. .”
“First and foremost, paint. Strip all the wallpaper and repaint everything in lighter, soothing tones. New England and the mid-Atlantic aren’t the Caribbean, so I’d stick to a neutral but sophisticated beach palette, like creams, lilacs, ice blues, and taupes. If you like wallpaper, go for texture—like linen, not bold patterns. People who choose small inns over hotel chains typically want a sense of romance and intimacy. They should feel it the instant they walk through the door, so make sure the mattresses, pillows, and comforters are high quality. Sumptuous linens are a must.”
“This sounds good, Claire. What about these old bathrooms? My wife has a fondness for this stuff, but . . .”
The bold green-and-white 1950s tile and fixtures could still work. “Honestly, many people like nostalgia when they’re on vacation. You can easily clean up these old sinks and tub showers by getting them reglazed. Even the vivid flooring can be fun if properly cleaned. Green works at the beach, but to help tone it down, I’d repaint the walls—possibly a pale seashell pink or iridescent cream—and perhaps sink a little money into cosmetic upgrades like more-modern faucets and lighting. Glam it up a bit and people will love it.
“The older case goods—dressers and such—won’t look as heavy once you have the lighter color scheme with new linens and drapes to distract the eyes. Simplicity—color and texture—works best. You can recover some of the lobby furniture, maybe replace or simply remove other pieces. That’s still going to take some money and thought, but it is a lot less than starting from scratch.” She sat back.
“And would you recommend that we do all of the inns the same—to create a brand?”
She bobbed her head side to side, thinking. “If you do that, you should be able to negotiate bulk-buy prices for the linens and drapes. But I might add something unique to each inn in the guest rooms. For example, Mystic is known for its aquarium and seaport, while Annapolis is known for its naval academy. Maybe in Annapolis, you work the military naval theme in with throw pillows or pictures, while going with cute octopus-themed and antique-sailboat pillows in Mystic.”
“Sounds simple.”
“It should be. And lastly, one free way to give any room a totally new look is to reposition the furniture. Surprise guests with an unexpected but comfortable floor plan and it will feel more special than a typical hotel room.”
“Those are all great ideas.” He leaned forward. “Thank you for sharing them so freely.”
“Happy to help.” She smiled, pleased to have impressed a man who’d been an intimidating enigma for most of her life. A small but meaningful confidence boost, making this trip worth her initial discomfort.
His expression turned more thoughtful. “I’m surprised you came to help, given how Peyton and Logan have treated you.”
“Logan?” She felt her brows pinch together.
“Obviously, he offended you at the gala.”
“Mr. Prescott,” she said, pausing to swallow. “First of all, I came here as a professional courtesy because you and your wife are always kind to me. I enjoy what I do, so it’s my pleasure to think through these kinds of problems. As for Peyton, I’m saddened by what’s been lost, and I hope the worst is behind us. But Logan never did anything to hurt me. He’s been nothing but honest and respectful.”
He swallowed the last of his drink, brows skeptically raised. “I just assumed . . . you left the gala with your parents. He came home mulish as ever and took off for New York the next morning.”
Her breath caught in her chest. Logan had left town without saying goodbye—not that she expected it after the way she’d pleaded with him to let her go. But the fact that there was no opportunity for a chance encounter—even though she’d been anxious about what she’d do or say—crushed her. She glanced at the framed Pulitzer. “I’m sure he has a lot of preparations to make before going to Greece.”
“I suppose.”
She didn’t want to discuss Logan or Peyton, so she sat forward, wearing a polite smile. “Well, unless you have other questions for me with regard to your hotels, I should probably make myself scarce.”
“I have only one last question.”
“Yes?”
He grinned. It was the first time she’d ever noticed he had a shallow dimple on his right cheek. “What’s your fee?”
“This one’s on the house. Truly.” She stood and slung her purse over her shoulder.
He waved her back into her seat. “No, I mean, what would you charge