Secrets from the Heart, page 4
Maybe working closely with the Davises would garner information for him as to what really happened to Sophia Davis, and then clear his father’s name and restore his reputation. Since his father wouldn’t open up, this was the next best thing.
All those thoughts were with him as he took the ten-minute drive to the place where he’d be staying for the next three months. He didn’t know what to expect but wasn’t worried at all about getting the job done. Wherever there was a will, there was a way. Will and strength were always on his side even when his father wasn’t.
The two-story colonial was in sight as he turned off the main road. Getting a view of the landscape, he suddenly felt a shift in the atmosphere as he got closer. It was a beautiful piece of property, and the building, which was painted white with red trim, had balconies on the second floor. The fountain feature in the front added to its class. It was like going to another city; the area was so unlike Clover. The amazing curb appeal with the manicured lawn, perfectly trimmed shrubbery, and floral landscaping captured his attention.
Pulling into the lot, he passed the white sign hanging from a wooden post. The Red Rose Inn was spelled out in big bold red letters, and below that, an image of a rose outlined in red.
The inn had a porch with several rocking chairs lined up on either side of the door. With great symmetry and architectural detail, it all came together in a pleasing design. Kira’s family had built a beautiful place.
He parked next to Kira’s car in the rear lot, then got out and took the long walk around to the front.
People in lively conversation stood on the patio. Looking in the distance, he raised his hand to shield his eyes from the sun and got a better view of the space, the creek, and the spectacular mountain view. He spotted a small cottage farther back on the property as well.
A relaxing place to sip coffee in the mornings or have a drink in the evening after a long day. It was like a getaway without leaving town. The place was charming and inviting.
As soon as he opened one side of the stately double entry doors, the bell chimed, and he stepped into the foyer. A graceful, curvy, wooden staircase swept up to the second-floor landing. He peeked inside the room to the right, which was set up like a formal sitting room. A sharply dressed businessman seemed to be enjoying the newspaper in front of the huge window where beams of sunlight came through.
Several people were milling about as he walked to the reception desk. A couple carrying tackle boxes and fishing gear passed him on their way out. He’d had no idea that the inn had so much to offer. Some folks in the lobby looked up and waved, greeting him politely, and he did in return.
The interior, he noticed, was a bit dark, but that could be remedied quickly with more light or open draperies. He’d mention it to Kira. Since the young woman who was at the front desk the last time he visited wasn’t at her station now, he decided to just go straight to Kira’s office.
As he passed the kitchen area, though, he spotted her, so he went inside. She wasn’t alone—another woman and a man stood there with her. Hotel staff, he assumed.
“Good morning,” he said to everyone.
Kira smiled, but the other woman kept her face impassive. She looked familiar, but Franklin couldn’t remember her name.
“What is he doing here?”
Kira ignored her comment and walked over to him. “Good to see you. Are you ready to get started?”
“Started doing what?” the other woman insisted.
Instead of answering her question, Kira said, “Franklin, this is my cousin Gail Davis. Gail, this is—”
“I know who he is,” Gail interrupted, her tone sharp.
Now he remembered her. “Great to see you again, Gail,” Franklin said with a polite smile, and she scowled. His first day on the job and already facing issues. He loved a good challenge, though.
“This is Ben Collins,” Kira said, pointing to the other man in the room, “our chef.”
“It’s been years—how’ve you been, Franklin? Good to see you back in Clover.”
“Can’t complain,” Franklin replied.
He remembered Ben as a kindhearted guy when they were younger, walking to school, playing in the yard. He’d been sad when Ben’s family moved away; seeing him now was a pleasant surprise. They exchanged a hearty handshake. “When did you move back to Clover?”
“Five years ago, after my father died. My mother wanted to be closer to her sister. I’ve always liked the laidback feel of Clover, so I came, too. Mrs. Mary Louise gave me the job as the chef after coming to one of my momma’s dinner parties that I catered.”
Ben working at the inn made Franklin relax even more, since they were familiar with each other. He was used to meeting strangers, having to work with them all the time. It was just nice to know that someone amiable from his past would be there.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Gail with her arms folded, lips pressed together. She was getting impatient. “Kira,” he said, “I’ll wait for you in your office, and then you can show me around.”
Kira nodded, and Franklin walked out of the room. He went into her office and took the seat in the chair by the door.
Shortly after, Kira walked in. “I’m so sorry about Gail.”
“It’s okay. I can’t expect your family to be as accepting of me as you are.”
Kira nodded. “Come on, I’ll show you where you’ll be sleeping. I need you to get started right away.”
Franklin smiled. She moved fast, like a little bee, so active and tiny. He’d bet that if she was pushed, she could sting like one, too.
“Okay, I’ll go and get my things.”
“Let’s go together. That way we can have a more private conversation.”
Franklin chuckled. “This is going to be fun.”
Kira gave him a wide grin. “It’s not funny, Franklin. I thought my cousin was going to pass out on that tile floor when she saw you walk into the kitchen.”
“I know that my being kind of a big guy is a little intimidating, but I think Gail was just in shock because of who I’m related to.”
“Before you ask, no, I hadn’t told her you were coming. We don’t see things the same.”
“Oh, she made that loud and clear,” Franklin said, holding the door open for Kira. “Do you think she’s going to be a problem?”
Kira shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know.”
“Maybe you should have told her sooner.”
Kira remained silent. Once they were at his car, he noticed her smile had faded. “What’s the matter?”
She looked him in the eyes. “Let’s make a promise to be truthful with each other while you’re here.”
“I’ll always be upfront with you, period. And I know why you’re saying it.” She gave him a worried glance, and he had to stop himself from reaching out to caress her cheek to comfort her. She was his boss now—they had to keep things professional.
“I promise to do the same,” she said. “And I don’t want this to be a topic of conversation between us anymore, okay?”
Franklin nodded. “I’m going to do my job, and I’ll be out of here in three months. You won’t have to worry about me causing any trouble.”
Her face softened. “Thank you.”
Being in the army for as long as he had, Franklin knew how to keep his head down and get the job done.
He raised his fist, and she bumped hers against it, then he pulled out his keys to unlock his car. “My father always says, your word is your bond.”
“My dad says the same thing. He said never forget it,” Kira replied.
Their families were more alike than Franklin realized, which made even him more curious about what had happened between them. He lifted his suitcase from the backseat. “Okay, where do we start?”
Chapter Four
Confident that she’d gotten Franklin settled, Kira went back to her office to get her own work done. It wasn’t long before trouble came calling.
“What were you thinking?” Gail said, rushing into the room with her hands on her hips.
Kira looked up from her laptop and deflected. “Do you really remember him?”
“Yes, vaguely. He was in one of my classes at Clover High. He hasn’t been around here for years, and you hire him? Something is wrong with you, girl.”
Kira stood, waving her hands. “Calm down. There’s nothing wrong with me. He’ll only be here for three months, until Mrs. Potter comes back.”
“That’s three months too long, in my opinion.” Gail threw herself down on the chair and rested her elbows on her thighs. “Kira, you’re going to get us into trouble. You’re asking for it.”
“Gee Gee, it’s going to be okay. You worry too much.”
She hoped calling her by her nickname would soften her a bit. But with the dissatisfied look on her cousin’s face, Kira knew that Gail was going to tell their aunt, so as soon as she could get her out of there, she’d give the news to their aunt Mary Louise herself.
“I told them that you didn’t know what you were doing,” Gail shouted. “You’re going to mess it up for the rest of us.”
Kira didn’t believe that for one minute. Her cousins had made messes of their lives before she came to Clover, so that had nothing to do with her or how she ran the inn.
“Look, we both just got started here. Give this a chance.” Kira slid into the seat next to her cousin. “I thought when you got the sous chef position here that we could work together and do great things. You know, make the family proud.”
“You’re going to make them mad,” Gail said as she stood.
Kira needed to talk fast, or her cousin would blow up her whole plan before they even started. She reached out to Gail. “Please don’t say anything to anyone. At least for now. Let’s give Franklin a chance.”
Gail wouldn’t make eye contact with her. That was it, then. She’d lost the battle. She’d have to defend her choice to her family without Gail’s support. But still, she gave it one more try.
She faced her cousin. “Come on, Gee Gee. Haven’t you ever done something daring in your life? I think the feud is so old nobody will care that he’s a Bennett as long as the place is running smoothly.”
Finally, Gail met her gaze. “I care. You’re not being loyal to the family.”
I know this girl ain’t talking to me about loyalty. Kira had done her best to plead with her cousin. She was done playing nice. “I don’t have to prove my loyalty to you.”
“Kira, you’re always flying off, doing stuff without thinking. I hope this doesn’t come back to bite you.”
Gail’s eyes shifted. Kira had made up her mind, though, and she wasn’t about to change anything. Franklin was the manager at the Red Rose Inn. She was going to have to say a little bit more to convince her cousin to keep her mouth closed, at least for now, and there still was no guarantee. She wanted Franklin to have a chance to prove himself before anyone in her family kicked him out. “Look, I need you to try to get along better with Ben. I know he hurt you by leaving Clover, but you’ve got to get past it.”
Her cousin’s eyes softened and her body slumped a bit. She probably still had feelings for Ben, and now she had to figure out how to work with him daily. Kira had been there and done that. She knew it wasn’t easy.
“We can create something special,” Kira said. “You know, use some of those brilliant ideas you’re always talking about to create the amazing meals you’re helping to prepare.”
Gail’s face lit up. “You’ve been getting good feedback?”
“Of course, I have. You’re doing a great job. I’m so glad that Auntie asked you to work with me here at the inn.”
It wasn’t a flat-out lie. She didn’t mind Gail being there, and her cousin really was an excellent chef. It was her crossing the line and trying to tell Kira what to do that got on her nerves.
Gail dropped her shoulders with a sigh. “Okay, I won’t say anything. But I will be keeping an eye on him—and you, too.”
“I’m sure you will.” She wasn’t concerned about her cousin watching her. Gail and the rest of her cousins had been doing that ever since Kira moved back to Clover, five years ago. For now, a Bennett was safe to start working at the Red Rose Inn, and she went back to her desk, wearing a hopeful smile.
…
Franklin quickly unpacked his things in the small space that would be his home for the next ninety days. He rested on the bed, which sat high off the floor, and looked around the room. The sun shined brightly through crisp white curtains. He had a mirrored dresser to store his clothing and a small nightstand. The space was much smaller than his room at his parents’ house, but it would be his place of refuge for the next three months.
Franklin pulled out the little notebook he used to write down his thoughts and feelings. He found it to be very therapeutic, especially when confronted with a new situation or task.
Thirty minutes later, he went into the small office that Mrs. Potter had used and checked if she’d left anything undone. He quickly found that Mrs. Potter was very organized, just the way he liked it. He could think and process better when everything was sorted and in its place.
Staring at the computer he was locked out of, he jotted down a note to ask Kira for the password. He needed to get a to-do list started as soon as possible.
“Knock, knock.”
Franklin looked up. “Hey, Kira, you must have read my mind. I need the password for this?”
Kira walked over to the desk. “Of course.”
“Thanks,” he said, watching her jot down the eight letters, numbers, and symbol combination.
She handed him the slip of paper. “There’s a party coming in for their family reunion starting tomorrow.”
“Are the activities here at the inn?”
“No,” she said, “we’re just giving them a place to sleep.”
“Oh, really? I assumed there was a lot to do here. When I came into the building, a couple passed me dressed in full fishing gear.”
“Yes, Mr. and Mrs. Martin come every year and stay for a few days. They love to fish in a certain spot farther along the property. But most of what we offer here is peace and quiet, a nice place to relax. These folks want their reunion to be more of a celebration-type event.”
Fishing was an amenity that should be highlighted, though. “As the inn manager, what other duties would I have if someone was coming to view the place?”
Kira turned and opened the top drawer of the cabinet behind them. “You’d go over the services offered to potential clients and out-of-town guests, giving them a tour of the inn and the grounds.”
“Do you offer catering or hold events, like weddings and special occasions?”
Kira shook her head. “Right now, the knitting and chess clubs use the small rooms for their meetings, but that’s about it.”
Such a beautiful place should be utilized to its full potential. Kira and her family were leaving a lot of money on the table, so to speak.
He looked up when he heard a knock on the door.
“Hank,” Kira said, walking over to open it so he could step inside the room.
“Franklin?” He moved closer.
“Good morning, Hank.”
“I’m so sorry to barge in on you two like this. Gail said that you were in here.”
“What’s going on, Hank?” Kira said.
From the worried look on the older man’s face, something was wrong. “Why don’t you have a seat?” Franklin suggested, sitting up straight in the chair.
“I didn’t know you were working here, Franklin.”
He didn’t want the visit to get off track. “Yes, just started today. But what can we do for you?”
“Well, I just came back from the Holiday Inn in Waycross Landings, and they told me their renovations won’t be completed in time for the Clover Rotary Club’s Fiftieth Anniversary Gala.”
Kira threw her hands up to her face. “Didn’t you know that they were going through a renovation when you booked the place?”
“They said that it was emergency repairs, but not much else.”
“So I’m guessing you want to have it here?” Kira asked.
Hank nodded.
“Fantastic idea,” Franklin added before Kira could protest. He pulled a sheet of clean paper from the stack next to his desk.
“But what about the church fellowship hall? Surely it could accommodate your group,” Kira said.
Franklin frowned. “I don’t think the church fellowship hall is the best place for that kind of event.”
“I’m just saying…”
“Listen to him, Kira. He wants to have it here,” Franklin replied before asking Hank, “So how many people are you planning?”
“At least one hundred and fifty, because they’ll be coming from neighboring towns.”
Kira held up her hand. “I think the most important question is when is this event?”
Constantly nibbling on her lip, Kira was clearly nervous. But once he glanced over at Hank, Franklin understood part of her anxiety. The older man’s face had turned crimson. He’d never seen Hank silent, either, so it must be bad.
“Don’t be shy,” Franklin said. “We know you’re in a bind, but we can’t help if we don’t know the date. It’s the only way we can tell you if we can accommodate.”
“It’s in a month and a half.”
Kira dropped her head. “Oh my goodness,” she tried to whisper, but it came out like a boom. Her eyes were wide as they connected with Franklin’s. She hunched her shoulders and shook her head.
Franklin realized that he’d seen the same frustrated look and tense posture in her before. From her reaction, it seemed they hadn’t done anything like this at the inn before, which was surprising. He needed to step in and handle the situation. He got up from the desk and came around.
