North Country Mom. Lois Richer

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ flicked a finger over the bunnies and elephants and giraffes.

      “Giselle likes stuffed toys,” he defended.

      “Yes, but the floor, the bedspread, the lamp, the ceiling light—” She cleared her throat. “It’s a room for a very young girl, Jack,” she said quietly. “I doubt it’s the kind of room a girl Giselle’s age dreams of and I’m guessing that’s what you want.”

      “It’s a lot like her room was in Vancouver.” Jack hated being on the defensive. He’d done this because of Giselle’s complaints about having to relocate to a new, unfamiliar room in Churchill. How had he got it so wrong? “You mean she wants something more grown-up?”

      “In my humble opinion, yes.” Alicia looked relieved that he understood. “Did you tell your designer Giselle’s age?”

      “I can’t remember.” He frowned, trying to recall. “There were so many details with the hotel, so many things I never even thought of. I’m clueless about hotel management, but Laurel convinced me I could run this place with Teddy’s instruction.” He closed his eyes, pushed away the irritation and frustration and thought about it. “I think I said I wanted a special room for my little girl.” He glanced around. “I guess that’s what I got.”

      “You did. But Giselle isn’t a little girl anymore.” Alicia’s gentle voice soothed his hurt feelings. “Part of the process of losing her mom has pushed Giselle to grow up. She’s trying to figure out how to become an adult.”

      “And this room can’t help her do that?” Deflated, he scanned the fripperies he’d been so sure Giselle would love.

      “Let’s just say it’s not an almost-teen room.” He could hear how carefully she chose her words and appreciated her gentleness.

      “Okay.” Jack let go of his disappointment. “How do I get it that way? Because my daughter is not going to live at Lives Under Construction.”

      “You want my help?” Alicia’s brown eyes widened. Jack nodded, his brain noting in passing how pretty she was. She glanced around, then swiveled her gaze back to him. “This might hurt.”

      Did she think he was a wimp?

      “I’m tough,” he said, straightening his spine. “Go for it.”

      Jack kept his face stoic when she asked him to fetch two garbage bags. He remained resolute when she loaded all but two of the soft velvet toys and stuffed animals into the bags. He didn’t even wince when Alicia carefully removed the frilly lace-edged lamps or asked his help to get down the flouncy curtains that blocked the view of Hudson Bay. But when she lifted the ruffled pink spread from the bed, he choked.

      “That cost a fortune,” he muttered.

      Alicia simply raised one eyebrow.

      “Go ahead,” he groaned, holding the bag while she stuffed it inside. The room looked bare and unwelcoming. “Now what?” he demanded.

      “Can I look around your lodge?” Alicia caught her long glossy hair in her hand and twisted it into some kind of knot on her head. She pinned it in place, then said thoughtfully, “There may be some things that we could use to help this room. Otherwise, you’ll have to order stuff in and that could take days.”

      He didn’t have days. He wanted his daughter home where he could keep her safe.

      “Take whatever you need,” Jack told her. He followed her through the hotel. A picture of wildflowers by a local artist graced the area behind the front desk. “Giselle helped me pick that out. She’s got a thing about wildflowers.” His heart took a dive as Alicia studied the painting, then looked at him. “You want that for her room. What do I put in its place?”

      “Something else,” she said quietly. Her gaze met his unflinchingly. This was not a woman who gave up easily. Actually, Jack appreciated that.

      And so it went. Alicia ordered all the pink furniture removed from the room. She chose an armoire from a guest suite to house Giselle’s television, and bedside lamps from his room.

      “But I picked those out specially,” he argued.

      “For your daughter,” Alicia reminded him. She raised one eyebrow. “Right?”

      What could he do but nod to one of the workers who followed, collecting whatever Alicia chose? Jack’s estimation of her abilities rose with every choice she made. A mirror and a silvery gray padded headboard drew everything together—fresh, young, not at all babyish.

      The final result stunned him. Alicia had managed to capture Giselle’s essence and she’d only just met his daughter. Jack looked at her in awe. He’d never guess this quiet, almost solemn woman who’d sat beside him on the train had so much insight.

      “What goes there?” He pointed to the only bare wall in the room, hoping she had a solution. The pink walls now seemed like nothing more than a canvas to showcase all the new furnishings. Except for that wall. If left the way it was, Jack had a feeling Giselle wouldn’t accept the room.

      “You said she likes wildflowers?” Alicia asked, tapping a finger against her bottom lip as she studied him.

      “She collects pictures of them.” A sense of relief filled him. How was it he knew this amazing woman would find a solution?

      “You’ll suspect I did all this to sell you something,” she warned. “But I have three perfect watercolors of local wildflowers in my store—one of white mountain avens, one of purple paintbrush and one of local orchids.”

      “Orchids? Here?” Jack suspected she was joking, but Alicia didn’t smile.

      “Yes, here, though they rely on special fungi on the ground instead of growing in trees like in the tropics. The only thing is the paintings aren’t framed. I wonder...” She wasted only a moment before stepping into the hallway and motioning for him to follow. “Can we use those frames?” she asked, indicating an arrangement on the wall.

      His beautiful lodge looked as if it had been ransacked. But if Jack had to choose between it and Giselle there was no contest. Still...

      “We couldn’t buy some frames locally?”

      “That kind of thing is shipped in,” she said. “Takes time.”

      Jack gave in. “Go get your watercolors while I take those down.”

      “I’ll be right back.” Alicia grinned. “You’re such a dad,” she teased, smiling at him.

      She left and Jack sat down on the poofy chair, which now looked absolutely perfect with its pale green throw. He let his eyes wander through the room. It was perfect for Giselle. His gaze rested on the black desk beneath the window that waited for her to spread out her homework. His girl loved black furniture. He’d refused to buy it before, but somehow Alicia had made it an integral part of this retreat.

      How had she known? Was it a female thing or did she have some knowledge of young girls? Who was Alicia Featherstone? Jack’s brain hummed with questions. She was so different from the career women he’d known in Vancouver. He definitely wanted to know more about her.

      Alicia burst into the room, breathless, with Eli trailing her, СКАЧАТЬ