Page 69 of Never and Always
“Great.” My voice was tight and I cleared my throat. “The tent is up and they’ve started work.”
“Are you ready to check the renovations in the east wing?”
With a nod, I rose. We’d made a time to go and check that the final painting touch ups were completed so we could start moving furniture back into the rooms. They were booked out starting next week, so we couldn’t get off schedule.
“Let’s go. Oh, and there are your boots.” I’d set them by the wall.
She grinned. “Wearing them didn’t make you explode.”
“I survived.” Thankfully, I was back in my Gianvito Rossi heels.
We headed out. I scanned the lobby, not willing to admit that I was looking for Everett. I spotted no flannel shirts.
Tess and I entered the hall to the east wing. I was eager to see how the rooms were coming along. Getting these rooms filled with guests as fast as we could was part of my plan.
“The pool, onsen spa, and day spa are going to be fabulous.” Tessa glanced at me. “I’m glad you convinced me that all the upgrades are the right thing to do.”
Tessa loved this hotel. She’d grown up dreaming of working in it. She’d been a little militant when Ro and I had first turned up, but now we were a team.
I smiled at her. “And I’m glad you showed me the charm of the place, and I didn’t knock it down to build a new hotel.”
The other woman’s lips twitched. “It seems you’re coming around to the mountain charm of quite a few things around here.”
My heart skipped a beat.
“I mean Everett,” she added.
“I know what you mean.” I stopped, and she turned to look back at me. “We both know I’m a just a diversion for him. Something different.”
She frowned. “He’s very protective of you.”
“He’s a protective guy. We both know that he’s waiting for some perfect mountain girl, raised in a small town, who wants to pop out his babies. That’s not me. Like I said, I’m a safe diversion for a little bit. Colleagues with benefits.”
Tessa’s frown deepened. “And you’re happy with that?”
No. I wanted to punch that mountain girl in the face. I set off back down the hall. “I’m a career woman, Tessa.”
“So am I, but it doesn’t mean I can’t fall in love and have a family.”
“My brother is a mess. I’m looking after my mom and Gram?—”
“You deserve a life too, Piper. One that doesn’t include a million meetings and constant jetlag.” She eyed me, then straightened. “You like him.”
Now I felt a spurt of panic. “We need to look at these rooms?—”
“Piper—”
Tessa’s radio crackled.
“Tessa, are you there?”
It was grumpy Coral calling from the front desk.
Tessa pulled a face, then grabbed the radio off her belt. “I’m here, Coral.”
“I’ll meet you in there,” I said quietly. I hustled down the hallway. The next corridor had caution tape and a Renovations sign strung across it. The doors to all of the rooms hung open, and I smelled the scent of fresh paint.
I ducked under the tape and headed for the family suite at the end of the hall. In a few places, we were joining two rooms to make more family suites to accommodate families with older children, or traveling with other family members.
