Heather Horrocks - Who-Dun-Him Inn 01 - Snowed Inn by Heather Horrocks
Authors: Heather Horrocks
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“I’d like to look around for a few more minutes.”
“I’ll be downstairs. When you’re ready, I’ll take you to your suite.” I retraced my steps. As I exited the stairway on the second floor, I saw Garrett opening the door to Martha’s room.
“Wait—”
But it was too late. Martha’s surprise was ruined.
As Garrett stood in the doorway, I pressed behind him in time to see Martha turn from the window and place her finger to her lips.
Garrett raised an eyebrow. “Interesting.”
I could hear the Calabrias starting down the stairs.
Chapter Five
I whispered, “Mr. Calabria’s sister wants to surprise him.”
“I wouldn’t want to spoil a good surprise,” Garrett reassured us. “Her secret is safe with me.”
To my relief, Garrett closed the door just seconds before Calabria and BJ reached the bottom of the stairs. I pasted on a smile. “I’ll show you to the carriage house now.”
Calabria pointed to the Sam Spade door— his sister’s. “You have not shown us this room yet.”
“This one?” I paused for one beat. “It’s not ready—”
”And yet,” Calabria frowned, “Garrett has seen it.”
“It was my mistake. She’s right. It’s not ready to show.” Garrett patted Calabria on the shoulder, surprising me. Earlier, he acted like he could barely stand the guy; but now, he was all chatty. “Gregorio, tell me about your trip to Italy last month. Was your mother well?”
Calabria’s eyes lit up and he grew animated. “Ah, mia madre . She still tells everyone what to do, but she is growing old.”
Garrett led Calabria toward the stairs. Behind them, his young wife fell into step with me.
Garrett said, “I’d like to see the illustrious carriage house suite. That’s where you’ll be staying, Gregorio?”
Calabria puffed up importantly. “You may come with us.”
And, just like that, the man in black changed into a smiling conversationist, a chameleon in a superhero cape, to save my fanny. Grandma couldn’t have done better with her gun.
We bundled up in our coats and snow boots (I lent a pair to BJ) and trooped out into the weather, huddling together against the wind and six inches of heavy, new snow.
I listened to Garrett chat with Calabria as if they’d never exchanged harsh words earlier. It was amazing they could talk at all, what with the wind and snow we had to slog through, all bundled up like Nanooks of the North. When we entered the carriage house, I caught BJ’s eye. She shrugged.
The warmth of the room felt wonderful. Cold nights like these were what made a fireplace such a delightful thing.
BJ brushed snow from her coat and tossed it over an expensive chair. She checked the mirror, made a disgusted sound, and fluffed her hair with her fingers. Casually, I hung her coat on a hook along with my own. Hers was faux fur, so environmentalists wouldn’t be here with the media any time soon. The men hung their own coats.
BJ never noticed. After all, she couldn’t see me in the mirror. That centered person I glimpsed in the arboretum was definitely gone now.
The carriage house was a tropical paradise. On the main level was a living room, small cabana kitchen, and bathroom with a central gas fireplace that looked like three tiki lamps. In the upstairs loft was a large, romantic bedroom and deluxe bath suite, with a fireplace as a hole in the sand on the beach. I lit the gas fireplaces on both floors with the flick of a switch.
Since this was the Inn’s official Bridal Suite, it was our most luxurious. I showed the couple how to turn the ocean sounds on and off. Ocean sounds. You know, Hawaii. Magnum, P.I. I couldn’t afford the Ferrari, but ocean sounds, beach cabana, and large hot tub I could manage.
A seascape mural was painted on every wall, bringing the illusion of palm trees into the room. Sand-toned ceramic tiles covered the bathroom and kitchen floors. And two live palm trees in huge pots were cared for by a plant service.
Oh, and I
“I’ll be downstairs. When you’re ready, I’ll take you to your suite.” I retraced my steps. As I exited the stairway on the second floor, I saw Garrett opening the door to Martha’s room.
“Wait—”
But it was too late. Martha’s surprise was ruined.
As Garrett stood in the doorway, I pressed behind him in time to see Martha turn from the window and place her finger to her lips.
Garrett raised an eyebrow. “Interesting.”
I could hear the Calabrias starting down the stairs.
Chapter Five
I whispered, “Mr. Calabria’s sister wants to surprise him.”
“I wouldn’t want to spoil a good surprise,” Garrett reassured us. “Her secret is safe with me.”
To my relief, Garrett closed the door just seconds before Calabria and BJ reached the bottom of the stairs. I pasted on a smile. “I’ll show you to the carriage house now.”
Calabria pointed to the Sam Spade door— his sister’s. “You have not shown us this room yet.”
“This one?” I paused for one beat. “It’s not ready—”
”And yet,” Calabria frowned, “Garrett has seen it.”
“It was my mistake. She’s right. It’s not ready to show.” Garrett patted Calabria on the shoulder, surprising me. Earlier, he acted like he could barely stand the guy; but now, he was all chatty. “Gregorio, tell me about your trip to Italy last month. Was your mother well?”
Calabria’s eyes lit up and he grew animated. “Ah, mia madre . She still tells everyone what to do, but she is growing old.”
Garrett led Calabria toward the stairs. Behind them, his young wife fell into step with me.
Garrett said, “I’d like to see the illustrious carriage house suite. That’s where you’ll be staying, Gregorio?”
Calabria puffed up importantly. “You may come with us.”
And, just like that, the man in black changed into a smiling conversationist, a chameleon in a superhero cape, to save my fanny. Grandma couldn’t have done better with her gun.
We bundled up in our coats and snow boots (I lent a pair to BJ) and trooped out into the weather, huddling together against the wind and six inches of heavy, new snow.
I listened to Garrett chat with Calabria as if they’d never exchanged harsh words earlier. It was amazing they could talk at all, what with the wind and snow we had to slog through, all bundled up like Nanooks of the North. When we entered the carriage house, I caught BJ’s eye. She shrugged.
The warmth of the room felt wonderful. Cold nights like these were what made a fireplace such a delightful thing.
BJ brushed snow from her coat and tossed it over an expensive chair. She checked the mirror, made a disgusted sound, and fluffed her hair with her fingers. Casually, I hung her coat on a hook along with my own. Hers was faux fur, so environmentalists wouldn’t be here with the media any time soon. The men hung their own coats.
BJ never noticed. After all, she couldn’t see me in the mirror. That centered person I glimpsed in the arboretum was definitely gone now.
The carriage house was a tropical paradise. On the main level was a living room, small cabana kitchen, and bathroom with a central gas fireplace that looked like three tiki lamps. In the upstairs loft was a large, romantic bedroom and deluxe bath suite, with a fireplace as a hole in the sand on the beach. I lit the gas fireplaces on both floors with the flick of a switch.
Since this was the Inn’s official Bridal Suite, it was our most luxurious. I showed the couple how to turn the ocean sounds on and off. Ocean sounds. You know, Hawaii. Magnum, P.I. I couldn’t afford the Ferrari, but ocean sounds, beach cabana, and large hot tub I could manage.
A seascape mural was painted on every wall, bringing the illusion of palm trees into the room. Sand-toned ceramic tiles covered the bathroom and kitchen floors. And two live palm trees in huge pots were cared for by a plant service.
Oh, and I
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