"It'd be good to talk in person. You think you'd be able to come up here this weekend?"
"Yes. Definitely. Did you want to go over the offer, or what are you thinking?"
"I'd like to go over the changes you want to make. Lois would like to be there too."
"Wait, are you saying—"
"Welcome to the inn business, Aiden."
I let out the breath I was holding. "Tom, I don't know what to say... other than thank you."
He chuckles. "Catch up on your rest now. Running an inn is a lot of work."
"My grandfather used to say the same thing. But he loved it. I have a feeling I will too."
"Have you told Sophie yet?"
"No, I was waiting until you gave me an answer."
"She's on her break. Why don't you give her a call?"
"I will. Thanks again, Tom. We'll talk soon." My heart's pounding and I can't stop smiling. This is really happening. I'm buying an inn.
I call Sophie.
"Hey, good timing. I'm on break."
"Yeah, Tom told me. That's why I called."
"You talked to Tom?" she asks, sounding surprised.
"Just now. He was calling to share some good news."
"What's the news?"
"He's selling me the inn."
"What? Sorry, the reception here isn't very good. It sounded like you said he's selling you the inn."
"I did," I say with a laugh. "I'm buying the inn."
"How is that possible? How do you have that kind of money?"
"I don't, but I've saved enough for the down payment and the rest I'm paying off by giving Tom a percent of the profits."
She doesn't say anything. I check the phone to make sure she's still there.
"Sophie, say something."
"I don't understand. Why would you buy the inn?"
"Because I love it, and I didn't want it being torn down."
I wish I could tell her all this in person but I can't, so I just say it.
"Sophie, I don't want you to go. I want you to stay there and help me run the inn. I have so many ideas for it, one of which involves you."
"What do you mean?"
"I want you to be the event planner. I want the inn to become a place where people come to celebrate. Weddings. Birthdays. Baby showers. I want it to be a place people go to make memories. I've already talked to Tom about adding an addition that would give us event space. Then out back we'd create another area for outdoor events. These are all just ideas. You can decide how you want it to look. I'm sure you'd do better than me." I'm talking so fast I'm out of breath. I pause a moment. "What do you think? Will you do this with me?"
The phone is silent. She doesn't want to do it.
"I know it's a lot to ask," I tell her. "You have a job and you've already planned to move back. I'm just asking you to consider this. To stay in Vermont and help me keep the place going, and hopefully expand it. The event planning would be all yours. You could make it whatever you want. As for running the inn, I'd love your help but if you only want to do the events, I'll handle the other stuff on my own."
The phone gets silent again, then I finally hear her voice. "Where would I live?"
"I was thinking we'd stay at the inn."
"We? So we'd live together?"
"We wouldn't have to. It's up to you."
She's making me nervous. I can't tell if she wants this or not.
"Would we get to stay in our room?" she asks.
"You mean the one we've stayed in before," I confirm.
"Yes."
"I'm the owner, so yeah."
I just called myself the owner. Of an inn. I can't believe this is happening.
"So let me clarify," she says. "I get to run my own event business, live in a beautiful country inn, with the guy that I love? Hmmm. I might need some time to think about that."
"Take all the time you need." I'm smiling now because I know her answer.
We're really doing this.
"Okay, I've made my decision," she says.
"That was fast. So what'd you decide?"
"Yes!" she squeals. "Are you kidding? This is amazing! I can't believe you did this! You're really buying the inn?"
"Just need Tom to sign the deal. He wants this, Sophie. So does Lois. But they didn't want just me. They wanted you too. They think we'll make a good team. So do I. I just wasn't sure you'd agree to it, especially since you'd already taken a job."
"I never wanted to move back there. I took that job because I thought it was my only option. But this... this is better than anything I could even imagine. I'm so happy right now, Aiden. I wish you were here so we could celebrate."
"How about I drive up right now?"
"Don't you have to be at work tomorrow? You said you gave them two weeks."
"I'll call in sick. I have a week of sick days to use. Maybe I'll be sick all week." I go to the hall closet and grab my suitcase. "I'm packing right now. I'll see you tonight."
"It'll be late. Why don't you wait until the morning?"
"I've waited long enough to be with you. Longer than I should have, and I'm sorry for that. All the time we spent apart here in New York was time we should've been together. I'll leave in a few minutes. I'll text when I'm heading out."
"Aiden?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
"I love you too. I'll see you soon."
As I hurry to pack, I keep thinking how crazy this is, buying an inn and moving to Vermont. But I'm also in love, and love makes you do crazy things.
Sophie awakened a part of me I'd hidden away because it wasn't practical or logical. It was the part of me that dreams of doing something that doesn't fit with what others expect me to do. The part of me that was alive when I was a child, but died when I
