Reservations for Murder - Tim Myers [32]
“Me, too,” Alex said before Rachel could leave. As he moved to kill the fire, Jenny said, “I think I’ll stay up a little longer, if you don’t mind.”
“Good night, then,” Alex said while he still had a chaperone. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust himself to be alone with Jenny; it was just that the woman seemed to know the right strings to pull to get to him. At least this would be her last night at Hatteras West, since the fair was shutting down tomorrow.
Alex dead-bolted his door after he closed it behind him. He suffered through a miserable night of sleep, missing Elise but remembering the smell of Jenny’s hair.
Alex woke up grumpy the next morning, having tossed and turned all night, fighting off nightmare steel lances rushing toward him in his sleep. Alex knew he was a real bear without the proper amount of rest, and he always tried to get at least eight hours every night, but as an innkeeper that wasn’t always possible, not by a long shot. He wasn’t normally a coffee drinker, but this morning he made an exception and brewed up a pot. Elise had been after him to start offering at least bagels, fruit and some juice to their guests each morning, and Alex realized he’d been wrong to stubbornly fight her on it. Starting tomorrow, he’d implement her suggestion. He just hoped she came back to see it.
Alex was just finishing his second cup of coffee when there was a hearty knock on his door.
Emma Sturbridge, dressed in neatly pressed but well-worn jeans and a faded flannel shirt, was ready to start work.
“Morning, Alex. Point me to today’s to-do list, and I’ll get started.”
“Would you like a cup of coffee first?” Alex asked.
“No time for that,” Emma said stoutly. “There’s work to be done.”
Alex laughed and felt his earlier bad mood lifting. Emma was a dose of energy, and that was exactly what he needed at the moment. “We can’t get started on the rooms yet, no one’s up, but we’ve got more laundry from yesterday I didn’t get around to and all of the floors in the common rooms need sweeping.”
“I’m on it,” Emma said, bustling off toward the small laundry room in back.
Alex said, “Let me grab a quick bite, then I’ll join you.”
Emma waved her hand in the air. “Take your time, Alex, I’ve got the situation well in hand.”
There was a crackling competency about Emma Sturbridge, and Alex was suddenly glad Elise had made arrangements for Emma to help out. Certainly he’d rather have Elise working with him, but Emma was the next best thing.
Alex had a quick bowl of cereal and was heading to the laundry room to help Emma, when Jenny came down the stairs dressed in another brightly woven dress she’d made herself. She looked carefully at him as she said, “Alex, I want to thank you for last night. Your company meant the world to me.”
“You’re welcome, Jenny. I’m always here for my friends.”
She took his hand and squeezed it. “We are friends, aren’t we, Alex? Despite everything that’s happened between us in the past and my behavior these last few days.”
“Absolutely,” Alex said. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a basket full of sheets to fold.”
Jenny said softly, “You know, the whole time we were together, I always felt your heart belonged more to this inn than it did to me.”
Instead of trying to explain again how much a part of him Hatteras West was, Alex just smiled and said, “What can I say? She’ll always be my first love.”
Earnestly, Jenny asked, “Alex, do you honestly believe any woman will accept second place in your heart?”
Alex laughed heartily. “Jenny, if I’ve learned one thing over the years, it’s that anybody I get involved with will have to love Hatteras West almost as much as I do.”
Jenny shook her head and smiled softly. “Good luck finding her, Alex, and I mean that sincerely.”
Alex caught himself whistling as he walked down the hall to the laundry room. It looked like Jenny had finally accepted the fact that there was nothing but friendship between them, and memories left from their past.
“Why the broad smile?” Emma asked as he walked into the