The Inn At Pelican Beach

by Michele Gilcrest

  “I don’t care what the doctors say. In my eyes, there’s nothing old or unstable about your mind.”

  “Thank you, Darlin. Promise me something, Payton.”

  “Yes?”

  “When I’m at the point where it’s difficult for me to do so, please take care of your mother for me.”

  “Dad, you know I will, but please don’t talk like that.”

  “You know I’m a realist. But enough about me. It seems like you’ve been moping around this place all morning. Are you feeling alright?”

  “I didn’t realize it. I guess I just have a lot on my mind.”

  “I always tell your mother she shouldn’t get in the middle of these sorts of things. If I had to guess, is it about a special someone that you’ve taken an interest in?”

  The look on my face confirmed that he knew what he was talking about.

  “You seemed rather happy the other day. What’s bothering you?”

  “I’m trying to figure out if I made the right decision. Cole expressed his feelings for me, but I told him it was bad timing because I was trying to figure things out.”

  “What exactly are you trying to figure out?”

  “It’s no secret why I moved back home. Now that the divorce is behind me, I’ve been trying to figure out how to move forward. I need to decide what I’m going to do about my career, I need to eventually find a place to live. I don’t see how I could have time to focus on a new relationship when everything else is out of sorts.”

  “I thought your career path was a no brainer. We always knew your time at the Inn was temporary. You have dreams to pursue unless something changed that I’m not aware of. As for a place to stay, that’s also easy. I know you probably want to have a place of your own. There’s nothing wrong with that. But don’t you think it would be easier to continue to stay at the cottage until your new business gets underway?”

  “I guess. I didn’t want to be a bother.”

  “Payton, no matter how old you get, you’re our daughter. You’re never a bother.”

  “Thanks, Dad.”

  “Now getting back to this special interest of yours. You said he goes by the name of Cole Miller, is that correct?”

  “Yes, Sir. You’re correct.”

  “Mmm-hmm. Well, don’t tell your mother I said so, but she’s right. He’s a respectable young man. Cole and little Emmie would make a nice match for you. But more importantly, you have to stop being so hard on yourself. If I waited until every little thing was all figured out, I would’ve never married your mother, had children, or started a business for that matter.”

  “But what about the divorce? It hasn’t been that long. Don’t you think I’d be moving a little too fast?”

  “I can’t answer that question for you, but there is something you should consider. According to what you shared with us, your marriage was over long before you signed the papers. Not by your choice but by Jack’s choosing. You tried to do everything you could to hold that marriage together. Even when most could’ve argued against it. Set yourself free, Payton. Move on.”

  “Wow. Guess I hadn’t been looking at it that way, but you’re right. I thought I left everything behind me the day I slammed the door in his face. But apparently, I was still holding on.”

  “Do you want to go back?”

  “Heck, no!”

  “Then set yourself free to enjoy what the future has in store.”

  “Have I ever told you how much I love you, Dad?”

  “Never hurts to hear it again.”

  “Aww, I love you. Thank you for your words of wisdom.”

  I sprang to my feet and gave dad a tight squeeze.

  “There’s that smile I like to see. Now go on and invite Cole and Emmie over for dinner.”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  “Ok. When you’re done thinking, be sure to give him a call.”

  I turned around and gave him a look before heading out the door. Dad chuckled, knowing it wasn’t a matter of if I would do it, but when.

  For the remainder of the day, I worked on room inventory. I worked with housekeeping to make sure the rooms were fully supplied and filled out order forms for anything that needed to be replaced. I walked through the rooms with a view of the garden, and then those with the ocean view. When all of a sudden, an idea came to mind.

  “Hey Abby, it’s Payton. Do you have a few minutes to talk?”

  “Sure, what’s up?”

  “I’m at the Inn, sitting in one of our suites that overlook the water.”

  “Okayyy.”

  “Well, an idea came to mind about having a last hoorah for the ladies before we sell the Inn.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “What if we blocked off one of the suites with adjoining rooms for an overnight stay? It could be me, you, Mom, Becca, and maybe even a couple of friends.”

  “Sounds like fun as long as your other sister can behave herself.”

  “Abby, come on, be serious.”

  “I am being serious.”

  I sat silent for a moment to let her know I didn’t like the negative sister talk.

  “Alright. I’ll stop talking about her.”

  “Thank you. She is your sister too, you know. Besides, she was right the other day. It’s time to grow up.”

  “I’ll stop, Payton. Now go on with your idea.”

  “Okay. So we could make a full day of it, including breakfast the next morning, and hanging out at the beach. We can be more like guests and make it a girls sleepover. What do you think?”

  “I’m game. Why don’t you rally up the troops and we can all confirm a day that works best.”

  “Yes! I figured you would be in. I’ll arrange things with Mom and Becca and see if everybody wants to do just us girls or invite a few others.”

  “I’m in either way. Thanks Payton, great idea!”

  “Awesome. Well, I have to get back to inventory. Give a hug to my precious niece and nephew.”

  “Will do.”

  “Bye.”

  I hung up, feeling pretty excited about the idea. I knew it wouldn’t be hard to convince the others to get on board. There was only one other piece of business that was lingering in my mind and needed to be settled. I decided to work up the nerve and send a text message to Cole.

  Payton: Hey, Cole. How are you?

  I waited a few minutes before returning to work. I was determined not to be disappointed if he decided not to respond.

  Cole: Hi, Payton. Sorry for the delay. I was in a meeting. I’m well. How are you?

  Payton: I’m great. Sorry to bother you. I’m sure you’re pretty busy.

  Cole: You’re not bothering me. I’m happy to hear from you.

  Payton: Good to know. I was hoping we could get together soon and talk?

  Cole: It’s just Emmie and me tonight, so I can’t really get away.

  Payton: No problem. I understand.

  Cole: Not so fast. If you’re willing to stop by, we can talk on the porch after she goes to bed.

  Payton: Sure.

  Cole: Free around eight o’clock?

  Payton: Eight o’clock works.

  Cole: Great. I’ll send you my address.

  Payton: Sounds good.

  Precisely at eight o’clock, I pulled up to Cole’s house. The view was absolutely amazing. His house was ideally situated with a view of the beach from his back porch. I made my way around to the back, as instructed in his text.

  “Wow, now I see why you like to hang out on the porch. This is absolutely breathtaking.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Gosh, the little rental I was looking at is small-time compared to this place.”

  “Trust me when I tell you that I’m very humbled at the opportunity to live here. Please have a seat.”

  We joined each other on the swing set.

  “It was truly a matter of perfect timing that allowed me to get this place. I was working on a renovation a few doors down when I heard this hou
se was under foreclosure. The asking price was very low because it needed a lot of work.”

  “Ahh. Of course, it all makes sense. This is your field of expertise.”

  “Correct. Emmie and I were actually living closer to my mother at the time. I thought buying this place was also an opportunity to put her in better schools. Living on the beach was a bonus. In a lot of ways, it was a fresh start for both of us.”

  “Well, from what I can tell, you did a phenomenal job. I can’t tell this place was ever a fixer-upper.”

  “Thank you. I’m thankful for the resources to get the place up to speed.”

  “I’m sure your skills have come in handy on many occasions.”

  “These hands have served me well, and I’m definitely humbled and thankful. But enough about me. Can I offer you a drink?”

  “I’m good, thank you. I didn’t plan to stay long. I know you have to look after Emmie.”

  “No worries. She’s upstairs in bed. My girl likes to play hard during the day and sleeps hard at night.”

  “I’ll bet. Enjoy it now. I’m told that all changes when they become teenagers.”

  “I’m sure it does. Even we can remember what the teenage years were like. I used to shut off the lights and pretend like I was going to bed but sneak my walkman and listen to my favorite music.”

  “Oh man, I haven’t heard someone mention a walkman in ages. Those were the good old days. Back when cassette tapes were in style.”

  “What do you know about cassette tapes?”

  “Umm, hello. I still have a box full saved in storage. I’ll bet I can find my walkman and my boombox if I look hard enough.”

  “See, I knew I liked you.”

  Laughing and sharing old memories came easily with Cole. I knew I would have to find the nerve to share why I texted him in the first place. The fun-loving banter subsided, and we grew quiet.

  “Cole?”

  “Yes.”

  “About earlier, when I texted you.”

  “Yes.”

  “I’ve been thinking. Perhaps I’ve been letting fear get in the way. The last time we were together, you told me you liked me. The truth is I like you too.”

  Cole took me by the hand while he continued looking out to the ocean.

  “So perhaps we just need to take this thing slowly.”

  “I’d like that.”

  “I’m glad you reached out to me today. There’s nothing I wanted more than for you to change your mind.”

  “Really? I thought surely you had written me off after the other day.”

  “Never. How could I write off someone like you?”

  He leaned over and traced my forehead, my cheeks, and my lips with his fingers.

  That evening we continued to enjoy the newness of our affection for one another. I was finally starting to embrace a new season in my life, one that would hopefully propel me forward into a loving relationship with Cole.

  Payton

  Early Friday morning, I received a message from Cole. Anytime I saw his name show up on my phone was a welcomed treat, so today would be no exception.

  "Nancy, I'll be out by the pool, returning a phone call in case anybody is looking for me."

  "Okay. Don't forget about your eleven o'clock appointment. The new owner Mr. Thompson had his secretary call to confirm his visit today."

  "Yes, eleven o'clock. I'm on it. Be sure to remind my mom for me."

  "I'll call her now."

  I strolled over to the poolside while checking my voicemail from Cole.

  "Hi, Payton. It's me, Cole. Please call me when you get a chance. I have a major favor to ask you."

  Curious to know what his message could be about, I gave him a call.

  "Hello?"

  "Hi, Cole. What's up?"

  "Oh, Payton. So glad to hear your voice.”

  "I heard your message. You sounded like something was wrong. Is everything okay?"

  "Everything is fine. It's just, we have a little bit of a family emergency. My cousin Christen is getting married in Naples tomorrow. Unfortunately, her photographer had to back out on her due to a death in the family. As you can imagine, she's desperate to find a replacement, and I was wondering if, by any chance, you would be free to help her out?"

  "Tomorrow? My gosh, Cole. I just recovered my equipment from storage this week, but I haven't even unpacked everything yet. Plus, preparing for a wedding photo shoot is a big deal. I would need to restock on my film, and test the equipment. I don't know, Cole."

  "Please, Payton? You would be doing us a huge favor. Plus, it would be great exposure for your business. I know she will have a lot of guests from the area who would love to hire you. Word of mouth spreads quickly. I told her about you. She's willing to pay double if you can help her out."

  "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'll do it."

  "Yes! Thank you so much."

  "This would be a good opportunity for me to get my feet wet again. As long as she understands that I don't run a big operation and I may be a bit rusty at first."

  "Stop being so hard on yourself. I've seen some of your photos at the cottage. You know exactly what you're doing."

  "Well, I'm still nervous. This is your family. The pressure is on big time."

  "Everybody is going to love you, Payton. You're a professional. You got this!"

  "You just better be lucky I like you, Cole Miller."

  "I consider myself to be lucky every day."

  It felt so dreamy to hear him talk like that I almost had to pinch myself. I loved the way he placed so much confidence in my abilities and the way he believed in me.

  "Where is she getting married?"

  "At the Marina Clubhouse in Naples. It's right on North Beach."

  "Wow, swanky."

  "That's Christen and Jacob for you."

  "Okay, text me her number, and I'll give her a call. I have to wrap up an important meeting here at the Inn, then I can shift gears and focus on the wedding."

  "Thanks again, Payton. I owe you big time. Hey, one more thing before you go."

  "Yes?"

  "When you're not taking pictures, maybe I can steal a dance or two?"

  "I think we can make that happen."

  "Okay, I'll talk to you soon."

  "Bye."

  I ended the call, not knowing whether to be nervous or excited. However, I had to tuck the nerves away for a bit and head to my mother's office. Today we were meeting with our buyer to help him get acquainted with the Inn.

  "Mr. Thompson, welcome. It's nice to have you."

  "Please call me David. I'm grateful for this rare opportunity."

  "Allow me to introduce you to my daughter, Payton. She's been helping us run things here at the Inn, and I thought it might be helpful to have her sit in on the meeting."

  I extended my hand to try and make him feel welcomed.

  "It's so nice to meet you."

  He seemed to be a little flirtatious as he introduced himself, but I chose to ignore it. Mom diverted his attention back to the purpose of their meeting.

  "My husband sent his regards and apologized for not being able to make it today. He's feeling a bit under the weather."

  "I understand."

  Everyone took a seat around her table to talk further.

  "David, I know you had a chance to have a formal inspection already. Over the next couple of weeks, it's really just down to the agents tying up loose ends. We thought you might be interested in taking a personal tour of the facility and perhaps even meet the staff."

  "Helen, that's kind of you, but I don't think it will be necessary. You know how it is. New ownership usually comes with new ideas and likely new staff."

  I saw the look of shock in my mother's eyes. Mr. Thompson wasn't necessarily wrong, but he didn't have to be so crude about it.

  "Well, then. If you don't mind me asking, how can we help you today?"

  "I came here to see if we could speed things up. Time is ticking, and I'd like to get some ren
ovations underway so I can turn this place into a gold mine. I figure if you put in a simple call, surely we can bump things up to next week. If it's just a matter of some paperwork, I'm sure I can offer the real estate team a little something to motivate them. If you know what I mean."

  The look on his face was one of arrogance. I could tell he was impressed with himself.

  "Mom, please allow me to share a few thoughts."

  She gave me a nod of approval. It was all I could do not to haul off and give him a piece of my mind.

  "Mr. Thompson, I'm sure I speak on behalf of both of my parents when I say that we won't be able to accommodate you. We plan on giving our staff the proper time needed to prepare for this transition. Before you leave, I'd like to offer you a piece of advice. One of the reasons the Inn at Pelican Beach has become such a successful destination for many to enjoy is because we're so much more than your average name-brand hotel. We also place a major emphasis on community. It takes a special someone to be able to blend the two together and deliver in a way that's well-received. Just something for you to think about. Is there anything else we can assist you with today?"

  "No. Not at all. If you change your mind about turning over the keys earlier, you have my number. If not, I’ll see you at our regularly scheduled closing. Thank you for your time."

  "Allow me to escort you out."

  He didn't say anything further. Just as well because I didn't care to hear it anyway. I led the way to the main lobby.

  "I guess I'll be seeing you in a couple of weeks, Miss Matthews. You take care."

  "Likewise."

  I returned to the office, fuming over his arrogance. Mom didn't appear to be too pleased either by the look on her face.

  "Thank you for handling that, Dear."

  "It was my pleasure. Can you believe the nerve of that guy?"

  "I don't know what's gotten into people these days. Honestly, there was nothing wrong with him asking to advance things along. It was just his approach and clear disregard for the staff."

  "I hear about situations like this all the time. Some big wig comes in town and cares about nothing else but the money. If you agree, I think we should give everyone a heads up."