Page 49 of Just One Chance

"I want to make sure that"—she gestured from her to me—"this thing between us isn't influencing my opinion."

I turned to face her, not sure what to tell her. "Only you can decide that. It doesn't make a difference to me. I hope you choose to incorporate my furniture, but ultimately the decision is yours."

"You don't have to render an opinion." She leaned back on the bed.

"I thought we were going to keep everything separate? Nights are for us, and daytime is for work."

"That's the plan."

"I'll take you to the inn so you can get some work done." I didn't want to pretend that this wasn't a problem for me. I could see that it was turning into one. What if she chose to use mass-produced decor? How would I feel?

I would feel devastated, even though I was preparing myself for that possibility. And I didn't know what that would mean for us. This wasn't just physical for me anymore. I was falling more each time we were together. It was getting harder to separate work from pleasure.

"I need time and space to think."

I winked at her. "Maybe some time in the hot tub on your balcony will help."

She flashed me a smile. "Are you suggesting that you join me?"

I shook my head. "After you get some work done."

"Usually ideas come to me easily, but there's something about this project that seems to be blocking my creativity. I can't make a decision, and it's frustrating."

"Except for the snow room."

Her shoulders lowered as we walked toward the door. "I'm confident about that one."

That was interesting because I was really put off by the idea. It felt like a gimmick, and maybe the brew bath could be considered one too. But the snow room didn't make sense in a cold climate. Everything I read about them was that celebrities liked to add them to their homes in warm climates. Why would anyone come here because we had a room with snow?

"A snow room is such a cool draw. It's romantic for couples and fun for families."

I locked the door, and we headed downstairs and got into my truck. I turned on the engine to keep it warm.

"I get all tingly thinking about the snow room. That tells me that it's the right decision. I'm not getting a strong feeling on anything else but the wall frames."

"You'll get there." I reached over and covered her hand with mine as we drove over to the inn. The drive was too short, and before I could formulate a better response, I was pulling up to the back door.

"Thanks for the ride." She kissed my cheek and then hopped out. She'd closed the truck door and swiped her card for the door before I could say anything.

What did it mean that she wasn't getting a strong feeling about the furniture? Was I really blocking her? If we weren't sleeping together, would she know the right thing to do? Were her feelings for me clouding her judgment. I didn't like the idea of that. I didn't want to be a block. I wanted her to make the decision that she would if we weren't together. I didn't want her to take pity on me and do something that wasn’t right for the inn.

Maybe I should withdraw my woodworking services from consideration. Our relationship was getting tangled up in this decision, and that was the last thing I wanted.

I sighed as I pulled the truck away. I didn't want to make things harder for Kennedy, but at the same time, I wasn't ready to walk away from the idea of my furniture being in the rooms at the inn. It was what I'd always dreamed of. It was hard to let go of the idea. It had been my goal for so long.

I thought we could keep our nighttime activities from inhibiting our work, but now I wasn't so sure. I had a feeling this was all going to blow up in our faces sooner rather than later.

14

KENNEDY

In my room, I showered, then opened my laptop, intending to have a productive day researching options for Hart Inn's interior. I had a good feel for their guests and what they did while they were in town.

It was a more casual hotel experience, since most guests were here to enjoy the outdoors, hiking, and skiing. There was some shopping to be done at nearby small towns like Christmas Town and Telluride.

Guests could travel to Denver, but it seemed like most guests preferred staying close rather than traveling to the larger city.

What would make the most sense for the inn? Something that was consistent in all the rooms? Handcrafted furniture or store bought? Would guests notice either way?