Under The Midnight Sun by Karen Cogan

Author:Karen Cogan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pelican Ventures Book Group

7

Ginny arose at five-thirty to begin breakfast and clean the rooms of the men who were departing for the gold fields. There would be plenty more to take their places. She had eight rooms and could place two in a room, three if another wanted to sleep on the floor. Rooms were in short supply, with many miners pitching tents. She expected to fill the vacant spots as soon as the current occupants pulled out.

Once she cleaned and rented the rooms, she would put out her “All Full” sign that Pete had hand lettered. After that, she could turn her attention to planning menus for occupants who wished to purchase meals while at the hotel.

She had taken inventory of her supplies and knew what she would need for baking. Thanks to Jack, she had meat and fish at hand. And there was a bountiful supply of vegetables in the garden. They were of remarkable size, making her wonder if the soil was better than that in San Francisco where she had attempted to raise a few pitiful crops.

When Pete came down, he ate cold bacon and a slice of bread spread thickly with butter.

Ginny made a mental note to make butter the next day. She’d done it every week in San Francisco. If she planned to offer breakfast, she would have to do it more often now.

“I’ll be leaving in a week.” Pete said. “Are you ready to handle this place by yourself?”

His question unsettled her. Was she truly ready to be on her own? She supposed she would find out. Nonetheless, she wanted him to feel he had left his hotel in capable hands.

“I’m ready. I’ll have it running smoothly when you come back. I think we’ll make more money, too, by offering meals.”

“You’re a hard worker, that’s for sure.”

If only he knew. Ginny had worked while other little girls were playing with their dolls. She was cooking, cleaning and planning meals, unable to remember a time when she didn’t. Yet, she didn’t mind. Her mother insisted these were skills she needed. And Ginny did all she could to help her frail, sweet mother. Even now, when she smelled lavender, or paused to admire fabric in a store window, nostalgia and a sense of loss touched her. She remembered how her mother loved the scent, and had once sewn Ginny pretty dresses when they had the money for such things.

“If anything happens to me, I want you to have this place, to keep it open.”

“Nothing’s going to happen to you. You’ll come back rich.” Ginny said it with conviction, not wanting to face the thought of losing her new friend and business partner.

Pete grinned, showing the gap in his teeth. “Of course nothing’s going to happen, but just in case.”

“Thanks, Pete.” She reached out and gave him a spontaneous hug. “I promise I’ll treat this place like my own while you’re gone.”

Pete looked startled, then stiffly hugged back for just a second before disentangling himself. He nodded and wiped the coffee out of his gray whiskers.

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