The Inn at Rose Harbor (8 page)

I scooted out of my chair and went into my office, where I collected a small yellow tablet and a pen.

Peggy waited until I’d settled back down before she spoke again. I noticed that she’d helped herself to a muffin while I was away. I took a bite of my own and it was delicious.

“I understand you’re new to the area,” she said as she peeled away the paper wrapper from the muffin.

“To Cedar Cove, yes, but not to Puget Sound.”

“That will help.”

“Oh?” I asked.

“It’s important to familiarize yourself with Cedar Cove. Bob
and I grew up here, and although we’d been away for several years we thought we knew this town. We did, but not as well as we should have. You need to view it through the eyes of your guests.”

I licked crumbs from my fingertips. The muffin was still warm in the center. “I’m not entirely sure I know what you mean … through the eyes of my guests?”

“Take the time to become acquainted with local businesses and the area’s attractions. Visit the Chamber of Commerce or, better yet, join yourself. We have a Visitors Center, too. Get to know the local restaurants and make a binder with their menus. That will give your guests options when they need a recommendation. Bob and I had small maps made so our guests will have an idea of where they are in town.”

“That’s a wonderful idea.” Reaching for my pen, I made a note on the pad.

“Find out what you can about local events, too,” Peggy advised. “We discovered that our guests thoroughly enjoyed Concerts on the Cove last summer. They take place every Thursday night at six. Various entertainment groups are brought in and are paid for through donations from local businesses. You’d be amazed at the talent and the variety. People bring lawn chairs because the seating fills up so quickly. And a lot of families take picnic baskets as well.”

“That does sound like fun.”

“It is and it’s a good way to meet your neighbors. We all tend to get busy and isolated. Because Bob and I live out on the Point, we don’t have close neighbors, and I miss that.”

Being in town, then, was a bonus for me. “I haven’t had the chance to meet anyone just yet.”

“You will,” Peggy assured me. “Sandy and John were such a wonderful couple and they were much loved in town. I’m sure they spread the word that you’d be taking over for them. People will want to meet you.

“Why don’t you host an Open House?” she suggested all of a sudden. She sat up straighter. “Really, you should. That would give the neighbors an opportunity to meet you and for you to meet them.”

“Well, yes, that does sound like a fun idea, but there are a few things I’d like to take care of first.”

“Of course. Anything I can help with?”

My head was spinning with ideas and a list of items I wanted to accomplish. “Well, for one, I’ve changed the name of the Inn.”

She nodded as if that was understood. “That will mean a few expenses but it’ll make it your own.”

I understood a name change would mean having new brochures, business cards, and stationary printed and that sort of thing, but I’d never feel that the B&B was completely mine until I renamed it. “I’ve decided to call it Rose Harbor Inn.”

“Rose Harbor Inn,” Peggy repeated and frowned slightly.

“You don’t like it?”

Peggy set her teacup on the saucer. “It’s not that—I think it’s a perfectly lovely name, but Sandy doesn’t have any rosebushes.”

“I noticed. Rose is my surname. I’ve started a to-do list and I plan on planting a big rose garden, one with an arbor and a bench where my guests can sit. Some of my favorite roses are the antique ones … I have access to several plants and their scent is incredible.” I knew I was chatting on, giving her far more information than necessary, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself.

“You’ll need a new sign and those can be pricey; you should know that up front.”

I’d already looked into having a sign made and been shocked at the cost.

“Have you thought about hiring a handyman?” Peggy asked.

“Not yet …” I’d known that eventually I’d need one, but hadn’t started looking just yet.

“Let me give you the name of a reliable man. Bob does a good portion of the work around Thyme and Tide, so we’ve only needed Mark on rare occasions. Mark does woodwork as well. I’m sure he could give you a competitive bid for a new sign.”

I reached for my pen once more.

“His name is Mark Taylor. You’ll like him … but,” she hesitated.

“But?” I prodded.

“He can be a little prickly at times. Rest assured his bark is worse than his bite. He moved into town a few years back, but no one seems to know that much about him. While he might not be Mr. Personality, he does good work at a fair price.”

Well, I mused, all I needed in a handyman is a skill with tools. I didn’t care if he was a conversationalist or not.

“I have his phone number in my cell phone contacts.” Peggy reached for her purse and rummaged through it until she retrieved her mobile phone. Pushing a few buttons, she gave me his number. I’d give “Mr. Personality” a call later and perhaps arrange a meeting so he wouldn’t be an unknown quantity when an emergency arose.

Peggy reached for her tea again and I did, too. It had finally cooled and I sipped the comforting brew.

“Anything else I should know?” I asked.

Peggy thumped her fingers against the tabletop as she considered my question. “Do you have a marketing plan?”

I did, and we briefly discussed my ideas. She seemed to approve and I smiled at the way she had assumed a big sister role already, even with a touch of well-meaning bossiness.

“You’ll soon discover that word of mouth is important. You’d be surprised by how much damage one dissatisfied guest can do. I have the name of a great website designer if you need one. Don’t overspend on this when you don’t need to, okay?”

“Okay.”

Peggy relaxed against the chair. “Sorry, I get a bit opinionated at times. Just ask my husband.”

I didn’t take offense. I’d already seen to that and had in fact been working closely with a web designer almost from the day I’d signed the final papers. At least that was one thing I’d accomplished. I was determined to make this venture successful, and yet I wasn’t going to let her make me feel overly anxious.

“There are national, state, and local B and B associations. Join them.”

“Do you belong?” I asked.

“We do. My husband and I have been active on the local and state level. I’ll let you know when the next meeting takes place; I’ll bring you myself.”

“Thank you, I’d appreciate that.”

“My pleasure,” Peggy said. “One last thing.”

“Yes?”

“How comfortable are you around computers?”

“Very.”

“Good. Get familiar with your software programs. You’re going to need them for accounting and for record-keeping purposes. There’s a wonderful program Bob found for taking reservations. I’ll get the name of it for you.”

“Perfect. That would be great.” I thought about the Frelingers’ reservation book and agreed that I could probably afford to be brought into the twenty-first century.

“There’s also some excellent software available for property management.”

I took a deep breath and renewed my vow not to panic at the to-do list. One step at a time.

Peggy finished the last of her tea and then checked her watch. “Bob should be finished by now, so I’d best get back to the dentist’s office. It was a real pleasure to meet you, Jo Marie.”

“You, too.” I resisted the urge to hug her. Although the visit had been quick, I felt as if Peggy and I had been friends for a long while. Her take-charge manner was comforting, and it made me smile. “Thank you for the muffins, too.”

“I’ll pass along the recipe if you’d like.” She reached for her coat and then started for the front door.

“I would love the recipe,” I said, trailing along after her. I was convinced my guests would enjoy these wonderfully flavorful muffins. Then again Peggy might not take kindly to me sharing her special recipe with my own guests.

As if she read my mind, Peggy grinned. “Not to worry, I’ve handed this recipe out all over town. The secret, at least in my opinion, is the home-grown blueberries. That’s one of the reasons I’m willing to fight off the deer every summer. Deer might be lovely creatures, but they can be real nuisances.”

I hadn’t seen a live deer in more years than I could remember—not since I’d been a teenager. I’d thought they were magical creatures when they appeared at dawn or dusk. It surprised me that people who lived outside the city thought of them as pests.

“By the way, you might want to do something to protect your roses, once your garden is planted. Roses happen to be one of deer’s favorite eats.”

“Deer venture into town?”

“They do. They’re more prevalent outside the city, but it certainly isn’t unusual for them to make their way from one backyard to another, munching on everything in sight.”

I’d find a way to protect the roses. This garden was too important for me to willingly hand it over to the area wildlife.

Peggy slipped her arms into her coat. “Be sure and give Mark a call. He’s always busy, so it would be a good idea to give him a heads-up about the sign. I know he’ll do a good job. Just don’t be offended if he barks at you.”

“Okay, I won’t.” I held open the front door for her.

I watched as Peggy quickly walked to where she’d parked her vehicle. Our visit had lasted less than thirty minutes, but I felt as if I’d gotten a year’s worth of information and advice. I planned to put everything into action as quickly as possible.

Energized by Peggy’s visit, I headed back into the house and, reaching for the phone, punched in the number for Mark Taylor, the handyman she’d recommended.

He answered on the fourth ring, just before the phone switched over to voice mail. “Yeah, what is it?” he demanded breathlessly, as if he’d rushed to get to the receiver in time.

“Oh hi,” I said, “my name is Jo Marie Rose.”

“Who?”

“Jo Marie Rose. I’m new in town,” I babbled nervously. “Peggy Beldon gave me your name.”

“What do you need?” he asked with more than a hint of impatience.

“Well, as it happens, I need help with a number of projects.”

“How old are you?”

“Excuse me?” The man certainly didn’t lack for nerve.

“Your age,” he repeated. “Frankly, you sound like you’re still in high school.”

“Well, I’m not and what should that matter anyway?” I got the distinct feeling that I wasn’t going to like this man. He was far too brusque to suit me, but then again Peggy had warned me.

“Your age will tell me how far down to put you on the list.”

I grew more agitated by the moment. “I don’t think my age is any of your business.”

“Okay, fine, don’t tell me.”

“I have no intention of doing so.”

I heard him mutter under his breath, “Would you like me to guess?”

“No, what I’d like is an estimate for a new sign for the B and B I recently purchased from the Frelingers.”

“When do you need it?”

“The estimate or the sign?”

“Both.”

“As soon as possible.” I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to work with this man. “Have you done work for the Frelingers before?”

“Plenty.”

“When can I expect to see you?”

“I’ll put you on the list. I heard the Frelingers had found a buyer,” he said.

I noticed that he didn’t offer his welcome. What an unpleasant man.

“You’re not from these parts, I heard,” he said.

“From what I heard, neither are you,” I returned. I could give as good as I got.

He ignored that. “I can probably stop by sometime later today.”

“Okay, but call first. I have errands to run and I might not be here.” Nor did I have any intention of waiting around for him all afternoon.

He chuckled as if I’d said something amusing. “Call first? Do I sound like the kind of man who enjoys making phone calls?”

I had to admit he didn’t. “Take your chances then.”

“I will.”

I was tempted to make a sarcastic comment like “nice talking to you” but resisted. I did have to admit, though, that I was curious about Mark Taylor.

Josh stared at Michelle and wondered what she’d meant. She’d been a friend to Richard because of how she felt about Josh? That made no sense. They had no relationship. Oh sure, he’d been sympathetic when they were teenagers. He’d helped her dad paint the garage one summer and she’d brought him a glass of iced tea and they’d chatted a bit, but Josh had never thought of her as anything more than a friend—in part because he had always assumed she’d set her sights on Dylan. He looked at her with fresh eyes, somewhat astonished that he’d been so blind.

For now, Josh decided to ignore the comment. It was better that way. Less complicated. Less troubling. He couldn’t focus on anything other than dealing with Richard; anything else would be distracting.

Interrupting his thoughts, Michelle asked, “You ready to slay the dragon?” She seemed anxious to let the comment slide as well.

Josh had never thought of himself as a dragon slayer, but he liked the analogy. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Grabbing his jacket he walked with Michelle across the yard toward Richard’s home. Josh noticed that the house was showing a lot of disrepair. The gutters needed to be cleared and it looked like it was well past time to have the roof checked for leaks. The siding could use a paint job as well.

Richard had always been a stickler about keeping the house and yard neat—he’d taken great pride in it.

It seemed his stepfather had given up on just about everything after Dylan’s death. The neglect also said that Richard had been unwell for a long while.

Michelle didn’t bother to do more than politely knock before she opened the door and let herself into the house.

“Richard, it’s me,” she called out as she led the way inside.

“
He’s
not with you, is he?” Richard called.

By
he
, Richard must mean Josh.

“I’m here,” Josh shouted back, trying to keep it light.

They found Richard in the family room, sitting in his recliner, his feet up and his legs covered by a knitted afghan. It was the dark blue one his mother had knit the year before she died. Josh remembered how she’d struggled with getting the cables all to face the same direction. Funny how little things like that stuck in his mind like a protruding nail in a floorboard, catching on things. For an instant Josh experienced a sense of overwhelming loss. He was a man of well over thirty, but he missed his mother. He shook it off before either Richard or Michelle could see his sadness.