to come.”
Wyatt looked back at Levi. “I was actually thinking about checking out this morning.”
“Now, why would you go and do that? Grace said you have business here, and we’re happy to assist in any way we can.” Molly nailed her brother with a look. “Aren’t we, Levi?”
He offered a wan smile. “Of course.”
“Well, there you go then.” Molly hooked her arm around Wyatt’s and headed toward the dining room. “There’s a seat right by the front window, and I’ll get your coffee right away. Would you like some cream with that?”
“Um, no. Thanks.” His head was spinning a little by the time Molly left for his coffee. Whereas Grace was like a balmy summer evening, her sister was like a whirlwind. And her brother a sudden storm front.
Maybe Wyatt should leave, but he wasn’t letting some overprotective brother scare him away. He had business to attend to, and he wasn’t quite ready to say good-bye to Grace Bennett.
* * *
“Seriously?” Molly asked as soon as she closed the front door behind the guests Levi had just checked out.
“What?”
Molly hitched her hands on her hips. “I walked into some kind of standoff between you and Wyatt. I thought we agreed you’d be nice. I thought we agreed you’d back off.”
“That doesn’t mean I have to trust him.”
“Well, do you have to wear your feelings on your sleeve? He’s a guest, and you need to treat him like one.”
“Fine. I will.” Levi ran his hand through his hair. “Have you sent Grace the write-up for the inn?”
“Nice change of subject. When would I have done that? She’s been gone since Thursday.”
“Well, do it now. We need to get this place listed.”
“All right, all right.” Molly texted Adam, asking him to email the document to Grace. “Done. What’s wrong? You seem super stressed.”
“Oh, I don’t know. A missing sister, this inn, a long-distance relationship, a wedding I’m supposed to be planning.”
“When’s Mia coming?”
“Friday. She finishes filming on Thursday. We’ll do the cake tasting, have the fittings, and go over the menu with Miss Della. It’ll be fine. I’m just on overload right now.”
“I can help. I’m good with weddings.”
“I’ll do the wedding stuff. You get the inn sold.”
“Fine.” She’d rather do the wedding stuff, but it wasn’t her wedding. “I’m going to go clean rooms. And ease up on Wyatt. Grace trusts him, and we should trust her enough to give him the benefit of the doubt.”
“Aren’t you at least a little concerned?”
“I don’t mean to throw the past in your face, Levi, but your track record with our boyfriends isn’t the greatest.”
“He seems a lot older than her—and not just in years. Besides, he’s secretive and he carries. In security—what does that even mean?”
Molly crossed her arms. “Remember how I was supposed to remind you when you’re butting in?”
His lips tightened. “Fine. I’ll keep my opinions to myself.”
She gave him an innocent smile. “That’s all I’m asking.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Grace spent all Monday morning getting the inn listed at the online sites she’d pegged. Adam had done a beautiful job with the write-up, but jumping through each page’s hoops and listing the inn’s features repeatedly was time-consuming.
She finished just in time for her Realtor appointment. A house on the edge of town that might work for her business had recently listed. She jumped into her car and drove the short distance.
A few minutes later she pulled up to the curb. The one-story cottage squatted on a small, sloped lawn. It was near enough to the town’s center and the lake to make it a feasible option. The price wasn’t bad either. She wouldn’t be eligible for that kind of loan now—and a grant would never come through in time—but once the inn sold she could pay cash and still have a little left over for renovations.
The Realtor was already there, so she met the petite woman on the front porch. Pamela Bleeker sported a perpetual tan and wore her beach-blonde hair short and fluffy. She was still attractive in her forties and was known about town as a real go-getter.
Grace ascended the porch steps. “Hi, Pamela.”
“Well, hello there, darlin’. You’re looking well.”
“Thank you.” The makeup had helped disguise Grace’s bruise, but it was still visible. Pamela was too tactful to mention it.
“Well, you picked a beautiful day, and I hope we can find a nice spot for your business. This town needs some new options, and this precious little house is located just right.”
“I’ll give you that.”
Pamela slid the key from the lockbox