Fated Hearts (Southern Bride 8)

I’m dreaming. I have to be dreaming.

I pinched my arm.

Nope, not dreaming.

“You really are here. No need to pinch yourself!”

I looked up and saw the owner of the hotel, Mrs. Montclair, standing in front of me with a wide smile on her face. Her grayish-blonde hair was pulled up in a bun, and she wore a black pantsuit that showcased a rather impressive figure. She had mentioned once that she ran five miles every day with her husband. Here’s hoping there’s something in the Texas water because this woman looks amazing. The closer she got, the more I found it hard to believe she was in her mid-sixties as she’d previously stated.

“Mrs. Montclair, it’s so nice to meet you in person!”

I extended my hand to shake hers, but she brushed it away before pulling me into her arms and hugging me. Not just a friendly hug. A hug that said she was glad to see me.

“I was so worried about you being stuck in Chicago all alone,” she said, pulling back and giving me a quick once-over. “You appear to be well. No harm done.”

No harm at all.

My nerves were still rattled by the encounter with Roger, so I willed myself to give her the brightest smile I could. “I’ve never been better. I’m so excited to start this new adventure, Mrs. Montclair. I’ve already got a few ideas about how we can expand the marketing on—”

She held up her hand. “First off, you’re a part of The Montclair family now, Annalise. We all go by our first names here. You can call me Patty.”

With a nod, I said, “Patty it is, then.”

“Second, no business right now. I want to get you settled into one of the cabins. Then we’ll do a tour of everything and introduce you to the rest of the crew. Everyone came in this afternoon so they could meet you.”

“That’s so sweet.”

Patty smiled before she motioned for me to follow her.

“As you know, we have forty different accommodations on site. Much smaller than what you’re used to, but each unique in their own way.”

“I’m all about the intimacy of this hotel. I’m extremely excited about the change.”

Another brilliant smile spread over her face. “It is a rather charming hotel, isn’t it? From the time the hotel was built in 1860 as a home for Mr. and Mrs. Philip Stein, it’s stood out in the community of Boerne. Of course, being located on the Cibolo Trail has always made the property more popular.”

The hotel sat on a beautiful piece of property, a stone’s throw from the Cibolo Creek. It was surrounded by massive cypress, oak, and elm trees that made the hotel feel as if it was in the middle of nowhere when, in reality, it was only a block from Main Street and a plethora of retail stores and restaurants. If you looked up charming in the dictionary, this hotel would be pictured.

“I cannot wait to see it in the fall,” I said, glancing around. “I imagine, with all these trees, it looks beautiful.”

“Oh, it is. And spring. Just wait until spring, darling. The wildflowers that surround the gazebo in the back are stunning. You’ll see why we book so many weddings back there.”

We walked out the back door and stepped onto the hotel’s back porch. The lobby was located in the oldest structure on the property: the original house. Years later, two sides had been built onto the main in order to expand the hotel. A wide courtyard sat in front of me with tables, benches, rocking chairs, and a large oak tree that sat in the middle of it all. Strands of Edison lights were draped from the branches to the buildings. To the back left of the courtyard were two large grills. Next to them sat an old buggy.

“I meant to ask you when you were giving me the tour on FaceTime, Mrs.…er…Patty—what’s the story behind the old buggy?”

Patty had sent me video after video showing me the entire hotel and the property it sat on. Not to mention hundreds of photos.

Her eyes lit up as we walked to the roped-off item in question. “This buggy belonged to the original owners of the property. Mr. Stein bought it for his wife so that she could travel to visit friends. It was his way of showing their wealth at the time. Mr. Stein wanted to make his presence well known in town.”

I glanced back at the old buggy, which was still in pretty good condition, but it didn’t look anything like something you would be showing your wealth off with. I hadn’t meant to, but I frowned.

Patty laughed. “Trust me, back in the 1860s, this was beautiful.”

“I’m sure it was,” I replied with a slight chuckle.

“Over the years, my husband and I have traveled all over the country collecting old cabins and buildings to add to the property.”