by Alicia White
Filled with hope, she made a left onto Valley Road and pulled into the long driveway. She parked her car around back and shut off the ignition. Unbuckling her seat belt, Sophie opened the door, eased out, and stretched her taut muscles. The chilly March air blew, cooling down her heated skin, and she was glad she had on a pair of sweats and a sweatshirt. Wrapping her arms around her middle, she went to the truck and grabbed her purse and rummaged through her bag until she found some of her cash.
“Let’s see if they have a room available.” She held out her hand and Alice took it. They strolled around the front of the beautiful Victorian-style two-story home and up the stairs to the front door.
As Sophie stepped inside a bell tinkled over the door, alerting their arrival. She smiled at her daughter, trying to be positive. Together they walked toward the front desk and Sophie looked around before ringing the bell. It looked as if a home had been updated into the hotel. There was a large sitting room with comfortable-looking furniture spread throughout. It looked like a nice place to relax and read, having a lot of natural light from the huge picture window.
“Good afternoon. Welcome to Sanctuary. Can I help you?”
“Um…yes, ma’am. My daughter and I are looking for a place to stay. Do you have any vacancies?”
“We do. Can you please fill out a guest card with some information?” She handed Sophie a card, and she picked up the pen to answer the basic questions.
Name? Did she tell the truth? How many lies was she prepared to weave? No, she couldn’t ask Alice to lie about her name. It might become too confusing. Shaking her head, Sophie filled out all the information and handed the older woman the card.
The proprietor glanced down at the information. “Thanks, Sophie. I’m Minnie, and this is my place. Tell me, who’s this cute girl?” She tilted her head to the side and peered over at Alice, who was hiding behind her.
“Hi, Minnie. Nice to meet you.” Sophie smiled. “This is my daughter, Alice.”
“Hi, Alice. How old are you?”
“Thirteen.”
“Wow… a teenager. Are you in eighth grade?”
“Not yet.” She smiled, leaving Sophie’s side. “I’m in seventh.”
“That’s great. Sanctuary Junior High School is just outside of town, I’m sure you’ll really like it.”
“I’m sure I will,” Alice said, and Sophie hoped that was the truth.
She felt like she could finally exhale. Her eyes filled with tears and she blinked them away. They were going to make this place work, and she would pray every day that her damn ex didn’t show up and ruin their lives.
“How long do you plan on staying?” Minnie asked.
“I’m not really sure right now.”
“No problem. You can stay as long as you’d like. It’s ninety-five dollars a week. Would you like to pay cash or charge? The longer you stay the more money you save.” She winked, and Sophie was so glad that she didn’t need to have the awkward credit card conversation.
She had been trying to think of what she would say when Minnie asked. There were only so many times you could say that it was lost, stolen, or your identity had been taken. Pulling out her cash, Sophie counted out half of her money. She needed to think about Alice. She would need school supplies and lunches. They would also need groceries. Her only hope was that the money would last until she could find a job. “I’ll pay by the week.”
Minnie gathered the cash. “Your room is located right upstairs, number three. There is a small kitchenette, two queen beds, cable TV, and Internet. If you need anything at all, please just let me know.” Sophie reached out and took their room key. This place would be their home, and she really hoped it would last longer than the last time.
“Thank you.” She smiled.
“No problem. Move yourselves in and get comfortable.” Minnie grinned.
Sophie and Alice walked back to their car and retrieved most of their emergency supplies. This was their normal routine. Soon, when she had money, she would put the supplies back into the truck. With their arms full, Sophie led Alice back inside the boarding house and upstairs to their room. She unlocked the door and walked inside, Alice trailing closely behind.
The room was more than she expected. It smelled clean and fresh. She couldn’t wait to kick off her shoes. Their last place had been so gross she’d hated to be barefoot. A huge dresser dominated one wall with a new television on top of it. A desk sat in the corner, and Sophie could picture Alice sitting there doing her homework. The kitchenette consisted of a small fridge, microwave, stove, and table with two chairs. The place was perfect for them.
Sophie was so exhausted that she wanted to drop their things on the floor and get in bed. Instead, she went over to the dresser and placed their clothes in the drawers. Alice followed her lead, putting her backpack on the desk and removing her laptop, then plugging it in. She also pulled out a few of her favorite items, things she took with her everywhere. An old, white rabbit, her favorite young adult paranormal romance book that she had read over a dozen times, a carved wooden horse, and a few other trinkets she had collected at different places they had lived.
“I’m a bit tired, honey. Would you mind if I took a short nap before we explore Sanctuary? I just need some rest, and then I can look up my cousin Aubrey Maxwell.” Sophie yawned, rubbing her eyes and kicking off her shoes. She barely knew Aubrey, hadn’t seen her since they were kids, but knew she would still be in town. The last she’d heard, Aubrey had become a schoolteacher.
“Take a nap, Mom. You look like you’re about ready to fall asleep standing up. I’m going to do an Internet search on Sanctuary and hopefully learn a few new facts to share.” She smiled broadly and fell backward into the desk chair.
Sophie shuffled to one of the queen beds and climbed in, pulling the covers over her head. Closing her eyes, she yawned, shifted, and felt her body melt into the soft mattress. The sound of the clicking of computer keys brought a smile to her face. She just needed a few hours, and then she would call Aubrey. It had been years since she had seen or even talked to her. Clearing her mind completely, she dozed off.
Chapter 2
Sophie jerked awake, sat up quickly, and looked around. Her heart pounded rapidly in her chest as she took in her surroundings, scrambling off the bed, ready to defend herself if necessary. It took a moment for her brain to register that she was safe and in a new place. Licking her dry lips, she took a few deep breaths.
“Mom, are you all right?” Alice asked, and Sophie opened her eyes and peered into her concerned face.
“Yeah, honey, I’m good. Are you ready to go out and explore a little?”
“Yup. I found out some new information about Sanctuary. Did you know that there are two big families here, the Baldwins and the McLeans? There is some sort of family rivalry that goes way back. It’s really interesting.”
“Hmmm…that is interesting.” Sophie sat on the floor and put her shoes on, while Alice talked about a feud that went back generations.
She wondered briefly if it still existed but couldn’t really get into the story. She had too many of her own problems to think about. She needed to get to the grocery store and purchase food and school supplies for Alice. She also needed to get in touch with her cousin. Maybe she would be able to point her in the direction of a job, a job that would pay cash, with people that wouldn’t ask too many questions.
“Mom, did you hear me?” Alice asked, and Sophie stood up, adjusting her clothing.
“Yes, I’m sorry, sweetie. I was just making a grocery list in my mind.” She went to the dresser, grabbed her purse and their room key, and headed for the door. “You ready?”
“Yup, I just need my backpack.” Alice ran to the desk, threw her backpack over her shoulder, and followed Sophie into the hallway.
When they got downstairs, Minnie was sitting on a chair behind the desk. She smiled brightly and stood up, greeting them kindly. “Evening, ladies.”
“Good evening, can you tell me wh
ere the nearest grocery store is?” Sophie asked her as she walked to the counter and leaned against it.
“Absolutely.” Minnie ducked down, rustling papers around before putting a map of Sanctuary in front of her. Using a highlighter, she circled what appeared to be the boarding house. “You are here. If you take a left out of the driveway and head down Valley Road, you’ll reach Third Street. It’s only about two blocks down. Make a right on Third, and Magic Save grocery store will be on your immediate left.”
“Thank you.” She took the map off the counter, held out her arm to Alice, and together they walked out of the boarding house and to their car.
The wind blew, sending a blast of cold air through her, and Sophie moved a bit faster, wanting to get inside her vehicle. She watched the sun as it lowered in the sky, casting multicolor rays out over Sanctuary. She felt as though she had wasted the day away by sleeping but was glad that at least she was no longer exhausted. Her mind felt a bit clearer. She wouldn’t be any good to her daughter being half asleep.
Getting inside the car, she started the ignition and pulled out of the driveway, making a left onto Valley Road. There were a few people out, walking down the street, enjoying the chilly March weather. She drove past a vet clinic, a cute clothing store with some expensive-looking outfits hanging in the window, and the Bandit Bar, which seemed to be quite popular. She looked in the windows hoping to spot a help wanted sign, but there weren’t any.
Sophie stopped at the light before making a right onto Third Street. Magic Save stood tall, and her only concern was having enough money to purchase everything they needed. Parking her car, she jumped out, wrapped her arm around Alice’s shoulders, and walked quickly to the front doors of the grocery store. They opened automatically, welcoming them into the warmth of the store, and Sophie shook off her chill.
Alice ran ahead of her, grabbed a grocery cart, and came back to her side. “We need to get snacks for your school lunches, any idea what you want?” She wanted Alice to be able to have some special treats. She didn’t want her to suffer or go without.
“Um…I like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.” She looked up and smiled. Leave it to Alice to be practical. She never asked for anything.
Grabbing the side of the cart, Sophie pulled it as she walked toward the produce section. She was silent. She wanted to be able to buy Alice more than a sandwich and a small bag of chips. With her mind made up, Sophie loaded the cart with lots of healthy food and snacks. They couldn’t continue to eat food from a box. They went from aisle to aisle, tossing different items into their cart. When they finally reached the office supplies at the rear of the store, Sophie stopped and thought about all the items Alice might need.
“You’ll probably need a binder, lined paper, pencils, and pens. Is there anything else?” She looked at Alice and watched as she picked up a binder with a picture of a beautiful horse on it. She touched the picture before placing it back on the shelf and picking up a less expensive version.
“Get the horse one, Alice,” Sophie encouraged and Alice smiled brightly, putting the prized binder in the cart before grabbing the other items she would need for school.
“I think we’ve got everything.” Sophie pushed the cart toward the front of the store to the checkout counter.
They stood in line, and for the first time since walking inside the store, Sophie looked around at the other patrons, wondering what their stories were. She’d always loved people watching and weaving make-believe stories in her mind about what people were thinking or saying. It was her little version of entertainment. When the customer in front of them grabbed her bags and left, Sophie and Alice started unloading all their groceries.
“Good evening, ladies. Did you find everything you needed?” a middle-aged gentleman asked.
“Yes, thank you.” Sophie heard another cart approaching and turned her head slightly to the right. Staring at the stranger, it took a moment for her to remember to breathe. She was stunned. There, leaning down against his cart, was the most beautiful man she had ever seen.
He had to be at least six foot three inches, although at his current angle, looked like he was trying to appear smaller. He stared at her. She could feel his eyes burning her, and she swallowed past the lump in her throat. Making sure her body was facing the man behind the counter, she continued to check out the stranger using her peripheral vision. Please, stand up. I want to get a better view of your muscles. When he did, she hoped that she hadn’t said those words aloud.
He had shaggy, brown hair that hung down to his collar and the most amazing deep-blue eyes she had ever seen. In fact, she could see little slivers of gold even from her distance. She licked her lips when she saw how kissable his lips were. She loved a man with full lips. It’s been years since I’ve been kissed.
He had facial hair that made him look rugged and wild. His body was magnificent. Huge muscles were showing through his tight white T-shirt, and it was obvious that he worked out on a regular basis. He wore jeans that hung on his hips, and she could see everything. His huge thighs flexed as she looked further down, spotting his large feet encased in black cowboy boots…yeah, black boots. The man was a living, breathing fantasy.
“Uh…ma’am?”
Sophie jerked her head up, her eyes going wide with shock. Oh hell, how long had the man in front of her been trying to talk to her? A deep laugh got her attention, and she turned to see the sexy mystery man smiling broadly. Shit, he knew I was checking him out.
“Ma’am, your total is one hundred thirty dollars and fifty-seven cents.” Swallowing hard, Sophie bit her lip. She hadn’t expected to spend that much money. She barely had any left, but maybe she would be able to find a job quickly. It wasn’t that she couldn’t afford the bill, but for only one week of food, maybe it was a little too much.
“Mom, should we put some stuff back?” Alice asked. With those words, the entire store seemed to go silent.
“Uh…no, honey.” Sophie turned and smiled down at her. “It’s fine.”
“Ma’am,” the gentleman behind her said, and Sophie wished that a hole would appear and swallow her. She felt so embarrassed. In the past, when they were short on funds, they would put a few items away. Now she didn’t want to do that. Everything would be fine. She would get a job. “How much do you need? I’d be more than happy to help you out.”
Tightening her jaw, Sophie pulled out her cash and paid the bill. “Thanks, but I’ve got it.” She grabbed the bags and loaded her cart, never once looking at him.
“Let’s go, Alice.” Sophie held out her arm and Alice took it. They left the store. She was tempted to take one more look at the man that had been standing behind her but decided against it.
Sophie didn’t stop until she reached her vehicle. She quickly unlocked the doors. “Go ahead and get inside. I’ll put the bags in the trunk.”
When the door closed behind Alice and she was safely tucked inside the car, Sophie opened the trunk and hid, needing a moment to herself. She couldn’t help the pain she felt in her chest. Moving fast, she loaded the groceries as tears burned her eyes. Her life was hell. Why couldn’t one good thing happen to her? Yes, she was grateful to have Alice in her life, but still, she just wanted more.
* * * *
Mason McLean walked out of the grocery store and stopped to watch the woman that had been in front of him in line load her car. When he had been standing in line, she had been checking him out. He had actually been looking at her as well. Even wearing a pair of baggy sweats, she looked cute. Not many women could pull that look off. Her sable-brown wavy hair hung to her shoulders, and her long bangs almost covered her brown eyes. Her skin was clean and creamy without even one freckle or blemish, and her lips were full and pink.
He was flattered that she had gone to such extremes to hide the fact that she found him attractive. Initially, he thought that maybe she wasn’t openly ogling him because she had her teenage daughter with her. Now, he wasn’t so sure.
Hearing her daughter
’s words in the store had actually broken his heart. What the woman hadn’t noticed was that the young girl had actually grabbed her binder, ready to return it. At that moment, he’d offered to give her money and would’ve paid the full bill to see a smile. She looked lost, depressed, and miserable. Poor thing. What had happened in her life?
He watched as she leaned against the rear of the vehicle and cried silently. Mason wanted to go to her, to hold her and battle her dragons. Something about her called to him, and he wanted to help her somehow, but didn’t have a clue what to do. He knew this town, had been here all his life, so he knew that she was obviously new. He watched as she wiped her face, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. She pasted a smile on her face that looked forced and got into her car.
Mason strode to his truck, unlocked the driver’s side door, and jumped in. He threw his grocery bags on the passenger side seat, started the engine, and pulled out of his spot. He found her older model car right away and followed her. Feeling guilty, he wasn’t sure he was doing the right thing but couldn’t stop himself. He was just too curious and wanted to know her story. They only drove for a few minutes, and she pulled into the driveway that belonged to the boarding house, which confirmed his initial thought. She was new.
Driving past the boarding house, he headed out of town to his family’s ranch. They had a twelve-thousand-acre spread right outside of Sanctuary. He lived in a house that he’d built with his brother, Alex. Tonight was their weekly poker night with all of his brothers and a few friends, but Mason couldn’t seem to focus on the night ahead. It was obvious that the woman from the store had financial difficulties. What can I do? Should I call Minnie, give her a description, and then pay for her stay? Should I go to the grocery store and purchase more food and deliver it anonymously?
Turning off State Road 47, Mason drove up the long driveway, passing by the main house where his parents still lived. His mom, Mary, was standing on the patio and Mason waved as he drove by. He would’ve stopped to chat, but tonight was his parents’ date night and he definitely didn’t want to interrupt the romance. Grinning, he hoped that one day he and Alex would be lucky enough to find a woman to share and love.
