Before he could walk to the first porch step, the front door flew open and two adorable little girls stood in the doorway smiling at him. He knew these were the five-year-old twins, but he wracked his brain and couldn’t remember their names. Katie had told him all her sister’s names and ages, but his mind went blank.
One of the little girls called into the house, “Katie, he’s here, and he has flowers.”
The second little girl said, “Hush, Ivy. We’re not supposed to shout.”
Ivy. That was one name, and what was the other, Benjamin thought while standing at the bottom of the porch. Rosie, that was it. Yes, Rosie.
He smiled at the girls. “Good evening Rosie and Ivy. I’m Benjamin.”
“We know,” they both said, giggled, and ran into the house leaving Benjamin standing and staring at the open doorway.
A moment later, Katie appeared. “I’m sorry. Ivy and Rosie are still learning proper manners. Would you like to come in?”
Benjamin was speechless for a moment looking up at the blonde vision in green standing on the porch. He held out the bouquet and stepped forward. “These are for you.”
“Thank you,” Katie said and peeked over the porch railing at the flowers growing around the house. “You didn’t pick these out here, did you?”
“Oh, no, I would never. Michael orders fresh flowers for the Inn and told me to take some. I thought these were the nicest.”
Katie nodded. “With the new men in town trying to win ladies hearts, a few of Miss Edie’s roses have disappeared, and while she is open to love and gifts of flowers, she loves her roses.”
Benjamin took a step up the stairs getting closer to Katie. She smiled again. “I suppose since you didn’t take any of Miss Edie’s flowers, it’s safe to invite you in with your bouquet.”
“These are for you,” Benjamin insisted and frowned. “If I’m in trouble for bringing them, I’ll face your guardians and explain.”
“No, it’s all right. No one will shoot you or chase you with a bat,” Katie explained. “I just needed to be sure you didn’t pick the garden flowers. Please come in.”
Benjamin climbed the last two steps onto the porch and followed Katie into the house. He was greeted by a line of five girls standing in the parlor from youngest to oldest.
Katie looked at her younger sisters and turned to Benjamin. “Benjamin Hunter, I’d like you to meet my younger sisters. You met Rosie and Ivy on the porch.”
Benjamin nodded and had to bite back a grin when the twins did their best to curtsy and nearly fell over. Katie continued, “This is Anna, Meg, and Julia.” Each girl curtsied in turn, and Benjamin bowed from the waist and smiled at each girl.
Katie explained that the babies were asleep, and her sister Maude was out for the evening. They had one more resident, a young woman Cindy Lou, staying with them since the earthquake, but she was out with her beau Peter Bunyan.
Benjamin took a deep breath feeling he’d run the gauntlet and survived because all five girls were smiling. Then he turned when he heard footsteps in the hall and looked into the identical faces of who could only be Miss Edie and Miss Ethel. One was smiling, and one scowled as if he were trespassing. Perhaps he was. Michael told him the guardians were fiercely protective, but he would survive, and even Miss Ethel was not as mean as she portrayed. He assumed correctly that the scowling guardian was Miss Ethel when Katie introduced him.
“Pleased to meet you both,” Benjamin stammered.
“Of course,” Miss Ethel said. Miss Edie added, “Welcome to our home.”
The younger girls scampered off, and Katie invited Benjamin to sit in the parlor. She sat across from him on the settee, and her guardians took chairs near the fireplace.
Miss Edie, still smiling, asked, “Tell us a little about yourself.”
Benjamin visibly swallowed and answered, “I’m twenty-four years old. I grew up in Gentle Falls, Wisconsin. I have two brothers and a sister. Michael and I have been best friends for as long as I can remember. My father owns the carpentry shop, and his father runs the hotel. We grew up as neighbors. My trade is carpentry. I can build houses from the ground up or add details to fine furniture that I also build.”
Miss Ethel squinted. “Do you attend church?”
“Every week, ma’am.”
She nodded but added. “You should have told us that first. It should be your most important quality.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Benjamin answered and did his best to meet the ladies gaze wishing he could look anywhere else. “Please, ask me anything you’d like to know.”
Leaning forward a bit, Miss Edie asked, “Can you repair broken items such as picture frames, cracked crown moldings, or loose window frames?”
Benjamin smiled. This was what he knew best. “Yes, ma’am. I can repair all of those, and if they are damaged beyond repair, I can build new ones to replace them.”
“Splendid,” Miss Edie exclaimed clapping her hands. “You’re exactly what we need.”
Miss Ethel stood. “Follow me. I’ll show what we need before supper is ready.”
Benjamin stood and followed Miss Ethel out of the room hoping he’d be able to repair what they needed. The house didn’t appear to have suffered much damage in the earthquakes, but it takes a trained eye to spot the subtle problems.
As soon as Miss Ethel and Benjamin left the room, Miss Edie turned to Katie. “He’s very handsome and personable. He would make a good husband I think. Do you like him?”
Katie blushed. “Yes, I do, but that’s far from marrying him. I barely know him. I do know that he brought the flowers from the Inn and not your
