Page 70 of Falling Inn Love
“Mom,” I say, giving her a hug.
“It’s so good to be home, honey. I’m so tired of traveling.”
“Thanks, Pete,” I say with a wave as he pulls out and heads home to his own cottage.
“Come in for a while, honey,” she tells me. “I need a cup of tea and I want to hear what’s been going on.”
“I’m going to turn in for an early day tomorrow, Mom. Did Pete fill you in?”
“He did. I’m glad you’re going to her.”
“I’m not sure she’s going to come back.”
“You have to try. None of that ‘I’m not chasing you’ nonsense.”
“I know. I messed up.”
“You’ll make it better. It’ll be okay.” She pats my cheek. “Trim this beard first, though. You’re getting kind of scruffy.”
“Thanks, Mom.” I rub my hand over my beard then head out to finish my tasks for tomorrow. It’s going to be a long day with the festival and my body still isn’t quite healed.
TWENTY-SEVEN
EVAN
Where’s Beth?
* * *
It’s over an hour before my alarm is set to go off, but I finally give up on sleep and just get up. I shower quickly, throwing on jeans and a flannel.I head over to the main inn and start coffee.
It’s my favorite time when the inn is quiet and I have the place to myself. I take my steaming mug back to my office and turn on my computer. I stare at the screen for a long time before I realize I’m staring at nothing and can’t concentrate.
None of this is the same without her. I’m excited for the fall festival today, but she should be here. She did most of the work for this and she can’t even be around to enjoy it. It feels wrong.
I hear Sasha moving around the kitchen so I head back and check in with her.
“Ready for today?” I ask as I slide into one of the bar stools.
“You’re up early,” she says, her tone terse. “I see you got the coffee on.”
“I couldn’t sleep.”
She finally looks at me and softens. “What time did the vendors finish setting up last night?”
“Around nine,” I tell her. “But it’s all ready for them under the tent now. They can just show up and open up.”
She leans her elbows on the counter and narrows her eyes at me. “Pete says he has a surprise for me. He better not have anything that shoots or blows anything up.”
I shrug my shoulders and look away. Oh, it’s going to be great to see what happens when Pete brings out the pumpkin cannon.
“I’m making biscuits and gravy for the guests and staff,” Sasha says.
“Sounds good. I’m going to let the dogs out for a walk and feed them. I’ll be back in a bit.”
The puppies whimper as I head to their kennel and let them out. They sniff me and Chip looks at me with disdain. “I know, I know, buddy. I miss her, too. I’m going to get her back for you.” Damn it. Even the dogs are protesting.
The festival finally gets started, and I dodge no less than a dozen questions just in the first hour about where Beth is and when she’ll be back. I can tell she poured her heart into this festival and it’s not just me who has fallen in love with Beth. The whole town of Freedom Valley has. I realize she had pretty much made friends and connected with every single vendor, and the disappointment was strong when everyone learned she wasn’t here. I didn’t miss the looks I got.
