Page 5 of Second Chance at Sunshine Inn

Everleigh headed out into the humid air, pulling her enormous, damp suitcase behind her.

Chapter 2

That evening, Cade grabbed the handful of mail from the mailbox and then sauntered up the driveway toward the Sunshine Inn. The late-August air felt heavy from the earlier rain. The sky above him was a kaleidoscope of colors as the sun began to set, and the cicadas began their nightly song. He looked out toward Coral Cove Bay, where a chorus of frogs sang the day into night. Soon, the stars would be reflecting off the water. He breathed in the salty air.

Sighing, he faced the inn. The yellow two-story colonial stood before him in all its glory, haloed by the waning light. The sprawling inn featured eight bedrooms for guests—six upstairs and two downstairs, plus a suite where Alana had lived. This time of day, the golden hour, was when the Sunshine Inn looked its best.

Grief rained down on him as a vision of Alana McFadden filled his mind. She’d been gone for twelve days now, but it seemed like only a few days since their last conversation. He’d been grateful to Alana when she’d hired him eighteen months ago. Working as a handyman wasn’t his forte, but he’d relied on YouTube, learning how to fix things while he settled into the job. The best part, though, washow the position came with a studio apartment for him above the detached three-car garage.

He headed into the kitchen and dropped the stack of letters on the island. He grumbled as he sifted the bills and postcards from Realtors wanting to buy the place. As if he would sell. He’d promised Alana to keep the inn running, and that was what he intended to do.

His cell phone rang, and his best friend’s name popped up on the screen. “Hey,” he answered.

“How’d it go with the lawyer today?” Roger asked.

“Fine.” Cade poured himself a glass of sweet tea, then leaned against the counter while he took a long draw.

“Could you be a bit more specific?”

“Alana left me half of everything.” Cade set the glass down on the counter.

Silence permeated the line for a few beats. “How long have you worked for her?” Roger finally asked.

“Almost two years.”

“And she left you half ofeverything? Wow,” Roger said. “Who got the other half?”

“Her goddaughter.”

“Was she at the reading of the will too?”

“Yup.”

“Is she going to help you run the inn?”

“Not sure. We didn’t get to talk.” He’d hoped to set up a meeting to discuss everything with her after the reading of the will, but she’d flittered away, saying they’d get together. She hadn’t even bothered to give him her number. Not a great start to their partnership.

He frowned. He was done with worthless business partners, and he wasn’t about to allow another one to ruin his livelihood. He was responsible for this inn, and he refused to let an irresponsible person run it into the ground.

“I’m sure she’ll be at the memorial service on Saturday,” Roger said. “You can talk to her then.”

“Right.” He’d do his best to get his new “partner” to set up a time to hash out how this partnership was going to work.

“It’s getting late,” said Roger. “I’ll let you go.”

Cade said good night, pushed his phone into the back pocket of his jeans, then slipped his empty glass into the dishwasher. He scanned the pile of mail and shook his head. Just another task he’d deal with later, he thought as he walked out to the path leading to the detached garage.

As he walked, a large fluffy gray cat brushed against his leg and meowed.

“Hey, Bryant.” Cade leaned down and scratched the cat’s head.

Bryant, the inn’s resident feline, blinked up at him, and his purr rumbled low.

“Hungry?” Cade asked, and the cat meowed again. “Come on, boy.”

Bryant trotted beside him on the path, chattering along the way.

When they reached the apartment, Cade unlocked the door with the noisy gray cat underfoot. Together they climbed the steep steps to Cade’s home. He appreciated the place with its large den, galley kitchen, bathroom, and moderate-sized bedroom. It was only a fraction of the size of the home he had rented in Tuscaloosa, but it was all he needed.

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