Page 52 of Coming Home to Maple Tree Lodge

‘So the rooms aren’t quite ready for our first visitors this afternoon?’ asked Faye, with a smile. ‘Not that I’m sure they’ll mind too much.’

‘Visitors?’ asked Lily, looking a little alarmed. ‘We’ve got our first guests already?’

Ben laughed and shook his head. ‘Definitely not,’ he told her. ‘My best friends are coming down for the weekend. Maple Tree Lodge has still got another month until 1 December when we finally open.’

‘Thank goodness for that,’ she said, leaning back in her chair and looking relieved.

He was relieved too because they would need the whole month to finish all the communal areas, such as the entrance hall, lounge and dining room. Plus the website needed updating and then there was the big marketing campaign which they so desperately needed but couldn’t afford. There was still a lot to do and he was grateful that his best friends were arriving later that day.

He listened in as Hannah explained to Lily who they were.

‘Jake and Alex went to college with Ben,’ said Hannah. ‘And they’ve been best buddies ever since.’

‘Are they architects as well?’ asked Lily, looking across the table at Ben.

He laughed. ‘Absolutely not,’ he told her. ‘Jake is a chef and Alex is an accountant.’

‘Alex is also a triathlete,’ added Hannah. ‘That’s how he spends nearly all of his spare time. He’s won all sorts of competitions.’

‘And next spring he’s aiming really high,’ said Ben. ‘He texted me last weekend to say that he’s been entered into the Commonwealth Games.’

‘How exciting,’ said Faye.

Ben nodded. Only he and Jake knew how much pressure their friend was under to achieve a gold medal. Alex’s father was relentless in his training and Ben was grateful that Alex had managed to find time in his hectic schedule to stay for the weekend.

In fact, he was eager to see both of his best friends’ reactions to the makeover and found himself pacing up and down outside until they finally arrived in Jake’s car later that afternoon.

They greeted each other with a hearty hug.

Ever since they had met in the college bar in freshers’ week, there had been an instant connection between the three men. Which, given how different their circumstances were, was remarkable in itself.

‘You’re looking wrecked, mate,’ said Jake, ever the jokey charmer as he clapped Ben on the back.

As usual, Jake was full of laid-back style, from his soft but ever so expensive leather jacket to his dark hair gelled into place.

‘Cheers,’ said Ben, rolling his eyes. ‘And there was me thinking I looked OK.’

‘You look great,’ Alex told him.

Where Jake was the joker, Alex was the quiet, thoughtful one of the group. He was a gentle giant, over six feet tall with defined muscles from years of training and competing.

They all walked towards the new front door, now framed with two large bay trees dotted with fairy lights. In the darkening light of a November evening, they looked very pretty.

As they headed inside, Hannah rushed out of the kitchen to greet them.

‘Hello!’ she said, heading towards them.

‘Hannah! Sweetheart, you’re looking even more gorgeous than ever,’ said Jake, always the charmer, as he gave her a hug.

Jake had spent most of his summer holidays during college hiding from his parents’ vicious divorce. Ever since then, whenever he had any free time from his busy work life as a chef, he would spend it at Maple Tree Lodge and had grown to love Hannah as his little sister. He flirted with her, just like he flirted with everyone, but it didn’t mean anything to him or to her. Ben wasn’t sure if Jake would ever fall in love with anyone at all, given the toxic nature of his parents’ divorce.

Contrary to Jake’s huge hug and flirtatious manner, Alex was more refined in his manner. Years of athletic toning and conditioning meant that he was rarely out of control or evenshowed emotion. But he was equally fond of Hannah, giving her an awkward hug in greeting as he said, ‘Hey.’

‘Hey yourself,’ she told him, with a warm smile.

‘Don’t remember the old place looking quite this, well, stylish,’ said Jake, blowing out a low whistle as he looked around. ‘No offence. I mean, it was always my favourite place in the world but now, it’s even better.’

‘I agree,’ said Alex, nodding his head enthusiastically. ‘You’ve done an amazing job.’