The Evergreen Inn {A Clean Interracial Christmas Romance}

Chapter Two

Jasmine

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please?" Some of my employees cease their chit-chatter while I am all ears of what Mr. Powell has to say to us in the now soundless environment.

"As you all know; Christmas is around the corner— Six weeks to be exact. It's that time of the month where families help their tots make gingerbread houses as well as taking their kids to see Santa as they tell him what is on their wish list in the most wonderful time of the year of gathering with loved ones around the Christmas tree, reminiscing about the memories during the holidays and creating more. All month long, most of you will be decorating and designing the home décor as four of you would help and give several of families who are in the homeless shelter renovate their new home for the holidays in addition to donating $300,000."

Brian Powell, the CEO of the Flourish Details; happens to be the humblest human being. Born in a poor neighborhood of Brentwood, Washington DC with eleven remaining siblings and their parents; he had one goal in life that he chose to cherish into his adulthood. And that was to move his family out of dire neighborhood. By the time he was thirteen, he began delivering newspapers along with cleaning the movie theaters when he was approached by a man from the upscale Wesley Heights area to work at an office with him for the summer as his scheduler with the salary of $4,396.64. By the time he put aside his remaining income, he bought a house in Sammamish for him and his family two weeks before his seventeenth birthday. Since working at the company that he worked previously, he invested some of his money to establish his own company—in which you guess; the company I'm currently working at. He donated thirteen thousand dollars to save the orphanage that his mother was in. Every year, we send out a prize of $300,000 to families who have been suffering to find a warm place called home.

"While some of you would be having an assignment to help out citizens in your hometown," Mr. Powell continues. Gosh, I hope that's not me!

"Other than that; all of you will be having a day off during the holidays and I will see you all in January. I will call you all one by one to my office and discuss which task is suitable for you. Starting with... Ms. Jasmine Coleman." Several heads turn to my direction and I stare, puzzled. I'm the first person he wants to speak to?

I feel myself ambling towards Mr. Powell and as soon as we're in his pristine office with the distinguishable aroma of black coffee as well as the sweet sticky bun sitting on top of his red oak desk hits my nostrils. I take a seat across from him.

"Jasmine, how would you feel if I offer you to help out a family business?"

"Sure. What is their backstory, Mr. Powell?"

"They own a family bed and breakfast in Evergreen, CO. Patty Bartlett is the co-owner along with her husband of thirty five years, Richard given the fact that they launched the business nearly twenty years ago."

Thirty five years of marriage? Wow! I acknowledge marriage is not always easy as one, two, and three; I may not be the marriage expert, nevertheless; communication is the key to discuss your values along with your financial plans, how you want your children to be raised, and in the days where either the sun or the dark clouds is painted physically or mentality, you must communicate because if you don't, you would leave out details of what's going on and what you're feeling in your personal life and you fear that the other wouldn't understand what you're going through. No marriage is ever perfect; it is better off with flaws instead.

"Ms.Coleman?"

"Yes, sir?" Mr. Powell brings me out of my trance.

"As I was saying; Patty Bartlett along with her husband are the owners of the bed and breakfast accommodation in Evergreen. They're in dire straits right now because their bed and breakfast is facing foreclosure. How would you feel about being at their service to avert their business from foreclosing?"

Although I have an associate's degree from Colorado State University, I know nothing about foreclosure. Yet I do know that defines shutting out a business— a family business is a big deal to the family because they established an accommodating business for other families to feel like home, must have put a strain on the family.

"Mr. Powell, I don't know that much information about foreclosures." I say anxiously.

"No need to worry, Jasmine, because Irene will be coming along with you as well as tasking on making sure that they have paid their mortgages." Mr. Powell elucidates. As soon as he says this, I feel such a sudden weight being lifted off my shoulders because Irene is a great employee for the company. Not only does she handle situations financially, she happens to be the proprietor. That means she can help me know all about the full details about foreclosure and how to prevent one.

"Fair enough." I nod, beaming.

"Does that mean you are on board?" Mr. Powell asks with excitement awaiting in his tone the same time the corners of his mouth curve upwards.

"Most definitely!" I grin. Mr. Powell stands up from his seat and gives me a handshake. "Thank you so much, Mr. Powell!"

"It is my pleasure, Jasmine. Have a safe trip and I will see you in January. When you arrive there, please inform me that you arrived the destination safely." Mr. Powell says.

Well, Colorado... And my mother, here I come.