Page 83 of The Accidental Innkeeper
When I finally got back, Jason helped me unload the car, and together we rearranged tables, shifted chairs, and set up the bar area where he’d work later that night.
Around mid-afternoon, the guests started arriving.
And when I say guests, I mean women exclusively, enthusiastic and sparkly.
The first one swept through the front door like she’d been waiting her whole life for this moment, oversized sunglasses still on despite being indoors, rolling a suitcase that probably cost more than my car. Behind her came another. And another. Heels clicking. Jewelry clinking. Laughter echoing up the staircase like champagne bubbles. Were they already drunk? Probably.
Yeah. This was that kind of weekend.
“Welcome to the Hartwell Inn,” I said, slipping into hostess mode as naturally as I could. “You must be here for Pearls & Pints.”
“We are,” one woman said breathlessly, already scanning the room like she expected eligible men to be hiding behind the coat rack. “Is this where the bachelors will be?”
“Eventually,” I said. “Tonight is cocktails and mingling. The auction is tomorrow.”
A collective murmur rippled through the group.
“Good,” another woman said, adjusting a pearl necklace the size of a small planet. “I need time to assess.”
Assess what, exactly, I wasn’t sure. Bone structure? Net worth? Ability to change a tire? I had a feeling this wasn’t going to be as innocent as Helen suggested.
Names followed. I scribbled them down as fast as I could.
“Linda.”
“Catherine—with a C.”
“Oh, we’re sisters.”
“No, not those sisters.”
“Yes, we’re both single.”
“No, we didn’t plan to bid on the same man.”
That one came with a smile that suggested otherwise.
Jason appeared at my elbow like a sainted intern, ready to help.
“Jason will take your bags up to your rooms,” I said. “If you’ll just let him know which one’s yours.”
They descended on him immediately, pointing and explaining.
“This one’s fragile.”
“This one’s shoes.”
“That one’s… full of toys,” said a redhead, giggling.
Right. I could imagine, unfortunately.
Jason’s face turned a few shades redder. He nodded solemnly and hoisted luggage like a champ. Helen’s nephew had never showed up to help, so Jason had agreed to help with the luggage—a true lifesaver. Plus, he was going to get a nice fat bonus at the end of the week.
As more women arrived, the sparkle factor increased. Pearls everywhere. Earrings. Bracelets. Rings. One woman had layered necklaces like she was personally funding the oyster industry. It was a wonder she could walk around.
“So,” someone stage-whispered as I handed over a key, “how many bachelors are we talking?”
“A curated selection,” I said diplomatically.
