Bed and Board — Rebecca Bond

She could share his love but not his life

All of a year and most of her money had been spent renovating Whaler's Inn. On the eve of its opening, Aviva Thompson sat serenely, basking in the quiet of a Carmel night and the pleasant glow of a job well-done. At last, at long last, she had achieved the tranquil life she'd always wanted.

But by noon the next day the boardinghouse was in an uproar. The lobby was littered with suitcases, the kitchen had been invaded by a cantankerous old lady, and her five-year-old daughter was enjoying a lovely breakfast with the first guest, who had not yet arisen from his bed....