Page 3 of Valentine On Palmar Island

He glanced at his watch. The Pelican Inn's steps really could use some work, and he did promise to help Charlotte navigate the restoration sites safely.

It was just part of the job, he told himself, packing up his tools. Nothing more than that.

The Pelican Inn's front steps creaked under Grant's boots as he climbed to the wraparound porch. He'd rebuilt these steps himself five years ago, and already they needed attention again. The salt air was relentless.

"About time you showed up." Jacob Oswald, the general contractor, met him at the door. "Got a situation with the parlor's crown molding you need to look at."

Grant followed Jacob inside, inhaling the familiar smell of sawdust and old wood. The Inn's renovation was moving along. Drop cloths covered antique furniture, and tools were scattered across makeshift workbenches.

"See here?" Jacob pointed to a section of molding that had partially separated from the ceiling. "Previous owner tried to repair it with construction adhesive."

Grant shook his head, running his hand along the decorative trim. "Amateur fix. We'll need to—" The sound of car doors closing outside interrupted him.

Through the window, he watched Charlotte unload her camera equipment, the dog dancing around her feet. She'd tied her dark hair back today, and her cheeks were pink from the cold.

"I'll grab my tools," Grant said, maybe a bit too quickly. Jacob's knowing look suggested he wasn't being subtle.

By the time Charlotte entered, Grant was already working on the molding. She paused in the doorway, taking in the scene. "Should I come back later?"

"No, you're fine." Grant climbed down from his ladder. "I can show you around if you'd like. There are some interesting architectural details you might want to capture."

Charlotte's face lit up. "That would be great." She adjusted her camera strap, while the stray trotted past them to investigate a corner.

"The fireplace is original," Grant said, leading her toward the massive stone structure. "Those carved medallions? They tell the story of the family who built this place. See how this one shows a ship?"

Charlotte leaned in close, her camera forgotten for the moment. "The detail is incredible. Who did the carving?"

"Local craftsman named Thomas Wheeler. Story goes he fell in love with the owner's daughter while working on it." Granttraced the intricate pattern with his finger. "You can see his initials hidden in the corner here."

"Did he get the girl?"

"Actually, yeah. Their grandson still lives in the area."

Charlotte smiled, already raising her camera. "I love that. These aren't just buildings, are they? They're stories."

"Exactly." Grant watched as she framed her shot, appreciating how carefully she considered each angle. A crash from behind them made them both jump.

“Milo,” she called, “Get over here.”

The dog had knocked over a container of nails, looking entirely too pleased with himself.

"Sorry" Charlotte hurried to help clean up, but Grant was already laughing.

“Milo's got your enthusiasm for exploring every corner," he said, earning a mock glare from Charlotte.

They worked their way through the Inn, Grant pointing out details while Charlotte photographed them. In the grand dining room, afternoon sun slanted through the wavy glass windows, casting patterns across the hardwood floor.

"This light is perfect," Charlotte murmured, adjusting her settings. Her face glowed in the warm light as she worked, completely absorbed in capturing the moment.

"What made you choose photography?" Grant found himself asking.

Charlotte lowered her camera, considering. "I love how a single image can tell an entire story. Like this room." She gestured around them. “You can almost see the dinner parties, the celebrations, all those moments frozen in time." She paused. "What about you? Why restoration?"

"These buildings, they're part of who we are here. Every time we save one, we're keeping those stories alive." Grant ran hishand along the dining room's chair rail. "Most people just see old buildings. But they're more than that."

"I'm starting to understand that," Charlotte said softly. "Thank you, by the way. For sharing all this with me. It adds so much depth to what I'm trying to capture."

Grant felt warmth spread through his chest at her words. "Just doing my job," he managed, though they both knew that wasn't entirely true.

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