Merry Misunderstandings

Karma

Vivienne POV

Her heart pounded in her chest, breaths coming out in sharp, controlled pants. She felt like a criminal—a secret agent on a mission—as she crept through the hallways of the B&B.

The darkness was her ally, cloaking her in secrecy, but it also made every creak of the floorboards feel like a bomb went off, in the stillness. The soft glow of her phone’s flashlight bounced along the walls, her only guide as she navigated toward enemy territory.

Grayson’s side.

Vivienne paused, flattening herself against a wall near the lobby. The grandfather clock ticked ominously, a constant reminder that time was not on her side. She glanced toward the front desk, where a motion-activated light blinked faintly. If she tripped it, her cover would be blown.

“Calm down,” she whispered to herself, adjusting the small plastic container tucked under her arm. The lid was secured tightly, with tiny air holes punctured across the top. Inside, the five dozen cockroaches scratched against the bottom and sides, causing a shiver to run down Vivienne’s spine.

Taking a deep breath, she darted across the lobby, her silent footfalls a stark contrast to the roaring thrum of adrenaline in her ears.

The double doors to Grayson’s side loomed ahead, and she hesitated for the briefest moment. If he caught her, there’d be hell to pay. Then again, this was Grayson Blackwood. If anyone deserved a swarm of cockroaches in their B&B, it was him.

This is what you get for the coffee stunt, you smug bastard, she thought, pushing open the door to his side of the B&B.

A sound made her freeze—a soft creak from the upper landing. Her grip on the container tightened, heart pounding louder than the tick of the grandfather clock. Was it Grayson? After a long moment, silence returned, but she moved with more urgency, her every step calculated to avoid another betrayal of sound.

She held back a scream every time she let out a few in different parts of the B&B. She opened the container’s lid, tipping it gently to let a few cockroaches scurry onto the plush Persian rug. Watching them vanish into the shadows, she couldn’t help but chuckle softly. "Consider this pest control," she murmured. “I’m just giving them a place to thrive—your place.”

Don’t step on one, don’t step on one… She repeated over and over, until finally, the container was empty. Now all she had to do was go back to her room in the attic and wait until morning for the chaos to unfold.

A slow smirk crept up Vivienne’s face.

That’s what you get for messing with Vivienne Wood.

A few hours later, Vivienne walked into the lobby, dressed in a sleek, form-hugging black business suit with a white dress shirt underneath. Her heals clacked on the marble tiles.

“Good morning, Chloe,” She sang, handing her assistant a cup of coffee. She had already been to the gym, more so to flirt with its handsome owner than to actually work out, and stopped at Maggie’s diner on the way in.

“What's got you so cheerful today?” The young woman asked, with a huge smile on her face.

“Oh, you know, just have a feeling it’s going to be a good day,” Vivienne smiled. She could feel Carmen’s eyes on her. “Oh, Chloe, get ready to check in a few more guests. I’ve got a feeling we’re going to be overrun with bookings today,” She winked.

A few seconds later, the people from the magazine entered the lobby, and Grayson walked over to greet them.

“Good morning,” Vivienne smiled, greeting them.

“Oh, Vivienne, I just wanted to say, no hard feelings about not picking you—”

“Oh, none at all. It’s just business after all,” She smiled, putting a hand on her chest. She could hear them talking about how professional she was, but all she saw was Grayson’s arched eyebrow as he looked at her suspiciously.

Vivienne smiled at him, while taking a sip of her coffee.

“Jade, why don’t you go ahead and take a few pictures of the waiting area while I interview Grayson in the lobby,” Elliot suggested. Jade nodded, entering Grayson’s side of the B&B with Penny shorty behind her.

“So, Grayson, tell me, what motivated you to take over your grandparents' business, especially one that has such a heavy history,” Elliot asked, setting his phone to record. Vivienne wanted to go to the office to get some work done, but she couldn’t wait to see Grayson’s face when he realized what was going on.

“Well, Elliot, you see, being an entrepreneur runs in my veins. My grandparents—"

Grayson was mid-sentence, his voice smooth and confident, when a shriek erupted from the far end of his side of the B&B. Then another. And another. The photographer, Jade, stumbled into the lobby, flailing her arms.

“Something crawled on my leg!” she yelped, her voice climbing an octave.

Grayson frowned, his calm veneer starting to c***k. “I’m sure it’s nothing—”

“THERE’S ANOTHER ONE!” Penny shrieked, her notepad flying into the air as a dark speck darted across the marble tiles.

Vivienne took a serene sip of her coffee, feigning concern. “Grayson, is everything alright on your side?” she asked, voice dripping with faux sympathy.

He shot her a narrowed glance, suspicion flickering in his eyes. “I’m sure it’s just a fluke,” he said through gritted teeth, though his usually impeccable composure was slipping with every panicked yell echoing through the building.

As Grayson attempted to calm the photographer, Vivienne watched Elliot’s face light up like he’d just struck gold.

“Are those… cockroaches?” Elliot murmured, his phone already out to take notes.

“Just a temporary issue,” Grayson said, his jaw tight. “It’ll be handled immediately.”

“Temporary issue?” Jade snapped. “I just stepped on one!”

Vivienne coughed into her hand to stifle a laugh, her polished demeanor cracking for just a moment.

Elliot turned to her, his smile widening. “This happens often, I assume?”

“Never,” she said smoothly, a hint of satisfaction curling her lips. “My side of the B&B is impeccably maintained.”

Grayson shot her a glare, but Elliot clapped his hands together, ignoring the tension. “This is fantastic. A battle of the owners—classic meets modern, tradition versus innovation. It’s the perfect hook for our series.”

“What?” Grayson and Vivienne said in unison.

Elliot grinned. “You’ll both feature. I’ll pitch it as a his-and-hers getaway. Two owners, two visions, one B&B. The rivalry is the selling point.”

It didn’t take long for panicked guests to start running out of the building, into the lobby, where a waiting Vivienne reassured them.

“Everyone, please, calm down, there are plenty of clean and pest free rooms on my side of the B&B, where you can stay until my partner here has his back in order,” Vivienne spoke to the crowd.

Chloe quickly sprung into action, checking in the guests, as they complained about their clothes and other belongings that were still in their rooms.

Elliot clapped his hands, his grin wide as he turned to his assistant. “We’ll draft up the new angle and be back tomorrow for the photography and follow-up interviews. This is going to be one of our most memorable features.”

He shook hands with both Vivienne and Grayson, though Grayson’s grip was noticeably tighter, his face stormy. Vivienne, on the other hand, offered a radiant smile, serene as ever.

The last of the guests had been soothed and relocated to her pristine side of the B&B. Grayson stood by the front desk, his tie loosened, his hair slightly disheveled—an uncharacteristic look that made Vivienne's smirk widen.

“Well,” she said, brushing imaginary lint off her blazer, “looks like my work here is done.” Her voice dripped with faux sweetness as she echoed his line from the day before.

Grayson glared at her, his jaw tight. “Enjoy it while it lasts, Vivienne. Karma has a way of coming back around.”

She tilted her head, feigning innocence. “Karma? Don’t tell me you’re superstitious, Grayson. That’s so… old-fashioned.”

He stepped closer, his towering presence forcing her to look up. For a moment, she thought he might call her bluff, but instead, he leaned in just enough for her to catch a faint whiff of his cologne.

“You know,” he grated out, his voice low, “it’s Friday.”

She blinked. “So?”

“Where’s your damn ponytail?” His smirk returned, smug and infuriating.

Vivienne’s cheeks warmed despite herself. “It’s distracting when your hair’s everywhere,” he added, throwing her words from their earlier truce negotiations back at her.

For a second, neither of them moved. The air between them felt charged, and Vivienne’s heart betrayed her, skipping a beat.

“Dinner tonight,” he continued, straightening and brushing past her. “Don’t be late.”

As he disappeared into his side of the B&B, Vivienne forced her smirk back onto her face. If he thought this dinner meant a truce, he had another thing coming. The magazine feature might be set, but the battle for guests was only just beginning. After all, Halloween was around the corner, and her side of the B&B had just ordered an entire truckload of pumpkin decorations. Grayson could keep his fancy renovations and smug cologne. She’d win the holidays—and the war.