Saving Paradise Resort (Paperback)

Chapter 1

“No! No! No! No!” Holly held up her hands as the water pipe in the maintenance room sprayed angrily at her. Why did things always break right before something important was supposed to happen?
“Annabelle! I need you to get Chase!” Holly scurried toward the water shutoff valve, but it wouldn’t budge.
The head housekeeper poked her head into the room and grimaced. Her face was lined with wrinkles that she’d earned over the last sixty years of her life. “Chase quit about ten minutes ago.”
Holly spun around and gaped at her. “What? We have important guests arriving! Did he say why he was leaving?”
Another grimace. “I don’t think you want me to repeat it.”
The water sputtered, drawing their attention. Holly gasped and tried the valve once more. Whether because of adrenaline or pure luck, she got the old lever to shift to the side, and the pipe no longer spewed its hatred all over the room. Holly wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, but it didn’t do a lick of good. When she faced Annabelle, the realization of what they were dealing with hit Holly hard, right between the eyes.
“We have a critic coming.”
“You don’t have to remind me,” her friend said with a sigh.
“This is our only shot to convince them that Paradise Resort is worth the one-hour drive from the airport.”
“I know.”
“How are we going to make them fall in love with this place if we can’t even give them hot, running water?”
Annabelle pulled her lips to the side and pursed them. “I guess we have to get a new maintenance guy.”
“Where am I going to find someone who wants to take a job out here in the middle of nowhere?” Holly groaned and leaned against the wall. “My mom was right. I shouldn’t have taken on this place after my dad died. It’s just—”
“Don’t you say that,” Annabelle snapped.
Holly lifted her gaze, finding the woman before her had transformed into someone else entirely. Her eyes were bright but serious. Her shoulders were pulled back, and she held her head high as if she knew exactly what the future held.
“We all loved your father, and when you decided to take over this place, we stayed because we love you too. This isn’t going to be easy, but we know you can do it.”
Chills trailed down Holly’s spine, and she shivered. “I still don’t know where I’m going to find a guy who can do what we need here. There’s so much work—”
“I have a nephew who might be willing to be a temporary fix. Let me call him and see what he’s up to.” She reached out and cupped Holly’s cheek with her hand. “Chin up. We’ll get this figured out before our guest arrives… When are they supposed to get here?”
“In four days.”
Annabelle’s brows lifted, and she made a face. “Oh, I better get to it, then, shouldn’t I? In the meantime, I’ll ask if any of the young men know how to repair that pipe. Otherwise, we’ll have to relocate our guests to another part of the building.”
Holly sighed with resignation. “Thanks, Annabelle. I couldn’t do this without you.”
“Oh sweetheart, you already are.” She winked then disappeared down the hallway.
Holly turned around and glared at the pipe that had left her absolutely soggy. “Seriously? Today of all days?” She groaned as she picked up the toolbox her father had left behind then followed in Annabelle’s wake.

(Prequel) Saving Paradise Resort
1. Christmas Honeymoon For One
2. Merry Mistletoe Wedding
3. Christmas Cookies and Coworkers
4. Made for Mistletoe Mix-up
5. A Sweet Paradise Holiday Reunion