Autumn Skies: 3 (A Bluebell Inn Romance)

by Denise Hunter

  “I don’t think so. He’s not exactly happy though—can you blame him? And I really don’t want him to leave yet. He has business here he needs to finish first, and I aim to help him.”

  Molly gave her an inquisitive look and then, miracle of all miracles, didn’t press her about it. Instead she eased up off the mattress. “All right then. I’ll see what I can do to smooth your friend’s feathers. And I’ll make sure Levi plays nice too.”

  “I’m really sorry I worried you,” Grace said, because it couldn’t be said enough. Levi’s impulsive behavior didn’t erase their suffering.

  “I’m just glad you’re all right.” Molly gave her a wink, then slipped out the door.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Wyatt had a few critical things to take care of this morning.

  When he looked in the mirror, he was relieved to see his jaw was only slightly discolored. Though Grace’s brother had surprised him, Wyatt’s training paid off. He automatically spun away from the punch, letting the hook pass through. The damage had been effectively minimized, and he’d managed to restrain himself. Barely.

  The public library was closed today, and he was taking a break from hiking. His shoulder needed a few days off from backpack hauling. He rolled it, testing. He needed to go to the gym later, lift a little, and get back to his regular physical therapy. It wasn’t lost on him that he was broken both physically and psychologically. A case could also be made for spiritually—which was why he’d decided to head to church this morning. The service he’d looked up online started at nine.

  But he had something else he needed to settle first. He slipped out of his room and made his way down the hall. All was quiet behind Grace’s door. He took the stairs silently, and when he reached the bottom he found just the situation he’d hoped for. Levi alone, working the front desk.

  The man did a double take as Wyatt rounded the corner. He straightened to his full height—a few inches taller than Wyatt.

  As Levi’s gaze sharpened on Wyatt’s jaw, he shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat. “Good morning.”

  “Morning.”

  “Ah, about yesterday . . .” Levi lifted his chin a notch, reminding Wyatt of Grace. “I wanted to apologize again for jumping to conclusions.”

  “Accepted. Do I need to find somewhere else to stay?”

  Levi blinked but didn’t give an inch. “That depends. What are your intentions toward my sister?”

  “I have no intentions toward Grace—if that’s any of your business.” He didn’t know why it annoyed him so much that her siblings treated her like a child when he’d initially put her squarely in the same category.

  “Does she know that?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe you should ask her,” he said, because he knew Levi wouldn’t bother. Grace would just tell him to butt out.

  “She’s young. And more vulnerable than you might think.”

  “She’s an adult, and she wouldn’t appreciate your talking behind her back. She’s also quite capable of taking care of herself.”

  Levi’s jaw clenched and his eyes flashed. He obviously didn’t like being told about his sister by someone who’d known her less than a week. But Wyatt was right.

  “Good morning!” Molly waltzed into the room, energized by her morning coffee? Or maybe a little manic. “How’d you sleep, Wyatt? Can I get you a seat in the dining room? Miss Della baked up her blueberry streusel muffins this morning, and you don’t want to miss those.”

  Her gaze toggled between the men. “Everything all right here? Yeah? Wyatt, I also recommend the meat lovers’ omelet. It’s a fluffy, cheesy wonder you’ll be dreaming about for weeks to come.”

  Wyatt looked back at Levi. “I was actually thinking about checking out this morning.”

  “Now, why would you go and do that? Grace said you have business here, and we’re happy to assist in any way we can.” Molly nailed her brother with a look. “Aren’t we, Levi?”

  He offered a wan smile. “Of course.”

  “Well, there you go then.” Molly hooked her arm around Wyatt’s and headed toward the dining room. “There’s a seat right by the front window, and I’ll get your coffee right away. Would you like some cream with that?”

  “Um, no. Thanks.” His head was spinning a little by the time Molly left for his coffee. Whereas Grace was like a balmy summer evening, her sister was like a whirlwind. And her brother a sudden storm front.

  Maybe Wyatt should leave, but he wasn’t letting some overprotective brother scare him away. He had business to attend to, and he wasn’t quite ready to say good-bye to Grace Bennett.

  * * *

  “Seriously?” Molly asked as soon as she closed the front door behind the guests Levi had just checked out.

  “What?”

  Molly hitched her hands on her hips. “I walked into some kind of standoff between you and Wyatt. I thought we agreed you’d be nice. I thought we agreed you’d back off.”

  “That doesn’t mean I have to trust him.”

  “Well, do you have to wear your feelings on your sleeve? He’s a guest, and you need to treat him like one.”

  “Fine. I will.” Levi ran his hand through his hair. “Have you sent Grace the write-up for the inn?”

  “Nice change of subject. When would I have done that? She’s been gone since Thursday.”

  “Well, do it now. We need to get this place listed.”

  “All right, all right.” Molly texted Adam, asking him to email the document to Grace. “Done. What’s wrong? You seem super stressed.”

  “Oh, I don’t know. A missing sister, this inn, a long-distance relationship, a wedding I’m supposed to be planning.”

  “When’s Mia coming?”

  “Friday. She finishes filming on Thursday. We’ll do the cake tasting, have the fittings, and go over the menu with Miss Della. It’ll be fine. I’m just on overload right now.”

  “I can help. I’m good with weddings.”

  “I’ll do the wedding stuff. You get the inn sold.”

  “Fine.” She’d rather do the wedding stuff, but it wasn’t her wedding. “I’m going to go clean rooms. And ease up on Wyatt. Grace trusts him, and we should trust her enough to give him the benefit of the doubt.”

  “Aren’t you at least a little concerned?”

  “I don’t mean to throw the past in your face, Levi, but your track record with our boyfriends isn’t the greatest.”

  “He seems a lot older than her—and not just in years. Besides, he’s secretive and he carries. In security—what does that even mean?”

  Molly crossed her arms. “Remember how I was supposed to remind you when you’re butting in?”

  His lips tightened. “Fine. I’ll keep my opinions to myself.”

  She gave him an innocent smile. “That’s all I’m asking.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Grace spent all Monday morning getting the inn listed at the online sites she’d pegged. Adam had done a beautiful job with the write-up, but jumping through each page’s hoops and listing the inn’s features repeatedly was time-consuming.

  She finished just in time for her Realtor appointment. A house on the edge of town that might work for her business had recently listed. She jumped into her car and drove the short distance.

  A few minutes later she pulled up to the curb. The one-story cottage squatted on a small, sloped lawn. It was near enough to the town’s center and the lake to make it a feasible option. The price wasn’t bad either. She wouldn’t be eligible for that kind of loan now—and a grant would never come through in time—but once the inn sold she could pay cash and still have a little left over for renovations.

  The Realtor was already there, so she met the petite woman on the front porch. Pamela Bleeker sported a perpetual tan and wore her beach-blonde hair short and fluffy. She was still attractive in her forties and was known about town as a real go-getter.

  Grace ascended the porch steps. “Hi, Pamela.”

  “Well, hello there
, darlin’. You’re looking well.”

  “Thank you.” The makeup had helped disguise Grace’s bruise, but it was still visible. Pamela was too tactful to mention it.

  “Well, you picked a beautiful day, and I hope we can find a nice spot for your business. This town needs some new options, and this precious little house is located just right.”

  “I’ll give you that.”

  Pamela slid the key from the lockbox and unlocked the door. “Like I said on the phone, it’s zoned for commercial or residential use. This nice wide porch would be a great place to display some of your rental equipment or sale items.”

  Grace had been thinking the same thing.

  Pamela ushered her inside the empty house. “The high ceilings offer a nice open feel, don’t you think?”

  “I do like that.” The wood floor was serviceable, and the windows let in plenty of light. Aside from the living area, the rooms were small and boxy and painted a garish shade of green. “Some walls would definitely have to come down.”

  “Well, yes, but that’s cheap demolition. And, of course, you and your siblings have experience with that.”

  Grace didn’t want to give too much away, but she could already see this house working out. See the open space that would display her hiking and camping equipment. See racks of quality hiking apparel where the living room currently was. See the checkout counter to the left of the door, where a dining room chandelier now dangled from a link chain.

  A large garage was located out back where she could store her kayaks, canoes, and bikes. Lake access was free just across the street. It was an ideal location, and the interior had been recently updated.

  She strolled through the house, taking in everything from the wood floors to the wall construction to electrical outlets. A small back bedroom would serve nicely as an office. It was right off the tiny kitchen, which she might be tempted to keep.

  At the back of the house she saw a narrow set of steps. “There’s an upstairs?”

  “Just a little walk-up attic. It’s unfinished, but it has super potential. Watch your step.”

  Grace took the stairs, which stopped at a short wooden door. She opened it up, went through, and pulled the string attached to a bulb. The space lit up. It was small and unfinished just as Pamela had said. But Grace could see the walls and sloped ceiling covered with drywall and sporting a fresh coat of paint. She could see plush carpet hugging the floor and the double-hung window covered with a filmy white curtain.

  She could actually live up here and work downstairs. Excitement buzzed through her veins. Pursuing this dream had always lit her fire, but never as much as now. Because now it felt real. It felt plausible. It felt like it was hers and hers alone.

  She worked hard to keep her thoughts from her face. Pamela was a sweet Southern shark, and she’d listed this house for the owners.

  “It’s got potential. But I see a lot of effort and money to make it work as a business.”

  “Well, sure, but you could do a lot of it yourself. And the place has great bones.”

  Grace agreed. She hadn’t noticed sloping floors or any cracks, leaks, or stains anywhere. The house was built seventy years ago and built well. “A lot of structural and cosmetic changes, though. When did you say the plumbing was updated?”

  “Ten years ago. New roof three years ago, so you’re all set there too.”

  Grace nodded, then started back down the attic stairs, trying to calm the rising tide of anticipation.

  “And just wait’ll you see the garage,” Pamela said.

  Since Grace arrived home an hour before her shift, she slipped into the kitchen to help Miss Della with supper prep. She cut carrots and onions and whipped up the house salad dressing while the other woman did the real cooking. They gabbed about everything and nothing as they worked side by side.

  Lately Grace had been spending a lot of time here and there helping in the kitchen. But if Miss Della noticed the shift in her habits, she hadn’t said so. Grace had stepped up her efforts at church also. She’d filled a slot that had been empty for months—the toddlers’ class. She’d also helped an elderly woman to her car Sunday night. She wasn’t sure if any of it was helping her with her issues, but maybe that would take time.

  When she was due for her shift, she washed her hands, said good-bye to Miss Della, and made her way to the front desk. Levi caught her up on a few things that had happened on his watch.

  “How was the property you looked at?” he asked before he took off.

  “Really good. Definitely a possibility. But it’s just on the market, and Pamela thinks it’ll go fast.”

  Levi rolled his eyes. “You know she’s just trying to hook you.”

  “Well, sure, but I really liked it. And I won’t have the money to do anything until this place sells. Maybe I should wait to start looking.”

  She didn’t want to get her hopes up for nothing, and she had a terrible feeling some other buyer would swoop in and buy the property. In fact, she’d been fretting about that since she’d left the house.

  “The inn might not take that long to sell, and you need to be ready to go once it does.”

  “I listed it everywhere this morning.” She stepped up to the computer and opened the email program. Her heart stuttered at the email from one of the realty sites.

  “Someone’s already reaching out.” She opened the email and read it.

  “What’d they say?”

  “They want to take a look. It’s a couple from Tennessee that wants to open a bed-and-breakfast—the Farnsworths. She managed a hotel for six years, and he manages a landscaping business. They’re asking if they can come Wednesday.”

  “Wow, that was quick.”

  “Can you imagine if we sold it that fast?” Grace could buy that little house and finally be in business for herself. Buy more equipment, hire some employees, advertise. She was going to have the best outfitters business around.

  “Slow down, sparky. Coming to look isn’t the same as making an offer.”

  “I know, but look at this place. What more could anyone want?”

  “It doesn’t come cheap. We don’t even know if they can really afford it. But you should check Molly’s availability for Wednesday.”

  Definitely. Molly, with her positivity and gift of gab, not to mention her love of this place, was the right person for the tour-guide job.

  “I’ll do that.”

  Movement sounded overhead. Was it Wyatt? She’d been so deep in thought when she pulled up she didn’t even check for his car. They’d only spent an hour or so together since their return, when they’d gone to the police station yesterday to file a police report. And after all the time they’d spent together this week, she found herself missing him.

  “Is Wyatt still around?” she asked before Levi slipped out the front door on the way to some wedding errand.

  “He left a while ago.”

  Her spirits sank a little. “Okay, thanks.”

  She hoped Wyatt hadn’t already gone to the library. She wanted to help him with the map. She certainly knew the area better than the librarians did.

  Oh, who was she kidding? She wanted to spend time with him and just needed a good excuse to do it.

  Grace tracked down Molly upstairs folding towels in the laundry room. “Guess who’s found us a potential buyer?”

  “What? Already?”

  “I posted the listings this morning, and we just got an email from a Tennessee couple. They seem legit and want to inspect the place this week.”

  Molly hugged the white towel to her stomach. “Wow. That was quick.”

  “They’d like to come in Wednesday afternoon and possibly stay the night if they like what they see.”

  “Oh . . . Wednesday? I kind of have a full day. Think you can put it off till the weekend?”

  “Weekends are our busiest times.”

  “Exactly. It’d be great for them to see how successful this place is.”

  Grace saw her point, but weeken
ds were all hands on deck.

  “Oh, wait,” Molly said. “This weekend we have that family reunion. It’s going to be a zoo. Maybe the next weekend?”

  Grace saw that little house slipping right through her fingers. “I don’t think we should make them wait that long. What if they find someplace else in the meantime? If you’re not free Wednesday, Levi or I can show them around.”

  Molly bit her lip. “No, no. It’s fine. I can clear my schedule.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Absolutely. Tell them it’s a go.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Grace steadied the kayak, holding her breath as the middle-aged woman stepped into it. Her husband was already set to go and waiting just off the dock. They’d come in this evening after seeing her ad on the diner’s place mat.

  Once the woman was settled in the cockpit, Grace relaxed.

  “This is a nice one,” she said. “Very comfortable.”

  “Glad you like it.” Grace handed her the paddle, failing to inform the woman that she was the first to take it out. “Have fun, you two. Just pull it up on the dock when you come back and stop up at the front desk.”

  The two were already off, efficiently paddling their way past the end of the dock. Grace headed back up the slope of the inn’s lawn. These were the first customers in a week who’d come in off the street. Most of Grace’s business originated from the inn’s guests, which worried her a little. What would happen when she moved to her own location?

  She caught sight of Wyatt coming toward her, hands tucked into his jeans pockets. What that man did to a black T-shirt should be considered illegal.

  “There you are,” he said.

  Her heart gave an errant beat as she realized he was looking for her, then she gave herself a mental shake. He probably needed extra towels or something.

  “Sorry. I had to abandon the front desk. A hazard of running two businesses at once.”

  When they met up he turned and walked alongside her. “Your face looks a lot better.”

  “Gee, thanks.”