Chapter 5

five

BEN

On Monday afternoon I rushed into the guest cottage at the back of my property. Thankfully, I'd made the bed last night, added fresh towels to the small bathroom, and filled the refrigerator with milk, bread, and butter.

I placed a gift-wrapped basket of local produce on the dining room table and opened the French doors leading onto the deck. A gentle breeze drifted into the cottage, adding the scent of pine and spruce to the calm interior.

When I'd moved to Sunrise Bay, I'd looked for a property that could give me an income. I had big dreams on a tight budget and, at one stage, doubted whether I could afford to live here. But after five weeks of annoying the local realtor, I'd finally found the perfect property.

Honeysuckle Cottage was a cute, three-bedroom home on the outskirts of town. It had everything I wanted, including a second, smaller cottage sitting forlornly under an old oak tree.

Both cottages had spectacular views of Willow Lake and had the potential to become something special. It was the "potential" that had turned away most people. But I was used to hard work. After six weeks of remodeling, Honeysuckle Cottage looked incredible.

Armed with even more determination to make the second cottage a unique vacation experience, I'd spent long days stripping drywall, plastering, painting, and replacing the kitchen.

After twice as much time as I thought I'd need, I was now the proud owner of two pretty cottages overlooking one of Colorado's best-kept secrets.

The house closest to the water had become Acorn Cottage and, to my surprise, I had bookings right through to Christmas. If it weren't for a last-minute cancellation, my next guest wouldn't have been able to stay.

With a final look around the living room, I walked outside and ran a critical eye over the yard. By the end of next week, I'd need to mow the lawns and give the hedge between the two cottages a trim. Hopefully, I could tidy the yard when my guest was fishing or visiting the towns dotted around Willow Lake. If he wanted to stay close to the cottage, I'd find a time that suited both of us.

The sound of a vehicle traveling over the gravel driveway made me frown. Mr. Devlin wasn't supposed to arrive for another two hours.

I looked at my baggy tracksuit pants, the T-shirt that had been a favorite for the last five years, and my paint-splattered sneakers. At this rate, my new guest would mistake me for the gardener.

Taking a deep breath, I straightened my shoulders. Regardless of what I was wearing, I was sure my latest guest would be impressed with the cottage.

Taking long, confident strides, I walked around the edge of my house. While Mr. Devlin parked his black SUV in the shade of the old oak tree, I silently rehearsed everything I needed to tell him.

Before my guests arrived, I usually asked them what activities they were interested in doing. That way, I could have some options ready for them to explore. But this reservation had only been made three days ago and my request for more information had gone unanswered. Because of the timing of his booking, I'd assumed it was because he was traveling to Colorado and couldn't reply.

My eyebrows rose when Daniel Devlin stepped out of his vehicle. Of all the people I'd greeted, none of them had been wearing a crisp white business shirt and dark trousers. That wasn't to say he didn't look good, because he did. But it was unusual. I half expected him to reach into the back seat and pull on a tie and jacket.

Stepping forward, I held out my hand. "Welcome to Acorn Cottage, Mr. Devlin. I'm Ben Harper."

"It's nice to meet you." Warm brown eyes settled on my face. "You can call me Daniel. Do you own the cottage?"

"I do. How was your flight from New York City?" Crossing my fingers, I hoped he'd left from there. All I knew about Daniel was that he lived in Manhattan.

"It was what I expected." He turned and looked at the view of the lake. "You made a good decision when you purchased this property. You don't see views like this from many homes."

I followed his gaze. Willow Lake looked like a polished jewel against the clear, blue sky. "I'm lucky I found it. I hope you enjoy the next two weeks."

"So do I," Daniel muttered.

For someone who'd traveled a long way to be here, he didn't seem very excited. "If you're interested in fishing or spending time on Willow Lake, there are some great tours you can join. Or if you prefer to drive around the lake, I can give you suggestions of places you might like to visit."

"Thanks, but that won't be necessary. I won't be going far from Sunrise Bay."

I wasn't worried about what he wanted to do, as long as he enjoyed his vacation. "In that case, the folder of information on the coffee table will be helpful. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. I live in Honeysuckle Cottage, the house you drove past to get here."

I took a key out of my pocket and handed it to Daniel. "This is for your front door. I don't usually use the security alarm, but if you'd like to use it, I can give you the code."

Daniel nodded. "I'd appreciate that. I plan on catching up on some work while I'm here. I don't want to worry about someone taking my laptop."

I froze. "Were you planning on using the Internet?"

"It's the only way I can look at my files."

My heart sank. I couldn't afford for him to leave. If the Internet was a big issue, I could end up with a two-week vacancy that would never get filled. "When you booked the cottage, I made it clear that it doesn't have Internet access."

Daniel's eyes widened, but he didn't say anything.

I had to come up with a solution before he jumped into his SUV and drove into town. "I have satellite Internet at my house. We could organize something, so you have access to the connection all the time."

Daniel pulled out his phone and checked the screen. "Don't worry. At least there's cell phone coverage. I can use my phone as a hot spot."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "I've left a gift basket of locally grown produce on your dining room table and inside the refrigerator is milk and butter. If you need anything else, the general store's a good place to visit. I'll take your suitcase inside."

Daniel grabbed the handle. "It's okay. I'll do it."

I stepped away. A handsome, workaholic businessman whose life wasn't complete without the Internet had just walked into my life. And, no doubt, he'd leave just as quickly if his cell phone stopped working.

"I'll let you get settled. My cell phone number's in the information pack. If you need anything, just ask." I sent him what I hoped was a sincere smile before leaving him to unpack.

At least for now, he was staying. And hopefully, if he enjoyed his visit, he'd tell his friends about the pretty cottage beside Willow Lake.