Lara swallowed. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Frank tittered. “Please. I know you like the sister I never had. You, girlfriend, had sex. You’re never this chipper in the morning, especially not after the breakfast rush.”
“Frank, keep your voice down.” She flushed when Mike Buckman raised a brow in her direction. Trust the good deputy to show up this morning, of all mornings, on the pretext of visiting with Shelly—who should have been working but was instead flirting.
Bill Knowles stood with his aunt, concerned about something Ida had mentioned about the inn that he needed to check up on. And two of their guests had complaints about the plumbing. Everyone wanted a piece of her this morning, and Lara wanted nothing more than to rejoin Noah in bed.
After a rousing night of sex, Lara should have been in a better mood. But in addition to the sudden demands on her time, Cecilia’s ghost continued to whisper with agitation, warnings that made no sense. Lara couldn’t shake the feeling of doom that seemed to blanket the inn.
“Lara, this won’t take long, but I really need to talk some business with you. It’s official, I promise.” Bill nodded to her office.
“Sure. I’ll meet you two in there.” She turned to Frank. “Call Harold about the plumbing in 2B, and see if you can’t get Shelly moving. We have two rooms empty this morning with guests due this afternoon. And as slow as she moves, it might just take her a few hours to restore the rooms to rights.”
Frank nodded. Since check-in was after three, they had time to get all in order…if Shelly would move her lazy ass.
“Don’t worry. I’ll get our local strumpet moving.” He rubbed his chin. “You know, if you think about it, Shelly fits with the inn. This was a brothel at one time, you know.”
She crossed her eyes at him, making him laugh louder, and left to find out what Ida and Bill wanted. Joining them in her office, she nearly tripped over Bill’s legs.
He flushed and pulled his feet in close, sitting uncomfortably next to his aunt on the bench. “Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. This office is perfect for me, but it doesn’t afford much space with guests.”
Ida tsked. “I told you we should have made this bigger.”
Actually, Ida had balked at changing a thing in the inn. Then Lara had talked her into it, as well as into expanding their service to nightly coffee and treats. “But that would have taken away from the kitchen, and without that extra counter space, our nightly snack service might have been compromised. Just think, Ida. No more scones or sticky buns.”
“Oh, the horror.” Bill stifled his grin when his aunt glared at him.
“Boy would eat all day long if you’d let him. Now, Lara, the reason I’m here today. Bill’s been holding off on renewing our inspection.”
“I know.”
“But I can’t any longer. I’m sorry,” he apologized. “The town council is conducting their annual assessment. They’re demanding records and paperwork out the yin-yang. I need to show them official documentation on everything, including this place, but I can’t until I visibly check over the paneling code Isaac told me he fixed. You know, the one in your bedroom. It’s not that I don’t think he fixed it,” he said to forestall Lara’s objection. “I trust him. But I can’t just put a check in the block. It’s protocol I see it for myself.”
Ida patted his knee. “Just doing your job, dear. We don’t think any less of you for being so careful.”
Lara steepled her fingers on the desk. “I have no problem at all with you checking the box. But I have some stuff in front of it I need to move. Could you come back to see it later today?” That would give her time to straighten up and make sure Noah wasn’t lying naked in bed when Bill went through. She hoped she didn’t look as red as she felt. “I have a few proverbial fires here to put out, and I need to clean up my room before anyone looks in it.”
Ida stood with Bill’s help. “Oh honey, dust and dirty socks won’t put Bill off.”
No, but a naked man might. “Still—”
“Hey, it might not be just socks, Aunt Ida.” Bill raised a brow at Lara. “She might have pantyhose or slinky nighties on the floor.”
“William Knowles.” Ida blushed.
Bill laughed. “Just kidding. Lara, I’ll see you later tonight, okay? I’m filling in for one of our night-shift guys, but I can squeeze you in on my dinner break.”
Since he was doing her a favor, she wanted to offer the same. “Be here at six, and I’ll take you to dinner right after. No sense in the fire chief going hungry.”
Satisfaction blazed in his eyes. “Perfect. I’ll see you then.”
She followed them, wondering if Bill viewed their dinner as more than a thank-you for the inconvenience. How awkward. Would she need to explain to Bill she just wanted to remain friends? Or was she imagining more interest than he felt? Though he’d been after her for a date, lately he’d backed off. Rumor had it he had an on-again, off-again relationship with a woman who worked just outside of town.
And what the heck was she thinking to imagine she and Noah had a relationship? Please. She’d known the guy for all of a few days. Sure, according to Noah, she now belonged to him in the bedroom. She knew he’d be leaving in a few days at most, and once again, she told herself to accept their fling as casual and not get too attached. How long would it take to find that painting? How long to find the killer?
She shivered and forced a smile when Frank joined her to tell her about their plumbing issues. Whispers of warning feathered over her spine, and she glanced up to see Noah staring down at her from the upper balcony of the inn.
Beware the jealous lover.
She blinked, stunned to hear Cecilia so clearly in her mind. A vision in scarlet flickered to life by the front door. She glanced up and saw Noah’s eyes fixed on Cecilia as well.
Then Bill, chatting with his aunt and Mike Buckman, walked together out the door, right through her, and Cecilia disappeared on a shriek.
Chapter Six
After a full day’s work, Lara wanted nothing more than to drag herself to bed and sleep until tomorrow. Unfortunately, she’d promised Bill dinner after he finished checking the wiring.
“Good as new.” Bill wiped his hands on his pants and withdrew a notebook from his back pocket. He wrote a few things down, then put it back. “Now, about that dinner you promised me.”
She rolled her eyes. “Men. Always thinking with your stomachs.”
“Not always,” she swore she heard him mutter, but when she turned around to confront him, he raised his brows.
“What?”
“Nothing. Let me get my purse, and we’ll go.” She found it sitting on her favorite comfy chair. “I thought a sandwich at the Corner Shop would be just the thing.”
“I’m game.” Bill waited for her to precede him and closed the door behind him.
She left with him, her cell phone on hand for emergencies. She stopped by the front desk and put out a note with her number, just in case. Frank and Shelly both had the night off, and with the guests taken care of, Lara didn’t exactly need to be on hand. An answering machine would catch anyone trying to book a room. Nothing stood in the way of her dinner with Bill.
Not even Noah.
She clenched her jaw, then forced herself to relax and smile at Bill. While they made their way to the restaurant, she half listened to him talk about his day. She couldn’t get that stubborn Noah out of her mind. Earlier, she’d mentioned her dinner plans, hoping he wouldn’t make a big deal about it. After all that nonsense about “you’re mine” and then Cecilia’s warning about a jealous lover, Lara had been prepared for the worst. Noah hadn’t done much more than shrug before leaving the inn on some errand or other.