by K. M. Scott
“Good afternoon, Mr. Gilford. I’m glad you could make it in so quickly. I imagine traffic is a nightmare out there at this hour.”
“I took the scenic route, so not too bad. Besides the sun is shining, so it’s a great day. You should get out of this office and enjoy it. It’s days like this that make me want to jump in my car and head for the beach.”
She raised an eyebrow and leveled her gaze on me with a look that said she thought my suggestion was ridiculous, but she enjoyed taking my money, so she stayed silent.
Getting down to business, I asked, “Is the paperwork finished?”
She nodded as she pulled a stack of papers from an envelope and pushed them across the desk toward me. “Are you sure you want to do this? That’s a lot of money you’re leaving on the table.”
I scanned the legalese on the papers in front of me and then looked up at her. “You know, I guess I should be more worried about that, but I’m just not.”
“Well, we can’t easily come back from this point, so you need to be sure, Mr. Gilford. Otherwise, you’ll be paying me a lot to get back less. Understand?”
I signed my name where the tabbed arrows directed me to and said, “I know.”
The business of the day done, I walked out of the office and enjoyed the warm sun on my face for a moment before I looked around at all the gorgeous trees and breathed deeply. The fresh air filled my lungs and gave me a momentary high I’d never found anywhere but here.
I had to admit I enjoyed Vermont in the fall. The place held a certain peacefulness that even I couldn’t deny. I still hadn’t fully acclimated to the cold, but the crisp mountain air and colorful foliage were charming in some ways. I hadn’t even thought about California in a while and found that I didn’t miss it all that much.
As if to remind me why I liked it more than California, the owner of the coffee shop I frequented walked into the parking lot next to the law office and caught sight of me.
“Zane! Now I know you aren’t going to come this close to my shop and not get a cup of joe!” Elaine Taylor said, her gray hair flying in the wind as she rushed over to me.
I smiled and shook my head. “Not today, Mrs. Taylor. You’ll have to forgive me,” I said, turning on the charm I knew she liked so much.
She smiled and pulled me in for a quick hug. “Word around town is you’re keeping that inn of your mother’s.”
I could tell she was trying hard not to gossip, but she was terrible at hiding her true motives.
“Just signed the paperwork before you caught me. The Gilford House Inn will stay just that. You know there’s always room for you if you want to get away for a little while.”
“That is so good to hear! Your mother was one of my dearest friends, and she would have been so proud to see all that you’ve accomplished. Here, let me grab you a cup for the road, okay?”
There was no turning her down, so I nodded and thanked her. She rushed back out a minute later with a cup of coffee made just how I liked it and a donut too.
“You spoil me, Elaine.”
“Of course. You deserve it. Now you be good up on the mountain and remember to call my husband when the snow eventually gets here. He’s itching to use that new plow of his.”
“I sure will. Have a good one, and thanks for the coffee!”
I walked back to my car and drove the winding road up the mountain to the inn where my staff waited on the front porch all wearing smiles. In the very front stood Mandy, who gave me an out of character high five as I hit the last stair.
“Mr. Gilford, we can’t thank you enough for deciding not to sell the inn.”
The other staff members echoed her comment, and it felt good to be around what I had discovered to be a real family of people. We relied on one another at the inn, and though it had taken me a long time to understand that, my mother had been right all along. These people were family, and it felt good to have them all smiling at me.
“Thanks, everyone! We’ll be having an employee appreciation day sometime next month. I don’t want to spoil it for you, but it’s going to be a blast. If anyone has any suggestions since I know my mother used to do them with you guys, please let me know. You know where to find me.”
With calls and echoes of “Thanks, Mr. G!” in the air, I walked away with a smile and a wave to sit beneath the tree that overlooked the valley below. I’d begun referring to it as Our Spot in my mind because it was where Becca and I had shared that Fourth of July picnic together. It felt like so long ago, and I missed her more than I liked to admit. Nearly every inch of the inn and the surrounding grounds seemed to be haunted by the memory of the woman I shouldn’t have lost.
It had been my fault she left, but that didn’t made it any less difficult to bear. In fact, it made it that much worse. I would often go to that spot to relax, and naturally, my mind would drift to all we’d been to each other. Though I missed her, I had to admit it was really over. I’d left her dozens of different messages for days after she stormed out, but she never called back.
But even if she didn’t know it, what she said about selling the inn and putting all my staff out of their jobs sunk in. It wasn’t the right thing to do, and when it came time to sign on the dotted line and leave the inn, Vermont, and all the memories of the past year behind, I couldn’t do it.
I sat with my back pressed against the bark of our tree and stared out at the valley and all the trees that surrounded it with their red and gold colors. Vermont really showed off in autumn. I hadn’t noticed last year, and as I took it in now, I couldn’t help but wish that I could be enjoying the beauty with Becca.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Becca
Once back in the city, I didn’t think about the little inn tucked away on its mountain or the man who had broken my heart who owned it. When fall began to come to New York City, I found my thoughts drifting back to that place, though. The leaves in Central Park began to change, but they didn’t hold the same power over me as the ones that floated down over that little red bridge near the inn. Still, I pushed those thoughts down and focused on my work, getting more done daily than I had thought was humanly possible.
“You miss him, huh?” Amy asked me one day as I held the door open for her to leave for the night.
I locked the door behind us and shook my head. “Not really. I mean, there were some really good times, but I think I miss that inn more than anything. Now that he’s sold it, I don’t even really connect the two together in my mind anymore.”
Amy gave me a look that told me she knew I was lying but being the great friend that she was, she didn’t say anything more. That’s how it went for the most part. I’d go to work, get everything done, go home, and fall asleep to the glow of the television as I wondered how much longer I would even get to live in my perfect little townhouse. Dustin’s lawyer turned out to be as relentless as her reputation claimed, and she slowly had worn me down.
One crisp autumn day, I got home from work and wrapped myself in a warm blanket to thumb through the day’s mail. That was when I saw it.
The postcard.
Similar to the campaign I’d designed, it featured a photograph of the beautiful fall leaves in all their colorful glory and the words, “We hope you and your family will join ours and enjoy autumn with us at The Gilford House Inn.”
As I sat alone in my townhouse, I recalled how much I loved going up to Vermont in the fall. Before I knew it, I had packed my bags and I was making the familiar trek up there. As I drove, I realized I probably wouldn’t be able to get a room on such short notice, but that didn’t change my mind about going. I just wanted to see what the new owners had decided to do with the place.
When I got there, I saw things looked mostly the same, though they’d given the outside of the building a fresh coat of white paint. It looked as welcoming as it ever did, standing proudly atop its mountain. I decided to take a stroll around the grounds before finding out if I could get a room, happy to just enjoy the beauty the area offered.<
br />
As I explored the grounds, I naturally thought of Zane. He was probably enjoying the California coast and all the fun and sun at the beach. I didn’t feel any bitterness towards him at that moment, though. Only a sadness for the times that we’d had and lost. It didn’t hurt anymore to admit that I missed him, and I even smiled as I looked out to where I knew we’d had our last little picnic together.
It had been such a marvelous time, but that’s how it was with us. Things were great when they were good between us. I found myself back on that little red bridge, which also seemed to have been given a fresh coat of paint. That made me happy. The new owners cared about the little things.
As I walked to the other side of the bridge, I heard footsteps join me on it from behind and I instantly recognized the voice that said, “I remember having quite an argument on this bridge.”
Shocked, I turned around to see Zane smiling at me.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, not even trying to mask my confusion.
Zane looked better than ever with a fresh haircut and shave and wearing a dark blue button down shirt that showed off his muscles. Crossing the bridge to stand on my side, he said, “I didn’t sell the place after all.”
“Why?”
He looked around and smiled, his eyes lingering on our spot under the tree I’d been thinking about just moments before. “It seemed like the right thing to do.”
“The right thing, huh?” I said as he took another step closer to me. “What about doing the year and then going as you planned? I thought you didn’t like it here.”
He nodded, and with a shrug said, “I didn’t until you became a part of this place. When the time came, I couldn’t give it up, even if I’d lost you.”
“I’m glad you didn’t, Zane. What about the staff? Are they all still here?”
“Yep. Mandy’s still at the front desk, and those two diva chefs are still making my life difficult in the kitchen.”
“You look good here. Happy.”
Our conversation felt awkward, like there was so much more to say and neither one of us knew how to say it.
“I guess I grew to love the place. My mother is probably looking down and laughing at the irony. I spent all my life wanting to get away from here, and now that I can go anywhere in the world, I’m staying right here.”
I looked around and smiled. “I can’t think of a better place to be than right here. I bet she’s not laughing. I bet she’s happy. You did this place right, Zane.”
“Thanks.”
We stood there staring at one another, and as much as I wanted to say more, I didn’t. “Well, I think I’m going to go. Good luck with everything, Zane.”
I turned to walk back to my car, but he touched my arm and said, “Don’t go. You belong here. You belong with me.”
Nothing sounded better, but after all we’d been through, was it even possible?
“I love it here, and if I’m being completely honest, I still love you. But I don’t know. I just don’t know, Zane.”
He stepped toward me and slid his arm around my waist. Instantly, my body melded to his, and I loved the feel of his strong arm holding me.
“I’m guessing you didn’t think you were going to see me, but since we both feel the same way as we did, can’t we try again?”
I looked away, too much emotion welling up inside me to keep staring into those deep brown eyes of his. “I secretly wished I would see you, even though I was pretty sure you had left for California and never looked back.”
Gently, he placed his fingers on my chin to turn my face back towards him. Placing a kiss on my forehead before pressing his own to mine, he said, “I missed you, Becca. Give me another chance to show you I am the man you hoped I was. Give me a chance to show you I love you.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Zane
My eyes snapped open at the sound of the alarm blaring in my ear, and I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. Quickly, I slammed my hand down on it to turn it off and stretched my body. The sun shone through the curtains, and I rolled over to gently shake Becca’s shoulder until her eyes fluttered open.
“Hey, today’s the big day. You need to get up.”
She smiled up at me and said, “You sure you want to do this? It’s a big step you know.”
I hopped out of bed and in minutes I was ready to greet the world. Heading towards the door, I replied, “It’s the right thing to do. I’ll meet you down there.”
Bounding down the stairs, I hit the lobby and smiled at Mandy and her new assistant as I walked into the dining room.
“Today’s the day right?” Mandy called over cheerfully.
“Sure is!” I said, earning a smile from the two of them.
I sat down at the table where I’d first seen Becca and waited for her there. When I saw her coming toward me, it struck me once again how beautiful she was. It didn’t matter if she was in her professional work clothes or jeans and a t-shirt. She never failed to stun me.
Standing, I took her hand in mine and kissed her softly. “You ready?”
She answered with a simple nod, and I planted one more kiss on her forehead as I breathed in the smell of her lavender shampoo and then walked out onto the front porch with her. Kristen, my attorney, waited for us looking supremely uncomfortable and out of place in one of the old rocking chairs that sat alongside a small table at the end of the porch.
“Good morning, Kristen. I appreciate you coming out to meet us here today. Would you like to come inside and have a coffee?”
Kristen smiled politely. “No, thank you. It’s a very nice New England fall day, so if you’re fine out here, so am I.”
She wore her usual dark colored pantsuit and her hair sat on the top of her head in a tight bun. She looked like she would rather be anywhere else than in a chair that moved despite her wanting it to remain still.
“I’m sorry Zane had you come all the way out here,” Becca offered as she shook Kristen’s hand. “But it really is lovely to see you again. How is everything in town? I hear you’re moving out to Boston to relocate permanently.”
“I am. My father needs some help at home since his surgery. I’ll be visiting a lot, though, trust me. Anyway, let’s get down to business.”
We sat down in the chairs around the small table and listened as she instructed us on what we needed to do. Pointing at the signature lines on the back page of the legal agreement she’d set out on the table, she said, “I just need you to sign here and here, and you will officially be joint owners of The Gilford House Inn.”
We took turns signing the document and exchanged a long glance after we were finished. Co-owners of our little piece of heaven.
“Excellent. Congratulations! You’re now joint owners. Enjoy!” Kristen said with a smile, shaking our hands.
“Are you sure we can’t invite you in?” Becca asked, reading my mind.
Kristen waved off the offer. “I wish I could, but I have a ton of work to do. Good luck you two. It’s a great place, so I know you’ll be happy.”
She hurried off after we thanked her for her help, and I turned to Becca. “So now we own this place. Are you sure you aren’t like Kristen there, regretting leaving the big city and your advertising career for this sleepy inn here in the sticks?”
Becca shook her head before leaning in and kissing me. “I love this place, and I love you, Zane Gilford. So no, I don’t regret a thing. What about you? Any regrets about not going back to the perpetually sunny days of California?”
I shook my head, more sure than ever that I’d make the right choice. “No way. I can’t think of anywhere else in the world I’d want to be but right here.”
She leaned in and gave me another kiss as my mind drifted off for a moment to thoughts of all the times, good and bad, that I’d had at the inn and how it had all come to this. My mother had always wanted me to love the inn as much as she had, and now I did.
Silently I said to myself, “Thanks, Mom. I hope I showed you that yo
u didn’t fail to do right with me. I hope I made you proud.”
Becca said something, but I didn’t hear her since I’d been wrapped up in thought. I looked down at her as she rested her head on my shoulder and said, “Sorry, babe. I didn’t hear you. What did you say?”
“Where were you there? You looked like you were a million miles away just now,” she said with that playful little smile of hers that I loved so much.
I shook my head and kissed her. “Nope. I’m right here. Right where I belong.”
KEEP READING FOR MORE ON K.M.’S BOOKS
The Corrupted Love Trilogy: If I Dream, If You Fight, and If We Fall
Ryder and Serena’s unforgettable story of passion, crime, and the lengths you go to for love. Start it today with If I Dream and see why readers LOVE this story! Read the first chapter here!
IF I DREAM
Chapter One
Ryder
As usual, the crowd at The Pit screamed its lust for the two of us to pound the fuck out of each other. Impatient bastards. I couldn’t hear any one person’s words clearly, but I’d done this enough times to know what the people who’d come to watch us wanted.
Blood. Pain. And one of us as close to death as possible. It thrilled them in some sick way almost as much as I suspected winning did when their fighter crushed another person.
My opponent tonight stood nearly as tall as I did at six foot three, but his body was smaller than mine. He looked older, like something in the way he carried himself said he’d seen more of life than I had. His angular face looked hard, and on either side of his perfectly straight nose were eyes staring me down like he thought squinting and grimacing would make me run for the nearest exit like some fucking scared little boy. He was fighting the wrong person if that’s what he expected.
