Page 9 of Brass Anchor Inn

Realizing that she had to get herself together and use this moment to help sell Lane on the value of the inn, she swallowed hard. “Your aunt made sure to stay on top of everything at the inn. We’ve had the electrical wiring replaced in the past five years. The roof was replaced this past year after a hurricane blew up the coast. It also damaged some of the more southerly rooms. We will have those ready for business in a couple of weeks.”

“Why aren’t the rooms completed by now?”

“Because there was a long wait with the insurance company, and then as you can imagine, the contractors were in high demand.” And in case he didn’t understand, she said, “We weren’t the only property on the island to have damage.”

When she chanced a glance in his direction, he merely nodded in understanding. He didn’t give any indication as to whether he liked the inn or not. But how could he not like the place? It was so full of charm and character, much like his late aunt.

Josie used her master key card to open the first room. He stepped past her before coming to a halt. “There’s no furniture.”

“It should be delivered in a few days.”

“A few days. Do you expect me to sleep on the floor until then?”

She bit back a retort. “I tried to explain about the condition of the rooms.”

“None of them have furniture?”

“I’m afraid not.” But now knowing he was Sandra’s nephew, she had another idea, one she thought he might like. “Come with me.”

“I hope it’s someplace with at least a bed,” he muttered behind her.

“I think you’ll like this.” She exited the room.

At the end of the hallway was an exit. She pressed on the handle, and the sunlight flooded in.

“Where are we going?” Lane asked.

She wondered what he’d make of his aunt’s home. “It’s not far from here.”

“We’re going into the woods?” Disbelief echoed in his voice.

She stifled a laugh. “There aren’t any woods on the island.”

There was a cobblestone path that led through some heavy vegetation. Sandra liked it. She said it gave her a sense of privacy from the inn. As much as she loved the place, she also enjoyed some solitary moments.

Josie noticed the large bushes and trees helped muffle the sounds from the inn. She’d also assumed when Sandra was outside the bungalow, she’d enjoyed the sounds of the rolling ocean and the birds calling overhead. It was truly a delightful escape.

When they stepped into the clearing where the bungalow resided, the sunshine highlighted the turquoise-colored home with white trim. “We’re here.”

Lane stopped next to her. “Is this part of the inn?”

“Yes and no. It is on the same property, but this was your aunt’s private residence. I’m sure she would want you to stay here.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” he muttered before approaching the single-story home. He stepped up to the door and tried the handle. “Do you have a key?”

She reached into her pocket and produced the extra key she kept on her keyring. Every day she visited the house to make sure it was all right. After removing the key, she held it out to him. This time she was careful their hands didn’t touch. She still remembered the tingling sensation his touch had evoked in her.

“Here you go.”

“Thank you.” He unlocked the door before turning back to her. “Thank you for being so helpful. If you could let your boss know I’m here and would like to have a meeting this afternoon, I’d appreciate it.”

She was confused. “My boss?”

“Yes. What was his name? I had my assistant look it up.” He paused for a moment as he searched his memory. “Joe. Yes, that was it.”

A smile tugged at her lips. It wasn’t the first time people had heard the shortened version of Josephine and thought they were going to be dealing with a man.

Perhaps it wasn’t the right time to straighten out the misunderstanding. Maybe it would be best to let him settle in and then they could get down to business. There was a part of her that was anxious to learn his plans for the inn, and there was another part of her that feared what his plans might be.

---