by Annie Rains
“What’s that over there?” Gina asked, gesturing toward a wooden pallet that Kaitlyn had picked up outside the grocery store the other day. She’d covered it with chalkboard paint and hung it on the wall.
“I made that to display movie choices for the guests. Movie nights in the ballroom are popular lately. Not everyone comes down but some do. Mable and Henry had quite the collection of films too. I thought I’d let the guests start voting between a couple of choices.”
“Well, you are as smart as you are creative. I love the idea.”
“Thanks.” Kaitlyn smiled to herself, taking another bite of cookie. At Beautiful Designs, her ideas had always been shot down by her boss. Here, there was no one to tell her what she could or couldn’t do. With her newfound freedom, her ideas seemed to be flowing faster than she could jot them down in her little notebook.
Gina pushed back from the table. “Thanks for the tea, dear, but I better head back to the house and see what Nettie is up to.”
“How long is your sister-in-law in town for?”
“Oh, at least through Christmas,” Gina said, grabbing one more cookie. “Honestly, it’s been nice having her around. I’ve resorted to talking to myself over the years, which I guess could be considered a little crazy. Now I still talk to myself but there’s someone else in the room. Makes me feel a little less off my rocker.”
Kaitlyn laughed as she followed Gina to the door. “I’ve always heard talking to yourself is a sign of intelligence.”
“Really?” Gina looked intrigued. “Well, I’ll see you bright and early on Wednesday. We’ll make a day of it. It’ll be fun.”
“Sounds perfect.” Kaitlyn hugged Gina and then watched her head down the steps. There was a marked chill in the air from earlier. The forecast was calling for snow in the next week. Just in time for Christmas. And who knows? Maybe if it snowed hard enough, Mitch would have to stay a tad bit longer.
With a brrrrr, Kaitlyn closed the door, barring out the chill. She started toward the fireplace to stoke the flames but stopped short when she heard a crash upstairs. It’d come from the Anne of Green Gables room.
Another crash jolted Kaitlyn where she stood. Then she took off running. Even from the bottom step, she could hear the raised voices.
“It’s okay,” Kaitlyn assured one of the other guests, who was peeking outside her door at the commotion. She wasn’t sure if that was the truth or not. Her steps quickened as she heard a choice word puncture the air. “Ladies! What’s going on?” Kaitlyn asked as she entered the room.
Doris Manchester, an older woman who wore a visible hearing aid, pointed a shaky finger across the room at Sally Huddleston, the guest whom Kaitlyn had checked into the Gone With the Wind room yesterday morning. “I told that woman her guitar playing was bothering me.”
“Well, I paid for a room just like you,” Ms. Huddleston said. Ms. Huddleston was probably in her early fifties. If Kaitlyn remembered correctly, she was a music teacher at a private school in Ohio. “That means I get to play my instrument anytime I want.”
“But I paid for a room and I came here for some peace and quiet.”
“Then turn your hearing aid off!” Ms. Huddleston shot back.
Ms. Manchester’s mouth fell open. Then both women turned to look at Kaitlyn as if waiting for her to make things right.
Kaitlyn looked between them, her mouth gaping open too. She had no idea how to fix the situation.
“If she plays her guitar one more time, I’m going to march into her room and break the damn thing,” Ms. Manchester threatened.
Ms. Huddleston gasped as if the other woman had tossed a toad in her direction.
Kaitlyn held up her hands. “Hold on, ladies. I’m sure we can work this out.”
“I want another room away from this woman,” Ms. Manchester demanded.
“Fine by me,” Ms. Huddleston said. “And if you touch my guitar, I’m going to call the police.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“I certainly would,” Ms. Huddleston promised.
At that very moment, a Sweetwater Springs police officer just happened to walk into the room.
* * *
“I heard the voices from the front door,” Mitch said. He’d taken the steps two at a time when he’d walked in and heard the commotion. “Is everything okay?”
Kaitlyn blew out a long breath. “Oh, you know, just a little disagreement,” she said, even though her voice sounded tight.
“No.” Ms. Manchester turned to Mitch and jabbed a finger in the air at Ms. Huddleston. “That woman threatened me. Lock her up!”
“I did no such thing,” Ms. Huddleston huffed. “She said she was going to break my guitar!”
Mitch tossed a sideward glance at Kaitlyn. “Do we have any rooms that we could move one of these nice ladies to?”
“We’re full,” Kaitlyn said, looking completely flustered.
“I see.” He poked his tongue at the side of his cheek as he tried to think. There was no good solution, which was sometimes the case. These two women either had to stick it out in neighboring rooms or one of them had to leave. “Well, if either of you are unsatisfied with your stay here, you can feel free to leave and your stay so far will be at no cost.” They’d both already stayed one night so this seemed like a deal to Mitch.
“I’m not leaving,” Ms. Huddleston said.
“Neither am I,” Ms. Manchester added. “I read about this B and B in a magazine. This is a romantic holiday experience, and I’m old. I could die at any moment. I need romance.”
Kaitlyn stifled a laugh.
Mitch frowned at her. Laughing at an angry old lady was never wise. He remembered Alex’s warning about avoiding old ladies with sharp knives. He quickly assessed whether Ms. Manchester had one.
“Do you think that you could play your guitar in another room?” Kaitlyn asked. Her question was hesitant as if she was concerned the women were going to turn on her at any moment.
Ms. Huddleston cocked her head to the side. “And where would that be?”
“Well, the ballroom is empty during the day. You can feel free to play guitar in there. There’s even a nice couch set up along the wall.”
“I suppose I would be agreeable to that.”
“Great,” Mitch said, grasping on to her agreement. He was, after all, a man, and men liked to find solutions to problems. “Would you like me to carry your instrument down for you?”
Ms. Huddleston’s eyes widened. “No one touches my instrument except me.”
Mitch took a step backward. “No problem.” He was just happy the standoff had been mediated. As he walked back through the populated hall, he spoke to the guests. “Everything is fine. Please go back to relaxing and enjoying your stay here.”
“Wow.” Kaitlyn grinned at him. “That sounds like something an actual bed-and-breakfast host would say.”
“I’m nowhere near a B and B host but I did get offered a job today.”
Kaitlyn was matching his every step down the stairs. She paused at the landing. “Alex?”
“Yep.”
“I’m not surprised.”
Excitement swam through him. Then the memory of Brian Everson sending him away snubbed out that feeling. “I’m not sure I can accept the offer.”
Kaitlyn’s expression turned crestfallen. “But you love working there. And you and Alex are friends. It would be a dream come true if I could work with my best friend, Josie, every day.”
“I don’t know. Seeing Alex daily might drive me crazy.” He was only teasing, of course, and deflecting from the real issue. Alex was a great guy, a true friend, and he’d be a good boss too. “I told him I’d think about it.”
Kaitlyn’s face brightened just a touch. “I hope you do.”
He and Kaitlyn had never discussed him staying before, and she’d never let on that she wanted him to stay. But right now, seeing the hope shine through her eyes, he thought maybe she did.
“Did you cast your vote yet?” Kaitlyn asked th
en.
“Vote?”
“It’s movie night. I hung a chalkboard in the dining room this morning with some options for movies to watch tonight. I asked the guests to cast their votes.”
“You are full of ideas, aren’t you?” He lifted a finger to slide a hair away from her cheek, locking it behind her ear. Just that simple touch made his fingers itch for more. He wasn’t sure he would ever get enough of the woman standing in front of him.
“Just feeling inspired these days,” she said, almost shyly. “There’s something about this town and the people. It’s impossible not to fall in love with it all.” Her gaze hung on his.
She was talking about the town and the people. Not him. But she was looking at him with those bedroom eyes that inspired the hell out of him. He’d taken this thing between Kaitlyn and him too far, half of him thought. The other half protested that he hadn’t taken it far enough. Not yet.
The silence of his phone in his pocket was deafening. Come on, Brian. Call! he silently pleaded as he looked at Kaitlyn. Please call.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Kaitlyn was in a daze as she set out the breakfast she’d prepared for the guests in the dining room. When she’d awoken this morning, Mitch was gone. There’d been a note on the kitchen counter telling her he’d gone to the station early to work on a case. He hadn’t mentioned any new case lately though. She couldn’t help wondering if he was already distancing himself in preparation to leave next week. She hoped not. They had so little time left together, and she wanted to savor it, moment by moment.
Her phone rang in her pocket, jolting her from her stupor. She pulled it out and glanced at the caller ID, still not ready to speak to her mom. Instead of her mom’s picture, it was Josie’s that filled her screen.
Kaitlyn stepped out of the dining room for privacy and put the phone to her ear with a smile. “Hi!”
“I hope I didn’t wake you,” Josie said.
Kaitlyn laughed. “I was already up. I’m surprised you’re awake at this hour though.”
“Are you kidding? I haven’t gone to sleep yet,” Josie admitted.
That statement didn’t surprise Kaitlyn one bit. Even with Josie’s night owl ways, she always seemed to be so put together. She never had dark circles under her eyes or a single hair out of place. Josie was a machine, and Kaitlyn admired the heck out of her friend.
“I’ve been meaning to call and catch up,” Josie said. “How are things going down there?”
“Busy.”
“Glad to hear it. And what’s going on between you and Mitch?”
“His job here is done on Christmas Eve, and he’s still planning to leave.”
“Oh.” Josie sounded surprised. “It sounded like you really liked this one. After all you’ve been through these last few months, I was wishing you a little happiness in the love arena.”
“Me too.” Kaitlyn pulled in a breath. “But life keeps going. I don’t need a man to make me happy.”
Josie snorted. “Now you sound like me.”
Kaitlyn couldn’t remember the last time Josie had been in a serious relationship. Maybe never. Josie sometimes went out “for drinks” with a guy but it never amounted to more than a casual date. Josie had never been one to give her heart to anyone, which Kaitlyn had always found strange. Josie was one of the most caring, generous people she knew. She had a lot to offer in a relationship if she were interested in having one.
“Mitch is starting a new job in January,” Kaitlyn added. “I don’t really have any choice but to accept that he’s leaving and to move on.”
“I’m sorry. Maybe you should give online dating a try,” Josie suggested, the keys of her laptop still clicking in the background. “We just ran an article in Loving Life on couples who’ve found love that way. Did you know that one-third of marriages start with online dating?”
“As I said, I don’t need a man right now.” Or she did, but only a certain man would do. “I do, however, need more contact with my best friend.”
“Agreed. I’ll put a reminder in my phone so we can chat at least weekly.”
This made Kaitlyn roll her eyes, although she was still smiling. “Sounds good.”
She and Josie talked a little while longer, and then Kaitlyn disconnected and went into the dining area to make sure everyone was okay. There was a lively discussion going on about the movie they’d watched last night.
Ms. Manchester was against happily ever afters even though she’d been married to her husband for forty-six years. “No one said we were happy,” she said gruffly to the group.
Mr. Manchester just wrapped his arm around his wife’s shoulders and squeezed gently. “We’re more than happy,” he declared, soliciting an aw from the other guests. “I’m over the moon that this woman has stayed with me for so long.”
Ms. Manchester melted into his side, and when she turned to face him, her expression softened. “I still prefer the movies without happily ever afters. It’s more realistic.”
Kaitlyn could agree. Her feelings for Mitch were the closest she’d ever had to being in love, and the thought of him leaving physically hurt. It would be hard to watch him go and say nothing. But what could she say? She understood his reasons. She’d been a fool to let herself feel as much as she did, and it would take a while to recover. Love wasn’t something she wanted to participate in again for a very long time.
So, no, she wouldn’t be dipping her toe into online dating, as Josie had suggested.
Kaitlyn glanced around at her guests. Instead, she’d live vicariously through the couples who booked rooms here at the inn, and maybe that would be enough.
* * *
Mitch was having a bad case of déjà vu. Once again, he was sitting in the Everson Printing Store and waiting to see Brian. In the middle of the night, he’d awoken to a recurring nightmare about the accident. Only this time, Brian was dead and so was Mitch’s mom. Life was ruined, and as usual it was all his fault.
Mitch hadn’t been able to go back to sleep after that. Instead, he’d gone for an early morning jog, showered, and had driven back here. He wouldn’t give up so easily this time. After all these years, Brian deserved his apology. And Mitch deserved closure.
The young clerk with pimpled skin kept casting awkward glances toward Mitch in the waiting area. Then the backroom door opened, and the female clerk came out just like last time. Instead of turning to the younger male, however, she walked directly to Mitch and smiled warmly.
“Good morning, sir. Mr. Everson is ready to see you in his office now,” she said.
Relief poured through Mitch. He was going to at least have a chance to tell Brian how sorry he was about the events that had taken place that fateful night when one lie had cost so many so much. This was something he should’ve done a long, long time ago. “Thanks.”
Mitch stood and followed her through the storeroom door and down a well-lit hallway to the last office on the left. A nameplate on the door read EVERSON in big block letters.
The clerk offered a courtesy knock before turning the knob and opening the door for Mitch to enter. As he stepped into the office, he expected to see Brian in his wheelchair. Instead, a graying man behind a large oak desk stood and shoved his hands on his narrow hips.
“Hello, Mitch,” Frank Everson said. Just like when Frank had come to see him at his mom’s house when he was seventeen years old, there was no smile or offer to shake hands.
“I came to see Brian.” Mitch stepped farther inside the room but didn’t sit. And he didn’t plan on sitting. Frank was not the man he came to talk to.
“I thought you and I had an agreement, son,” Frank said.
“I’m not your son,” Mitch bit out.
“Right. My son is in a wheelchair, thanks to you.”
Guilt and anger warred within Mitch. One emotion begged him to back down, walk away. The other prompted him to stand rooted in that office. “With all due respect, sir, it was an accident. I never meant to hurt Brian, and you know that. All I wa
nt is to talk to him, man to man.”
Frank frowned, his eyes hard. “You were careless, irresponsible, and foolish back then. And you made a promise to my family, which it looks like you’re not man enough to keep.”
Mitch folded his arms in front of him. Frank was right. He had been foolish and irresponsible. But what Alex had said for Kyle Martin was true for him too. One mistake didn’t define a person. Mitch was tired of letting his past hold all the power. The accident was the reason his mom had taken on so much work. The reason he’d left town and joined the military instead of staying and going to the police academy with Alex. The accident had dictated every choice Mitch had made since he was seventeen years old. It had to stop now. “I want to tell Brian that I’m sorry.”
“Why? To ease your guilty conscience? No, you don’t get to do that.” Frank walked to the office door and held it open—Mitch’s cue to get the hell out. “The Everson family still has a lot of power in this town, Mitch. Your mom lost her job but there’s more to be lost unless you honor your promise and leave Sweetwater Springs.”
Mitch clenched his teeth so hard that pain shot up his jaw. “Is that a threat, sir?”
“Take it any way you like. I’d take it as a promise.”
Mitch didn’t offer a goodbye as he stormed down the hall and out of the building.
* * *
Ten cakes to donate to the Hope for the Holidays Auction. Piece of cake.
By Wednesday at noon, the entire kitchen looked like it’d exploded. There was cake batter, flour, and every color of frosting smeared across Kaitlyn’s apron. It was likely also on her face and in her hair.
“We are a sight,” Gina said on a laugh as she slipped the last Bundt pan into the oven. “I’ll help you clean up this mess while it bakes,” she offered, pulling back and straightening as she shut the oven door.
“No. You’ve already helped more than enough. I can get all this.” Kaitlyn spanned her arms out to encompass the full kitchen because not one spot had been neglected in their mess. “Really. Go home and relax.”
