Page 67 of Coming Home to Maple Tree Lodge

Lily looked around the dining room with a satisfied nod. It looked great, she thought to herself with a smile.

In actual fact, the room hadn’t needed too much work other than painting the walls a deep blue to add depth and warmth to the area. The wooden floorboards had also been polished and the oak beams hadn’t needed anything other than more strings of fairy lights and long garlands of fake tiny flowers which added an ethereal effect to the whole room. It felt fresh in the morning sunshine for breakfast and, if dinner was ever served, it would be more intimate in the evenings.

While the budget didn’t stretch to new furniture, it turned out that the dining-room chairs and tables, built by Walter many years ago, were sturdy enough that they didn’t need replacing. But in order to soften the effect, and the seating as well, she had asked Dotty and Faye to make some new tablecloths, along with matching seat cushions.

To make the area a little more romantic in the evening, old jam jars had been repurposed with tea lights to be placed on each table. She had been impressed and pleased when Faye hadcome up with the idea to press flowers onto the outside of them, giving them a pretty and fresh appearance.

It looked so much better, she thought, pleased with all of their work.

She just had a few minor touches to add to the entrance hall and the hotel was finished. Her finest project to date and her favourite as well.

But along with her pride in a job well done, she couldn’t stop herself feeling incredibly sad. Because once it was done, then she would have to leave. There was no reason for her to stay. And she was sadder about that than anything that she could ever remember.

With a heavy heart, Lily had quietly begun to search around online for both a new job and a new place to live. The rooms she had viewed to rent in London looked depressingly familiar, both in tiny size and bland decoration. Where was the warmth of the wood? The incredible view of the lake? The peace and tranquillity of the surrounding countryside?

But it wasn’t just the four walls of the hotel that she would miss. It was the family as well. She had grown much closer to Hannah these past few weeks and would miss seeing her best friend on a daily basis.

The feeling was reciprocated and Hannah had pleaded and tried to reason with Lily at every moment.

‘The project is finished,’ Lily had told her. ‘There’s no need for me to stay. I have to find a job. What would I do here now it’s all decorated?’

‘I don’t know,’ replied Hannah. ‘Can’t you help out in the kitchen?’

Lily laughed. ‘Have you seen my cooking skills? I can open a tin of soup and that’s about it!’

Hannah hadn’t laughed at the joke though and looked downcast. ‘You’re going to stay until after the preview evening, aren’t you?’

‘Of course,’ Lily told her. ‘But after that you’ll be too busy as you’re all going to be inundated with guests.’

She was trying to keep a brave face on it but the truth was that she desperately wanted to stay. But she knew that if she were truly honest with Hannah then her friend would be even more keen for her to remain at Maple Tree Lodge.

But how was it even possible? She needed to get on with her career, didn’t she? However she was finding that the thought gave her no pleasure like it used to. Her mind was taken up with different things these days. The only deadlines were the hotel ones. But then there was the soft light of dawn and the amazing sunsets to enjoy. The way the view changed every passing day as the seasons moved on. Then there was the family. She loved being part of the family dinners and all their raucous laughter and gentle teasing.

‘Wind’s getting up,’ said Walter, suddenly appearing next to her.

Lily glanced outside and saw the trees swaying from side to side, buffeted by the predicted gales that were due to arrive at any moment.

‘I’m sure the hotel will be all right,’ she told him.

‘Of course it will,’ he replied. ‘This place has survived everything that Mother Nature has thrown at it.’ He looked around the dining room. ‘I must say, it’s never looked quite so stylish as it does these days.’

‘Did I do OK, Walter?’ she asked, suddenly anxious to find out.

He nodded and gave her a smile. ‘You did,’ he told her. ‘Thank you.’

‘Thank you for letting me stay for so long.’

Walter looked at her with his fierce grey eyes. ‘It’s your home now. Whenever you want to come back, you’ll always be welcome.’

Lily felt the emotion rise in her throat, suddenly unable to speak. So she nodded, furiously blinking away the tears. Home. It was a bewitching idea, that one true place that she had longed for so many years. And yet it wasn’t hers. She had to work, didn’t she? Continue her interior design career, which she had given up so much for. Surely that had to be her purpose, her singular idea going forward, no matter the less joy it gave her these days, she found.

Ben appeared at the doorway. ‘There you are,’ he said, with a smile.

Lily smiled back and the thought leapt into her head. I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to leave the lake or this lovely hotel without seeing its success. I love this family. I love living here. I don’t want to leave Hannah.

And Ben. She especially didn’t want to leave Ben.

As Walter wandered away, they were left alone in the dining room.