"Her friend Hannah called her a force of nature."
"That's a good description."
"And Lizzie has a sister in town as well?" He wasn't normally curious about the people who ran the hotels he stayed in. But then, he'd never stayed in a place like the Firefly Inn.
"Yes, Chelsea is a country music artist. She's actually pretty famous. She took a break from singing for a while, but now she's building a recording studio here in town and is working on a new album. She's engaged to a police officer."
"I met him earlier. He had one of your guests handcuffed."
"Oh, right. I forgot about that. I had only left the inn for a few minutes." Shay paused, giving him a helpless smile. "I had no idea all that would go down while I ran to the market. But I'm glad it worked out."
"Lizzie worked it out. She defused the situation very quickly."
"She's good at that. So, what are you up to tonight?"
"First thing on the list is dinner. I need to get some food."
"What do you like to eat?"
"I'm not picky."
"Well, there's the Blue Sky Café run by the lovely Chloe Morgan, who serves up very hearty meals that will remind you of home. Although, Chloe will probably be at Adam's birthday party. Still, her cook is amazing."
Since he could barely remember living in a house where someone cooked him dinner, he said, "What else?"
"Burgers and wings are pretty fantastic at Micky's Brewery, and if you like beer, they have a lot of choices. Italian at D'Amico's. Mexican at Taco Pete's, Mediterranean at Kabul is awesome, and there's a new Indian restaurant named Roti's if you like spicy curry."
"Sounds like I can go around the world and never leave Whisper Lake," he said, a little surprised at the choices.
"Our food scene has improved the last several years. We've had a lot of new housing developments and big estates going up around the lake, as well as celebrity visitors, and wealthy individuals who want to escape the touristy mountain resorts. All that traffic has brought some very talented chefs our way. We're still hoping to start providing dinners here at the inn, but we haven't quite gotten there. However, we do have a fantastic breakfast, which I hope you'll check out while you're here."
"I will definitely do that. The cookies were amazing, so I'm sure breakfast will be as well. I think I'll head into town and see what I want to eat."
"Do you need directions?"
"No. I'm just going to play it by ear."
"When you leave the inn, go to the right. You'll find the downtown area and quite a few of the restaurants I just mentioned within about a ten-block area. You can also use one of the online restaurant apps."
"I've got it."
"Have fun."
After a quick stop upstairs to grab a jacket, he walked out of the inn, heading toward downtown. It was a Tuesday night and while the sun had gone down, the temperature was still in the sixties, making it a nice evening for a walk. When he got to the Indian restaurant, he saw a line out the door, so he kept on moving. The Blue Sky Café was just as crowded, and also not that big. But when he got to Micky's, there were plenty of barstools available as well as small tables. He also liked the friendly, somewhat noisy, and cheerful atmosphere. This was the kind of place where he could blend into the crowd and not feel compelled to be friendly.
He slid onto a stool and asked the bartender for a menu. A few minutes later, he ordered a grilled spicy chicken sandwich with sweet potato fries and a deep gold ale called the Bombay Bomber. While he was waiting for his order, he checked out the basketball game on the screen behind the bar. The Denver Nuggets were playing the Los Angeles Lakers, but were behind by sixteen points. It wasn't much of a game.
He reached into his pocket to grab his phone, realizing belatedly that he no longer had a phone or a computer. Tomorrow, he would need to replace both. It felt strange to be without his phone. He couldn't remember a time when he hadn’t had it. It was his tether to his business, his life. But he was on his own now. That felt both freeing and terrifying. He liked to be in control. Without his phone, he felt a little lost, and somewhat off-balance. Although, those feelings might have something to do with his quirky innkeeper and this admittedly charming small town.
He smiled as the female bartender set down his beer and his sandwich. At least he could distract himself with food. And that food was very good. The chicken was hotter than he'd expected, but the mix of spices was delicious, and it didn't take him long to clean his plate.
As he finished everything off with a long draught of beer, he heard a commotion behind him. Turning on his stool, he saw a big group of people at a large table on the other side of the room. They were laughing and talking, all at the same time. His heart skipped a beat. There in the middle of the group was Lizzie.
Her hair was out of its ponytail, falling in soft light-brown waves past her shoulders, the blonde highlights sparkling under the lights. Her smile was as big as ever. When she laughed at something the man next to her said, he felt a squeeze in his chest, almost as if he were a little jealous. But that was ridiculous. He barely knew Lizzie. And, of course, she would be with a guy. He would have been more surprised if she were alone.
But as he watched the group, he wondered if she was actually with the brown-haired guy next to her. When that man put his arm around the blonde sitting on the other side of him, an odd relief ran through Justin.
He shouldn't care that she wasn't with that guy, but he did. And that was bad.
He was only going to be in Whisper Lake a few days, and while most of his relationships didn't last past a few days, he didn't think messing around with Lizzie was a good idea. While they might share a passion for business, she was emotional and talkative and a little chaotic. But she was also fun and friendly and sexy as well, with curves in all the right places. He'd felt a spark back in her office, and he was sure she'd felt it, too. But that was one fire he should probably not light.
As he took another sip of his beer, Lizzie suddenly looked in his direction and caught his gaze. Surprise moved through her expression. He tipped his head. She hesitated and then got up from her chair.
His gut stiffened at her approach. He hadn't thought she'd leave her friends and family to say hello, but she was probably just trying to be a good innkeeper.
"Hi," she said, her pretty green gaze meeting his. "I didn't see you here. It looks like you ate."
"I did. It was very good."
"Micky's is always great."
"So, which one is your brother?"
She turned and waved her hand toward the table. "The guy sitting at the head of the table, brown hair, blue eyes…"
"Giving us a curious look," he finished.
"Adam is a detective. He was born curious."
"And your sister? Is she next to Brodie?"
"Yes, the woman with the long hair, the gauzy top, and the soulful eyes."
"She's pretty."
"Always has been," Lizzie agreed.
"Shay mentioned she was a country star."
"One of the best. I'm incredibly proud of her. She's only fifteen months older than me, so we've always been close. Plus, we had to hang together, just to hold our own with our three older brothers."
"Sounds like a fun family."
"Yes, and I'm thrilled to have at least two of my siblings living nearby."
"Who's the guy you're sitting next to?"
"That's Zach Barrington. He's an architect and married to my friend Gianna, the blonde on his other side. Across from them are the Morgan's—Chloe and Kevin, who are celebrating a rare night out away from their ten-month-old son, Leo. Next to Chloe is Keira. She's a real-estate agent."
He felt happy once more that there didn't appear to be a man in the group who was attached to Lizzie. "Where's Hannah?"
"She's still at work, but she's hoping to stop by later. Hannah, Keira, Gianna, Chloe and Kevin all grew up here together. They were nice enough to welcome Chelsea, Adam and me into their group, along with Brodie and Zach."
She paused. "And I'm sure you're not at all interested in any of this. You might have noticed that I sometimes talk too much."
"You are very friendly."
She shrugged. "It's just who I am."
"Brodie looks familiar to me; I'm not sure why."
"He was a world-class skier. He won everything except Olympic gold when he suffered a horrific crash on a practice run."
"Right. I remember that. One of my college friends was a huge skier and snowboarder. He took me to Aspen when McGuire was training there. Brodie inspired everyone on the mountain that day. He was fearless and fast. I'm sorry he didn't get a chance at the Olympics." He shook his head, a little surprised by the path Brodie had taken. "Now he's a police officer in a small town... That doesn't seem like a natural next step."
"Brodie couldn't go back to professional skiing, so he had to change his life around. His grandfather was chief of police here for a long time, and he encouraged Brodie to go into law enforcement. Aside from being a cop, he is also part of the town's new search and rescue team, which was busier than anyone hoped for this past winter. We had a bad avalanche, but fortunately no one died. Brodie and his team were able to rescue two men who got caught in it."
"So, he still does some skiing?"
"Some. Now, he's more tied up in wedding planning. He and my sister are getting married in August. They fell in love last summer, and in the nine months since then, they have bought a house together and built a music studio in the back of their property. It's very cool. I'm so happy to have Chelsea make Whisper Lake her home base. She used to travel all the time. Now, she'll tour, but when she's home, she'll be here." She paused. "What about you, Justin? I know your grandparents live in Los Angeles. Do you as well?"
"I'm based in San Francisco, but I travel half the year."
"Do you enjoy that?"
"For the most part. I go where the business takes me."
"Then business must be good."
"Opportunities are presenting themselves around every corner. While I'm missing London this week, I'm scheduled to go to Tokyo next week, then Australia after that."
"I'd love to go to both those cities."
"Have you traveled much?"
"Not internationally. I've done a tour of inns that has taken me through New England and the South: Charleston, Savannah, and New Orleans. I have been to San Francisco and Los Angeles. I actually worked in LA for a year at a big hotel chain. I liked the beach, but I missed the mountains of Colorado. And I knew that I had to get back."
He was surprised she'd traveled as much as she had. He'd had the idea that she'd just been in Denver and then Whisper Lake, but clearly there were a few more twists and turns in her story. "There's still a lot more for you to see. I'm sure there are charming inns all over the world."
"One day, I hope to see them all, but for now I'm spending all my time at the Firefly. My business is my life."
"I know what that feels like," he said, finding himself relating to her more than he'd imagined he could at their first meeting.
"I wouldn't even be here tonight if it wasn't my brother's birthday," she added. "I keep thinking I'll reach a point where I have better control, where I can slow down a bit, but I don't know when I'll get there. Have you reached that point?"
"Theoretically. But there's always more to accomplish."
"You keep moving the goal post," she said, an understanding gleam in her eyes. "I do that, too."
"It keeps life exciting."
"And exhausting."
"It's up to you how fast you want to run and for how long. That's the beauty of owning your own business. You're the boss. You call the shots."
"I wish that were true. I am the boss, but a lot of external problems seem to be calling the shots." She brushed her hair out of her face. "But I'm not going to think about those problems tonight. I should probably get back to the group."
He knew she was right, but he didn't really want her to leave. He liked talking to her. She was a beautiful mix of soft and hard—the friendly, optimistic cheerleader and the driven businesswoman. He wanted to know more, but she wasn't here with him. She had a whole table of people waiting for her to come back. "Don't let me keep you," he said.
She hesitated. "Do you want to join us, Justin?"
He was surprised by the invite. "You're with your family and your friends."
"There's always room for one more. And I don't feel right leaving you sitting here alone. You're my guest."
"You run the inn where I'm staying. That doesn't make you responsible for me," he said, a little bemused by that idea. But then, he usually stayed in five-star luxury hotels these days and rarely did he know any of the staff by name. He certainly didn't know anything about their families.
"I'm not responsible for you, but I am interested in your well-being, and I promised you that we would turn your obligation into a vacation. Since your grandparents aren't in town yet, you're at loose ends. Come on, join us. You've been working all afternoon, and I know you don't have a phone or a computer to get lost in."
"That's true. I need to get those items tomorrow."
"You can absolutely do that, but not tonight. Nothing is open now. Join us."
A small voice inside his head suggested that no would be a better answer than yes. But there was something about Lizzie that made it impossible for him to refuse.
It wasn't a big deal. And without his electronics, he was looking forward to a long night of nothing. There wasn't even a television in his room. Although, there was a bookshelf in his room with a variety of novels and nonfiction books, as well as a library downstairs. Apparently, Lizzie liked to encourage reading.
"Come on, Justin," she said. "It will be fun. And you seem like someone who could use some fun."
"I can be fun," he said defensively.
"You can be, but are you?" She gave him a doubtful look. "I think you're going to need to prove it."
"You might regret that challenge. I might be more fun than you can handle."
She laughed. "You're not short of confidence in any area, are you?"
"Why should I be?" he asked, knowing he sounded cocky as hell, but she seemed to like it. He slid off the stool and followed her over to the table.
As Lizzie introduced him to her friends, he received a lot of friendly smiles and speculative looks. Zach was quick to pull over a chair, so he could sit between him and Lizzie. He was more than happy with that scenario.
"So, Justin, I have a question for you," Keira said from across the table. He could see the amusement in her sparkling brown eyes.
"What's that?"
"Do you sing?"
"Uh…I was not expecting that question."
"It's karaoke night," Lizzie explained, as she poured him a beer from the pitcher on the table. "It starts in about ten minutes."
"Got it. No, I'm not a singer."
"Are you sure?" Keira asked. "We need some men to get up there for a change. And these guys swear they can't carry a tune, although I think some of them are lying, or maybe all of them."
"Chelsea and Lizzie got all the talent in my family," Adam said.
"We're not having Chelsea sing," Keira said, with a shake of her head. "She's too good for karaoke. She'll make the rest of us look terrible."
"None of you are terrible," Chelsea put in with a laugh. "But I am resting my voice tonight. I'm going to start recording tomorrow."
"That's exciting," Lizzie said. "Is the studio completely finished then?"
"It's close enough for me to start laying some tracks. And Brodie will be happy to have me do something besides talk about the wedding. I never thought I'd be one of those brides, but it turns out, I might be."
"Not at all," Brodie said, his arm around his fiancée's shoulders, his fingers gently stroking her neck. "You're nowhere close to a bridezilla, babe."
"I've been a little obsessed. Now I can see why you and Zach eloped," Chelsea added, giving Gianna a pointed smile.
Gianna shrugged. "I'd
already planned a few weddings that didn't happen; I didn't want to go through all that again. Zach and I got married on New Year's Eve," she added for Justin's benefit. "We had a babysitter for his daughter, Hailey, so it seemed like the perfect time to do it. Lizzie threw us a reception at the inn a few weeks later."
"Which was amazing," Zach said. "You are the party queen, Lizzie."
"I like being the queen of anything," she said with a laugh.
"I think we need another round," Kevin said, getting to his feet. "Who's in?"
"We should probably get going," his wife Chloe put in. "Leo has a cold, and I don't want to stay out too long."
"Leo is fine," Kevin told his wife. "And he's with his grandparents. How often do we get a night out? I'm going to order another round for the table." He headed for the bar.
Justin couldn't help noticing the irritated expression that moved across Chloe's face. Adam also gave her a concerned look.
"Everything okay?" Adam asked.
"It's fine," Chloe said quickly, masking her disappointment. "Kevin is right. We haven't had much fun lately."
"Then let's get this party started with some karaoke," Keira said, a forceful note in her voice.
Justin had a feeling that when Keira went after something, she got it. She was definitely the most hard-edged of this group. Chloe seemed softer, quieter, more of a follower than a leader. Chelsea had a free-spirited, bohemian vibe. He hadn't quite figured out Gianna yet, although her comment about having planned three weddings intrigued him.
Shay had mentioned that Adam was the complete opposite of his sister Lizzie, and on first impression, he definitely appeared to be the night to her day. He had an intense, more serious vibe to him. He also appeared to be opposite to Brodie, who couldn't seem to stop smiling. Although that might have something to do with the beautiful Chelsea. And then there was Zach, who appeared to be as entranced with his phone as Justin normally was. He couldn't help noticing that Zach kept checking his texts.
"Let's not be first up," Lizzie said. "Let's see how good the talent is tonight."
"Are you kidding?" Keira asked. "It's way better to be first. The bar has not been set yet. Plus, I don't want you guys to back out if someone great hits the stage before us."
Can't Fight The Moonlight (Whisper Lake Book 3) Page 5
