Page 35 of Falling Inn Love
“Hey, what are big brothers for? Besides, now you can owe me for life if I’m a match. Anytime I want cinnamon rolls, bam! You have to make them for me,” I joke, trying to lighten the mood.
“Cinnamon rolls for life. Deal. I can do that. Hasn’t Sasha been keeping you supplied with baked goods?” I can hear the smile in her voice.
“Sasha is the best cook, but baking is your strong suit, Allie. And if you tell her I said that, I’ll deny it and tell Mom about the time you snuck out of the house in high school to ride on the back of Toad’s motorcycle.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“Oh, I would.”
“Deal. Love you, Ev. Seriously. I’m so grateful for you.”
“Love you, too, Al. We’ve got this. I’ll call you as soon as I know.”
I finish my run then quickly shower, get dressed, and head over to the main building. Later today, I’ll be working on Beth’s plan to help bring in more revenue. Her ideas are gold, and I can’t wait to see everything come together. I’ll also be planning out the foundation of the fall festival and organizing my dad’s traditions into a list. I’m starting to get really excited about the festival. I think part of my hesitation has been that it washisthing, and it feels strange doing it without him now.
I know Pete is right, though. The community misses the event, and it really brought everyone together every year—not to mention nice business to the inn.
Beth is already perched at the front desk when I get there. I lean in and kiss her. “Good morning,” I say into her neck as I kiss that, too.
She leans into me. “How was your run?”
“How did you know I was on a run?”
“Some of the guests were ogling you. It provided great entertainment.”
“Glad I could be of service.”
“Do you want some coffee? A scone?”
“Not this morning, I’m fasting. I’m about to head out to the hospital to get tested for Caleb.”
“Oh, that’s right. Wow. Are you nervous?”
“No. I really hope I’m a match. I’m ready to do this if I am.”
She nods and kisses me, then lays her head on my chest.
“Which reminds me, I’m taking my mom to the airport tonight. Want to come along for the ride?”
Her eyes widen slightly as she shrugs. “Sure.”
I trace her jaw then give her a playful boop her on her cute nose. “Good.” I glance over at her screen. “What are you working on today?”
“I’m just finishing up something. I think you’re going to like it.” She opens a browser to reveal an updated website.
“Whoa. Did you do this?” I scroll through all the pictures and descriptions.
“Yes. And here’s the best part,” she says and clicks on a button that takes us to a screen with the option to book online.
“That’s so great!” I say with all the enthusiasm I feel. “Online bookings will be a real game-changer for us. People can book any time of day. They don’t have to wait for someone to be on duty to take reservations. This could be huge.”
“Tonight I plan to finalize it for you to review so we can go live tomorrow. I’ve also created new social media accounts for us to post on and set up some ads that jump to the website.”
This woman is incredible. “I really love it,” I tell her. “Thank you. Did you show this to my mom yet?”
“No, I wanted your approval first.”
“I think we need to talk about compensation, too. You’re working harder than room and board. It’s time we add you to our payroll.”
