of a secret.

“I didn’t think your new employee was coming in today,” I mentioned to Lydia.

“She wasn’t. I called her to see if she was available, and she was,” Lydia confessed. “I don’t want you to think I expect you to do handyman work every time you come to visit me. Yesterday, you were so eager to take a look at Brookdale. I thought maybe today, we could walk around town a bit?”

“What about our secret affair?” I teased.

“Maybe after spending more time with you, I realized that there are some things that don’t need to be kept hidden in the shadows.”

“Are you saying you want to show me off?”

Lydia blushed. It was very charming and adorable the way she would smile and her cheeks would plump up. She would turn pink and try to look at anything but me.

“I don’t think I have anything to wear that would be appropriate for showing off,” I said.

“And what would you wear to show off?” Lydia asked.

I shrugged. “I don’t know. A tux?”

“Now you’re just being silly,” she responded.

“Is that a complaint?” I asked.

“Not at all. I think I like you kind of silly. People are too serious and too angry these days. A little levity is very attractive.”

“I will take that as a compliment.”

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