Page 7 of Second Chance at Sunshine Inn

“Why didn’t you tell me she hired someone?”

She shrugged. “I thought you knew.”

“She never told me.” Everleigh considered the man. He was so quiet, and he had never smiled once they were in the attorney’s office. Odd. “What do you know about him?”

“He’s originally from here, but he was gone a long time. I think he joined the military after high school and then moved around a bit. He came home and needed a job, so Alana hired him. You know how she always wanted to help people.”

Everleigh nodded.

“She really admired him and said he did good work.”

Everleigh considered that. Alanahadbeen a good judge of character.

But this man was a stranger. Why would Alana leave half of her inn to astranger?

She felt her mother watching her. “I can tell when you’re really concentrating on something. Your brow wrinkles.” Mom touched her shoulder. “Talk to me, Evie. What’s on your mind?”

“I just can’t figure out why Alana would want a stranger to have half of her everything... including the business she worked so hard to build and preserve!”

“Because he wasn’t a stranger to her.”

The truth smacked Everleigh in the face. “And if I had come home last year instead of going straight to the job in Texas, I might have met him and possibly gotten to know him before she passed away.” Guilt burrowed deep in her gut at the thought.

The door opened, and Dad appeared on the porch. “Am I missing something out here?”

“Nope.” Everleigh stood up, smiled, and patted her mother’s back. “We were just coming in. Right, Mom?”

“That’s right.”

“I managed to maneuver your one-ton suitcase into your room,” Dad joked.

“With my rock collection, right?” Everleigh shook her head, recalling Cade’s snarky comment.

“Rock collection?” Mom asked.

“Never mind.” Everleigh joined her father on the porch, and he pulled her into his arms for a tight hug.

“I’m so glad you’re home.” His deep voice held a hint of grief.

“Thanks, Dad.” She stepped out of his arms and into the house, where she was greeted by the aroma of vanilla—her mother’s favorite scented plug-in, which she kept in each room of the house. She wandered through the den, still decorated with the same furniture sheremembered—a worn but comfortable brown sofa and two matching recliners, along with a dark wooden coffee table and end tables.

Once she reached the kitchen, she found a bottle of water in the refrigerator and took a long drink.

“You haven’t told us how long we’ll get to have you this time.” Dad’s expression was hopeful as he came to stand beside her. “Possibly longer than a few weeks?”

She nodded. “I finished my last contract, and I haven’t signed a new one yet. I thought I’d give it at least a month. Now I guess I should see what happens with Alana’s inn.”

“Good.” It had been almost two years since she’d last seen her parents, and more wrinkles outlined Dad’s hazel eyes. She noted more flecks of gray in his brown hair too. “Where’d you leave your car?”

Everleigh set the half-full bottle on the counter beside her. “I didn’t want to make the drive, so I paid a service to bring it here for me. And since they’re running behind, it will be a few weeks before I have it.”

“That was smart. No one should drive all that way after receiving such terrible news.” Dad started for the doorway. “It’s late, and you look worn out. You should get some sleep.”

Mom appeared behind him. “Your dad is right. Tomorrow I’ll need you to help me with the last-minute details for the memorial service on Saturday.”

“Okay.” Everleigh hugged each of them. “Good night.”

She padded past the bathroom, her parents’ room, and her older brother’s former room, which had been transformed into Mom’s craft room soon after Landon left for college.

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