It was almost the end of Tessa's day, and she was tired. Josiah had dropped her off at her house just after midnight the night before, and it had been nearly two in the morning by the time she fell into a troubled sleep.

As promised, her coat was delivered to her door at seven in the morning, and from the moment she arrived at the hotel, she had been going nonstop. It was as if the floodgates had opened. Now that the staff had seen her in action and knew she was somewhat capable, they were choosing to share their complaints and issues with her, hoping that she could help them. 

It was the busiest day she had worked since she started.

Now, she was meeting with the head of housekeeping, who was showing her a problem with the way the faucets were attached to the bathroom countertops. It seemed they were all leaking and would need to be repaired. Tessa wasn't sure who the builder of this new hotel was, but whoever it was, they would need to fix it.

The hotel had a house phone she kept with her when she was on duty, and it rang for the first time. It caught her off guard and took her a moment to remember that it was her pocket that was ringing.

"Tessa," Amy, who was Holly's counterpoint at the reception desk, greeted her in almost a whisper.

"Yes," she responded, nodding at the head of housekeeping, telling her she would take care of it.

"There is a woman here to see you. I told her you were in a meeting, but she was insistent." Amy's voice trailed off at the last word.

"It's fine, Amy. I'm on my way back down now," Tessa reassured her as she moved into the elevator and pushed the lobby button.

It took less than a minute, and when Tessa stepped out of the elevator, she saw her sister, Gloria, standing at the reception desk, drumming her fingers on the top of it while she waited for her to arrive.

Gloria watched Amy as if she suspected her of a crime—no wonder the poor girl was so nervous.

Gloria had managed a few of the family's hotels over the years and looked at all her staff the same way. It was clear that she thought this was a hotel that needed to be managed, and Tessa needed to nip that thought process in the bud right away.

"Thank you, Amy," Tessa said, giving the girl a warm smile to let her know all was well. "This is my sister Gloria Baker, Gloria, this is Amy Howe, one of our best."

Gloria gave a stiff smile, then turned to Tessa. "We need to talk."

"Sure," Tessa agreed. She knew an attempted intervention was coming from her family, but hadn't expected it to be within twenty-four hours. She led the way to her office, closing the door behind Gloria, who was looking around her, trying to find fault. Thankfully, Tessa knew it would be hard to do.

When Gloria looked at Tessa and gave her a warm smile, it made her suspicious. Her guess was that, not finding any immediate fault with her work location, Gloria would have to use cajoling tactics to get Tessa to return to the fold.

"Tessa, what is the crazy notion that you have gotten into your head?  Why are you so dead set on working? You do know you don't need to, right?" Gloria took a seat, setting her purse in the chair next to her.

"Yes, I'm aware that I don't need to work, and that the plan was to keep me at home until it was time to marry Ted Braswell. Then, I would live with him and Father, managing their lives and not worrying about one of my own. I've always understood the point of my existence, at least in the family's eyes." Tessa nodded as she leaned against the front of her desk.

"You make it sound horrible. Why would you want to work when you don't have to?" Gloria asked again.

"Why do you want to work when you don't have to?" Tessa asked.

"I wasn't given a choice." Gloria shook her head. Tessa knew better. She knew if Gloria had said she didn't want to work, her father would have gladly kept her at home. She was the favorite daughter.

Neither of her sisters looked like Tessa. Gloria was tall, willowy, and blond. She was a runner who didn't have an ounce of fat on her and worked out like a machine. Her dress sense was on point, and she always looked perfectly put together with never a hair out of place. Their other sister Pamela was just as tall and willowy, but her hair was a light brown like Tessa's. However, Pamela spent a fortune on highlights. She detested exercise as much as Tessa did.

The family probably would have been better off sending Pamela or her older brother William to talk some sense into her, since she got along better with them.

"Then this is your chance. You take my place, marry Ted, and live with him, and Father and I'll work here." Tessa smiled her sweetest smile as Gloria's face lost its calm, patient look.

"Enough of this, Tessa. I would say that you're in over your head, but with a town this small, I doubt that to be the case. There can't be that much to do!"

"You would be surprised." Tessa kept her smile on her face. "I'm staying, Gloria. I'm happy here, and corporate is happy I'm here. It's a good fit. There is nothing you can say to make me go home."

"What if I told you father was ill and needed you desperately?"

"He's not, and you know it. What's more, you shouldn't even be talking like that." Tessa felt her face redden in anger at her sister's carelessness.

"Fine, you're right, and I'm sorry. We're just desperate to have you back home." Gloria shook her head. Tessa didn't doubt for a minute that she was sincere. Without Tessa there to manage the house and social engagements, Gloria and Pamela had to step in and do it.

Hire a personal assistant for Father who can care for the house and arrange his schedule. Who knows, maybe if she's attractive enough, he'll marry her and then we'll all be off the hook." Tessa reached for her coat and bag.

"Now, who's being careless?" Gloria admonished, and Tessa gave a rueful grin.

"You have to admit, it would solve a lot of our problems." Tessa paused and nodded, motioning for her sister to get her purse.

"Unless she was a gold digger." Gloria frowned at the thought.

"The company is incorporated, and Father draws a salary. Other than the house and money in the bank, she wouldn't get anything, but knowing Father, there would be a strong prenup. Are you staying with me while you're here?"

Gloria stood, her look thoughtful as she considered Tessa's idea. "For a few days, if you don't mind. I have to report back. Everyone is worried about you."

Tessa smiled. Her family had their issues, but there was a lot of love, and she didn't doubt that they were worried about her.

Gloria had rented a car and drove them the short distance as she shared her disbelief that Tessa didn't have a car.

"I don't need one," Tessa assured her as she entered the house and threw her keys on the side table by the front door.

"It's so small," Gloria said half-heartedly. She was now trying to find even the littlest fault.

"It's charming, Gloria, and you know it." Tessa shook her head as she walked into the kitchen. "What do you want for dinner? Or would you prefer to go back to the hotel for dinner?"

"No, I'm tired, let's eat in tonight. Which room is mine?"

Tessa led the way down the short hall and retreated to the kitchen while her sister settled.

When she walked to the sink and turned on the water, the top of the faucet blew off, and water started spewing everywhere.

"Yes, charming," Gloria said drily from the doorway of the kitchen.

"Shut up!" Tessa said as she threw the kitchen towel she had used to dry her face at her.

"I guess we're eating out?" Gloria asked.

"No, but we might have dirty dishes for a day or two." Tessa conceded as she pulled out her phone and called the rental company. It wasn't quite five o'clock yet, so maybe they could get someone out to fix it.

"I would ask for some coffee but..."

"Why didn't they send Pamela or William instead of you?" Tessa griped as someone on the other end assured her someone would be with her shortly.

"I drew the short straw, or I love you more than they do, take your pick." Gloria shrugged.

"Well, I may not have coffee, but I do have oven pizza and wine, neither of which requires water," Tessa said, reaching for a bottle of red and turning on the oven.

"At least the oven didn't blow up, that's something," Gloria teased as she took the bottle of wine and corkscrew she was handed and expertly uncorked the bottle while Tessa grabbed some glasses.

They looked at each other with sisterly affection as Tessa held up her glass. "To new beginnings!"

"To admitting mistakes," Gloria grinned before clinking her glass against Tessa's. "I'm not nearly finished with my mission to get you to come home. You know that, right?"

"I'd be disappointed if you were." Tessa nodded

She knew Gloria wasn't finished, but Gloria didn't realize that Tessa was.