First Impressions

been alive—was one of Hope’s ancestors.
    Family, to Hope’s mind, ought to be easy and friendly.
    “We have newlyweds in W&B. They look so happy, so fresh and new somehow. The couple in N&N are here celebrating her fifty-eighth birthday. They don’t look new, but they do look happy, and so nice and comfortable. I like giving them a special place to stay, a special experience. It’s what I’m good at.”
    Silence held, but Hope could
feel
the presence. Companionable, she realized. Oddly companionable. Just a couple of women up late, looking out at the night.
    “Carolee will be here early. She’s doing breakfast tomorrow, and I have the morning off. So.” She lifted her glass. “Some wine, some introspection, some feeling sorry for myself circling around to realizing I have nothing to feel sorry for myself about.” With a smile, Hope sipped again. “So, a good glass of wine.
    “Now that I’ve accomplished all that, I should get to bed.”
    Still she lingered a little longer in the quiet summer night, with the scent of honeysuckle drifting around her.
    ***
    When Hope came down in the morning, the scent was of fresh coffee, grilled bacon, and, if her nose didn’t deceive her, Carolee’s apple cinnamon pancakes. She heard easy conversation in The Dining Room. Donna and Max, talking about poking around town before driving home.
    Hope went down the hall, circled to the kitchen to see if Carolee needed a hand. Justine’s sister had her bright blond hair clipped short for summer, with the addition of flirty bangs over her cheerful hazel eyes. They beamed at Hope even as she wagged a finger.
    “What are you doing down here, young lady?”
    “It’s nearly ten.”
    “And your morning off.”
    “Which I spent—so far—sleeping until eight, doing yoga, and putzing.” She helped herself to a mug of coffee, closed her own deep brown eyes as she sipped. “My first cup of the day. Why is it always the best?”
    “I wish I knew. I’m still trying to switch to tea. My Darla’s on a health kick and doing her best to drag me along.” Carolee spoke of her daughter with affection laced with exasperation. “I really like our Titania and Oberon blend. But . . . it’s not coffee.”
    “Nothing is except coffee.”
    “You said it. She can’t wait for the new gym to open. She says if I don’t sign up for yoga classes, she’s signing me up and carting me over there.”
    “You’ll love yoga.” Hope laughed at the doubt—and anxiety—on Carolee’s face. “Honest.”
    “Hmmm.” Carolee lifted the dishcloth again, went back to polishing the granite countertop. “The Vargases loved the room, and as usual the bathroom—starring the magic toilet—got raves. I haven’t heard a peep out of the newlyweds yet.”
    “I’d be disappointed in them if you had.” Hope brushed at her hair. Unlike Carolee, she was experimenting with letting it grow out of the short, sharp wedge she’d sported the last two years. The dark, glossy ends hit her jaw now, just in between enough to be annoying.
    “I’m going to go check on Donna and Max, see if they want anything.”
    “Let me do it,” Hope said. “I want to say good morning anyway, and I think I’ll run down to TTP, say hi to Clare while it’s still my morning off.”
    “I saw her last night at book club. She’s got the cutest baby bump. Oh, I’ve got plenty of batter if they want more pancakes.”
    “I’ll let them know.”
    She slipped into The Dining Room, chatted with the guests while she subtly checked to be sure there were still plenty of fresh summer berries, coffee, juice.
    Once she’d satisfied herself that her guests were happy, she started back upstairs to grab her purse—and ran into the newlyweds as they entered from the rear porch.
    “Good morning.”
    “Oh, good morning.” The new bride carried the afterglow of a honeymoon morning well spent. “That’s the most beautiful room. I love everything about it. I felt like a princess bride.”
    “As you wish,” Hope said, and made them both laugh.
    “It’s so clever the way each room is named and decorated for romantic couples.”
    “Couples with happy endings,” Troy reminded her, and got a slow, dreamy smile from his bride.
    “Like us. We want to thank you, so much, for making our wedding night so special. It was everything I wanted. Just perfect.”
    “That’s what we do here.”
    “But . . . we wondered. We know we’re supposed to check out soon . . .”
    “If