The Mills & Boon Christmas Wishes Collection. Maisey Yates

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СКАЧАТЬ about him leaving the lodge for good to remember something crucial like the approval process. I skidded into my office and begun searching the desk for the plans and Amory clattered in behind me.

      “OK, don’t panic, darling,” she said, huffing and puffing from the dash downstairs. “You can fix anything you put your mind to! Why don’t you call them and use that sweet and innocent voice of yours? Rave about your plans for the local economy, how your guests will inject some much-needed funds. Invite them over and we can schmooze them if all else fails.”

      With a hand to my chest, I paused, contemplating what she was saying. “Yeah, it’s not like they’ll have a stack of pending approvals. There’s only five hundred and three people in Evergreen!” Surely it was only a routine process, read, stamp, sign. My shoulders relaxed. I breathed in and out on the count of five. Stress is an illusion, a Kai mantra, popped into my mind.

      “Yes,” I said, feeling more confident. “OK, I’ll phone up now.” Amory nodded and slipped out of the room.

      I turned back to the desk and flicked through the paperwork. I found a bunch of notes in Kai’s handwriting and tried to make sense of them. From what I could tell he had everything in order and Micah had checked off the work orders one by one until the chapel was finished. I dialed the direct number of the planning officer Kai had been speaking to and sank back in the chair, focusing on the positives. I’d remembered now, and surely could fix this mess with a phone call. There was no need to panic.

      “Ned speaking.”

      I took a deep breath and began. “Ned, how are you?” I didn’t wait for a response. “It’s Clio from Cedarwood Lodge. I’m calling about some planning paperwork that was sent in…” I pored over the notes again. “Back in October.”

      There was a sound, as though he was sucking his gums. “Yes?”

      “You know the planning application in question? The one for the chapel on the Cedarwood property”

      “I do.”

      Golly, at this rate the conversation would take all day. “Great!” I smiled as Amory tiptoed into the room and put a glass of water on the desk before sneaking off again, presumably to finish the last suite. “I was hoping we could get it signed off and approved so we can go forward with our plans. We’re hoping the influx of tourists arriving at Cedarwood will filter down to the other businesses in town, giving them a boost, especially over the winter. So… we’re really quite excited.”

      “Right, right.” There was a shuffling of paperwork. “The thing is, Claire…”

      I coughed. “Clio.”

      “Clio, the thing is, I can’t hurry these decisions. It would be remiss of me not to take into consideration variables about the property and what it could mean for Evergreen and its population.”

      I held in a groan. This did not sound like approval was pending any time soon.

      This is your own fault, Clio! “I understand. But you see, you’ve approved the lodge itself, so guests are able to stay, right?” I didn’t want the lodge closed down on a technicality. I rued the day Kai left. He was so much better at this side of things than me. The facts and figures of the planning and approval process were a nightmare.

      “Right. However. What you’re not allowed to do is use the chapel for guests. No weddings, no church services, no parties. The structure is a hundred years old, it’s weathered, full of rising damp, and I have to know for certain it’s safe before I can say yes.”

      “I totally understand. And you’ll see if you do an inspection that it’s had an overhaul and is safe for guests. I have a bridal expo planned. No one is actually hosting a wedding, but they’d obviously like to see inside the chapel…”

      “No, they are not permitted.”

      Argh! I took a calming breath. Panic had never helped any situation before, so I really needed to get some perspective. “Why not? I can fax over reports about the work that’s been done. The rising damp has been fixed, the beams have been raised, the electricals have been completely replaced including extra safety precautions…”

      “Clio…” He said my name quickly, like a parent trying to get their child’s attention. “Your builder promised me the same things last time, and then a fire broke out… You can understand my worry, surely? I’m not being malicious, trust me, I’m being cautious.”

      The fire. Now his hesitation made sense. I closed my eyes. “The fire was extinguished promptly and we added a ton more safety procedures after that. And the fire was in the main lodge building, which is nowhere near the chapel. It wasn’t actually our fault; the fire report outlines it in detail. And we were well equipped with extinguishers and other preventative measures, which stopped the entire lodge going up in flames.” And when I said other preventative measures I meant Micah, ever the hero, racing toward the fire while the others raced away from it. Just thinking of that horrible day sent shivers down my spine.

      He let out a weary sigh. “There’s a process to these applications, Clio, and I have to follow them meticulously. If you check out our website you’ll see the approvals process can take up to six months. Sometimes more.”

      Six months! “I don’t have six months.” Panic crept into my voice so I did my best to disguise it with calm. “Surely we can come to some agreement? I wouldn’t push for this if it wasn’t safe. I wouldn’t put my guests at risk, ever.”

      Another phone rang in the background as Ned sighed for the third time in one very short conversation. “Look, send me the paperwork on your trades and I’ll see what I can do. Better yet, send Kai over. You’re still using your registered builder, aren’t you?”

      I gulped. Where did it say that in the fine print? This was exactly why I’d hired Kai for all the loopholes that cropped up.

      “Yes, yes, Kai is still here, he’s right beside me, actually. He can’t hear me, what with all the safety gear he’s wearing, ear muffs, and… and…” Oh God, Clio, stop talking! “It might be a few days, or a week or so, because he’s in the middle of something. Something big.” Stop, just stop, already!

      “Do that, Clio, and we’ll see what can be done.”

      “Sure, and thanks.”

      “On the off-chance it’s not approved before the expo, can the guests still peek in, surely that’s allowed?”

      “Just keep them safe, Clio. And get Kai over here.”

      I hung up, and slapped a hand to my forehead. Could I get myself into a bigger mess?

      Amory wandered in and surveyed my pinched face. “It didn’t go well?”

      “He wants to chat with Kai, our registered builder…”

      “Oh.” She folded her arms, leaning against the doorjamb, and fanned herself with the postcard Kai had sent. “Guess you better call Kai and ask him to be Prince Charming just this once.” Gone was the grimace, replaced by her Mona Lisa smile. The one she used when she was trying to act professional, but I could see straight through it.

      “Don’t give me that look.” I narrowed my eyes.

      “What СКАЧАТЬ