The Inn at Willa Bay - Nicole Ellis Page 0,1

maybe head home for the day.” Joan put in just as many hours as Zoe did, if not more, so it didn’t surprise Zoe that Joan had lost track of time.

Joan shook her head. “Too much to do before I knock off for the day. I could use a cup of coffee though.” She rolled her ergonomic chair backward and stood, resting her hands on the desk for balance. “I’m getting too old for this.”

“Only three more weeks.” Zoe moved into the hallway to allow Joan room to exit the office, then walked with her to the kitchen. “Are you getting excited?”

Joan shrugged. “Yes and no. I’ve been doing this for so long that it’s hard to imagine being retired. Not that we’ll be lazy in our retirement though. Fred has the next few years planned out for us: A trip to Italy, a cruise to Hawaii, and, of course, traveling to see all the kids and their families.” A wistful expression came over her face. “I am looking forward to seeing my grandbabies more often.”

Zoe edged open the door to the kitchen, taking care to make sure there wasn’t anyone on the other side. They walked over to the counter where the chef, Taylor, always had a pot of coffee going for the staff. Joan filled two mugs, handing one to Zoe before leaning against the counter to drink her own.

“How’s it going?” a dark-haired woman in her early thirties asked as she stepped out of the walk-in refrigerator with an armload of fresh vegetables.

“Hey, Meg,” Zoe said. “Things are going pretty good. I think Joan and I finally got all of the details sorted out for the wedding this Saturday.”

Meg Briggs scowled. “I heard things were going haywire with that wedding. I know Taylor is up in arms about all the menu changes. I could have sworn he was going to cancel the event after the seventh time the bride changed her mind about the entrée choices.” She set bags of potatoes and onions on the counter, then neatly stacked whole carrots in a pile, their feathery green fronds hanging over the edge like moss from a tree.

“I think we got it all straightened out.” Joan set her cup on the counter and sighed. “I’m definitely not going to miss dealing with all of the crazy client requests.” She nodded to Zoe. “That’s going to be up to you and whoever George hires to take your place.”

“I’m glad I don’t have to deal with most of the guests in person.” Meg turned to Zoe, and her voice dropped to a whisper. “Has George said anything about you taking over?”

Zoe shook her head. “No, but he’s not always the most organized person in the world. I wouldn’t be surprised if he offers me the job the day after Joan leaves.” She grimaced. “Or maybe he doesn’t think I’m the right person for the position.”

She sipped the strong coffee to distract herself, but truth be told, she was getting a little worried. Joan had announced her retirement plans over a month ago, and although George had made comments indicating he’d be promoting Zoe, he hadn’t said it outright.

“Are you kidding me?” Meg shot her an incredulous look. “Who else would he hire?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, honey. You’re a shoo-in to be my replacement – everyone knows it.” Joan picked up her coffee mug from the counter. “Speaking of work, though, I need to get back to my desk if I want any chance of being home for dinner with Fred tonight.”

“I’m going to finish my coffee and head home,” Zoe said. “I came in at the crack of dawn this morning to work on a client proposal, and now I’m beat.”

“See you in the morning.” Joan left the kitchen, sipping her coffee as she walked out the door.

“Are you sure you want Joan’s job?” Meg eyed the closed door. “She must put in at least sixty hours a week.”

Zoe smiled. “More like eighty hours during the summer. But yes, I’ve always dreamed of being the event manager at a place like this. Even when I was a little kid, I was staging weddings for my Barbie and Ken dolls. I just love seeing the joy on people’s faces at an event I helped organize.”

She’d been working at the Lodge as an event coordinator since graduating from college and had always hoped to move up the ranks when Joan retired. Over the years, Willa Bay had become her home, and she wanted