Those Sweet Words (Misfit Inn 2)

“How much time do you think you could manage away from your grandfather?”

“A fair bit. Mostly Mom has him during the day. It’s evenings and nights I’m really helping out.”

“I’d need to think on it, but maybe we could come up with something we could offer early in the week—maybe Tuesday through Thursdays? That wouldn’t interfere with weekend room rentals and would give us a chance to turn over the room on Monday if someone was in it for the weekend. Day spa traffic could help offset costs when reservations are slow.” The possibilities turned over in Pru’s head. “Maggie will want concrete numbers. Some kind of temporary set up would allow us to test things and gauge interest for something more permanent. If I can prove to the rest of them that there’s a legitimate market, then we could justify hiring someone else to do the actual running of the inn, and I can get back to massage.”

“Well, I’m here for at least another month, so I’m game to try it out, if you are.”

Pru was more than game. “Work up a list of possible services you think we can pull off here without having to purchase a lot of special equipment, and give me some estimates of the time for a session and what you’d charge. We’ll see what we can hammer out that would benefit us both. And if you want to test out those products on some guinea pigs…we could maybe talk about sampler sizes that could be provided with the rooms or gift sets that could be sold.”

“That is definitely something to think about.” Abbey rose. “Thanks for the wine. I’m gonna be getting on. Gotta be getting dinner ready for Granddaddy. I’ll get that list together tonight and bring it by tomorrow. Flynn, it was nice to meet you.”

“And you as well.”

Behind his back Abbey made an exaggerated Oh my God! face and fanned herself. Pru hid a smile in her wine. As Abbey got into her car, Pru headed inside to figure out what they were having for supper themselves.

Flynn trailed behind. “Did you mean it, about running the inn?”

“Mean what?” She tugged open the door to the fridge and scanned the contents.

“Do you not like it, then?”

“I didn’t ever have designs of being an innkeeper, no. I don’t dislike it. And I don’t mind it, especially as it’s what’s allowing us to keep our home. But with all the wedding planning and such, the actual management of it has landed a lot more on my shoulders than I’d expected.”

When he reached up and began to knead at those shoulders, she moaned. As her mind veered off on far more interesting things he could be doing with his hands, she tried to keep her brain in the conversation. What were they talking about?

“It’s better when Kennedy is around. And she’ll be more help when she gets back, now that the wedding is over.”

“I’ve said I can help while she’s gone.”

That he’d offer so readily—again—caused a little flutter under her breast. But that didn’t make it right. He’d left that life because he didn’t like it. “Flynn, you’re—”

Before she could get out that he was a guest, he interrupted. “Kennedy would say I’m family, and family helps. Either way, we both know I’m more than just a guest.”

That more was both thrilling and terrifying. She’d wanted romance—a grand passion to file away for co

ld, lonely nights down the line—and Flynn was giving that to her in spades. But he also gave her friendship and far more understanding than she’d expected. It was the sort of behavior that tempted her to count on him, and Pru knew that way lay heartache. She was still searching for the right words to turn down his kind offer when Ari came in.

“I’m starved! What’s for dinner?”

Pru consciously relaxed the shoulders that had gone tense beneath Flynn’s hands. They weren’t doing anything wrong. “I haven’t figured that out just yet.”

“Do we have time for a game before?”

“Depends on the game, I guess. I’ll be mostly tied up with slicing, dicing, and chopping, probably.”

“Flynn can play with me.”

It was the sort of request she’d make of Xander. But Flynn wasn’t the indulgent big brother/uncle figure, who’d be around for a long-term relationship, and no doubt, board games with a middle schooler were not what he wanted to do with his limited time here. But how to get that across to Ari without making her feel like a nuisance?

“Sure, and I’d be happy to do that.” He said it with the same casual ease he’d offered to dive in and work.

Pru’s heart gave another dangerous flutter.

With one last squeeze of her shoulders, Flynn dropped his hands and moved toward the kitchen table. “What would you like to play?”

Ari grinned. “I’m gonna introduce you to Redneck Life.”

Pru stifled a laugh at the utterly confused expression on Flynn’s face. Oh, this would be good.