“It will.” Yes, it would, she realized. She hadn’t been in on the renovations here from the start. Now she’d see another building done from beginning to end. “I’m going to get some work done before check-in.”

“I’m going to run to the market when the cookies are done. Anything you want to add to the list?”

“I think we covered it. Thanks, Carolee.”

“I love my job.”

So did she, Hope thought as she settled into her office. One difficult Montgomery couldn’t spoil it.

She checked her email, smiled at the thank-you note from a previous guest, wrote a memo to fulfill an upcoming guest’s request for a bottle of champagne to surprise his parents on their visit.

She checked reservations—a full house for the weekend—reviewed her own personal calendar.

When the florist arrived, she took the fresh arrangements upstairs to Titania and Oberon. Though she’d already done so, she did a last check of the room to make certain everything was perfect for the new guests.

Following habit and routine, she went into The Library, checked the lights—her daily list included checking all lights and lamps for burned-out bulbs, thank you, Ryder Montgomery. Using her phone, she emailed herself when she found one, added a directive to bring up more coffee disks for The Library’s machine.

She continued downstairs to run the same check on The Lounge, The Lobby, The Dining Room. Then she turned into the kitchen, and had to bite back a yelp when she spotted Ryder in the kitchen helping himself to the cookies.

“I didn’t hear you come in.” How did he move that quietly in those big, clunky boots?

“I just got here. Good cookies.”

“Carolee just baked them. She must still be at the market.”

“Okay.”

He just stood, eating his cookie, staring at her with his dog at his feet, grinning. The doggie grin led her to conclude he’d also enjoyed a cookie.

The man had cleaned up—mostly. At least he hadn’t tracked demolition dust in with him.

“Well. There’s one on two, and another on three.” She turned away, assuming he’d follow.

“Anybody in the place?”

“We have guests in W&B, but they’re out, and we have guests coming in for T&O. See, now it’s on.” She gestured toward the second wall sconce when they topped the stairs. “I was just up here, and it wasn’t.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Look, you can ask Carolee if you don’t believe me.”

“I didn’t say I didn’t believe you.”

“You act like you don’t.” Fuming a little, she walked up to three. “There! It’s off, as you can see for yourself.”

“Yeah, I can see that.” He went over, lifted off the globe, unscrewed the bulb. “Got a fresh one?”

“I keep some in my apartment, but it’s not the bulb.”