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Her mother’s expression shuttered a little. “Well, yes, but?—”
“I think I have something that will help it pick back up.” Nora pressed her lips together, her enthusiasm nearly bubbling over. “The festival is coming up, right? We could offer a special promotion for the inn during the week of the festival.” She tugged the sheet out from underneath her planner where she had written all of it down, handing it to her mother. “Anyonewho stays here for three or more days during that week will get a discount on a stay of the same length during the following six months. They’ll have an incentive to come back.”
“Is thatreallya good idea?” Caroline’s dry voice came from the doorway, and Nora’s head shot up, along with Donovan and Rhonda’s. None of them had realized Caroline was standing there listening, she realized. She’d just snuck up on the conversation,as she often did,Nora thought a little bitterly.
She was taking an interest in the inn for once, and she would have thought Caroline would be pleased by that, but of course she wasn’t.
“I think it is,” Nora said firmly, gathering her courage. “It could book out the inn months in advance. You need the guaranteed business, and it would incentivize people to give you exactly that. Guests you can plan for. You can even court more repeat business by making them feel special for returning. Maybe an extra add-on?—”
“Why are you doing all of this?” Caroline interrupted again. “You’ve always made it very clear that you think the festival is silly and beneath you. That you don’t have any interest in how this place runs. You’ve ignored it all this time, and now you’ve decided that since you have some spare time, you’re going to stick your nose in? Because you know better?”
The tension in the room thickened, and Nora felt a cold sensation in the pit of her stomach. She bit her lip, unsure of what to say.
“Caroline.” Rhonda spoke up. “There’s no need for this.”
“You never cared about the inn,” Caroline snapped. “This is all just to make you feel good about yourself. You’re bored, or… I don’t know. When I said we needed you, you had better places to be. But now?—”
Tears filled Nora’s eyes before she could stop them, burning behind her eyelids. “Just because I didn’t dedicate mywholelife to the inn doesn’t mean I don’t care about its success,” she protested, her voice cracking as she tried not to let the tears spill over.
She’d been so excited, so hopeful, and she could feel the idea falling flat, turning into something that she hadn’t meant for it to be. An argument, when she’d truly just wanted to help.
“Idocare about it,” she insisted, looking at Caroline’s impassive face. “And the festival. Would I really be putting so much work into helping it get publicity if I didn’t?”
“Oh, for goodness’ sake.” Caroline shook her head, turning on her heel. She left in a huff as quickly as she’d come, and Nora stared after her, feeling bereft.
“Your sister doesn’t mean to be so harsh,” Rhonda started to say, leaning forward, and Nora turned, giving her mother a small smile.
“It’s all right,” she managed, trying to brush off the hurt feelings. “I get it.”
And shedid, a little better than she had before. These problems had clearly cropped up before Nora had become aware of them, and Caroline had been dealing with them for longer than Nora had realized. She couldn’t entirely fault her sister for being so stressed and rigid, when so much was on her shoulders.
But at the same time, Caroline’s words—and her dismissal of Nora’s idea—had still hurt. She wasn’t entirely sure how to reconcile the two feelings.
“I’m just going to keep working on it,” Nora said quietly. “The festival, and ideas for the inn.”
“I think it might be a good idea,” Rhonda said, glancing at Donovan. “We’ll have to run some numbers, and look at what that would mean for us, but it’s certainly a starting place.”
“It is,” Donovan agreed, smiling at his daughter. “And I’m glad to hear your ideas.”
Nora returned the smile, tapping her pen against the table.
If I keep trying, she thought to herself,Caroline will see my actions mean something. It won’t just be words.
She had to hope so anyway. She didn’t want to leave again with things so cold and tense between the two of them. She wanted Caroline to see that she really did care.
There was only one way to accomplish that though.
And she’d always been nothing if not determined.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Aiden stood at the counter of the Sugar Maple general store, waiting while Leon put the final touches on gift-wrapping the present he’d just purchased. He watched, thinking to himself that he was always surprised at what a deft hand Leon was at wrapping presents. It’s not something he would have ever expected, but Leon had really perfected it over the years.
“You made an excellent selection here,” Leon commented, taping down the last corner of the dark-green paper printed with silver and gold trees. “Who’s it for?” He had a gleam in his eye as he looked at Aiden, his mouth curling up on one side, and Aiden knew he was caught.
“It’s for Nora,” Aiden admitted, unable to stop the smile that spread over his face too. Just thinking about her had that effect on him, especially after the kiss they’d shared while watching the sunrise. He was eager to see her again and give her a gift that he hoped would tell her exactly how much he’d paid attention. How much he wanted to show her that he cared.
“You’re both wonderful young folks,” Leon said noncommittally, as if he were talking about the weather. “I could see the two of you being happy together, you know.”
