Page 23 of Forbidden Dreams
"I love the idea of more counter space. It's so much better than these individual porcelain sinks."
"If you're here for a dance, the bathroom should be a respite from the noise and people. You come in here to escape," I continued.
She turned to face me. "You don't like large events?"
I shrugged my shoulders, feeling self-conscious under her scrutiny. "I'm not one for suits and ties."
She arched a brow. "I bet you'd be devastating in a tux."
That caused me to pause. Had she just admitted that she thought I was attractive?
Then she waved her hand. "Most men are."
Had she meant it as a compliment and only retreated when she realized how it sounded, like she was attracted to me specifically?
She moved around the room. "We'll update the plumbing, renovate the entire space so that it's a bathroom you'd actually want to spend time in. Is that about right?"
"Morgan still has to inspect the electrical. I'm sure he'll need to bring everything up to code."
Her nose wrinkled. "The question is, will Natasha and Eve want to spend that much money right now? They've already done a lot of repairs."
"I'm assuming the ballroom demands a high rental fee, and any updates will pay for themselves. But that's their decision to make." So far, they'd been on board with most of our recommendations, but this was a financial decision. They might decide to be more conservative for now.
"I love your ideas. I think it could be amazing."
"I hope Eve agrees with you." It was a good job for us to take on, an opportunity to showcase our abilities. I was always thinking about word-of-mouth referrals, which were the best for bringing in new customers.
She led the way back to the ballroom. "What's the next step?"
I forgot that Aspen hadn't worked on anything like this before. "I'll prepare an estimate and create a few renderings of possible design options. Then Eve and Natasha will ask any questions they have and make a decision."
Aspen frowned. "Is there anything we missed?"
"There's a bathroom in the lobby that needs to be checked too."
She sighed. "The one in the lobby is tiny and cramped. The ones in the restaurant are slightly bigger but still outdated."
We walked through both spaces, discussing the possibilities. Thankfully, it was quiet this time of day between the breakfast and lunch services.
The memory of the fire in Reina's bakery was fresh in everyone's mind. She could have died while she was asleep if not for Morgan rescuing her. I didn't want there to be a similar situation in this kitchen. "I'd recommend doing the electrical updates in the kitchen."
"I'm sure Natasha and Eve will agree."
A fire in the restaurant would have devastating consequences for the inn. We walked toward the lobby.
Finally, Aspen said, "I think I know why I never wanted a full-time job before. There's a lot of responsibility."
"There's pressure for sure. You're running a business now."
She nodded. "I'm getting that."
"Are you having second thoughts about your new job?"
She let out a slow breath. "I have moments when I'm questioning what am I doing, and I want to go back to how things were before. But at other times, I feel excited as if this is what I'm supposed to be doing. It's a weird combination."
"I can understand that." I had to take some risks to get where I was today. If I wanted a change, I needed to be the one who made it. But Aspen was different. She'd had a good childhood growing up, stability, and love. Everything that I didn't have.
She turned to face me. "This is crazy, right? I should stick to my front counter job at the inn."
