by Toni Aleo
“Yeah, just in the morning,” she said, waving her off. “With Ms. Neil passing and the new owner getting up to speed, things have been a bit crazy.”
Gen’s stomach dropped. “No. Huh? What? When?” she stammered in shock.
Delaney’s eyes widened. “You didn’t know?” she asked slowly, shaking her head while Gen braced her hand to the desk. Memories flooded Gen’s mind as she watched Delaney take a deep breath. “Yeah, it was quick, a heart attack.”
Tears rushed to her eyes. “I hadn’t known. When?”
“It’s been about four years now, right after the last time you were here.”
“What? Really?”
“Yeah, I sent you a notice for her funeral. I was bummed you didn’t show.”
“I never got it.”
“Well, that’s too bad. It was a town affair, you know how we do around here.”
Gen nodded as she drew in a breath. She hadn’t been expecting that, but then, it was stupid of her to assume everything would be the same. “So are you running the place now?”
Delaney waved her off once more. “Oh no, girl. I only work here when I’m needed. You know I have like eight jobs.”
Gen laughed. Delaney was insane. The girl didn’t have to work like she did, but ever since Gen had met her, she’d kept so many jobs. Delaney hated being bored and sitting like her mawmaw. So she worked, and she loved it. “You’re crazy.”
“No, me?” she joked, and they shared a laugh.
“How’s your mawmaw?”
“Good, crazy.”
Gen smiled. That was good to hear. “Your sister?”
“Great, doing big things up in New York. You hear she’s gonna be on True Love Seekers?”
Gen scoffed. “No.”
“Yes,” Delaney said, rolling her eyes at the popular reality show for people who were looking for “the one.” “Pathetic.”
“But funny.”
Delaney laughed before grabbing a key and holding it out to Gen. “This is true. So here you go, the Zoe Jayne suite.”
Her brows shot up. “What?”
Delaney just grinned. “Oh yeah, we have a suite just for you.”
“When did that happen?” While she was completely taken aback by the sentiment, it did please her to no end. Made her feel all kinds of special.
“A couple years back. The new owner found the books you had dedicated to Ms. Neil and decided that the room you always requested would be yours. Did you not get the announcement about your room?”
Gen shook her head. “What? No?”
“Your mail sucks.”
“It does,” she decided, taking the key. “But holy crap, that’s so nice,” she gushed, leaning on the desk as she rubbed her thumb along the key. “Who’s the owner? Do I know them?”
Delaney just shrugged, not making eye contact for the first time since Gen had known her. “I think so, but they don’t want me to tell you.”
Her brows pulled together. “Not tell me? Why on earth?”
“Yeah, I don’t know, girl,” she said, rolling her eyes. “S-she’s weird.”
“She?”
“Yeah.”
“Hmm.” Gen thought that over. “I have no clue.”
“Yeah,” Delaney laughed. “But yeah, why don’t you go get settled? The porch is open for you, and just let me know when you want dinner.”
They hugged once more, and then Gen smiled. “Thanks, Delaney.”
“Of course, and by the way, you owe me a drink.”
Gen laughed, nodding her head. “I feel you owe me.”
“Probably. But we need to go out while you’re here, to catch up too.”
“Do we still have to go outside of town?”
Delaney grinned. “You know it. We’re still drier than a nun’s cooch around these parts.”
Gen exhaled as she kept in her laughter. “Depressing.”
“It is. We make whiskey but can’t even drink it here.”
Both women laughed before Gen waved, heading up to her room with a grin on her face. Man, she loved this town. Her heart ached for Ms. Neil, and she wished she had known. But then she remembered there was a room just for her. That was insane and amazing. She just wished Ms. Neil were here to share it with her.
Once she got to the room, she unlocked the door and pushed it open as her grin grew. The room, which used to be called the Hummingbird and was a soft pink, was now a bright yellow with dark furniture. Yellow was Gen’s favorite color. A painting of the lake was on the wall, along with a big framed print of the cover of her first book. Breathless, she walked in, shutting the door behind her as she took in the room, the classiness of it. It blew her away.
But when she noticed a table that held all her books, she covered her mouth.
“Wow,” she breathed as she took out her phone and took a picture. Without thinking, she sent it to her mom and then to Montgomery. Her mom wrote back automatically.
Mom: Oh, Genny. That is amazing! I’ll need to go stay!
Before she could write her mother back though, Montgomery wrote back.
Montgomery: So they have a room with your books, and because of that, they’re naming it after you?
Rolling her eyes, she tucked her phone into her back pocket.
She wouldn’t let him ruin this.
No.
Because this room, the people here, this place, were the start to a trip she needed more than she ever could have realized.
Chapter Five
The air was crisp and fresh as Gen stood in the middle of what Spring Grove called their town square. In the middle of the square was the fountain showcasing small children playing in the most epic water battle. It was supposed to be modeled after Old Man McElroy’s three boys and his daughter. They were trouble growing up from what she’d heard. Though now, they were all pretty successful but maybe still a bit crazy. She hadn’t seen them yet, but she was sure she would. She always did, and boy, were they gorgeous. Which reminded her that she really needed to go on up the hill and check out the distillery. Old Man McElroy would be upset if she didn’t check in with him.
But for now, she would explore. With a grin on her lips that was as wide as Kentucky Lake, Gen took in the splendor that was Spring Grove. Around the town square were all the brick buildings that made up downtown. It was almost like an old Western town, all the buildings side by side. The post office, court, and jail all sat together. Though Gen was sure no one had been in that jail in years. As she walked by, she looked ahead at where the stores began. Big windows gave a peek inside, but usually, they were full of whatever the store was selling. Big beautiful flowerpots were everywhere, and in the trees were lights that she knew shone brightly at night. It was all so beautiful, and nothing had changed.
Just like she’d hoped it hadn’t.
“Well, holy crap, is that the town celebrity?”
Gen turned and almost came out of her skin when Delaney’s mawmaw grinned back at her. Pearl Abbot held her arms open, and Gen went into them, hugging the short, round lady hard as her eyes fell shut. Within seconds, Gen realized she had missed Pearl more than she should have. But how could she not? As they parted, Gen drank in her honorary mawmaw. She had aged in the years that had passed, but her blue eyes were blazing. Her puffy white hair was in a high bun that was probably held together with loads of Aqua Net. She had bright red lips and an even brighter red jumpsuit.
“Mawmaw,” she gushed as Pearl held her face in her hands.
“I swear, you’re even prettier than the last time I saw you. How long has that been? Five years?”
“Around that,” Gen said, covering the older woman’s hands with her own. “How are you?”
“Alive, kicking, driving my grandbabies crazy.”
“They wouldn’t want it any other way.”
“Tell that to Delaney. I’m sure she’s about to kill me.”
“Never,” Gen said, waving her off as they parted.
“I have a bone to pick with you, though. Wh
y weren’t you at Ms. Neil’s funeral?”
“I never knew!” Gen exclaimed, her stomach dropping once more. She still wasn’t handling the shock of Ms. Neil’s death well. She hated that she had missed the service, but most of all, she hated that she had never gotten the announcement. She wasn’t sure why, but maybe they had gotten the wrong address. It hurt, though. She would have wanted to be there. “It kills me, honestly.”
“Oh, I know. We figured the news never got to you, and no one had your number. You changed it. You couldn’t tell anyone?”
She let her head fall back, shaking her head. “Things have been nuts. I moved in with my fiancé, and then I moved to his phone plan, got a new phone, and yeah, I didn’t even think of that. I suck, I’m sorry.”
“You do, but I forgive you,” she announced with a nod of her head. “Fiancé, huh?”
Gen groaned. “I think we might be separated.”
Pearl’s bushy white brows pulled together. “What’s that mean? I’m old, help me.”
Gen giggled, shaking her head. “Problems in paradise, or better yet, DC.”
“Oh. That’s why you’re here, then?”
Gen shrugged. “Actually, no. I wanted to finish my latest novel, but then it evolved into more.”
“Oh, well, this is the place to do it. Your second home. Figure you out, girl.”
“Yeah,” Gen agreed before Pearl took her hand in hers.
“Is he beating you?”
Gen gawked at her, then started laughing. “Not at all.”
“Oh, I didn’t think so. But I tell you what, these so-called men, I swear. Delaney was with one. He raised his hand once on her, and she smashed his face in with a bat. It was nasty, I tell you.”
“Jesus.”
“Exactly. She wasn’t very close to the cross that morning.”
“Can you blame her?”
“No, not at all,” Pearl said with a smile. “But this boy, you love him?”
Gen swallowed hard. “I do, but I don’t know if I’m in love anymore.”
Pearl shook her head before she reached up, cupping Gen’s face. “You’re a smart girl, Genevieve. It’ll all come together.”
“I hope so.”
“It will. God’s working every day.”
“He is,” Gen agreed as Pearl patted her face.
“That’s right. Now I gotta go and help with the planning for the parade. You’ll be here for the Fourth?”
Gen shrugged. “I’m unsure how long I’ll be staying.”
Pearl rolled her eyes. “You’ll be here, I feel it.”
With that and a sweet wave, Pearl headed in the other direction as Gen just grinned at her retreating back. She loved that lady. So much. Her heart full, even with her issues with Montgomery rearing their ugly head in her brain, she turned, heading toward the south side of the small town.
When she got to Becky’s Country Kitchen, Gen heard her stomach rumble, and she knew where she’d be eating lunch. She had spent a lot of time in Becky’s. The diner was older than the town, or at least, that was the rumor. She wasn’t sure, but they had the best burgers with fried egg she had ever eaten in her life. Along with some damn good fries.
Heading toward it, she waved and smiled at the residents of Spring Grove, feeling every bit at home before pushing open the door to the diner, which wasn’t as busy as she expected. Glancing down to her watch, she realized it also wasn’t as early as she’d thought. Time flashed by when she was exploring, and that was fine. Fewer people, the faster she could eat. Going straight to the counter, she sat down, grabbing a menu as someone tapped her shoulder.
Before she could turn to see who it was, she heard, “I’ll be with ya in a second, love.”
She’d know that voice anywhere. She looked toward where Rita Lloyd was rounding the counter with her arms full of plates. She was slower and looked older than Gen had remembered, but there was something about Rita that, even in her later years, would always be beautiful. She had luscious, long brown hair and the brightest blue eyes Gen had ever seen. Well, except those of her son. Her lips were thick and plump, along with a body that was downright banging for a fifty-year-old lady. If Rita looked like that now, trim waist and wide hips, no telling what she had looked like in her prime.
Which was probably how Montgomery’s father had gotten involved with her.
Throwing the dishes in the bucket, Rita turned, reaching for her pen and pad from her apron before looking up. When she did, her eyes widened before she squealed.
“Genevieve!”
Rita reached over the counter, and they embraced in a tight hug that took Gen’s breath away. “Rita.”
“My Lord! You surprised the hell out of me!”
Gen giggled as they parted. “I was hoping to. Though, I wasn’t sure you were still working here.”
“Girl, I’ll die in this diner. How are you? My Lord, you’re gorgeous!”
“You’re too sweet. I was thinking the same about you.”
“Please, I have more gray than I do brown, but I refuse to dye it. My hunny says it gives me a foxy look.”
Gen grinned. “A hunny, huh?”
“Oh yes, Roger, my love. He’s a good man.”
“Good, you deserve it.”
“You got that right,” she said with a wink. “Let’s get some food in you, yeah? The regular?”
“Yes, please.”
She grinned back at Gen before she put the order in, ringing the bell. “We missed you at the funeral for Ms. Neil.”
“I know,” Gen said sadly. “I never got the notice, and I forgot to give my new number to Delaney.”
“That’s too bad.”
“It is. I’m very upset I missed it.”
“Well, I’m sure you’ll go to her plot, lay some flowers. She’d understand. You’re our ritzy celebrity.”
Gen just laughed. “Please.”
“So how’s it going? Life?”
“Good, I’m busy.”
“Which is a blessing, ya know.”
“It is.”
Rita just shot her a grin. “So what brings ya back? I haven’t seen ya in, what, four years, right? Tell me, a book need finishing?” she asked, wiping the counter.
“Yup, and I needed to clear my head.”
Rita’s brows rose at that before she threw the rag in the sink. She then reached for a glass and poured some sweet tea. “Oh? What’s going on?”
Rita set it down in front of Gen, and she reached for it as she shrugged. “Boy problems.”
“Everyone has those,” Rita joked, and Gen laughed along with her. “Is it fixable?”
“I don’t know,” she answered honestly. She hated that. She didn’t want that. She wanted to know for sure what was going on with Montgomery. She wanted him to call her, tell her he missed her, that he loved her, but it had been silence since she left. Except for his dismissive text about her books, she hadn’t heard from him. It was depressing.
“Well, it’ll work out. You always said this town was magic for you.”
“Yeah, it is.”
Rita gave her another wink as she moved around, refilling the ketchup. “How’s your momma?”
“She’s good.”
“Your daddy?”
“Fine.”
“Good, since I haven’t seen them, I’m guessing you’re staying out of trouble?”
Gen just grinned. “So far.”
“Let’s keep it that way.”
Gen took a long swig of her tea and asked, “How is everything here? Still the same?”
“Always,” Rita answered with a wide smile. “The way we love it.”
“You and Roger living in the same house?”
“Yup,” she said with a grin. “He wants to do all kinds of stuff, but we’re so lazy.”
Gen laughed, but she had to force it. She wanted so badly to ask about Rita’s son, but she knew she had no right to. She hadn’t seen or heard from Theo in eons. She shouldn’t even want to know anything about him. She ha
d a fiancé. She was supposed to be happy.
Supposed to be.
“You like your room at the Blu?”
Gen nodded, her face lighting up. “I do. I love it so much.”
“I do too. A lot.”
Nodding once more, Gen said, “I heard there are new owners of the Blu. I haven’t met them yet.”
And just like Delaney, Rita froze. Looking over at Gen, Rita swallowed hard. “Yeah.”
“I haven’t even seen them. Isn’t that insane?”
“Yeah.”
Gen shot her a look, but before she could ask more, the ring of the bell sounded that her food was ready. Reaching for it, Rita laid it in front of Gen.
“Now eat up, my love. I’ve got some work to do. You’re a distraction for sure!”
With that, she walked away, and Gen realized she was really starting to get annoyed.
Why wouldn’t anyone tell her who the damn owner of the Blu was?
Chapter Six
Complete and utter peace enveloped Gen as she stepped onto the back porch of the Blu. It was purely majestic. The lake was rushing up on the man-made shore and all along the dock that Gen could still remember being built. It was when she first came there, and it only took the crew of misfits Ms. Neil had hired three days. Theo was a part of the crew, and his pay went to Gen’s lodging at the Blu since his mom wouldn’t let him have a girl in his bed in her house. They weren’t underage, but she still stuck to her guns. A grin pulled at Gen’s lips as her fingers danced along her laptop, her eyes gazing out across the backyard.
She’d wanted so desperately for nothing to change, but it had. Ms. Neil wasn’t there, and neither were the canoes along the bank or the beach chairs. It was much cleaner, classier almost, like a real business was being run. Not that Ms. Neil hadn’t run a true business, but with her, it was more a home she had people to stay in. Now, it was obvious this place was being run for a profit, and Gen wasn’t sure how that made her feel.
Especially since she hadn’t met the new owners.
It had been five days since she had arrived. She had written six chapters in that time, and at that rate, she was going to be done in no time. She wasn’t sure if that excited her or upset her. She knew the point of coming here was to write, but when she was done, would she be expected to go home? Because she didn’t want to. Not yet, at least. She was just getting comfortable. She was still busy seeing everyone, and she wasn’t nearly done exploring. She knew that made her a horrible person, and she knew she really needed to think what that meant. She just didn’t want to deal with it. Not when the sun was kissing her face and the stillness was exciting her.