The Lakeside Inn

by Leeanna Morgan

  Even the residents of Sapphire Bay were caught up in the drama of the letter and waiting to see if it was authentic. The number of vehicles driving by their property had quadrupled and people they’d never spoken to introduced themselves and said hello.

  Yesterday, the lady from the Smithsonian Institute had called to find out what had caused the sudden interest in their research. When Penny told her what had happened, she seemed resigned to the fact that the news would have been leaked at some stage.

  It was just unfortunate it was Penny’s mom who’d told everyone.

  Barbara had taken the extra attention in her stride and did everything she could to capitalize on it. Over the last two days, she’d created their website and launched their Bed and Breakfast business. The photos they’d used featured the dresser that was still sitting in their living room, and the parts of the house that were remodeled.

  Reservations for the next five months were filling up fast. Penny was worried that the house wouldn’t be finished before the first guests arrived.

  With all of that happening, she hadn’t expected Wyatt’s phone call this afternoon. He wanted to talk about his plans for the future. Even the way he phrased his request made her eyes fill with tears. His future wouldn’t necessarily coincide with hers. She couldn’t move from Sapphire Bay, and she had a feeling he couldn’t stay.

  “I’m glad you could make it.”

  Penny stopped beside the old oak tree that grew between their properties. Her gaze traveled over the worried expression on Wyatt’s face. “Whatever you have to say, just say it. I’d sooner know what you plan on doing instead of second-guessing everything you do.”

  He pointed to a wooden seat overlooking the lake. “Do you want to sit down?”

  Penny’s heart pounded. She followed him to the shoreline and sat on the edge of the seat. At least she had something solid she could hold onto.

  Wyatt ran his hand around the back of his neck. “A few days ago, I received an email from my agent. The Academy of Arts in Berlin has invited me to be their next artist in residence. It’s a twelve-month term and would start a few days after my exhibition.”

  She didn’t know what being an artist in residence involved, but it sounded important. “Will you get time to paint or will you be teaching art classes?”

  “I’ll be doing both. The master classes I’ll take will be for experienced artists. The work I complete over the twelve months, as well as some of my earlier paintings, will be exhibited in their gallery beside other world-renowned artists’ work.”

  “That would be incredible for your career.” Penny was trying to be positive, but it wasn’t easy when all she could think about was not seeing Wyatt for more than a year.

  “It would. Not many people are given this opportunity.”

  “Has the publicity from the letter we found affected the academy’s offer?”

  Wyatt shook his head. “They’re even more excited about me going to Germany. Especially when they read about the portrait I painted of your great-grandmother and grandma. They want to exhibit the painting in Berlin beside my other work.”

  Penny’s eyes widened. The painting meant a great deal to her family and she couldn’t imagine it being hung anywhere except in their home. Her dad had even asked Wyatt if they could buy it from him.

  “Will you send it to Berlin?”

  Thankfully, Wyatt shook his head. Even if he sent it to Chicago, it would be better than having it leave the country.

  “That leaves us with a difficult situation,” Wyatt said softly.

  Penny looked across the lake. The moon rose above it like a big, shiny orb. It looked so close that she felt she could reach out and touch it. But that was about as likely as Wyatt deciding to stay.

  Instead of being angry or hurt, she was resigned to the fact that they were two different people living completely separate lives. Without Wyatt’s friend suggesting he come to Sapphire Bay, they never would have met.

  Her mouth tilted at the corners.

  “Why are you smiling?” Wyatt asked.

  “When I was younger, I used to watch old black and white movies with Grandma. At the end of Casablanca, Humphrey Bogart said, ‘We’ll always have Paris.’ I guess that applies to us, as well.”

  Wyatt took a deep breath. “Do you want me to fly off into the sunset and never see you again?”

  She swallowed the regret and grief clogging her throat. “I don’t want you to go anywhere, but it’s not my decision to make. Life is too short for regrets, and the residency in Berlin sounds like an amazing offer. You should do what will make you happy.”

  “What would make me happy is staying here.”

  “But?”

  “If I agreed to live in Berlin for a year, it would take my career to another level.”

  Penny gripped the edge of the seat. “Then you do have a hard decision to make.” Sitting a little taller, she forced herself to look Wyatt in the eyes. “We’re not teenagers exploring our first relationship. I’ve fallen in love with you, but we need to spend time together to see if this is something amazing or a summer romance that’s coming to an end. I made a promise to my sisters that I can’t break, and you have a career that’s taking you to the other side of the world.”

  “It doesn’t have to be like that. Are you sure you can’t stay with me in Berlin? It wouldn’t have to be for the entire year.”

  “I could only visit you a couple of times for short vacations. We can’t find out if a relationship between us would work if we’re living separate lives for most of the year.”

  Wyatt dropped his head to his chest. “I don’t know what to do.”

  Her eyes filled with tears. “I can’t help you.” Leaning toward him, she placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. “You deserve to have everything you’ve ever dreamed about. Do what makes you happy.” And before she broke down, she walked away—from the lake, from the man who made her feel alive, and from a future she wanted to share with him.

  Chapter 17

  Wyatt stood at the back of a crowded yard in the tiny home village. Today was the official reveal of the murals. It should have been a day of celebration, but all he could think about was Penny and the flight that would take him to Germany tomorrow.

  Thanks to Mabel’s organizational skills, the morning had gone smoothly. After Pastor John had thanked everyone for coming, he’d made a brief speech, then introduced each of the volunteers who’d created the murals. The pride on their faces was humbling.

  For a group of people who’d never painted anything like this before, they’d done an amazing job.

  The team that Jack and Richard were on had created an underwater-themed mural in deep blues and pure white. The fish that they were so keen on recreating added color and whimsy to the scene.

  Another team created a mural that spoke volumes about the community of Sapphire Bay. Their painting focused on a circle of people holding hands. Their faces were raised to the sun, absorbing the heat like a safe, warm blanket.

  The last team had settled on the theme of togetherness. Colorful handprints from the tiny home village residents, and people from the community, were pressed against the wall. It was a reminder that no matter where you had come from or where you lived, everyone shared the same traits that made them human.

  Ethan slapped him on the back. “Well done. I was worried the murals wouldn’t be finished before you went to Berlin.”

  Wyatt smiled at his friend. “The volunteers were great. Everyone worked hard to finish them for today.”

  “I spoke to Richard. He told me about the prosthetic trial he’s on. It sounds incredible.”

  “It is. My friend, Peter, sent me some photos of what they’re doing. The amazing thing is that the prosthetics look exactly like the recipient’s missing limb. It should make Richard’s life a lot easier.”

  “How’s Penny?”

  A stabbing pain hit him in the chest. “I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to her for a few days.”

  Etha
n’s eyebrows rose. “Why?”

  “I thought it would be easier on both of us if we got used to not seeing each other.”

  “Are you doing the residency?”

  Wyatt nodded. “I might not get another opportunity to do it.”

  “I can’t blame you. It must have been a tough decision to make.”

  The only thing he could do was nod. After countless sleepless nights and long conversations with his agent, he’d finally decided to be part of the residency program. But he still didn’t know if he was making the right decision.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Everything.” Wyatt looked unseeingly across the yard. “I fell in love with Penny and now I’m leaving.”

  “I take it she won’t be visiting you in Berlin?”

  “If she leaves Sapphire Bay for more than a few weeks, her grandmother’s house will be given to the church. Her sisters have given up too much for that to happen.”

  “A year isn’t a long time.”

  “It is when you’re the one leaving.”

  Ethan frowned. “I guess it’s a matter of prioritizing what’s important.” He looked over Wyatt’s shoulder. “Penny’s coming this way. If you want to see me before you leave, I’ll be at home.”

  Wyatt’s heart pounded. “Thanks.” As he turned, everything around him stilled. With her hair caught in a ponytail and a cap pulled low over her eyes, Penny could have been another local enjoying the sunshine. But there was something about her, something that drew him in and made him want to keep her close.

  He’d thought it was bad when Anya died. The feeling of loss, of never seeing her again had been unbearable. But this was so much worse. He was the one leaving, the person who was turning his back on the special relationship building between them. And the worst thing was that he didn’t have to leave. He could stay in Sapphire Bay, be part of Penny’s life, and be happy.

  But he’d chosen to find happiness thousands of miles away, surrounded by art students and Europe’s finest landscape painters.

  It wasn’t until Penny was a few feet away that he saw the dark circles under her eyes, the wariness in her gaze.

  He walked toward her, not wanting to make this difficult for either of them. “Hi.”

  “Hi. I just wanted to say congratulations. The murals are amazing and everyone is super-proud of what they’ve done.”

  “You did an amazing job, too.”

  “I enjoyed myself as much as the volunteers.” She stuck her hands in her pockets. “Mom and Dad are working today and couldn’t be here. But they asked me to say goodbye from them.” She took a box out of her pocket and handed it to him. “Dad made these for you. He hopes they give you as much luck as he’s had with his.”

  Wyatt lifted the lid. Four colorful fishing flies lay side by side in the box. “They look amazing. I’ll give him a call to thank him.”

  Penny scuffed her sneakers along the grass. “He’d like that. Have you got everything ready for your trip?”

  “The paintings are already in Berlin. My suitcases are packed and I’ve tidied the house. All I have to do tomorrow is drop the spare house keys off to the realtor.”

  “Are you looking forward to living in Berlin?”

  “I’ll look forward to it once I’m on the plane. Berlin is a beautiful city, but nothing can compare to what you have in Sapphire Bay.”

  Penny nodded and cleared her throat. “Thanks for everything you’ve done. You’ve made a difference in a lot of people’s lives.” She lifted her chin and smiled through a sheen of tears. “I’ll miss you. I hope Berlin gives you everything you wanted and more.”

  He wanted to pull Penny into his arms and tell her he’d sooner stay with her, but that wouldn’t do anyone any good. He’d made his decision. It was the right one for his career, for the future he’d always wanted. But that didn’t stop his heart from breaking. “Coming here was the best thing I’ve ever done. I didn’t think…” Taking a deep breath, he tried to control his breathing, to push back the tears that were threatening to spill down his face. “I didn’t think I’d ever love anyone again. But I have. I love you. I hope you have an amazing life.”

  Penny widened the gap between them and wiped her eyes. “I hope you have a wonderful life, too. Goodbye.”

  As she walked away, Wyatt clenched his hands, willing himself to stay where he was and not run after her. Moving to Berlin would allow him to follow his dreams, but he didn’t know if it would make him happy.

  Barbara handed each of her sisters a cup of coffee and sat at the dining table. “Since the story of the letter hit the Internet, we’ve had a lot of bookings. But before anyone arrives we need to finish the attic, and our budget isn’t looking great.”

  Penny helped herself to a chocolate chip cookie. “All we need to do is paint the walls, make some curtains, and decorate the rooms.”

  “I spoke to Dad last night,” Katie said. “He has some paint we can use. Someone ordered the wrong color. It’s a soft mossy green color and should look good with anything we put in the attic.”

  “And I’ve made a list of the furniture we can use.” Diana handed each of her sisters a sheet of paper. “The bed in the spare front room has hardly been used, so I thought we could move that to the attic. And there are enough tables and chairs in the house to create a lovely intimate setting.”

  “So that just leaves us with the curtains,” Barbara said as she read through Diana’s list.

  Penny looked at the budget update her sister had prepared before their meeting. “If Dad’s happy to donate the paint, and we can reuse the furniture we already have, that leaves us five hundred dollars for the curtains. I might know how we can make that happen.”

  “I measured the height and width of each window yesterday,” Barbara said. “We’ll be lucky to afford the fabric, let alone pay someone to make the curtains.”

  “This might be a long shot, but when I was speaking to Pastor John at the old steamboat museum, he gave me a tour of the building. He has a team of volunteers who make curtains for each of the tiny homes using donated fabric. What if we asked the volunteers to make the curtains for the attic? Once we have paying guests, we could give them a donation that will more than cover the cost of sewing them.”

  “We’d have to find the fabric quickly.”

  “That won’t be a problem. I’ve already seen what I want in Polson. I’m sure the store would send it to us. If you’re happy for me to go ahead, I’ll call Pastor John and see who I should ask about making the curtains.”

  Katie added another spoon of sugar to her coffee. “That sounds great. If the volunteers can’t make them, we’ll have to borrow Mom’s sewing machine and dust off our sewing skills.”

  Diana grimaced. “I’ll leave that to someone else. The last time I tried sewing anything, it was a disaster.”

  Barbara looked at their agenda. “The only other thing we need to discuss is the reporters who keep knocking on our door. If it’s still happening when our guests are here, it could interfere with their vacation.”

  Penny had thought the same thing. Last night, a reporter had banged on their front door at ten o’clock. If her sisters weren’t living with her, she would have been more annoyed than she was. “I don’t mind them asking questions, but they need to leave us alone when we say we don’t know what’s happening. Some reporters have been here three or four times.”

  Diana nibbled on the edge of her cookie. “Have we heard anything from the Smithsonian?”

  “Not yet. But their initial findings shouldn’t be too far away.” Barbara wrote something on her spreadsheet. “At this stage, we can’t afford to be distracted by the letter. If Mom is happy to speak to the reporters, should we send them to her?”

  Diana, Penny, and Katie nodded.

  “Just warn her not to say too much. You know how excited she can get,” Penny said to her sister.

  Diana sighed. “That’s like telling a river to stop flowing. As long as she doesn’t go into our family history,
I don’t think there will be a problem. Besides, she learned a lesson after the Facebook post she wrote. She won’t make the same mistake again.”

  “I hope not,” Penny said. “But on the more positive side, there has been a lot of good publicity for Sapphire Bay. I haven’t seen Main Street this busy since last year’s Christmas parade. The business owners will be thrilled that the letter was found here.”

  “And talking about finding things,” Barbara said. “Have you heard from Wyatt?”

  Penny shook her head. He’d only been gone a week, but it felt like a lifetime. “He called Dad from Berlin to say he’d arrived safely and to thank him for the fishing flies. By now, he’ll be busy with all the pre-exhibition publicity he needs to do.”

  She didn’t tell her sisters that each day she checked Wyatt’s Facebook page for news of what he was doing. He’d uploaded photos of the art gallery where his exhibition was being held and showed his followers what each painting looked like after it was hung.

  It was hard for her to reconcile the paint-splattered man who’d lived next door with the professional man who was about to showcase his work in a prestigious gallery.

  “Earth to Penny?” Katie said with a smile. “Diana said we have something to show you.”

  Penny pulled her mind away from Wyatt and frowned. “What is it?”

  Diana rubbed her arm. “You’ll have to come with us to find out. Grab your jacket and we’ll meet you at the front door in a couple of minutes.”

  She looked at each of her sisters. Their expressions ranged from worried to excited. If they’d found another rat’s nest, she wouldn’t be excited. Especially if they’d gnawed their way through more wires. “What’s going on?”

  Barbara took her coffee cup to the sink. “Get your jacket. You won’t find out any quicker by asking questions.”

  Penny had no idea what was going on. But if they’d found something on the property that needed repairing, she’d better take her measuring tape and a notebook. At the rate they were going, the last of the budget would be spent before she talked to Pastor John.