Christmas at Last Chance Lodge, page 7
“No, I poured a peppermint hot chocolate on his lap. It’s stickier. Who are you talking to?”
“My twin brother, Lionel. He works at the hotel.”
“Interesting,” a wicked smile creased Bridgette’s lips. “What else does he say about Prince Charming?”
“He went on and on about blowing it with the cutest girl in town and the worst part is that it all happened in front of his best friend, Don. Then he went to his room muttering all the way about never having had sisters and women were a mystery to him.”
“It figures he would be friends with Don. Cutest girl in town, indeed. I hope he’s not talking about me, because I haven’t been a girl in years.”
Lillian laughed so hard she slid down the wall and ended up sitting on the floor. She wiped away the tears. “I can’t imagine how awful that would have been. Your first date in a new town and that happened.”
Bridgette sat down on the floor next to her. Lillian’s laughter was contagious and soon Bridgette joined in. “I think I only got one or two words in the whole night, until I blew up that is.”
“You blew up, too?”
“Yep, right after I poured the hot chocolate in his lap.”
Lillian burst out in laughter again. “I wish I could have seen that.”
“I wish I hadn’t, in front of Sheriff Joe, too.”
“Sheriff Joe was there? Oh, no, now the whole town will hear about it.”
“Let them talk, I don’t care.”
The next morning, Bridgette woke to the alarm. She had set it for the wrong time, so she dressed quickly because she knew Lillian had the day off. When she stepped out of the office and into the lobby, she saw the mayor waiting at the front door.
Unlocking it, she ushered him in. “How can I help you?”
“I heard that you were quite upset at the coffee shop last night. I’m hoping that you don’t feel this little town of ours is not wanting you here, because we do.”
What? Do these people stay up all night gossiping? “No, I’m fine, just a bad date.”
“That’s good to hear. Listen, we want you to do our Christmas tree lighting ceremony during the festival.”
Smiling, Bridgette said, “I would be honored.”
“Good, good, we also have a snowcat adventure every year on the day before the start of the festival. We take a snowcat up to the top of Mount Washington. It’s a designated play day before the big event. We would love it if you would come with us.”
“That sounds delightful. I’ll be there.”
A few minutes after he left, Sheriff Joe came in. “Good morning. How are you feeling today? I ain’t seen a thing that worked up since I tried to stuff that polecat into a bag. I still got scars from that.” He pulled up his sleeve to show her.
“You poor thing. I’m fine though. No need to worry about me.”
“You should have seen his eyes when you poured that drink in his lap. I mean he acted like a smooth operator. He thought he had everything in the bag. I mean figuratively, not literally. I’m hoping you don’t go getting your dander up and leave our small town. You’re like a breath of fresh air around here.”
“Thanks, Sheriff Joe.” She walked over and hugged him. “You’re a good man for checking up on me.”
Another woman entered a few minutes later. “I don’t know if you remember me.”
“Hello, Maude. Of course, I remember you.”
“I heard you were a mite unhinged last night. I brought you a piece of my blueberry pie and a fruitcake. I found the trick to making good fruitcake is to replace the fruit with rum. Just don’t eat a lot while you’re working, it’s a bit strong.”
“Thanks so much.” She hugged her. After waving goodbye she sliced herself a piece of fruitcake. “Wow.” Blinking twice, she set the rest of the piece down. After work, definitely.
Moments later her phone rang. “Hello, Philmore.”
“How’s it going up there? I heard there was a little spat at the coffee shop.”
“How on earth could you have heard that?”
“Remember, I lived there for a number of years and I still have friends in that town.”
“Is one of them named Sheriff Joe?”
“Maybe.”
She sighed heavily into the phone. “What did that man tell you?”
“He said our good friend at the rival hotel made a total buffoon out of himself and you called him out on it then poured a peppermint hot chocolate onto his lap.”
“Well, that wasn’t too bad. I expected something like Maude said, I became unhinged, but she said it in a nice way.”
“I do miss that town. Perhaps I should retire as the CEO and come back to Baden to run the lodge.”
“Where will that put me?”
“You could come back to the main office.”
“Is Harold still there?”
“No, that wouldn’t work, would it? Don’t stress out too much. I think you’re doing a great job up there.”
“Thanks, boss.”
She looked up as a delivery man with a bouquet of flowers walked through the door. “Oh, they are beautiful.” She tipped him.
She picked up the card. An apology? “Nope.”
So sorry you had a bad night and weren’t able to finish your hot chocolate. Come in for a free hot chocolate any time, and no peppermint, I promise. -Don-.
She smiled. Perhaps I was too hasty with that one. She leaned down and smelled the flowers. “Nice.”
She put the ‘Be Right Back,’ sign on the door and walked over to the coffee shop. Don smiled as she walked in. “You deserve a hug for those flowers. They’re beautiful.”
“I hoped you would like them.” He hugged her. “What type of hot chocolate do you like? If you don’t like any, that’s okay, I can get you a coffee too. One sugar, one creamer.”
“Wow, you remember. No, a plain hot chocolate would be wonderful.”
“Coming right up.” As he put it in front of her, he asked, “On Friday nights they have live music at the diner. Would you be interested in going with me?”
“You do come on strong, don’t you?” She sipped her drink.
“I’m sorry, I’m doing it again. It’s just you’re so pretty, I don’t want to lose my chance on a woman like you. I’ll back off.”
“I’m not doing anything on Friday.”
He gasped. “It’s a date then?”
“Yes.”
“Great, I’ll pick you up at eight at the lodge.”
“Don’t you want to walk so we can freeze to death on the way like that friend of yours did to me?”
“He’s such an idiot sometimes. No, I’ll drive you in a nice warm car. Who says he’s a friend of mine anyway?”
“The whole town.”
He shrugged. “Well, there is that.”
She left her empty mug on the counter. “See you at eight on Friday.”
“Yep, looking forward to it.”
Chapter 14
“I had ten texts and five calls. The mayor didn’t mince words in his evaluation of me. He wasn’t even there. So, I’m not sensitive to the girls I go out with, so what? I feel the town’s all taking her side. I was born and raised in this town; shouldn’t they be taking my side?” Bryce paced back and forth in the coffee shop. Even with the closed sign in the window, he had barged in anyway.
“I don’t know,” Don replied.
“She’s so cute. I want another chance with her. How can I fix this? Do you have any ideas? You have to help me.”
“I’m not a relationship expert, but from what I saw, you destroyed that one thoroughly.”
“Do they still have live music on Friday night at the diner? I could surprise her. Maybe she likes live music.”
Dan swallowed. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I hear she has a date on Friday.”
Bryce stopped his pacing. “With who?”
“Me, actually.”
“You? You stabbed me in the back?”
“You totally blew it. It’s my turn to try.”
“I guess one should know who their true friends are.”
“Wait a minute,” Don yelled. “I saw her first. I talked to her first. I struck out with her first. You were second fiddle. Now that you’ve struck out, it’s my turn again.”
“So, that’s what we're going to do, take turns? I’m done, she’s all yours. When she breaks your heart, oh, and she will break your heart, don’t come crying to me.”
Bryce slammed the door. He heard the lock click behind him. Now I know who my friends aren’t. Snow came down hard as he drove back to the hotel.
When he entered, Lionel stood up. “Oh, it’s you. I thought we had an actual customer.” He sat back down.
“He’s dating that new girl.”
“Who’s dating what new girl?”
“Don’s dating Bridgette.”
“Wait, what. I thought she couldn’t stand him.”
“Apparently she’s changed her mind.”
“I just don’t know what to say. You’re way better in every way than Don. He barely finished high school.”
“I know, but nothing’s working for me. I’m going to punt. What’s been happening here? Any new bookings?”
Lionel clicked the mouse several times. “Nope, nothing for three days.”
“I’m going to get another phone call from James. Just what I need to start a new day. I’m already having a bad one and it hasn’t started yet.”
“Now that you’re here, can I head out?”
“Yes, turn on the No Vacancy sign and lock the door behind you. I’m going straight to bed. I don’t want to deal with anyone else tonight.”
“You got it. Oh, Maude came by. You’re lucky you weren’t here. She had a full head of steam going.”
“She say anything?”
“Oh, boy, did she.”
“Never mind, I don’t think I want to hear it.”
“No, but she’ll be back tomorrow so you’ll hear it then, I’m sure. Goodnight.”
Bryce woke up to the sound of his phone ringing. Sitting up in bed he checked to see who it was. James.
“Hello.”
“Good news for you. Our web page team, who you don’t think are doing their job, just booked a convention in the spring.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“Meanwhile, get busy at your end. We need bookings between now and then.”
“Got it.”
That went better than I thought it would. He checked the bookings. The second week of April, fifteen rooms. Northeast Hog Farmers. He sighed. I hope they don’t bring their pigs with them.
He phoned up the Lodge. “Hello, the Lovely Lucy Lodge, how may I help you?”
“I would like to speak with the manager.”
“Just a minute.”
“Lovely Lucy Lodge, Bridgette speaking.”
“Listen, I know you’re going out with Don, but I do want to apologize for calling your lodge a dump. I’m not good with girls.”
There was a moment of silence, then, “First of all, I’m not a girl and certainly not your girl. I’ve been a woman ever since I turned eighteen. Second of all, it’s none of your business who I go out with but thank you for the apology. Goodbye.”
Hearing the click, he looked at his phone. I can’t say anything right.
Walking out into the foyer, he noticed Maude standing at the front door. He opened it for her. “Good morning.”
“Are you trying to drive her away? She’s the best thing that happened to this town in years. If she can turn that lodge around, it will bring in tourist dollars, which we badly need.”
“Listen, I just called her up and apologized.”
“Good.” Maude turned on her heels and stomped out.
Since when am I the bad guy? She poured the drink on my lap, not the other way around. He thought about going and getting himself a coffee, but he couldn’t face Don.
Chapter 15
Bridgett had just hung up the phone when Lillian came in. The night clerk gathered up her coat and left. “Flowers? That was a nice gesture. Maybe he’s figuring it out after all.”
“They’re not from Bryce, they’re from Don. But Bryce did call up and apologize, but then he called me a girl and questioned my taste in men.”
“Don? Why did he send you flowers?”
“He likes me, I guess. I’m going out with him on Friday.”
“What?” Lillian’s mouth gaped open momentarily. She shook her head then hung up her coat. “Okay, Don is a lot of fun, from what I heard, but just remember, you’ll be the conquest of the week and not in a lasting relationship. When the next cute ‘girl’ comes along, you’ll be tossed out like yesterday’s newspaper.”
“Hmm, interesting. I thought as much. It’s just a date at this point. I don’t plan on being anyone’s conquest anyway.”
Lillian sniffed the flowers. “They smell so good, and they're beautiful. The guy has good taste in flowers.”
“And women,” Bridgette added.
“Not really. He pretty well goes after everything that moves.”
“I’m beginning to rethink this date.”
“No, no. Go. Have fun, just don’t have too much fun.”
“Okay, sounds like a plan.”
When eight o’clock rolled around, a horse-drawn sleigh pulled up to the lodge. The driver, in a top hat and tails, opened the door for Bridgette and then helped her in.
“Wow, you really know how to treat a woman right,” she said, sitting down next to him.
“Only the best for the prettiest one in town.” He spread the blanket over her lap. “I gave you the side I’ve already warmed up.”
“Thank you.”
The clickity clop of horse’s hooves on the newly plowed streets added to the ambiance of the evening. As the couple entered the old train station, she grimaced at the country music coming out of it. She didn’t know what she had expected, but country wasn’t a favorite of hers. It dampened her mood after the sleigh ride.
“Well, what do you think? Great stuff, huh?” Don yelled above the music.
“Do they play anything other than country?”
“No, why would they?”
“Oh, I was just wondering.”
They sat down in a booth directly across from the band’s speakers. The music was loud enough to vibrate Bridgette’s fork as it sat on the table.
“This is the best seat in the house, don’t you think?”
Instead of yelling out her answer over the music, she mouthed out the words.
“What?” Don asked.
She mouthed out the words again.
He shook his head, “I can’t hear you.”
She put her hand behind her ear and mouthed out, “What?”
He held up his hand for the waitress. “Sue, can you put us at another table, away from the band?”
“But this is your favorite table, the one you bring all the girls to.”
Bridgette shrugged like she hadn’t heard that comment.
“We need another table. She’s too soft-spoken.”
“All right, all right. I have one around the corner. You can barely hear the band from there, but it’s Rita’s table.”
He sighed, “I’ll chance it. She’s at work, probably won’t want to make a scene.”
Bridgette could still hear the band plainly enough, but at least her fork didn’t rattle.
“Is that better?” Don asked.
“Much.” Bridgette smiled. “What’s good here?”
“The chicken fried steak is to die for.”
“Oh,” she looked at it on the menu. “What’s country gravy?”
“You’ve never had chicken fried steak?”
Bridgette looked up. “Why would you say that?”
“Because chicken fried steak always comes with country gravy. What type of food do you eat in Atlanta?”
“Bacon-wrapped filet mignon. Ribeye. I like it with the bone in. If I’m feeling poor, I’ll order a sirloin.”
“You won’t find any of that here. You’d have to go down to Berlin to find that stuff. I’m not going to make the mistake of ordering for you like Bryce did. I don’t want it on my lap.”
Bridgette drummed her fingers for a minute. Am I that bad? “Fine, I’ll order a chicken fried steak and I won’t even dump it in your lap if I don’t like it.”
“Gee, thanks,” he replied.
She giggled, but he didn’t even smile.
The waitress came up. A ponytail helped keep her long black hair in place. “Oh, it’s you.” She folded her arms.
“Rita, we’ll have two chicken fried steaks.” He turned to Bridgette. “What do you want to drink?”
“Do you have wine?”
Rita shook her head. “Twenty beers on tap.”
“Um, okay, I’ll just have a Coke then.”
“And you?” Rita asked as she turned to Don.
“I’ll have a Coke too.”
“A Coke? You never order a Coke. You always order the light ale. Are you sure you don’t want the light ale? That’s the drink you drank when you were dating me.”
He waved his hand back and forth. “I’ll just have a Coke.”
“Whatever,” she said as she walked away.
Bridgette folded her arms and sat back. “I see we have a story here.”
“No story, really. I dated her a couple of times. It didn’t work for me, but she wanted more out of the relationship.”
“You a love ‘em and leave them type?”
“There aren’t a lot of people to date in this town, until you came, that is. I have a lot of skeletons of relationships that didn’t work out.”
An awkward silence prevailed until Rita brought their drinks. Bridgette panicked. I’ve got to get out of here. Country music, chicken fried steak, ex-girlfriends.
“Your dinner is almost ready,” Rita told them. “I’ll go back and get it.”
“Thank you.” Bridgette gave her a smile. After Rita left, she turned to Don, “She’s pretty. What happened between you two?
“I can’t believe we're talking about this. It’s all water under the bridge.”
“Not to her, it isn’t. It didn’t work out for me is guy code for I got what I wanted from her it’s time to move on. She’s hurt and you reopen that wound every time you bring a date here.”
