Chapter 2
Barry Richmond strode into the lobby of The Cabot Hotel. His friend Delbert Hamilton had made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Come finish up coordinating the remodel and opening of the hotel. The offer held a very tempting salary plus a bonus if everything was finished on time. But he’d wanted to come see the old hotel before he gave Delbert his final answer.
From his research, he knew the place had sat empty for many years. That is, until Delbert decided to buy it and add it into his eclectic chain of Hamilton Hotels. Del had been working on getting it reopened but had a series of mishaps. He needed someone here to manage everything. The rehab, the hiring, the re-opening. All of which were right up Barry’s alley. He was often hired to open either new hotels or hotels that had been rehabbed. He’d stay for a year or so, then move onto the next job. Didn’t make for a steady personal life, but he enjoyed the work.
Delbert came bustling up to him and reached out a hand.“There you are. Glad you made it.”
He returned Del’s firm handshake.“Wanted to take a look before giving you my answer.”
“I’m hoping to convince you that your answer is yes, you’ll take on the job. I’ve been trying to coordinate it, but between the other Hamilton Hotels and the fairly new one we’ve opened in Sarasota, I’m spreading myself too thin. The man who usually helps with this, Adam Lyons, is working on The Beverly, a new hotel that I’m opening in Tampa. But I need a strong leader in here at The Cabot who can jump in and make this happen.”
There was scaffolding scattered through the lobby, and on his way in, he’d noticed the steps to the wide front porch had yet to be repaired and repainted.
“I know, it looks like not a lot has been done, but it has. The kitchen has been updated. Most of the upstairs rooms are updated. Plumbing was redone. Still having some problems with electric. But there’s still so much. Plus hiring. I’ve been unable to find a good full-time manager, though I do have some staff hired. But we’ll need other staff, especially that manager.”
“When are you planning on opening?”
“We’re planning on opening in a few more months, three at most, but I don’t want to pick a firm date until I’m sure we’ll make it.”
“So, what made you choose this place?”
“Because…”Delbert raised a hand and swung his arm wide.“She’s a grand old lady, isn’t she? Just needs a bit of love. I want to restore her to how magnificent she used to be. She has so much history.”
“She’s got beautiful bones. Did the last owners just not put the cash back into her to keep her updated?”
“No, they didn’t. Cashflow problems, I heard. Which was why, after a storm came through and did some damage, they didn’t reopen it. The town was actually in talks to try and get it torn down, but its historical value protected it for a bit.”
“Lucky for you. And that’s where you came in.”
“Precisely.”Delbert led him through the lobby and out onto the wide plank porch that stretched the length of the hotel. Repairs were being made to the tall pillars supporting the upper balconies above them.
“Wow, this view. It’s spectacular.”He turned to Del.“Okay, you’ve convinced me. I’ll take it. I’d love to see this hotel returned to her former glory. She’s from a bygone era of hotels. Let’s see if we can bring her back.”
Delbert grinned and clasped his hand, pumping it quickly.“Great. Great news. When can you start?”
“Today?”He smiled at his friend as he began to roll up his shirt sleeves.“And tomorrow I’ll wear something that’s a bit more appropriate for your weather down here.”
“Perfect. I was hoping you’d say yes. I’ve already spoken with a realtor. Found you a rental on the waterways. It’s nice, quiet, and you’ll have a dock if you’re a fisherman. It’s included in my offer to you.”
A place to live already procured. That was one thing off his list. He’d half-expected he’d just stay in a hotel somewhere nearby. But the privacy and peace of a house sounded nice.“Haven’t fished in years, but I could probably be talked into it if I have time.”
“Here, I’ll show you the room I’ve taken over for an office. It’s all yours now. And let me show you the rest of the hotel.”
He took one last look at the bay. A large sailboat sliced across the water in the distance. On the far side of the bay, he could barely see land. He took in a deep breath of the salty air. He was going to enjoy this job. So much nicer than his last job in the noise and pollution of the city.
He turned and followed Delbert inside, eager to get to work.
Donna finishedup her early morning chores. She had just enough time to throw in some laundry and pick up a bit. The house was way more space than she needed, but she loved it. It had been her grandparents’house, and she and Evelyn had spent so much time here when they were growing up.
After she’d inherited the house, she had wonderful memories of when Olivia and Emily had lived here with her, too. They’d stayed until Emily was about eight, but then Olivia had insisted they needed a place of their own. Luckily, they’d found the small house nearby and Donna had helped with the down payment.
Olivia loved having her own place with Emily, and Donna had—eventually—adjusted to living here alone. Her instincts had wanted her to beg them to stay, not leave her. But she knew that was her own insecurities speaking and that she had to let her daughter spread her wings a bit. And it wasn’t like Olivia actuallylefther—she told herself that often and loudly—Olivia had just grown up and wanted her independence and a place to raise Emily on her own.
But she was grateful that she’d been able to help her daughter when she got pregnant with Emily at only nineteen. She’d been there for her every step of the way. Not that she’d learned how to be a good mother from her own mom, but that was something Donna had made peace with. Kinda of. Pretty much so.
She glanced at the calendar on the wall. Speaking of her mother, she should be in some European city today. Who knew which one? There was a full itinerary printed out here somewhere of the world tour her mother was taking with a handful of people from her fancy retirement village. She’d gotten one photo and text with her mother in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and one photo—no words with it—of her mom on a cute wooden bridge somewhere in Switzerland. She wasn’t even sure when her mother planned on returning. Not that it mattered much. They rarely saw each other. Her mom had even made an excuse for why she couldn’t come to Moonbeam for Christmas this last year. She wondered if Evelyn had heard from her recently. She hadn’t even thought to ask her sister the other night at dinner at Portside Grill.
She took one last look around, knowing the place really needed a deep clean, but who had the time? Ignoring the nagging thought, she headed outside. A lone man was leaving the rental house next door. The Meyers must have found a new renter. They only did longer-term rentals, and she was grateful for that. It helped prevent loud, weekend partier rentals. She locked the door and turned, intending on greeting her new temporary neighbor. She lifted a hand in a wave, but the man didn’t see her, engrossed in his own thoughts, and hurried off with brisk strides.
