Page 14 of Love Inn Books

Honestly, Preston, you need to grow up.

Preston, answer my texts. NOW.

You are acting like a petulant child.

Unbelievable. I roll my eyes and take another pull from my beer.

6. paige

The Chain

My worn andwell-loved scratchyRumorsalbum crackles. I’m missing my mom even more tonight. I would give anything for five more minutes with her.

When my mom got sick, she wrote me letters. One to open on my birthday every year until I’m thirty. I only have three birthday letters left to open. I also have one to open when I get engaged, and another when I become a mom. Five in total left. I have all the letters stored in clear sleeves in a binder to preserve them. They started to get worn out after I opened them and reread them so many times. That binder of letters is probably my most prized possession.

The only other person who has ever read my letters is Harry. They make him cry, so we don’t talk about them too much, but he every year on my birthday, he asks, “What’s your mom have to say, Bug?” Almost as if she can still have conversations with me. I wish she’d written me a letter about what to do when Harry got dementia and how to handle his medical bills. Or what to do if I ever got scammed.

I open the binder and reread her letters on days I’m missing her most or just having a hard time in general. It makes me feel like a piece of her is still here. I turn to my favorite one, with her familiar cursive handwriting in faded black ink on the yellow paper.

My Dear Paige,

Happy 14thbirthday, Bug. I love you. I love you for making me a mom, for the adventures we’ve had and the memories we’ve made. My love for you will never fade. I’m so sorry for leaving you so young, but I will always be with you.

Look for me in the sunrises and sunsets. That’s me watching with you and making sure you always have light and are never alone. But don’t be afraid of the dark. With every dark night, you have light the next day. There’s always a fresh day to start over if times get hard.

I’m so proud of you. Be happy and do whatever sets your heart on fire, sweet girl! And remember, I am with you in sunrise, in sunset, and in every moment between.

Love,

Mom

A tear splashes against the plastic page protector. This is exactly why I have them stuffed in the plastic in this binder. So many of them were already smudged with tears before I placed them in here. The front of the binder has a protected zipper pouch, where her remaining letters are safely tucked away. My birthday is next week, and I’ll be twenty-eight. Then there’ll only be two birthday letters left.

I shut the binder, and when I sit up, I realize the door is ajar. Pancake isn’t in his carrier or on the bed. I know he can’t have gone far because he stays pretty close to me. I slide my shoes on and head down the stairs to the bottom of the garden shed, which is the laundry facility for the inn.

I find my friend Mellie, who works as the housekeeper, folding linens when I enter. She nods to the corner where Evan sits in a chair, holding Pancake like a baby and speaking softly to him. My heart catches and melts into a puddle on the spot. Alarm also fills me because I haven’t exactly asked for permission for my houseguest. But judging by the way he’s loving Pancake, we might just be okay.

“Cat’s out of the bag,” Mellie murmurs with a grin. “Or raccoon.” She chuckles as she stacks her linen carts and pushes them to the wall for tomorrow.

“What’s his name?” Evan asks, looking up at me.

“Pancake.” I sit down in a chair next to them. “He’s registered as an exotic pet with the state,” I promise.

“I trust you. We just have to be careful with him around the guests. But he’s a nice guy, aren’t you?” He strokes Pancake’s forehead. “Hey, can I take him to see Beth? They put her on bed rest now, and she’s bored. Would that be okay?” he asks, looking hopeful.

That’s concerning. I haven’t known Beth that long, but I feel like I’ve already bonded with her. I’m worried. “Is she okay?”

“Yeah, just taking it easy until it’s time. The longer they stay in there, the better. She’s excited and ready, though. I’m sure she would love the distraction.”

“Thank you for not being upset that he’s here.” I don’t add that she and Pancake are already acquainted.

“Is this what I heard Preston threatening to tell me?” he grins.

I shake my head and smile. “Not much gets by you.”

“Not at my inn. I like to know what’s going on.” He strokes Pancake’s neck.

“Yeah, he used this as blackmail to get me to take his job.” I shrug. “But it’s fine. It worked out.”

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