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AIDEN
A few days later, I met with Heath, Marley, and Fiona in the inn’s dining room to discuss the estimate and the scope of the work. Heath stood at one end of the table, his diagrams spread over the surface. “It’s nothing fancy. But you get the idea.”
“This looks like what I envisioned,” Fiona said, pulling one of the illustrations closer to her.
“I’ve asked around, trying to find various people who’ve done this kind of restoration before so I could get some insight. We can salvage as much of the stage as we can, restoring the wood to its original luster and replacing any rotted planks. We’ll have to get someone to look at the curtains. I think we’ll need to strip the wallpaper and get new. We could paint too. I’d suggest a soft gray to keep with the original look.”
“I like that,” Marley said.
Fiona considered the one drawing he’d done in color. “There’s enough going on in that room that we don’t need wallpaper.”
Heath let out a breath. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
“I talked to an expert, and I think we can restore most of the seats. We might need to reupholster a bunch of them, but it’s doable. New carpet on the floor and lighting. The projector room needs a complete overhaul with updated equipment.”
Heath slid the estimate in front of Marley. She didn’t flinch or give any outward sign of her reaction. “I can do this.”
“This is assuming we have free manual labor from Aiden, Cole, and Fiona,” Heath added.
“I said I’d help with this.” I held my hand out to Marley for the estimate, but she held tight to it.
Her gaze met mine. “I want to cover this.”
I kept my hand where it was. “Let me see it.”
“I anticipated this.” Heath handed me a second estimate.
The number had my eyes widening, and I whistled. “This is the cost after the family discount?”
Heath chuckled. “I’m charging you for costs and my crew. The restoration experts don’t come cheap, and I can’t control that expense.”
“If we want to do this right, we need their advice and assistance. If we need to replace a chair, they know where to look for something similar. It sounds like it’s important to everyone that we maintain the original charm.”
“I agree with that,” Fiona said.
“Are you sure you can afford this?” I asked Marley. She’d said she was financially secure, and I’d heard net worth numbers floating around, but I wasn’t sure if they were true. I’d saved money while I was in the military, but it was tiny compared to the estimate. I always struggled with the belief that I didn’t have enough to go around.
“I consider the inn an investment. I’ll make the money back tenfold. Besides, this place means something to me. It’s more than just a business.”
Marley had a good head for investments, so I chose to take her at her word. “If you want to bankroll the project, I won’t stand in your way.”
Marley’s eyes widened as she let out a soft laugh. “I was expecting an argument.”
“I want this as much as you do. I see the potential, and nothing has gotten me this intrigued since I came home.” I was searching for a purpose, and right now it was restoring my grandmother’s inn to its former glory. If Marley could afford the repairs, then I was okay with that.
Marley’s eyes were suspiciously shiny. “I want this so much. Thank you, Aiden.”
“Of course.” My voice was gruff.
“Let’s talk timelines,” Heath continued, not missing a beat. There was a sense of anticipation in the room. The financial piece was out of the way, and we could get to work. “We’re able to get started tomorrow since Fiona and Aiden got a head start on cleaning.”
“We have air cleaners and dehumidifiers running to clear out the mustiness,” I said.
“Whatever we need to do, let’s do it. I want it done right.” Marley’s tone was confident. She was used to making decisions quickly and assertively.
I was proud of her. She wasn’t the same sister I’d left behind. The one that was ashamed by her upbringing and kept to herself in school. She was a confident woman who was sure of her moves.
I was a little envious of that confidence because when it came to Fiona, I wasn’t sure what approach to take. So far, I’d taken the slow one. I was waiting for her to feel the connection between us, remember the good times we had. But she seemed to pull away whenever there was a moment, like the one on the stage. I couldn’t blame her, but I wanted to reach her on a deeper level. I couldn’t do that if she was resistant.
