Rose Harbor in Bloom Read Free Page A

luxuriating in not having any demands placed on me first thing in the morning, although Mary Smith would be arriving sometime before lunch. Rover followed me into the kitchen, where I brewed myselfa cup of coffee. I walked out on the front porch, leaning against the round column, holding my mug while Rover did his business, watering the front lawn. When he finished, he leaped up the porch steps, bounding with such energy that I couldn’t keep from smiling.
    The sky was overcast and gray, threatening rain. My hope was the sun would burn off the clouds and eventually shine. Sipping my coffee, I looked over my torn-up yard where I’d hoped to have roses in bloom and slowly exhaled, feeling frustrated and irritated.
    I had some baking I wanted to do that morning, muffins this time. I made a mental note to contact either Grace Harding at the library or Peggy and Bob Beldon, who owned another Cedar Cove B&B, about who I might hire to finish planting the roses and building the gazebo. One thing I could guarantee: whoever took on the job would complete it long before Mark ever would have, had he not quit.
    I went inside and fed Rover, and as I was putting his food back in the pantry, I heard a car door close. Checking my watch, I saw it was early yet, barely seven-thirty. The side door opened, and I heard Hailey call my name.
    “I’m in here,” I shouted back, and Rover hurried over to greet her.
    Hailey Tremont was the high school senior I’d hired, recommended by Grace Harding. Hailey came in twice a week to help me with housekeeping chores and anything else I needed done.
    She rounded the corner, leading into the kitchen. “Morning,” she said, and bent over to pet Rover. She was a pretty girl, petite and sweet-natured. She was small for her age, and looking at her, I found it hard to believe she was eighteen years old.
    A few weeks back Grace had asked if I could use help. Apparently, Hailey’s family owned property next to Grace and her husband’s ranch in the Olalla area. Grace told me Hailey hoped for acareer in the hospitality business and needed a part-time job. It would give the teenager experience and a little nest egg before she headed off to college in the fall.
    “I wanted to see if you needed me Saturday or Sunday,” she asked.
    I knew the high school graduation ceremony was scheduled for this weekend. “What day is your graduation?”
    “Sunday. I could work if you felt you needed me.” She looked down. “My grandparents will be in town and my aunt Melanie, too, but I could stop by.”
    I could use the help on Sunday, but I wouldn’t ask her to come in on the day of her graduation. “Why don’t you come after school today and tomorrow?” I glanced up. “Does that upset your schedule?”
    “No, that’s perfect.” Her eyes brightened when she realized she was free on Sunday.
    I wished I had more hours to give her, but my business was just getting off the ground.
    “I’ll be here this afternoon.”
    “Perfect,” I told her.
    Hailey glanced at her wrist. “I better get to school. It seems a little silly to attend classes when all our assignments are in and we’ve already gotten our grades. I think most of us go simply because we know these are the last days we’ll be together.”
    I remembered my own graduation. It seemed like a lifetime ago. I’d drifted away from most of my high school friends, but stayed in contact with my two best friends. Diane had moved to Texas, was married with two children, and Katie lived in north Seattle. Katie was married with three children. We kept in touch on Facebook and by email, although it’d been far too long since we’d last gotten together. I promised myself I’d make the effort to have Katie over to Cedar Cove soon. She’d seen the inn after I’d first bought it and loved it as much as I did.
    “I better head off to class, or non-class,” Hailey said, and added a short laugh. “I’ll see you later this afternoon.”
    “Great.” I got out the