His frown doesn’t budge as he lumbers down the stairs, wood creaking under each heavy step. As he rounds the desk, I catch a rich, earthy whiff of campfire and maybe a hint of leather.
“Is it possible you didn’t see my reservation? It doesn’t really look like technology is your strong suit.” I wave a hand in the vague direction of the clunky laptop.
“Yeah, technology is real hard to come by for kidney-stealing backroad Canadians,” he grumbles, tapping his calloused finger on the counter impatiently as he waits for the laptop to boot up.
Unease settles along my spine as I mentally replay my call with Crystal wherein I took my sarcasm too far and insulted this place. But what does he expect? And trust, my expectations were not high. But this is a construction zone. There are exposed wires in the parlor.
I consider an apology, but before the words come to me, he grumbles something unintelligible and hunches over the keyboard. Whoever constructed this desk didn’t take someone of his height into consideration. He stabs the keyboard with his index finger, squinting at the screen with effort. “You requested the reservation, but it wasn’t confirmed.”
Crap.
In all the stress, I was just so happy there was any availability at all that I forgot about awaiting confirmation from the host, aka this miserable man, who single-handedly disproves the theory that all Canadians are nice.
“Can’t you just confirm it right now?” I ask, flashing my Instagram smile, hoping it’ll brighten his mood.
His eyes flare with deep irritation. “No. We’re not open.”
“But you are, according to Airbnb.” I point to the link on my phone screen, which he waves off like a pesky housefly.
“Must be a glitch. Sorry, Your Royal Highness. You’ll have to find alternative accommodations. I hear the Ritz Carlton down the street has vacancy.” He conjures up the briefest half-hearted, crooked smile, which makes him look more constipated than smug.
“Can you please just let me stay for one night? I’m desperate,” I plead.
“No. We’re under construction, as you can see. Not open.” He gestures to the parlor. His explanation sounds legit, which makes me feel a little better. Until he swaps his baffled expression for wariness. “Wait—you’re not some developer, are you?”
“Does it look like I’m in the market to purchase a decrepit”—I I bite my tongue when his glare ensnares mine—“an inn in dire need of repairs?”
His jaw clenches, but he doesn’t respond.
“I promise to find somewhere else to go in the morning,” I plead.
“Best of luck with that,” he says cryptically. “It’s fishing season.”
I drop my shoulders. “So I’ve been told.”
“I don’t suppose you’re here for fishing?” His lips tilt disarmingly, and for a split second, I wonder if he’s joking. Before I can make a judgment call, it disappears, replaced with another glower.
“Yeah, I’m a pro angler,” I say, tone rife with sarcasm. “I’m supposed to be staying at the Seaside Resort outside of Halifax. It’s a five-star luxury resort, actually. It was even featured on the Real Housewives.”
He treats me to a bored stare.
“Can you please just make an exception? I have to pee. Badly. I’ll pay double,” I beg. I even toss in a pouty lip. There goes my last shred of dignity. “You can even have my kidney, struggle free. I won’t fight it.”
The joke doesn’t land. He’s about to wave a dismissive hand at me when a shrill voice bellows from the room off the parlor.
“Evan! Why are you being such a dick-wad? This is not how you treat guests.” A woman barrels around the corner and gives Evan a smack on the biceps. She looks about my age, rail thin, with thick, fire-engine-red hair. She’s dressed in an oversize sweater with multicolor patchwork that looks like something Crystal and Tara’s Grandma Flo would crochet. She’s paired it with yellow leggings that give me Big Bird flashbacks.
She must be his wife. Pity overcomes me on her behalf. Having to deal with this man’s mood day in and day out would be a special kind of torture. Maybe I should pull her aside and subtly ask if she needs saving. I’d be prepared to smuggle her over the border in the name of sisterhood.
“She’s not a guest.” Evan crosses his arms, tormented as the woman saddles up next to him, greeting me with a wide, toothy smile that just radiates good intentions.
“I am a guest,” I retort.
“You’re not.”
“I am.” Jesus, I feel like a small child.
“Just because you say it over and over doesn’t make it true,” he says, gaze searing.
“Ignore him. He gets like this when he hasn’t eaten,” the redhead advises with an exaggerated eye roll.
I raise a brow. I get hangry too, and you don’t see me lashing out at innocent strangers.
She goes on her tiptoes, extending her pale, bony hand over the desk. She hip checks Evan out of the way in the process, which gives me a pang of satisfaction. Realistically, her tiny size 2 frame is no match for him. He moves because she wants him to move, which makes me feel guilty for assuming she’s a helpless housewife. She strikes me as a woman who demands to be noticed and gives zero fucks. I like her already.
“I’m Lucy. What’s your name and where ya from?” She has a countryish twang in her voice that’s much different from southern accents in the States. It’s a little slower, with a heavier emphasis on the vowels.
“Melanie Karlsen—Mel,” I say, taking her hand, thankful to be saved from this caveman. “I’m from Boston.”
Lucy lets out an impressive whistle. “An American. What brings you up here?”
I explain my reservation mix-up, determined to ignore Evan’s scowl. “I’m an influencer, so I came to capture some lifestyle content, see the sights, maybe check out some lighthouses.”
“Well, you’ve come to the right place, then. We have more lighthouses in our area than the entire province combined. Hook Lookout just got a makeover by Garth. Just in time for tourist season. Though Ruth Fraser’s been lobbying to get it repainted. She claims the stripes are too thin and that it’s damaging her retinas,” she adds with a slow shake of the head. Before I can begin to ask, she elbows an unimpressed Evan out of the way again and starts typing furiously on the keyboard. Her nails are painted lilac, with the exception of her ring fingers, which are a glittery silver. “Don’t mind him. I’m getting you the room with the good lighting, then, for photos. And it has the best view in the whole house.”
Evan casts her a ferocious glare. “Seriously, Luce? Tonight, of all nights?”
“Six nights, you said?” she confirms, ignoring Evan like he’s but a speck of dust.
“Yes, please.” I spare Evan an indignant look before he disappears into the parlor in a blur of fury and flannel.
Lucy photocopies my ID and plucks a skeleton key from the corkboard behind the desk. She grabs both suitcases, hoisting them up the stairs with zero effort, high ponytail bobbing up and down with each step. This tiny woman is freakishly strong. What she lacks in height, she makes up for with boundless energy.