Kyle had been staying at the Hearthstone Inn for two months and just could not figure out how this superhuman woman did it. Did she ever take time for herself? Her job seemed twenty-four-seven. She went to bed sometime after him and was up before him? She was always working, either cooking or cleaning or tending chickens and gardens and good grief!
He was starting to worry the poor woman might work herself to death.
He stood out in the garden, it was about six in the morning and Lilly was already bustling around watering plants. He was usually out here this early doing some stretches and getting ready for the day. Which meant his brain wasn’t fully engaged yet. He rubbed one eye and sucked in a breath, working up his nerve for a moment.
“Hey Lilly…um. So I’ve been thinking. An’ I was wondering…I mean, it looks like you could use a hand around this place, right? I’m already living here pretty much so what if I like…you know. Helped you out or whatever? I can clean up and stuff. Would free up some of your time.”
Lilly had already been up for about a half an hour, and had just started watering the garden. She had already seen to feeding the hens, and collecting their eggs for day. The young woman had debating on whether or not to get a rooster, but she didn’t know the first thing about chicken breeding.
She had gotten used to the odd sensation of having company in the morning, Kyle was normally up and about long before breakfast was served. Normally her guests were still sleeping at this hour. She had become fast friends with Kyle, as they would often chat while Lilly performed her morning chores. Sometimes, she’d invite him to have ‘american’ coffee with her in the mornings, while she tended to breakfast.
She paused at his offer, giving the parsley a overly generous amount of water. It’s true, she was on the lookout for help with running the inn, even if she had been able to manage alone for so long. It was still a daunting task. She had put in an ad in the local paper, as well as advertising online. While she was normally able to hire seasonal help for the summer, she was on the lookout for more long term help.
She rewarded him with a smile, before moving the watering can to the cilantro. “I would love the help. But I couldn’t allow you to work for free and pay to room here. In exchange for the help, you could have room and board for free? But have you ever had experience in the hospitality industry?” She didn’t want to presume about his qualifications. But from what she knew about him, he didn’t strike her as a gardener, groundskeeper, or cook? Though, most people had some experience cleaning, so she could hire him as a housekeeper.
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