Page 16 of Falling Inn Love
“I’ll be in touch,” I tell him as I exit the bank, calling on every bit of strength in me to keep my cool and not turn around and rip his face off.
I get into my truck and calmly drive off, realizing that others may have heard parts of the conversation and well aware that rumors in a small town like Freedom Valley can spread like wildfire. The inn doesn’t need that.
My knuckles grip the steering wheel as I drive to my favorite lookout point and park. I’ve been coming to this spot since I first learned to drive; it’s my place. I get out and walk to my favorite big rock where I can sit and see the valley.
Hamilton McGraw can go to hell. I’m so angry, I’m shaking. This is personal. Why else would he be doing this to our family? I wonder if he’s singling out any other local businesses right now.
It’s a lot of money to come up with in a short amount of time, and I honestly don’t know if we can pull this off. This wouldn’t have happened if my dad was still here running the inn. I feel like a freaking failure, but I will fix this. We’re not going down without a fight.
NINE
BETH
No falling in love.
* * *
Evan was quiet when he came back and has pretty much stayed in his office all day. I don’t want to push and ask what happened at his meeting, but it must have really upset him. I decide it’s better to earn his trust. Let him come to me when he’s ready to talk.
At lunchtime, Margie pokes her head in. “Care to join me?” she asks. I happily wrap up what I’m doing and follow her into the kitchen.
Margie pats the seat next to her and I slide into my chair. Sasha brings us steaming bowls of chili topped with cheese, sour cream, and scallions, along with buttered jalapeño cheddar cornbread. My mouth waters as she sets it down.
“Thank you, Sasha. This looks delicious,” I tell her.
“How’re things going up front?” Margie asks, blowing on a spoonful of chili.
“Going great, actually,” I tell her. “I really love your inn.”
“Thank you. I’ve lived here my whole life.”
“What was it like to grow up here?” I ask as I place my napkin in my lap.
Margie’s eyes light up and she stares off for a minute before she answers. “It was magical.”
“What are holidays like here?” I ask before blowing on a spoonful of chili.
“We love to decorate the inn up big, and we have some great traditions. We have a total of nine Christmas trees that we decorate throughout the main building here. We are open 365 days a year, so we often get repeat guests throughout the holidays that don’t have family or anywhere to go. Sasha makes the most incredible dinners. When Allie was here, she’d bake the most delicious pies, cookies, and cakes. She loves to bake.”
As she speaks, I can’t help but wonder what it might be like to grow up in a great family in such a beautiful space. Cozy fires in the stone fireplace with stockings hung. Christmas cookies freshly baked with love and set out to cool for decorating on the counter tops. Laughter, smiles, and making wonderful memories. I can see it and I can feel it. My heart longs for a life like that. One that I know I can’t have.
It’s what I always wanted, above anything else. Now I’m just trying to get through each day, one day at a time.
I can’t stop myself from constantly thinking about my past—aboutthem—yet every day I spend here, I fall more in love with this place.
Eyes on the prize, Beth. No falling in love.
I look around the inn and wonder and dream about what it would be like to stay. Forever, as Evan joked. But that’s all it can be: a dream.
After lunch, I clean up the coffee bar and refresh the pastries. I vacuum and dust the front room and reorganize the front desk. It feels good to be busy. Despite getting all this accomplished, I’ve found time to think about the book I want to write and add some notes to my phone. It’s amazing how your mind works when you don’t feel so overwhelmed. Being at the inn makes me feel calm and happy.
Evan comes out from his office and does a double take. “Did you do all of this?”
“I can put it all back. I just thought…”
Oh no. I think I overstepped. I love to organize and fix things and do DIY projects. I tend to get tunnel vision and just take charge. That’s what herding kindergarteners daily taught me. What if I made him mad? He looks surprised.
Damn it, Beth. You’re supposed to keep your head down, do your sixty days, and get moving. Don’t make him mad and mess this up. When I was in foster care and I messed up, I had to move on. Keep it together.
