The Inn at Willa Bay - Nicole Ellis Page 0,2

to stay there long-term, but unfortunately, even in the wedding capital of the Pacific Northwest, there wasn’t much room for advancement in the industry. If this didn’t work out, she wasn’t sure what her future held.

“Well, stop worrying about it.” Meg gave her a quick hug. “I’ve got to get things prepped for the dinner rush before Taylor comes back. I’m off tomorrow and Thursday, but I’ll see you at the Wedding Crashers meeting, okay?”

“Sounds good.” Zoe gulped the last of her lukewarm coffee and placed the cup in the commercial dishwasher. “Is your mom coming to the meeting on Friday?”

A shadow crossed Meg’s face. “I think so. She has her one-year cancer checkup that day and a scan, so it depends on how she’s feeling.”

Zoe nodded. When Debbie Briggs was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago, Meg had been working as a sous-chef in Portland, Oregon. Being hundreds of miles away while her mom underwent chemotherapy treatments had been stressful, and Meg had eventually moved back home to Willa Bay to be closer to her family. Debbie had been cancer-free for a year now, but Zoe knew it was something that was always on her friend’s mind.

Zoe squeezed Meg’s arm reassuringly. “She’s going to be fine.”

Meg pressed her lips together, then nodded. “I know. But I’ll feel better when the scan tells me that too.” She picked up a chef’s knife and expertly diced a carrot, sliding it to the corner of her cutting board before starting on the next one.

Zoe took that as her cue to leave. She exited the kitchen, ducking into her office to grab her purse and lightweight rain jacket. When she came back out into the hallway, she stopped short. The Lodge’s owner, George, was standing in front of his office, chatting with an unfamiliar man wearing a preppy polo shirt and khaki pants. She started to greet George, but he averted his gaze and hurriedly ushered the man into his office.

Her blood ran cold. What was going on? George was never overly friendly, but he was usually cordial and professional, so this was out of character for him. Who was his mystery guest? She knew she was probably being paranoid, but she couldn’t help but wonder if he was interviewing someone for Joan’s job. Event manager was a key position at the Lodge and carried with it a great deal of responsibility. Did he not think she was up to it?

Her grandfather often said worrying didn’t solve anything, and he was right. She forced herself to head outside to her car, taking deep breaths of the salt- and floral-scented air. By the time she’d pulled out of the staff parking lot and onto the main road leading into town, she was feeling better.

The town of Willa Bay was located about an hour north of Seattle, hugging the coastline for a few miles before the road turned inland. Most of the commercial area centered on Main Street bordered by the Willomish River before it flowed into the bay. It had once been a planned resort community for Seattleites before air travel became a popular mode of transportation. Zoe passed by the entrance to Main Street and drove over the red bridge that linked the northern and southern sections of town. Although most of Willa Bay was within walking distance, the cottage she rented was on the far side of town from the Lodge, so she preferred to drive to work to save time.

About a mile from the bridge, she turned down a gravel road to get to the old Inn at Willa Bay. A canopy of trees cast shadows across the driveway, making it difficult to maneuver around the deep potholes pocking the surface. As much as she loved her landlord, property maintenance wasn’t Celia’s strong suit.

She parked in front of her cottage which was one of twenty guest houses on the property, most with stunning views of the water. When she’d moved in, she’d painted hers a light turquoise, giving it a cheery appearance that set it off from the rest. Once upon a time, the others had also sported charming pastel hues, but now their siding was faded and rotting in places. It saddened her to compare the cottages’ current appearance to how they must have looked when the resort was in its heyday.

At least she’d been able to save one of them, and it had been a lifesaver for her. Real estate in Willa Bay wasn’t cheap, and she’d struggled