“It’s a stud wall,” Harry said importantly.

Instantly, Liam’s face shifted into mutinous lines. “I wanna build a stud wall.”

“Next time.” Beckett collared him. “Watch yourself. Construction site rules.”

“I builded a platform. You can stand on it,” Murphy explained. “Now it’s lunch break, and we get pizza.”

He’d lost track of time, Ryder realized.

“I’m going to get them cleaned up,” Beckett said.

“And we get to play video games first. I got three dollars.” Liam waved the bills in the air.

“Yeah, yeah.” Ryder reached for his wallet at Harry’s quiet look. “You earned it.”

“Thanks! Are you going to have lunch with us?”

“I’ll be over in a while. I’ve got a couple things to finish up.”

“Owen’s over at the new restaurant, running some things with Avery. He said twenty.”

“That works.”

“Okay, troops, let’s go clean up.”

Hope caught sight of them from the kitchen window, Beckett and his little men. Sweet, she thought. Heading to Vesta for lunch, she imagined.

She should probably grab something soon herself, she decided, before her guests came back and she didn’t have a chance. She’d already done her room checks, gathering up glasses and cups and other assorted debris. And she needed to order more coasters, and guest towels for The Lobby restroom. More mugs, she reminded herself, as guests tended to walk off with them.

But right now, the inn was quiet and empty, with all the women off getting pampered and Carolee off with Justine looking at tiles and flooring—and whatever else they thought of—for the fitness center.

The cleaning crew would be along in an hour to turn and clean the guest rooms. Then she’d do her recheck. So she’d just finish making this pitcher of iced tea, restock the refrigerator with water and soft drinks. Then take a quick break before doing her orders and filing.

But even as she set the pitcher on the island beside a bowl of fat purple grapes, the Reception bell rang.

No deliveries on the schedule, she thought, but occasionally a guest forgot their key—or someone came by hoping they could wander through.

She started around, her innkeeper’s smile in place.

It faded completely when she saw the man through the glass of the door.

He wore a suit, of course, pearl gray for summer. The tie, with its perfect Windsor knot echoed the exact same shade and a contrasting stripe in rich crimson.

He was bronzed and gold, tall and lean, classically, glossily handsome.

And completely unwelcome.

With reluctance, Hope unlocked the door, opened it. “Jonathan. This is unexpected.”

“Hope.” He smiled at her, all easy charm—as if hardly more than a year before he hadn’t dumped her like last year’s fashion. “You look wonderful. A new hairstyle, and it suits you.”