One Hundred Decisions: An Aspen Cove Romance

by Collins, Kelly

  “Yes, this is home—for now.”

  There was no way she could live in a shoebox with a growing boy long-term, but this was what she could afford, and it would have to do. Moving wasn’t in the budget. The trip had eaten up her emergency fund. All she had was forty dollars for food, and the gift card she would use to buy Will clothes.

  His jaw dropped. “You said this would be more. Where’s the house?”

  “This is the house.”

  “What the hell, Natalie? This is like living in a cardboard box behind a dumpster.”

  “You might be right about the box, but I take offense to the dumpster. Now come inside. I need a few hours of sleep before my shift tomorrow.” Thankfully, she’d called Maisey from the road and was told she could return right away.

  Will grabbed his backpack and followed her into the house. “I suppose it’s better than the place they had me in the last few weeks.” He scanned the room and plopped onto the loveseat in the living room. “It was basically a homeless shelter for kids.” He hugged his backpack to his chest. “I walked in there with more, but someone stole my stuff.”

  She shrugged off her sweater and hung it on the hook by the door. “How did that feel?”

  He eyed her, knowing where she was going with the question. “It felt like shit.”

  “Language, mister. You’re twelve. Act like it. As for the theft, it sucks, but maybe it’s karma for all the stuff you’ve stolen.”

  “How would you know?”

  She pointed to the loft. “I was you nearly two decades ago. Now get to bed. You can take the loft, and I’ll take the couch.” She gave him her bed for two reasons. The first being he was too tall for the love seat, and the second because he’d have to make it past her to leave.

  “What will I do while you’re at work?” He trudged to the ladder and pulled himself up, rung by rung.

  “You’ll have to come with me until I figure out another plan.”

  “I can take care of myself.”

  “So you’ve said.” She pulled a blanket from the box next to the couch. It served as a table and storage. “Let’s try something different. How about I care for you for a while? You be a kid, and I’ll be the grown-up.” The words sounded great. Hopefully, she wouldn’t be another disappointment in his life.

  “Grown-up people live in houses.”

  “This is a house. It’s efficient. Grow up and deal with it.”

  He peeked over the side of the loft and laughed. “You just told me to be a kid.”

  “You can start tomorrow.” Exhausted from the trip, she collapsed on the cushions and pulled the blanket over her worn-out body. “Good night, Will. I promise everything will be all right.” She turned out the light and prayed she wasn’t lying.

  Chapter Two

  Jake Powers stood in front of the store he would open today. He didn’t understand why there was a need for the cloak and dagger routine, but Doc Parker thought it would be nice to treat the residents of Aspen Cove to a surprise.

  As he looked at the covered sign and windows, he almost agreed. It was fun keeping things under wraps. Kind of like a Christmas present under the tree waiting to be opened.

  A quote came to mind. Life is not what happens to you, but how you deal with what happens to you.

  That was how he’d ended up in Aspen Cove.

  He checked his phone for the time and found he had a good forty minutes before the grand opening. That was enough time to eat.

  Following the scent of bacon, he moved down Main Street toward Maisey’s Diner. The bell above the door rang as he entered.

  The booths held the usual crowd. Two of the town’s firemen sat at a front booth by the window.

  “Morning.” Jake waved as he walked by.

  “Big day for you—for us,” Luke said. He was one of only a few people who knew what was replacing the old Dry Goods Store since he had to make sure the building was up to fire code standards.

  “Definitely. I hope the residents like it as much as Doc thinks they will. Maybe I should have opened an ice cream store instead.”

  Thomas frowned. “It’s not an ice cream shop?” He raised his hand and pretended to check off an item from an invisible list. “That was Eden’s guess. That or a candy store. You know, the kind with a taffy pulling machine in the window.”

  “It’s not that either,” Jake said as he took the corner booth beside them. He looked around the diner for Maisey, Riley, or Louise. They’d been serving him for weeks and knew his dietary restrictions. “Who’s on shift today?”

  Thomas looked over his shoulder to answer. “Natalie. She’s old.” He shook his head. “Not old as in age, but she’s worked here for a while. She left for a bit. You’ll like her. She’s sweet.”

  “Hopefully, she’s fast, or I’ll be late to the grand reveal.”

  The swinging door to the kitchen opened and out walked a cute brunette. Her eyes scanned the room and settled on a boy slumped in the corner. She set a plate of pancakes in front of him, and he perked up.

  Jake couldn’t hear the exchange, but by the frown on the kid’s face, it didn’t look pleasant.

  She spun around, and in seconds, she stood before him. “Good morning. I’m Natalie. Can I get you coffee to start?”

  “Orange juice, please, and a glass of water.” He took her in from the high ponytail to her Keds. His eyes moved up to linger for a few seconds on pink lips that looked pillow-soft. But it was her eyes that really drew him in; green eyes with dark circles beneath them that spoke of exhaustion.

  “Only juice and water?” she asked again.

  “No, I’m eating too, but I’m in a bit of a hurry. Can you put my order in right away?”

  “Sure thing.” She reached into her pocket for her pad. “What can I get you?”

  “Bacon and eggs, over medium, please. Tell them it’s for Jake, and they’ll know how I like it.”

  She scribbled something on the pad and walked away. He watched the sexy sway of her hips until she got to the window and slapped the paper to the wheel, spinning it around. “Order in,” she called. Seconds later, she made the coffee rounds, filling up cup after cup of Maisey’s brew. Coffee was one thing he missed. Giving it up was part of his healthier lifestyle.

  While he waited, he went through his email messages. As a life coach, he got a lot of them. Life shouldn’t be so complicated, but many people found it impossible to tackle, and that’s where he came in. Perspective was his business. He had a talent for looking at the big picture and breaking it down into reasonable bites.

  Ten minutes later, Natalie swung by and dropped off his plate without stopping. He knew right away that it was all wrong. The bacon wasn’t his bacon—turkey bacon. It was the thick-cut strips cooked perfectly to a crisp. Years ago, he would have gobbled down two orders, but things were different now.

  With limited time, he couldn’t wait for another order, so he pushed the bacon aside and started on the eggs. The first bite hit his tongue, and the salt nearly choked him. He reached for the water, but she hadn’t brought it or the juice.

  He raised his hand to flag down the waitress. “Excuse me,” came out in a garble. Several heads turned, including Natalie’s.

  Rushing over, she asked, “Is something wrong?”

  He let go of an exasperated breath and forced himself to swallow the bite stuck in his throat.

  “This has salt. I asked for no salt.”

  She shook her head. “No, you didn’t.”

  “Putting Jake at the top of the order is the same.”

  She took the ticket from her pocket and frowned. “Jake means no salt?”

  “Yes. Are you trying to kill me?”

  She gave him an eye roll worthy of an award. “Hardly. If I had murder on my mind, I wouldn’t do it with salt when I hear arsenic works much quicker.”

  He shoved the plate away. “How about I make it easy on you? I’ll have dry white toast and the orange juice I ordered, but you never brought.” He raised a brow in
annoyance. “If it’s not too much trouble,” he added with a hint of sarcasm. “I need it to go.”

  She spun around and left without a word. He wouldn’t call her sweet, but she was cute.

  When she came back five minutes later, she set a paper bag and cup on the table. “Here you go. Toast and juice on the house. I’d hate for you to ruin Maisey’s Diner’s reputation when the error was mine.”

  He appreciated that she took responsibility because few people did these days.

  “I’d never say a bad word about the diner or Maisey. She’s been kind since my arrival.”

  Natalie eyed him with curiosity. “Are you a new resident of Aspen Cove?”

  “No, just paying a debt, and then I’m gone.”

  He scooted out of the booth and stood beside her. He wouldn’t consider himself a tall man at five foot ten and standing next to her, his chin aligned with the top of her head. “Are you coming to the grand opening?”

  “Nope, I’m working.” She peeked over her shoulder. “I’ve got rent to pay and a boy to feed.”

  He peeked back to the kid eating pancakes in the corner and nodded before he made his way out of the diner and down the street. He slipped past the growing crowd and into the shop. The thought of a crowd in Aspen Cove made him chuckle. While the population was on the upturn, Doc told him he estimated it to be about a thousand. In Phoenix, that was the line at his favorite tea shop on any day. Or so it felt.

  A double knock followed by three more was the agreed-upon signal. When Jake heard Doc pound out the rhythm on the front door, he put his uneaten toast under the counter and headed outside.

  “Hello,” he said to the dozen people standing in front of the store. Looking out, he recognized many of the faces. Katie from B’s Bakery was there, as was her husband, Bowie. Sage and Cannon stood beside them. Thomas held his son Tommy in one arm and wrapped his other around his wife, Eden. Agatha was nearby with the edge of a sheet in her hand that was attached to the sign cover. Doc stood back and smiled.

  Jake wondered if the store was for the community or Doc. He seemed to take great pleasure in the process.

  “So glad you could make it.” Jake looked up at the cloth-covered sign. “There’s been a lot of speculation about what was happening inside. I’ve heard ideas like an ice cream parlor and a candy shop floating around, but sadly, that’s not where this is headed. However, this place will nourish your mind and soul.” He looked at Agatha and nodded.

  With a big tug, she pulled the edge of the fabric, and the sign for B’s Book Nook swung in the breeze.

  A collective gasp came from the growing crowd, followed by shouts of glee.

  “Come on in, and I’ll tell you how this came about.” He led them into the bookstore and stepped onto a stool, then began to speak. “My name is Jake Powers, and Bea Bennett saved my life.” He pointed to the pink letter now framed at the entrance. “Over ten years ago, I suffered kidney failure. I spent many days and hours hooked up to a dialysis machine. My life looked grim from where I sat in the cold, sterile room of the renal health center. That was until Bea Bennett did the unthinkable. In her time of complete loss and devastation, she donated her daughter’s organs.”

  The room, once filled with hushed chatter, went silent, and several heads turned to look at Bowie, who nodded and smiled. He wrapped his arm around Katie and pulled her closer to his side.

  “I understand that Brandy’s death affected many people in this town. It profoundly affected me. The gift was a near-perfect match.”

  Doc cleared his throat. “Some of you might wonder why it took him ten years.” He looked at Jake. “Get on with it, son. There are so many books and so little time.”

  “To expedite this, all I will say is donor lists, including donor and recipients, are confidential, but Bea somehow broke the system and found me, and here I am. I’ll never be able to bring Brandy back, but I heard she loved books. So, in a roundabout way, this is her gift to you but given through me. B’s Book Nook is named for both mother and daughter. You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy books, and that’s kind of the same thing. This shop is a non-profit venture, and we will discount books by twenty-five percent at the register. Enjoy.” He stepped off the stool and walked toward Bowie. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

  While everyone moved through the stacks, he and Bowie took a seat at a table in the corner.

  The shop was filled with the scent of paper, glue, and excitement.

  “I know the sacrifice was yours, too,” he said to Bowie. Doc had told him how Brandy had been Bowie’s fiancée. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

  Bowie smiled. “Funny how things work out, right? Brandy’s death was torture, but it was also salvation. Without it, I wouldn’t have Katie, who is also a recipient of Bea and Brandy’s gift. Without Katie, I wouldn’t have my daughter Sahara.” He rubbed his chin. “Thank you for wanting to give back.” He looked around the bookstore and smiled. “Brandy would have loved this. And Bea …” He shrugged. “Put a section of Agatha Christie books in the corner, and you wouldn’t have gotten her to leave.”

  “I’ve got Agatha tucked into the mystery section.” He pointed to the Harry Potter book display. “Maybe we’ll dedicate next week to Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple.”

  “Sounds like you might be a bibliophile yourself.”

  “Not much to do during treatments but read.”

  Bowie gripped the edge of the table and rose. “Will you stay in Aspen Cove?” He chuckled and shook his head. “I know it sounds awful, and I’m not making light of the situation, but it seems as if Brandy is returning to town one organ at a time.”

  Jake’s eyes grew wide. “It’s a great place to be, but it’s not where my life is.” He rarely told people what he did because there were so many questions that followed. “I’m a coach of sorts.”

  “I know who you are.” He tapped his shirt pocket where the outline of his phone showed. “I googled you. Just figured you could practice what you preach: ‘Enjoy your life. The finish line comes far too fast.’”

  Jake stood and shook Bowie’s hand. “Maybe you should be a life coach.”

  “Just repeating your wisdom. All I want to be is a good man, a good husband, and a good father. If I can do that … I’m a total success.”

  As Bowie walked away, Jake thought of the ways to measure success. His measurement had always been counting the people he’d helped. But was that truly a measure of his success, or his ability to help others triumph?

  As he watched the townsfolk move around the store, he considered the focus of their lives. They were generous. Considerate. Compassionate. He was certain the people of Aspen Cove would make anyone feel like they belonged. He shook the thoughts from his head. He was here to repay a kindness. His future had a different path. If all went well, he’d be moving to Los Angeles to partner with Vision Quest, an exclusive retreat center for high-profile clients. All he needed to do was to seal the deal and hire someone to take over the bookstore. It couldn’t be that difficult, could it?

  Chapter Three

  “Where did everyone go?” Natalie leaned on the counter and stared at the empty tables and booths. The only person seated was Will, and that was because she didn’t want him to get into trouble, so she fed him and let him play games on her phone.

  Ben walked from the kitchen into the diner to get a soda. “Big opening today.”

  “I heard, but what opened that caused a mass exodus?” She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost noon, and the place was silent. No customers meant no tips.

  “Bowie texted and said it’s a bookstore.”

  Will’s head snapped up from the phone. “Did you say there was a bookstore?” He slid from the booth and nearly ran to where she stood. “Can we go?” He clapped his hands together and bounced on the balls of his feet. “Please.” He looked from her to Ben as if hoping one of them would say yes.

  Ben swiped a napkin from the holder on the countertop and wiped the sweat from his b
row. “Who’s this lad?” Ben asked.

  Will shuffled his feet and danced back and forth. Maybe feeding him a double stack of chocolate chip pancakes wasn’t a wise move.

  “This ball of energy is my brother, Will.” It sounded weird when she said it. Brother meant family, and family meant love. Tired and scared was how she felt right now.

  Ben’s eyes grew wide. “Didn’t know you had a brother.”

  “Neither did I.”

  “There’s a story there.”

  “Yep, but I’m too tired to tell it.”

  Ben looked around the empty diner. “I think I’ve got this. Why don’t you take the boy to the bookstore? There are worse things he could be excited about.”

  Will threw a celebratory fist into the air. “Yeah, sis, I’m not knocking up a girl or streamlining heroin.”

  “It’s mainlining, and I’ll ignore the girl comment.” She hadn’t considered Will could be sexually active at twelve. A twinge of anxiety fisted her heart. She was woefully unprepared to raise a boy entering puberty. “You and I will have a talk.”

  “I already know about the birds and the bees. The bigger question is, how do you know about heroin?” His eyes dimmed before her as if the light lit by the possibility of visiting the bookstore was put out by a flood of concern. Will was so young, but his eyes were those of an old soul.

  “I read and, apparently, so do you. Let’s go.”

  There was no need to ask twice. Getting Will to the bookstore was far easier than the job of getting him out of bed that morning.

  They left the diner and walked to where the old Dry Goods Store used to be. Above the door, hanging from a wrought iron arm, was a wooden sign that swung in the breeze.

  “Who’s B?” Will asked.

  “I never met her, but she used to live here, and by the way people describe her, she was a modern-day Mother Teresa.”

  “Who is Mother Teresa?”

  She gripped the fancy brass handle of the door and pulled it open. “I thought you read.”