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“Maybe the dance classes should be open to everyone to gain interest. If it gets too big, then you could limit it to guests. Or have one for guests, one for locals.”
“That’s a good idea.” I knew Marley would love it.
“You have this amazing space, and you’re only using it what? Once a year for the holiday party?”
I chuckled. “That’s about right.”
“What if you could incorporate this space into your guests’ stays. It will make an impression. You don’t want to keep it closed up and hidden away.”
I pulled her close to me. “You’re amazing; you know that? I always thought Marley was the queen of ideas, but you’ve blown her out of the water since you’ve been here.”
“It’s only because I deal with hotels, and a lot of them offer their ballroom space for conferences and dances. The only difference is that this is a true ballroom. You need to show it off.”
“The paper did a write-up for the holiday dance, referencing the history of the inn.”
“You could print that out and frame the article. Post it on the website.”
Even though I appreciated her ideas, I didn’t want to talk business tonight. “Can we table any more discussion of inns and newspapers so we can enjoy being together?”
Fiona smiled sheepishly. “I’m sorry.”
I lifted my hand from her back to gesture at the room. “This is for you. I don’t want to share you or this room with anyone else. I like being here at the inn without any guests.”
“Do you have time blocked out when you aren’t booked? Have you scheduled a vacation, so you could shut down, maybe do some renovations or updates, and take some time off?”
“We haven’t. Mainly because we’re new.”
I nodded as we swayed around the room. “It’s like starting over.”
“And it’s tough because neither me nor Marley has ever run a hotel. That’s why your input is so valuable.”
Fiona pursed her lips. “Not everyone listens to my ideas, because change and improvements mean more money.”
“You can always tell me.” I liked to hear how her mind worked.
She drew her lower lip into her mouth. “You want the guests to feel abundant. That means too many towels, a larger in-room fridge, more complimentary items, like water and snacks. You’re already doing some of that.” Then Fiona shook her head. “I’m sorry. We weren’t supposed to talk business.”
“I’m honored that you’ve shared them with me.”
“My higher-ups want us to look for ways to save money. That means less cleaning services, fewer and thinner towels, no toiletries. Or better yet, they offer these items to the guests as a paid service. I just don’t agree with that. You want them to love the experience so much that they come back, and they tell their friends. If you’re always cutting corners, your guests are going to know that. They won’t feel pampered.”
“The guests need to feel like they’re on vacation. That they have more than enough, and what they have is luxurious,” I surmised from her description.
“They want something they can’t get at home.” Fiona let go of me and gestured around the room. “Like ballrooms, bowling alleys, and movie theaters.”
I grinned as I looked down at her, enjoying the feel of her in my arms. “It’s like you were meant to pop back into my life.”
Fiona raised a brow. “For my advice on how to run a hotel?”
“For being you. For your inspiration. For your enthusiasm. Your wisdom. I could go on and on.”
She smiled. “You’re sweet.”
I lowered my head so that my cheek was against hers. “I’m so lucky to have you in my life. But no more talk about hotels or our history. Tonight is for us.”
“For us,” Fiona agreed as we continued to dance to the next song.
When the notes finally stopped, I dropped her hand, grabbing my phone, and the wine glasses. “Let’s go back to my room.”
