Springtime at Hope Cottage

by Annie Rains

  The warmth in her voice and her eyes intrigued him. Maybe there was more to her than fancy clothes and luggage. Not that it mattered.

  Tuck looked away to keep from staring. “I’ll, uh, get your bags and help you in.” He hopped out and walked around to the back of the Jeep.

  Josie was standing beside him before he knew it with her laptop bag thrown over her shoulder along with that expensive-looking purse. “I got it,” she said. “Thanks again for the ride.”

  Without waiting for him to respond, she grabbed the handle of her luggage from his hand and smiled up at him. Fresh faced and beautiful. She didn’t wear a lot of makeup, which was a quality he liked about a woman.

  “You sure? I don’t mind,” he said.

  “Positive.” She held out her other hand.

  “What’s that?” He looked down at the folded cash in her palm.

  “For your troubles.”

  He lifted his gaze to those turquoise eyes. “I’m not a cabdriver, and it wasn’t any trouble.”

  She tilted her head to one side, revealing the delicious curve where her neck met her shoulder. “I know, but you didn’t have to go out of your way for me.”

  If he couldn’t tell by looking at her, this would have given away the fact that she wasn’t from around here. People in Sweetwater Springs didn’t mind helping each other out. It was one of the things he appreciated about his hometown. He’d seen the stark contrast of other communities when he’d gone away to college, first for his bachelor’s degree and then for his doctorate of physical therapy. As far as he knew, there was no other town quite like this one, which was why he was never leaving again.

  He pushed her money toward her, his hand sweeping over hers in an unexpected touch. Her skin was soft, and he didn’t pull away immediately.

  Josie’s eyes widened just a fraction, and something buzzed between them. Whatever it was, it was unwelcome.

  “Josie, you made it!” Kaitlyn called out as she headed down the porch steps of the house.

  Josie turned her attention to Kaitlyn, and both women squealed with delight. Tuck imagined that Shadow was standing at alert in the back seat again, his cue to get back in the Jeep and leave.

  “Thank you, Tuck!” Kaitlyn called.

  “No problem.” He waved and quickly shut the door behind him, barring any further encounters he might have with Josie. Besides, he was running late for dinner with his friend Alex Baker, the police chief in Sweetwater Springs. Before going to the Tipsy Tavern, however, he needed to drop Shadow off at home.

  Tuck was almost to his cottage on Blueberry Creek when his phone started to ring. The caller ID showed the same number that had called before. That woman was bent on talking to him tonight. He moved to connect the call and find out why but stopped short when he heard a high-pitched meowing from the passenger seat. It meowed a second time, and Tuck couldn’t help grinning. Josie Kellum was undoubtedly losing her mind right about now.

  He parked in his driveway and commanded Shadow to follow him into the backyard. Then he returned to his Jeep and wavered only momentarily on which direction to drive. Back to the inn to return Josie’s cell phone or to his dinner destination? He couldn’t keep the chief of Sweetwater Springs police waiting, now could he?

  There was something about Josie Kellum that left him unnerved and restless; he didn’t want to see her again tonight. Besides, maybe it would do her good to disconnect from her busy city life for just a while longer.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Josie felt naked.

  She never went anywhere without her cell phone, and now she’d been without it for almost three hours. She’d used Kaitlyn’s cell phone to call at least a dozen times already with no success. “Where is Tuck and why isn’t he answering his phone?”

  “He’s probably out grabbing a bite with Mitch and Alex,” Kaitlyn said, as she pulled various items from her cabinets and fridge. Mr. Darcy, Kaitlyn’s golden retriever who lived at the inn, wagged his tail expectantly at her feet, as if hoping that some bread crumb would drop. “Don’t worry. As soon as he realizes he has your phone, I’m positive he’ll return it.”

  Josie wasn’t so sure about that. She hadn’t exactly made the best impression on the man. Maybe he was getting payback for when she’d pulled a can of pepper spray on him. But instead of voicing her concerns, she simply nodded from the kitchen island where Kaitlyn had set her up with a deep glass of red wine—bless her—and watched as her friend prepared some kind of delicious pastry that she planned on serving for tomorrow’s breakfast.

  Josie’s stomach grumbled softly. The only thing she’d eaten today was a pack of graham crackers that the flight attendant had handed her. “Speaking of food…”

  Kaitlyn glanced over her shoulder. “I thought we’d order pizza tonight if that’s okay.”

  “You don’t cook for the guests?”

  “Breakfast, yes, but other than some finger foods, they’re on their own after that. Most guests go out, which we can do if you’d rather. I figured, after your flight, you might just want to settle in though. We can eat, watch romantic comedies, drink, and catch up. Just like the old days.”

  Mr. Darcy woofed softly.

  “Yes, you can come too,” Kaitlyn told the dog with a grin.

  The old days had only been last year but it felt like forever ago. Josie missed having her best friend nearby. FaceTime or Skype didn’t compare. And watching chick flicks was lonely without Kaitlyn laughing beside her. “Sounds nice.”

  “Great.” Kaitlyn pulled her gaze from the dog back up to Josie. “I’ll order the pizza as soon as I get these pastries wrapped and put away in the fridge.”

  Unlike Kaitlyn, Josie was pretty sure she didn’t have any hidden domestic side. Pressing a few buttons on her microwave was as much cooking as she did. And anytime someone handed her a baby, she felt like she could barely breathe.

  Josie lifted her glass of wine back to her lips and took a large sip. She was having a great night. There was no reason to spoil it with thoughts of the past. Especially not when Tuck Locklear was doing a fine job putting a damper on it himself. Unable to help herself, she grabbed Kaitlyn’s cell phone again and tapped the redial button. She’d already left Tuck several messages but one more wine-induced threat wouldn’t hurt.

  “Me again. You have my phone, and I know that you know. Please bring it back or I will text my phone all night and the meows will haunt you in your sleep.”

  When Josie clicked End, she looked up at Kaitlyn, whose brows were raised over wide eyes.

  “The meows will haunt you in your sleep?” Kaitlyn asked, her mouth twitching in a half grin. Then the two of them burst into laughter, causing Mr. Darcy to run in circles and yap excitedly between them.

  “I might have to cut you off early tonight,” Kaitlyn remarked when she could breathe again.

  This. This is what Josie had missed. Since Kaitlyn had left, her life had become a tad boring. She still had friends and went out but it wasn’t the same. She missed having someone to laugh with and talk about everything and nothing at all with.

  After finishing off a bottle of wine and a nineties-themed movie marathon, Josie retreated to her room. Every room at the inn was named after a romantic couple from books and movies. The room that Josie was staying in was coincidently themed with one of her favorite Jane Austen novels, Pride and Prejudice.

  Josie closed the door and lay back on the queen-size bed. Without thinking, she reached inside her pocket for her phone, feeling the phantom vibration that had irritated her all evening. Right. Tuck had never returned her call or her cell phone.

  With a frustrated groan, she sat back up and retrieved some sleepwear from her luggage. After washing her face and letting her hair down, she climbed under the rose-print comforter and waited for sleep. It was too quiet for her body to settle down though. In the city, there was a constant buzz of energy, even when you were tucked away in your own little apartment.

  Sweetwater Springs didn’t have that. Behind the
se closed doors, she was alone with herself and nothing else. And being alone with herself was just a little too close for comfort.

  * * *

  Tuck arrived at the Tipsy Tavern to not one but two friends. “Hey, Mitch. Didn’t expect to see you here.”

  Mitch Hargrove had returned to Sweetwater Springs last fall and now worked at the local police department with Chief Alex Baker.

  Tuck turned to Alex. “How’d you wrangle Mitch away from Kaitlyn long enough to grab a meal with us?”

  “I may have threatened jail time,” Alex said, lifting a longneck bottle to his mouth.

  They all chuckled as Tuck slid into the booth across from them.

  “Kaitlyn is otherwise occupied by her friend Josie tonight,” Mitch explained.

  “Ah, yes. The princess from up north.”

  Mitch raised a brow. “I only got to spend a few minutes with her but she seemed nice enough.”

  “Try a forty-five-minute ride down Mount Pleasant while she talked and texted on her phone the entire time.”

  Alex’s face scrunched up. “Knowing you, that didn’t go too well.”

  “Not especially.” Tuck hadn’t gotten a cell phone for himself until his wife, Renee, had gotten sick. He’d needed to be reached quickly in case of an emergency. Before that, any messages could wait until he got back to his office or home. He wasn’t a fan of this age of immediate information. And watching people walk across the street with their gazes pinned to their screens was infuriating, even if it did account for at least some of his physical therapy business.

  “That’s a shame,” Mitch said. “I was thinking we might enlist you to take Josie out on the town one night. She’s beautiful, and you, my friend, have been celibate too long.”

  “Beauty doesn’t make the woman,” Tuck pointed out. “I’ve known far too many women who were nice to look at but I wouldn’t want to spend any amount of time with them.” Renee had been one of the exceptions. She had it all. Beauty, depth of character, and a kind heart.

  “He’s right,” Alex agreed, taking a sip of his drink. “I can vouch for that truth.”

  Mitch shook his head. “I don’t think so in this case. Kaitlyn wouldn’t have a friend that wasn’t also a good person. You two just got off on the wrong foot—that’s all.”

  Tuck considered this. He’d seen a shimmer of something surprising when Josie had spoken about Kaitlyn. She’d been warm, sincere. And that smile of hers when she’d looked at him…yeah. Maybe there was more to her than what met the eye. “She’s only here for a week, right?”

  Mitch nodded. “Which makes that perfect if you’re just looking for a casual hookup.”

  Tuck lifted his brows.

  “I’m just saying it’s been a while,” Mitch said.

  Tuck was just about to respond when a waitress stepped up and took their orders. Afterward, they fell back into easy conversation that thankfully didn’t return to Josie. He didn’t want to talk about his sex life, or lack thereof, or admit to the guys that he was holding Josie’s phone hostage, which seemed both immature and completely unlike him. But he’d already gone out of his way for her today.

  Ten minutes later, the waitress arrived with their burgers and fries and slid a plate in front of each of them.

  When she was gone, Alex looked at Tuck. “So how’s the new place working out?”

  Tuck twirled one of his sweet potato fries in a dab of ketchup. “Good. A little big for one man.” At least in comparison to the home he’d shared with Renee, which had seemed to be closing in around him since her death. “I’m considering renting out the room above the garage. It’s just more space than I know what to do with.” He reached for his glass of water and took a sip. “Then again, I like the peace and quiet of Hope Cottage. I’m not sure I want to disturb that by becoming someone’s landlord.”

  “That’s the nice part about the B and B,” Mitch offered. “It’s just for a couple of nights and then the guests leave. If you get someone who’s rude or loud or plain unbearable”—he shrugged—“it’s not much of a commitment. Renting a room long-term, however, could be miserable if you get the wrong tenant.”

  Alex lifted his brows with a slight nod. “Just ask Simon Griffin. I had to remove his renter by force last week because he wasn’t paying. And the place looked like it hadn’t been cleaned since the tenant moved in three years ago.”

  Tuck’s mouth puckered as if a lemon slice had been shoved in. “That’s terrible.”

  “And it’s not that uncommon.” Alex sandwiched his burger between his hands and took a bite.

  Tuck took a bite out of his own burger, reconsidering wanting to do something with his garage apartment after all. He didn’t have the time or energy for any kind of drama right now. He was finally in a place where he was enjoying life again. He loved his work, his home, and his dog. Adding a few horses to the stables out back would make things just about perfect.

  After their meal, all the men said their goodbyes, and Tuck got into his Jeep to drive home. Shadow was likely ready to go outside again, and Tuck couldn’t wait to lie on the couch and finish the murder mystery he’d been reading for the last couple of days.

  When he pulled into his pebbled driveway, he grabbed his cell phone from the console and saw that he had five missed calls with voicemails. He listened to them one by one while he opened the back door of his house and watched Shadow dart out into the darkness. He didn’t have a fence but she was an obedient dog. One command would send her sprinting back in his direction.

  The message that Beverly Sanders had left earlier when he’d been driving Josie from the airport played first.

  “Hi, Mr. Locklear. This is Beverly Sanders again. I called yesterday and asked you to contact me. You don’t know me but I would really like to talk to you.”

  He’d call her first thing tomorrow, he decided.

  The next voicemail played.

  “Me again. You have my phone and I know that you know. Please bring it back or I will text my phone all night and the meows will haunt you in your sleep.”

  This pulled an unexpected laugh out of him, a sound that sent Shadow running back in his direction. He let her inside, and then he locked the door, making a mental note to turn the volume off on Josie’s cell phone tonight.

  * * *

  Josie inhaled deeply as she set out on the walking trails behind the B&B. Wow. If she could bottle up this fresh mountain air stuff, she could make enough income to quit her job. Then she wouldn’t have to tolerate her new boss and his horrid article ideas.

  She was a serious journalist. She wrote things that mattered. Since Bart had taken over Loving Life magazine, he’d been pressuring her to write trash.

  Josie continued forward, following the cutesy signs staked in the ground that pointed the way. She’d only been in town for twenty-four hours, and she was already going slightly stir-crazy. Kaitlyn seemed to be in her element though. By the time Josie had climbed out of bed this morning, Kaitlyn had a full breakfast spread on one of the dining room tables. The other guests were chatting and making nice, and for a moment, Josie had felt this warmness spreading through her like the hot molasses on her stack of pancakes. That had quickly passed, however, when the cozy conversation at one of the tables had turned to her, the only single person in the room.

  “Do you have someone special in your life, dear?” a woman in her mid to late sixties had asked.

  The question didn’t used to bother Josie so much. She was proud of her career at a well-known magazine. Or she had been until Bart took over.

  Josie picked up her pace now, forcing herself to soak in her surroundings. The tall pines with their sappy scent. The chill of the spring air. Mountains towering in the distance. She was walking in a postcard right now. The article she’d written about Sweetwater Springs being a romantic holiday retreat last December hadn’t been a fabrication by any measure. This was a beautiful town. She could only imagine what a wonderful place it would be to spend Christmas and New Year’s.r />
  Bart had suggested titling the follow-up article that Josie wanted to write “Sex in the Sticks.” He’d clarified that she didn’t actually have to have sex. Nice of him, considering having sex wasn’t part of her job description.

  A bird fluttered by. She stopped in midstride to watch. Its feathers were a perfect blend of purple and pink, like a ripened raspberry. Josie had never seen a bird quite like this in the wild or otherwise. Not that she spent much time outdoors.

  “Beautiful,” she whispered, finding herself following it off the path. The bird dipped between trees, almost as if it were teasing her, luring her to whatever secret place it was going. Hopefully not into a lion’s den.

  No, there aren’t lions in the North Carolina mountains. But there were definitely bears.

  Her breath seized in her chest, and her feet froze. Perhaps following a bird off the path wasn’t such a great idea. Her gaze stayed on the vividly colored creature until it fluttered out of sight. Then she turned to head back to the trail.

  As she did, her foot caught on a knobby root that poked out of the soft ground, and her body went flying forward. Her right knee hit another hard root in the ground, taking the brunt of the fall. Then the rest of her body followed, making a forceful impact that shot the air right out of her lungs. She struggled to breathe for a moment as her world shifted and settled.

  Birds tweeted in the tree limbs above, and it occurred to her that they might be laughing at the spectacle she’d just made of herself. Thankfully, no human was around to witness it.

  “Ouch,” she finally muttered. Her body was already aching three seconds after falling so this didn’t look good for the rest of her day.

  She reached for her phone to call for help, and then, adding insult to injury, she realized she didn’t have her phone, thanks to Tuck. She was beginning to think she would’ve been better off hitchhiking down the mountain than accepting his ride into Sweetwater Springs yesterday.

  This trip was supposed to be relaxing, and some parts had been so far. She and Kaitlyn had chatted and watched a couple of movies last night, and they’d gotten more time to catch up after breakfast. But now Josie had reached her limit being unplugged. She needed her phone back, and once she found Tuck, she intended to give him a piece of her mind.