AN: Hello to my wonderful followers. I wanted to give you a sneak peak of my next project. I won't be continuing this until Iron Soldier is finished. I hope you like the idea. Send me some feedback, letting me know what you think.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to my wonderful friend Eunice339. She is not only an amazing beta, but a great person to bounce my ideas off of. Several parts in this chapter would not even exist if it were not for her awesome suggestions.

"My first reaction when I got the phone call was complete shock. I never enter contests. I don't play the lottery or buy scratch tickets. I just don't believe in luck, well unless it's bad. I have a lot of experience with bad luck." I chuckle lightly and another flash goes off from the back of the crowd.

"Miss Prior, will you be keeping your prize or selling it?" A reporter in the front row asks.

"Oh, I'm keeping it, absolutely. Actually, I couldn't sell it even if I wanted to. The contract I signed before I won had a few conditions. I didn't think too much about them before, because I never thought I'd win, but one of the rules was I had to keep it for a minimum of ten years before I could sell."

"Miss Prior?"

"Miss Prior?"

The reporters demand my attention from every direction, and I don't know where to look first. I smile politely as a new face starts speaking. "I heard another of these conditions is that you must allow several live-in employees to continue working at the resort. How do you feel about this?"

I shrug, "It's a small price to pay. My only hope is that we all get along okay."

"Miss Prior?" A dark haired man calls out, getting my attention immediately. "Aren't you in the least bit worried about who or what you're going to find when you get there? I mean, who in their right mind gives away a property like this worth millions of dollars. And on top of that, several million in cash to maintain it."

I have to admit, this question had been on my mind a lot after I found out I had won the contest. I understand people's lives change. Owning a property like this may have been too much, or maybe the last owner decided it was time to retire, or maybe do something else. That I understand, but why not sell the place and pocket the money? I had to know before I signed anything. I didn't want to get suckered into a bad situation. I always believed if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. This led me to countless hours of research and even more time speaking to a lawyer before the deeds were transferred to my name.

I smile at the man who asked me the question, relieved I took the time to answer this for myself before I agreed to talk to the press. "From what I understand, the last owner inherited Crescent View from the original owner who had passed away. Before the contest, three separate investors had made offers to purchase the resort. But each of these investors are well-known for their involvement in turning coastal properties into billion dollar condominium communities. I can only assume the sentimental value of the property was worth more than the money. By hosting an essay contest and offering the property as the prize, with the condition that the money had to be used to re-open it and that it couldn't be sold for ten years, the last owner would no longer be responsible for it, but at the same time knew it would be in the hands of someone who would care about it."

"Miss Prior, over here!" A female voice yells above the others. "Can you tell us what you wrote your essay about, and why you think you won?"

"Oh jeez, what a question. I wrote about my love of writing, and how owning a bed and breakfast would give me the opportunity to meet a lot of people. I believe everyone has their own stories to tell, and this would give me the opportunity to maybe write the stories of these people who may otherwise never share their experiences. As to why I won?I have no idea." I giggle. "Did anyone else even enter? Just kidding. I told myself that something in my essay spoke to the owner. But for all I know, my name might have been drawn out of a hat."

"Miss Prior, how does it feel to be an instant millionaire?"

"Terrible, really. I don't know where I'm going to keep the money. I hope my new home has a lot of closets."

A light laugh escapes the group in unison. "Miss Prior, what do you plan to do with the money?"

"Well, several things actually. My first priority will be to restore Crescent View to its former glory. I was fortunate enough to see it in its prime when I was younger. I'd love to get the look and feel of the place back to what the original owner had achieved. It was such a magical place back then."

"Once I achieve that, hopefully I'll have some money left to donate to a charity that is near and dear to my heart." Another camera flashes. I wipe my sweaty palms on my pants and hope I don't look as nervous as I feel. Public speaking has never been a strength of mine. "Thank you all for your support. I have to go now. I have a plane to catch." I slowly back away, despite my name still being called. Who knows how long this would continue if I stayed. It's easy enough to get to the taxi already waiting for me at the curb, and I waste no time jumping in.


Six hours later, another taxi drops me off in front of my new home, the Crescent View Bed and Breakfast. I can't help but stare, smiling uncontrollably. I can't believe she's mine, I repeat in my head several times. I could stare at this beautiful old Victorian home for hours and never get sick of it. But in the event that I do, all I need to do is turn around and face the ocean crashing against the sloping rocks just a few yards away. I take a few moments to breathe deeply, taking in the smells of shoreline and salt water. I must have died and gone to heaven.

"Can I help you?" I whip around to face the house again, knocking over my rolling suitcase in the process. A man close to my age slowly approaches, looking at me curiously. His eyes find my suitcase before returning to look at me. "I'm sorry to tell you this, but Crescent View is closed for now. There are a few hotels down the street a ways. The view isn't as nice, but at least you'll have a place to sleep."

I grin at him, understanding his confusion. "Actually, I'm hoping to change that shortly."

A wide smile crosses his stubbly face. "Are you the new owner? Beatrice Prior?" He tilts his head slightly, as if not quite believing it.

"I am." I hold out my hand and he shakes it firmly, still looking at me strangely. "Is there a problem?"

"No, not at all. I guess I just imagined you a little older. I'm Tobias."

"Ah." I nod, recognizing the name. "You're the handyman, right?"

"That's me. Tobias Eaton, at your service."

I can't help but stare, though, I hope he doesn't notice. His eyes are a hypnotizing deep blue, matching the ocean across the street. His chiseled jaw line resembles the perfectly shaped rocks, formed by nature, lining the water's edge. His skin is nicely tanned and his arms are solid lengths of muscle. I can only imagine what is hiding under his black t-shirt. He's wearing lose fit jeans and looks comfortable despite the chilly sea breeze.

I chuckle lightly. "You know what? I expected you to be older too."

"Why is that? Tobias sounds like a young guy's name. But Beatrice, you have to admit, is a little old fashioned."

"I was named after my Grandmother. Most people just call me Tris." I smile up into his gorgeous eyes. "I hate to break it to you, but Tobias isn't exactly a modern name either. The only person I know named Tobias is a ninety year old guy that hangs out at the bingo hall, 24/7."

He laughs, a sound I find I enjoy. "Well, now you know another one, a little younger." He reaches out, grabbing the handle of my suitcase. "Come with me. I'll give you a tour of the place."

As he leads me through the main entrance, I look in every direction. The place needs some work. The wallpaper is peeling, there are water stains on the ceiling and the solid wood floors should be replaced. Other than that, the entryway is exactly as I remember, from the high vaulted ceiling above the stairs to the intricate woodwork everywhere. The old world charm is just breathtaking and I can tell by the way Tobias points things out, he feels the same way.

I push a long strip of wallpaper back into place, smirking at Tobias. "Have you been on an extended vacation?"

A low grunt follows my comment. "No. Crescent View has been closed for the last three years. I just got back today. I can't say that I'm too thrilled with the condition of the place, but it's mostly cosmetic. Don't worry, I'll have her looking like new before our next busy season."

"You better," I joke. "I'd hate to have to fire you."

He glares at me from the other side of the room. "You do know you can't fire me, right?"

"You're right." I recall the contract now. As long as I own the place, he is guaranteed a job. "I have to keep you employed, but I never signed anything guaranteeing you a specific salary." The side of my mouth curls up in victory. "What is the minimum wage in Maine anyway?"

His mouth falls open for a moment. "And here I thought I'd be working for a sweet old lady. You're going to be a challenge."

"I definitely plan on keeping you on your toes."

His smile fades and he looks serious now. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Good."

His smile returns. "This way. I'll show you your suite."

My suite, it turns out, is actually my own apartment, built into the main floor. I have my own living room, kitchen, two bedrooms and a full bathroom. The rooms are not huge, but they are the perfect size for a single person or even a couple. I look around quickly as Tobias leads me through the rooms.

"You have your own bathroom through that door, but unfortunately, you can't use it yet. The pipes froze over during the winter and I need to replace all the plumbing in there. So for now, you'll have to use the bathroom down the hall. Make sure you knock and don't just walk in, since we have to share."

I frown. "I have to share a bathroom with you?"

"Only until I fix yours. I'll make that my top priority. My room is the door right after the bathroom. Whatever you need, just ask."

"And those last two doors?"

"The one on the right is a linen closet. The left is uh… just storage right now. It could be another guest room eventually, but it used to belong to the chef, who no longer works here. Mrs. Pierson, the original owner, preferred to keep this wing of the house private for herself and the staff only. The rest of the house is made up of guest rooms mostly. There is also a library, and a large sitting room, as well as the main kitchen where breakfast is prepared and served. I can show you around more if you want, or if you'd like to unpack and check out your own room, that would be fine too."

"The house isn't that big. I'm sure I can look around myself a little later. I would like to relax a bit, if that's ok. My flight was quite exhausting."

"Yeah, absolutely. I took the liberty of putting fresh linens on your bed this morning. I knew you'd be here today or tomorrow so I completely cleaned your entire suite. I didn't want you drowning in three years' worth of dust."

"Thank you,Tobias. I really appreciate all the trouble you went through."

"No problem ma'am." He puts his fingers to his forehead, tipping his non-existent cowboy hat.

"Before you go, can you answer a question for me?"

"Of course." He smiles sincerely.

"The contract I signed before said I would have two employees that I was required to keep on staff, you and Shauna, the cook. You mentioned she no longer works here. Did she quit?"

Tobias looks away quickly. My question has caught him off guard or he doesn't want to answer for some reason. "The contract was drawn up quite a while ago. It was in Mrs. Pierson's will. The lawyer must have forgotten to remove that part before you signed it. There is no one else, just me." He looks like he's been punched in the gut.

"Oh, ok." I don't know how to reply to his reaction. "I'm okay with that. I can cook for now. At least till we open, I guess. So, we are kind of like roommates, huh?"

"Yeah, something like that." He still isn't back to the smiling man I originally met.

"Is there anything special I should know about you?"

"No, nothing special. How about you?"

I think about it for a second. "I'm allergic to cats."

Finally he smiles again. "Okay then, no cats allowed. I'll add it to the sign. Since this is your first night in town, I can show you around a bit after you get settled, maybe get a bite to eat while we're out. I don't want to make you cook the first night you're here."

"That sounds nice, but I'd prefer just to stay in tonight. I'd really like to explore on my own, and go to bed early." I feel bad, telling him he has to fend for himself, knowing he is used to a home cooked meal from a professional chef. After all, it is written into his contract that I have to supply his breakfasts and dinners.

"How about for tonight, we just have a pizza delivered."

That makes me perk up. I love pizza. "That would be great. What time do you like to have dinner?"

"Well, when we have guests, dinner is scheduled for six thirty, but while it's just the two of us, I'm all right with whatever you decide."

I glance at my phone quickly. It's just after four in the afternoon. "Six thirty works for me. That will give me some time to look around and get settled. Most of my belongings won't be here till Monday, so it won't take long to unpack."

"All right. Sounds like a plan. What do you like on your pizza? I'll call it in later."

"I'm not picky. I like almost anything. Surprise me."

One side of his mouth turns up into an uncertain smile. "Okay. I'll come find you when it's time to eat. I'm glad you're here, Tris. It will be nice to get this place running again." He turns and walks away. I watch him leave, feeling that something seems odd, but I can't put my finger on it. I'm sure if we spend enough time together, I'll figure it out eventually.