Page 6 of Seabreeze Library

“Our visitors will only be here through the weekend,” she added. “We have no more bookings after that.” They had sent many guests to the Seal Cove Inn. Others had delayed their visits.

Ivy thought renting rooms in the rear cottage, which once housed the housekeeping staff, would be alright since they were on the other side of the pool.

Yet, the noise in rooms was still plenty loud.

After discussing the work Reed’s crew needed to do in this room, they threaded their way through the hallway. The floors were covered in paper to protect the wooden floors before refinishing.

“I’m sorry about the noise,” Reed said. “Were you disturbed, Aunt Ivy?”

“We’re early risers. Bennett was already on the beach for his morning run.” Ivy and her husband made their home in the old chauffeur’s apartment above the garages near the other cottage rooms. Although Reed’s early morning footsteps woke her, she gave him a reassuring smile. “The work has to be done.”

The hundred-year-old inn, once owned by art collectors Amelia and Gustav Erickson, was long overdue for a restoration. Thanks to her friend Viola in San Francisco, who lived in the Erickson’s former primary home, a mansion in Pacific Heights, their fundraiser for the repair and community preservation had been phenomenally successful. Viola’s friends had turned out to support her cause.

Ivy also had enough savings to update some furnishings for guest and community rooms.

They should finish just in time for the high season.

As they entered the foyer, Poppy looked up from the front desk. “We just had a call for another reservation. When I suggested she call the other inn, the woman told me she’d tried. With our referrals, the Seal Cove Inn is full now. But this woman is persistent. I explained the construction situation, and she seemed okay with it. She said she can sleep through anything.”

Ivy had heard that one before, but it wasn’t always true. “We had planned on closing during this phase.” Even as she spoke, a distant memory tickled her mind.

“I know, but she seems eager to stay here,” Poppy said, pulling her silky blond hair into a ponytail as she spoke. “She’s been following Shelly’s blog and social posts about the inn for a long time. I thought we could make an exception, just for the weekend.”

“I don’t know,” Ivy said. Aside from the noise, she was concerned about the potential liability. What if a guest tripped over an electrical cord? Ivy had impressed upon Dr. Kempner the need for caution, showing her the safe areas to walk.

“I thought we could put her near our other guest,” Poppy said. “Besides, Reed and his crew won’t work on the weekend.”

Reed looked skeptical. “We are now if we want to make the deadline before summer.”

“Surely she can find something nearby,” Shelly said with a dismissive wave. “Even though I’m flattered she’s been following me.”

A guilty look washed over Poppy’s face as she turned to Ivy. “The problem is, she’s not far away. I’ve already booked her into a room. You told me to embrace decision-making, so I did.”

“Then let’s welcome her,” Ivy said. If she were going to delegate tasks to others, she also had to trust them.

Looking relieved, Poppy turned to her brother. “Reed, could your crew work a little quieter this weekend?”

“We’re doing our best,” he replied, brushing white wallboard dust from his thick, wavy hair. “Your timeline is aggressive. We’ll move to the other side of the inn, though. I’ll talk to them now.”

“Thank you for doing that,” Ivy called after Reed as he hurried away. She knew he would work as quickly as possible under the guidance of his father, Forrest. Ivy’s brother managed larger construction projects, so Reed had grown up in the business.

They would have to make their remaining guests as comfortable as they could in what was rapidly becoming a major construction zone. However, they couldn’t afford vacancies for long. That was why the inn would close during the most disruptive work. Reed promised his crew and other subcontractors would work as quickly as possible.

Even without guests, there was still plenty to do at the inn. Shelly would overhaul the grounds and prepare the garden, while Poppy would create the summer marketing campaign. Ivy would manage the budget and answer questions Reed needed resolved.

Ivy turned back to Poppy. “Who is our new guest?”

“Libby Connors.” Poppy beamed. “She sounds very understanding. I don’t think she’ll pose a problem. And it’s only for the weekend. I’ll make sure to keep her out of harm’s way.”

What was another few days? Ivy knew what it was to be without a place to stay. After her husband died suddenly, she’d sold their Boston condo she hadn’t known was so highly mortgaged. She’d had difficulty finding another home. Having been a stay-at-home mother for years, she had little verifiable income aside from teaching part-time art classes.

Without cash deposits and a source of income, she couldn’t rent an apartment. So when she discovered a room for rent in a professor’s home, she had to take it for a few months until she could figure out her life. She had never felt so adrift. Her eldestdaughter lived with roommates, and her youngest was traveling Europe for the summer.

Ivy pressed a finger to her temple as a flood of emotions filled her. Although it hadn’t been easy, she had managed to transform her life. When she opened the inn, she had vowed not to turn away anyone who truly needed a place to stay.

Still, she was concerned about having guests now.

At least she didn’t have to worry about Bennett, who was taking it all in stride. As the mayor of Summer Beach, he spent every day at his office. On the weekends, he kept busy with his boat or community events.

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