Page 20 of Moonshine and Magnolias
“You did well. Friendly and professional.”
Her cousin smiled, giving Wendy a glimpse of why men found her so appealing.
“The Upshaws are in Twelve Oaks,” Wendy said. “We can put our new guests in Peachtree and Bonnie Blue. Did they want connecting rooms? ”
“I think so. He was hard to understand. Had an accent like Sebastien’s.”
Wendy’s head jerked up at the mention of Sebastien’s name. He and Wendy had clicked right off the bat when they met as freshmen, becoming the brother she had never had. Which was good, since the man had been part of the masses that had fallen in love with her cousin, but Brandi never seemed to notice.
“Wasit Sebastien?”
“I don’t think so.” Brandi shrugged. “Sounded older.”
Wendy turned around the book to see what Brandi had written, but the entry was blank. “I guess we’ll find out when they get here.”
Brandi stood in her painted-on jeans and reached for Rob’s papers. “You’ve taken all the fun out of me. I’m going to work on these upstairs and then go to bed.”
“Hold on there.” Wendy rose with her. “Two rooms need to be readied for guests.”
“Now?” Brandi checked the time. “It’s almost ten. Isn’t there something in our welcome guide that says we’re unavailable after ten unless it’s an emergency?”
The faster her cousin learned what to do, the faster Wendy could get back to the life she put on hold without the aching feeling of deserting her family. If she’dbeen on schedule, she’d be finishing up with any Steward Hotel emails and then diving back in to Fountenoy Hall’s extra income. This… thing with Dr. Upshaw had set her back.
And she wasn’t nearly annoyed as she should have been. “So should we leave a note out for our guests? So sorry, but you called too late. Linens are in the closet. Help yourself.”
Brandi stuck out her tongue. “Fine. Enjoy the rest of your evening, Ms. Not-On-Call.” She took two steps out of the office before turning around, hand on her hips. Amusement flickered in her eyes. “You owe me.”
“Yeah? How’s that?”
“Who saved your no-hitter in the championship playoffs?”
Wendy knit her eyebrows. “Gee, it was over five years ago. I don’t remember.”
Brandi laughed.
“Come on.” Wendy guided her cousin to the laundry room. She could double check Brandi’s work under the guise of helping. “We can split the job this one night.”
Chapter 05
The bright digital light of Wendy’s alarm clock ticked the numbers by in slow motion. She turned on her side, willing her eyes to stay closed. After making sure the beds had been made properly, she had dragged her body upstairs and worked on the Terre Haute project until the words ran together.
Exhaustion hadn’t stopped the replay of Rob’s woodsy scent filling her senses as his lips eased closer and closer, near enough that she could clearly see the green flecks in his hazel eyes. And each time, numbness tingled through her hands and feet and she gasped for breath until she thought of something else.
She grabbed her phone where she had left it lined up with the edge of the nightstand and checked the time. A whopping five minutes had passed. Working was better than letting her imagination have free rein. She pulled on her polo shirt and a pair of jeans that slid on without the need for acrobatics. She contemplated getting the ledgers, but math plus lack of sleep equaled stupid accounting mistakes.
When she entered the lobby, Brandi was seated on the chaise lounge with her feet tucked up, grinning at some video on her phone. She yawned, her mouth opened so wide her jaws cracked loud enough to be heard from fifteen feet away.
She looked up as Wendy shuffled across the floor. “What are you doing here?”
“Couldn’t sleep. And you look like you need it. Why don’t you go to bed?”
“No.” Brandi sat up straight. “I’m all in. I told you that.” The conviction in hervoice was new. She might actually believe it herself this time.
“And I’m wide awake,” Wendy said.
“I’m doing okay. Besides.” Her cousin held up her phone, showing a picture of a tabby getting a bath. “Cat videos.”
“Go to bed, Brandi. You can make it up to me another time.”
