The Red Door Inn by Liz Johnson

She glanced toward the ugly room. “Did you paint it that color yourself?”
    He nodded and swept an age-spotted hand around the room. “What are we going to do? We have to open in just under two months.” He leaned his forearms on the kitchen island, hanging his head to his chest and plunging his fingers into his hair. “If we miss the tourist season this summer, I won’t be able to pay the mortgage on this place for the rest of the year.”
    Seth swept past her, his arm brushing her shoulder. She sucked in a quick breath, recoiling from even the briefest touch, but he didn’t seem to notice as he charged toward his uncle.
    Placing a hand on the older man’s shoulder, he sighed. “It’s going to be all right. We have enough time.”
    Jack’s words, muffled against the counter, knocked her against the wall. “I’m not so sure.”
    What would he do if the inn didn’t open in time? She could go. But what would Jack do with a house he couldn’t pay for and no rooms to rent?
    â€œWe’ll get it done.” Seth pressed both of his hands to his hips and closed his eyes, pinching his lips together. “We’ll figure it out.”
    How could this man be the same one who had suggested she was after Jack’s money? How could he be so set on tossing her out one minute and so kind to his uncle the next?
    Jack straightened, pressing his hair down where his fingers had yanked on it. “Going to take all three of us.”
    â€œI think you and I can—” Seth’s words stopped at a sharp glance from his uncle.
    â€œI said it’ll take all three of us to make this house into the inn that Rose dreamed of.” He stepped around Seth, reaching out to Marie, though not quite touching her. “And you’ll stick around, right? You’ll stay here until we’re ready to open. You’ll make sure we don’t paint the wrong colors or end up with mattresses on the floor.”
    The urge to run washed over her again, but she swallowed it down twice, still hugging the brown paper package like it was a life vest on the Titanic .
    This was her chance to bolt. There were really only two choices. Freedom and uncertainty or commitment and stability—for the time being. The stability only lasted as long as Jack offered it, and there was no telling when he would change his mind.
    The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes sagged as he peered at her, silently nodding her into agreement. He wanted her to stay. He wanted her.
    It had been so long that she’d nearly forgotten what it felt like to be needed. And, at least on Jack’s part, wanted.
    She couldn’t leave now. After all, she still owed Jack for the ferry ticket.
    She’d go before Seth forced her to. But for a little bit she’d stay. Until they didn’t need her anymore.
    â€œI have a pretty good idea where to start.” She held the map out.
    â€œOh really?” Seth’s words dripped with sarcasm.
    â€œWhat’s that?” Jack’s eyebrows rose.
    Their words tumbled together, and she chose to respond to only one. The crinkling of the paper would have maskedher breathing—if she hadn’t been holding her breath as she revealed her treasure.
    Jack’s forehead wrinkled as she handed it to him, and he traced the pattern of the frame. “For the dining room. It matches the light fixture.”
    â€œI thought so too.”
    Even Seth’s eyes brightened at the old map, his jaw going slack as he leaned in to look at the legend. Suddenly his eyebrows snapped together, the familiar cynicism returning. “You blew two hundred bucks on this thing?”

5
    N o.” Marie swung her arms around her middle in an instinctively protective motion. “It wasn’t like that.”
    Seth’s eyes narrowed, and he jerked a hand toward the white sticker on the glass that clearly stated the price. “Then, what? You stole