“Used to?”
“Yeah. He took off about a year ago, and we haven’t seen him since.”
“I’m sorry. Is that why you wanted to spend the summer here?”
The boy shrugged. “I think he left because of me.”
Mark picked up the plate holding the burger patties and turned toward Connor. “I’m a pretty good judge of character. Even though I haven’t known you long I can tell you’re a great kid—a little mischievous. But I’d stake my reputation on this—you didn’t drive your dad away.”
“Thanks, but you don’t know him. He never had time for me when he was around, and he always yelled at me.” He shrugged. “I thought maybe if I wasn’t home, he might come back. You know? My mom goes between being angry and sad. I want her to be happy again.”
An ache penetrated Mark’s heart. “It’s obvious you care a lot about your mom and that you are trying hard to be a good son, Connor. Sometimes adults have problems, and even though it feels like it’s your fault your dad left, it’s not. That’s on him, not you.”
Connor looked at him with doubt-filled eyes. “You sure?”
“As sure as I am that my stomach is going to grumble if I don’t eat soon.”
A sad smile crossed Connor’s face. “I like you, Mark. Even if you are a know-it-all cop.”
Mark ruffled the kid’s hair. “I like you too, even if you did hit me with a water balloon.”
He took the burgers outside and slapped them onto the hot grill. The beef sizzled and smoke billowed up. He closed the lid and sat on a plastic chair, twirling the flipper in his hand.
What a welcome he’d had to Sunriver. He’d started the day getting run off the road, and ended it by getting reamed with a water balloon. What else did this summer of supposed rest and healing have in store for him? He was almost afraid to find out.
Chapter Four
The following morning, Nicole stepped onto the balcony of her room facing the golf course. She ran her hands up and down the goose bumps covering her bare arms, wishing the sunshine wasn’t so deceiving. She hustled back inside for her sweater and checked the clock—six-fifty-five. Enough time to walk over to the café and meet Sarah.
Grabbing her bag, she slipped into flip-flops and made sure the door closed behind her. A wide meandering path led her to the café, where a large number of golf carts were parked. She dodged a cart and wove past a group of men sipping coffee and preparing for a morning on the links.
Too bad she didn’t play. This place had to be a golfer’s paradise with three championship courses and a great view of Mt. Bachelor from almost every hole—at least that’s what the brochure in the lobby said. Based on the view from her room, she’d have to agree. The hum of a cart to her left drew her attention, and she stopped. The man from yesterday sat astride a bicycle wearing shorts and a polo shirt. Was that a police badge at his waist? Good thing he hadn’t decided to ticket her. Looked like she owed him for that.
Nicole continued toward the café. Someone slipped a hand through her arm, and she jumped. “Sarah! You startled me.”
“Sorry. I see you’re as enamored as my friends were with that cop. He’s a pretty nice guy, but not my type.”
“He’s the guy you and your friends were drooling over?” Yes, he was good looking, but he was a cop. Memories surged into the back of her mind that she quickly thrust away. She did not want to go there. Besides, he wasn’t like those other cops, that much was clear. After all, he was only a bicycle police officer.
Sarah giggled. “Eavesdrop much?”
“It wasn’t hard. I would have needed earplugs not to overhear.” She smiled, hoping her new friend would find humor in her words.
Sarah grinned. “Don’t worry. I won’t hold it against you. So you like him too, huh?”
She shook her head. “It’s not that.” She glanced over at her new friend. “I was surprised to see he’s a cop. We had a less than pleasant encounter on my way into Sunriver yesterday.”
“Sounds interesting. I want to hear about this mishap.” Sarah dragged her forward and inside the café. “But, after I get a caffeine infusion.”
The idea that Sarah’s friends were talking about that guy surprised her. She shook the thought away and studied the menu board. Plain coffee or a mocha? The smell of fresh coffee permeated the small space. Nicole breathed in deeply. This might very well become her favorite destination. A loud blender whirred—except for that horrible sound. Good thing seating was outside on the patio.
“How’s your sunburn?” Sarah shouted as the noise stopped. The people around them sent a look their direction.
Nicole giggled. “Maybe we should wait to talk outside.”
“Good idea.” Sarah stepped forward and placed her order.
Nicole decided against a mocha and instead purchased a large coffee and a bagel. They strolled to the patio and found seats with a view of Mt. Bachelor near the open fire pit. Nicole squinted into the bright sunlight wishing she hadn’t forgotten her shades.
“So how’s the sunburn?”
“It hurts, but I’ll live. I learned my lesson and bought a huge bottle of sunscreen last night along with the same stuff you sprayed on me.”
“Good thinking.” Sarah leaned forward and lowered her voice. “Don’t look, but he’s coming our way.”
“Who?” Nicole swiveled in her chair and spotted the cop a few steps away.
“I said don’t look,” Sarah hissed.
Nicole quickly turned back and wrinkled her nose. “Sorry.” Why was it whenever someone said not to look her first instinct was to do exactly that?
“Shh!”
“Good morning.” He stepped between them, removing his dark sunglasses. He nodded to Nicole and smiled. “I see you found the lodge.”
“Yes. Thanks.” He wasn’t nearly as intimidating when he smiled. Too bad they hadn’t met under better circumstances.
He turned his attention to the other side of the table. “Hi, Sarah. Where’s Connor?”
“Sleeping. Hopefully he’ll sleep until noon and stay out of trouble until I get home from work. I can’t thank you enough for bringing him home last night. My friends get a little rowdy, and I don’t like leaving them alone in my home when they’ve been drinking.”
“No problem. Connor will be spending the day alone?”
“Yes,” She drew the word out, and her brow puckered. “He’s almost thirteen. It’s legal.” Her voice hitched, as if she were uncertain.
Nicole watched the interaction between the officer and her new friend. Why was Sarah so tense? Had she had a bad experience involving the police too? Ugh. What happened to her brother was an accident, and she had to stop blaming the police. Grams had said as much many times through the years and she was right, but every time she saw one in uniform it reminded her of Robbie.
“I wasn’t suggesting it wasn’t. I’m concerned about him being alone so much. Mind if I check in on him?”
“I guess not.” Sarah raised her cup to her lips.
“Good. I’ll try to stop by this afternoon.”
“I’m curious why you care so much about my cousin.”
“Someone once took an interest in me, and it changed the course of my life. I want to pay it forward.”
Nicole watched and listened to this complex man. Who was he exactly? One minute he was scaring a day of life out of her, and the next he was concerned for a kid’s welfare.
He turned back to Nicole. “How’s your vacation going?” He smiled, his eyes crinkling on the edges.
She stopped herself from gawking. Okay, so maybe Sarah’s friends were right about him. And based on his concern for Sarah’s cousin, he had a big heart too. “So far so good.” She grinned—had she batted her eyelashes?
Sarah cleared her throat. “I’m sorry. I should have introduced you, but it looks like you’ve already met.”
“Mark Stone.” He thrust out his hand.
“Nicole Davis.” Nicole’s face warmed. His touch sent tingles through
her fingers, and she pulled her hand away.
His lips tipped up in a sideways grin. “Well, I only wanted to say hello.” He held up a water bottle. “I forgot to fill it this morning. I’m hoping the café will help me.” His deep brown eyes held Nicole’s for a moment before he waved and headed inside.
“I think he’s into you,” Sarah whispered.
Nicole shook her head. “No way. He was only being nice. Probably trying to make up for yesterday.”
Sarah shrugged. “Whatever you say, but I saw a spark there.”
“Speaking of a spark—you seemed to be uptight when he brought up your cousin. Everything okay?”
“I think so. I didn’t want him calling Children’s Protective Services on me for neglect.”
“He wouldn’t do that. Connor is old enough to be home alone.”
“I know he is, but Mark already thinks Connor has a bad home life. I could tell by the look on his face last night when he brought him inside and looked around the room as if he expected to see a crime in action.”
Nicole’s eyes widened. “Really? Why would he do that?” Although she shouldn’t be surprised, since cops were suspicious by nature.
“It’s nothing.” Sarah waved a hand before taking another sip. “So what are your plans while you’re here? I’m always looking for someone to play tennis with.”
Nicole refocused her thoughts. She was here to fulfill Grams’ wishes. Period. Not get wrapped up in other people’s drama. However, that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy herself while she was at it. “Tennis huh? It’d be fun to get in a few matches while I’m in Sunriver. But I’ll warn you, I haven’t played since my PE class in college.”
“I’ll go easy on you. When are you free?”
“I’m not sure. My grandma is more or less calling the shots.” She needed to find the next clue.
Sarah looked around. “You talk about her as if she’s still living.”
Nicole shook her head. “Sorry. Grams passed away a month ago, and I guess I do talk about her as if she’s still here. I kind of told you about this yesterday, but she was big on adventures, and it seems she thought I needed one. I have to follow the clues to see where they lead. Her last clue turned out to be a key, which led me to a property management company, Ponderosa something. When I leave here I’ll be checking out of the lodge and moving to a house she rented for me.” She still couldn’t believe Grams had rented a house for her, but what was even stranger was that when she contacted the rental company they didn’t have the next clue. Somehow she thought they’d have it. She needed to find that clue. The problem was, she had no idea where to look.
Sarah’s face lit up like a child’s on Christmas. “How fun! So that’s what the key was for. Very cool. I actually clean the office at Ponderosa Home Rentals a couple nights a week. I suppose I should have recognized one of their keys from the key ring, but I really don’t pay any attention to them.”
“I thought you had another job.”
“I do, but I’m a recovering shopaholic, and I need the extra money to help pay down my debt faster. Kind of a sensitive subject.” She touched Nicole’s hand. “I’m really sorry about your grandma, but that’s about the nicest thing I’ve ever heard of anyone doing. She must’ve been one special lady.”
Nicole’s throat thickened. She took a slow sip of coffee, blinking away tears. A wave of longing fell over her heart. She missed Grams like crazy. If she spoke now, she’d start crying for sure. Sarah was right, Grams was very special.
Sarah’s voice softened, a slight frown creasing her forehead. “Hey, are you okay?”
Nicole nodded. “Sorry. I still get a little emotional.”
“I understand.” She pulled a card from her wallet. “Give me a call when you know your schedule, and I’ll reserve a court time.”
“I will. Thanks.” Nicole dropped the card into her bag, pleased she’d found a friend. It had been way too long since she could say she had a friend. She’d pushed all her old ones away with her work-driven lifestyle. At least here there was no danger of working too much, and she couldn’t be accused of putting lesson plans or grading papers before her social life, like Justin, her ex-boyfriend, had accused her of. She had feared her time in Sunriver would be long, lonely, and boring, but things had changed. Grams had stepped this game up several notches from her past adventures. She’d be lucky to find the next clue and finish solving the puzzle or whatever the point was before summer’s end. Could the house be the next clue?
Chapter Five
Nicole pulled into the driveway of her new home-away-from-home. Who would have thought the last clue would have led to a house? The small home, probably made in the seventies, was painted in an earth tone that resembled the color of tree bark and had an attached single-car garage. Her stomach danced with nervous excitement. She slid the key into the lock then pushed the door open.
She caught her breath. A white leather couch faced a fireplace with a large flat screen television mounted above, and a cozy dining room with a banquet to the left of the main room connected to the kitchen. “Oh, Grams this is lovely.”
She closed the door and stepped in further, breathing in deeply a fresh, warm, pine scent. Someone had recently aired and cleaned the house, giving the indoors the fragrance of the surrounding trees.
She rolled her suitcase across the hardwood floor, through the living room past the couch, and turned left toward the French doors and a deck enclosed by a tall wood fence. “I can’t believe you did this, Grams.” Leaving the suitcase, she stepped outside. Teak deck furniture and a gas grill filled the small space, perfect for a single person or a couple.
She spun around and headed inside, closing the doors behind her. Bypassing the kitchen, she found two bedrooms at the end of a short hallway. She grasped the railing of the tight winding stairs off the kitchen and carefully climbed them to the loft. Excitement grew with each step as reality sank in—not only did she get to spend the entire summer in her favorite vacation resort, she would be spending it in this cool little house.
The simple space held a floor to ceiling bookcase filled with tempting choices. A single recliner sat by the railing along with a floor lamp. Absolutely perfect!
A small folded piece of paper was taped to the chair. Her pulse quickened. She grabbed the paper and flipped it open.
Congratulations on following the clues that led to the house. I hope you are game for all I have prepared for you. Have you enjoyed your stay so far in Sunriver? Did you try the spa? If not, your skills are slipping, dear one. Keep your eyes, ears, and heart open so you don’t miss another clue. Don’t forget to bring along a good book.
The spa? A good book? Grams never wasted words in her messages. Somehow she’d missed the spa clue, but the book was definitely a clue. She flipped the page over hoping for clear instructions on which book. Nothing. Hmm. She went downstairs and dialed the lodge spa. “Hello, this is Nicole Davis.”
“Ms. Davis, we’ve been expecting your call,” a professional sounding female voice said. “Would you like to set up your appointment now?”
“Um, sure. What exactly am I having done?”
“You’re pre-paid for a facial, manicure, and pedicure.”
“Wow. Okay.” She scheduled a time and hung up. Grams had thought of everything, but Nicole would give it all up to have her back. She swallowed the lump in her throat and marched to the master suite. The space, though adequate, lacked the posh feel of the rest of the house. It needed a makeover. The wood bedframe had multiple scratches, and the finish needed to be refurbished. The linens looked clean but were faded and worn. She turned and noted the dresser didn’t look any better than the bedframe. At least the space appeared to be clean.
Midday sunlight streamed in through the large window. Voices traveled from the bike path not far from her home. She loved bicycling and was anxious for an excursion. The person at the rental office said that there were bikes in the garage. Trying not to run, she darted to a door that looked like it
should lead to the garage. With a yank it swung open, but not without a loud squeak. A little WD-40 would work wonders on those hinges.
She flipped on the light. Two bikes, a blue tandem and a red cruiser leaned against the far wall. Excitement bubbled inside her, as if she was five on Christmas morning. She closed the door and walked over to the pair. Other than being well used they seemed to be in good condition. She pushed down on the red bike’s seat—good.
Three helmets hung from a wall peg. She grabbed one that looked like it would fit and snapped it under her chin. It had been so long since she’d ridden the trails in Sunriver. After opening the garage door, she wheeled out and locked up the house.
Straddling the seat, she pushed off. Wahoo! The warm breeze lifted her hair, cooling her neck. The pine scent unfolded around her as her tires bumped over every rock and dip in the rough terrain. She finally made it through the stand of pine trees to the paved path and made a right toward the village. At least she hoped she was going the correct way. The circular nature of Sunriver’s trails had a way of turning her around.
She slowed for a trio of bicyclists hogging the pavement and rang her bell. Relief washed through her when they moved to one side allowing her to pass. Riding that slow would drive her nuts. An annoying bead of sweat trickled down her back, settling at the base of her spine. She eased off the pedals to slow her pace and catch her breath.
Shifting down, she pedaled up a hill. Her thighs screamed at her to stop. She was more out of shape than she had realized. With one last thrust, she crested a hill and coasted. Her speed accelerated as she flew down the other side of the hill. Hair whipped in her face and across her sunglasses. She laughed, feeling true freedom. When was the last time she’d let loose like this?
She slowed at the bottom and couldn’t help the smile that refused to leave. That was too much fun. She looked over her shoulder and sobered. Ugh. The old saying ‘what goes up must come down’ hit her like a brick. Going home would be a challenge. She’d probably end up walking instead of riding up the hill.
A Love to Treasure (Sunriver Dreams Book 1) Page 3
