by Jenni James
“Hmm.” I looked around and saw that of the twenty or so children that had shown up, only three were boys. “How about we read a princess book today?”
The girls went wild. “Yay! Yay! Pwincesses! Pwincesses!”
“Shh.” I reminded them gently. “Remember, we’re in a library. We have to use our quiet voices.”
“Which one is it gonna be?” whispered a girl around four. She was so quiet I had to strain to hear her. “Which pwincess are you reading ’bout?”
“Well, let’s see.” I glanced over at the shelf full of books recommended by the library. I reached up and pulled down The Princess and the Pea. “Let’s read this one.” I showed the cover to the children and they all quickly wiggled back into their places.
“The Princess and the Pea . . .” It only took about two pages before I realized I was imagining Gregory as the prince. Good grief. Not even work is safe.
By the time I walked back to Kylie’s house—which was thankfully only a couple of miles from the library—it was almost 6:00. My day was spent. I wouldn’t have been so tired if I hadn’t gone to the mall first—not like I could’ve gotten out of that one if I tried. Ever since I’ve known Kylie, shopping has been her passion.
I couldn’t believe she made me travel to every bridal store and retail shop in the Four Corners just so she could find the perfect dress to wear to prom this past year. It was crazy. And then, after all that work, the silly girl didn’t even go. I’ll never understand why someone who wanted to go so badly that she’d take months choosing the perfect dress, accessories, and everything, would suddenly decide not to go. I shook my head in confusion and opened the front door to the Russells’ house.
“Hey! You’re back,” she called from the kitchen. “What took you so long?”
“Sydney’s got the car, remember?”
“Hello? I have keys.” Kylie dangled them in front of me. “Why didn’t you call?”
“It’s no big deal, really. I like to—”
Just then, Kylie’s cell rang.
“It’s Gregory!” She tucked the phone beneath her ear. “Hello?”
I watched for a few more minutes while she laughed and chattered into the cell. Then I took her glass and mine into the kitchen and placed them in the dishwasher. The counter was still littered with department-store bags. I collected them and slowly climbed the stairs to the bedroom. For all intents and purposes, it seemed Kylie Russell and Gregory Wentworth were an item.
All of a sudden, the weight of the bags reached straight to my chest. Even after I placed them gently on Kylie’s bed, my chest still felt sore. In fact, my heart felt heavier than it had in a long time. Why does it have to be so hard to watch him fall in love with someone else?
Three days later I was still debating that question as I rode in the back seat of Gregory’s mustang with Lilly. We were on our way to Moab—job free, stress free, moving free—and it was wonderful. Even a couple of hours of seeing Gregory and Kylie together up front couldn’t put a damper on the excitement and gloriousness of the day.
“The first thing I’m going to do when I get there is jump in the pool,” Lilly declared.
I smiled. “I don’t know what I’ll do first. Maybe explore the place. The way Kylie has been talking, it’s massive.”
“Really?”
“I love a good mystery, so I’ll have to poke around and get my bearings before I do anything else, you know?”
Lilly looked confused.
I grinned. “Aren’t you ever curious about seeing what’s behind a closed door? I love to snoop. But only in the daylight. Nighttime in a strange house freaks me out too much.”
“You, snoop? Really? I never would’ve thought it.”
“Never?” I grinned again. Then I said in a very mysterious voice, “You would be shocked at the things you don’t know about me. I’m not quite as easy to figure out as I seem.”
Lilly nodded and laughed. “Now, that I can believe.”
I chuckled and was surprised to catch Gregory’s eye in the rearview mirror. He quickly averted his gaze back to the road, but not before I had the distinct impression he had been listening to us.
“We’re here!” Kylie announced unnecessarily a couple of hours later when we pulled into the drive of Collin’s aunt and uncle’s house.
Collin came in right behind us, and Ethan parked his Jeep behind Collin’s car. Gregory leaned over and switched off the GPS, while Kylie burst out of the vehicle and ran to the back of Collin’s Skyline.
“Wow. She’s excited.” Lilly glanced out the back window.
“Yeah.” I unbuckled my seatbelt and flipped the chair forward to get out.
“Here, Amanda, I’ve got your suitcase!” Kylie cheerfully called as she pulled it from the back of Collin’s vehicle. The Mustang barely had room for Gregory’s and Lilly’s luggage, so ours had been stowed in Collin’s car.
“Thanks!” I hollered out the open door, and then was surprised to feel Gregory take my hand to help me from the back seat. “Sorry! Did I just yell in your ear?” I felt my cheeks heat up.
“Yes.” He grinned at me. “But I’ve got two, so we’re good.”
“Oh, sorry!” I am such a dork. “And thanks for helping me.”
“No worries. I figured you’d want to get a head start on exploring the place, so I gave you a hand.”
“Oh—uh, thanks.”
“Amanda, did you bring a jacket? Is this yours?” Sydney’s voice rose above everyone else’s to point out her obvious contempt for my clothing choice. “Only you would bring a jacket in the middle of summer!”
I looked at the car behind us and wondered for the fiftieth time that day why the Fates chose to include my sister. Is she really going to try and ruin this trip for me? I thought with an inward sigh. Then I turned and smiled vaguely at Gregory before walking over to Collin’s car, where Sydney and Kylie were waiting for me.
“Hey!” Gregory’s voice made me pause a moment. “Let me know if you find anything cool, okay?”
Find anything? I glanced back.
“In the house, when you explore the place.”
Oh. “Okay.” I smiled.
Within a couple of minutes, the whole group had collected our gear and headed up the wide, circular drive to the house. The place was huge.
“Wow!” whispered Madison near my shoulder. “This place is like a mansion.”
“Yeah, it’s really big,” Lilly said.
We all stopped and took in the large, sprawling, white-glazed bungalow. The red-ceramic-tiled entranceway expertly concealed the large oak front door until we stood right in front of it.
“Does the house ever end?” I heard Ethan ask Carson with a chuckle.
“It doesn’t seem like it, does it?”
We all turned and stared at Collin. Wow, I thought, he just said something. It was the first time that day he had spoken out loud, that I knew of.
He grinned at us and flashed a perfect smile. “What? It’s big, isn’t it? Just wait till you see inside.”
Nine: Roamin’ Holiday
Carson beamed and clapped him on the shoulder. “Well, lead the way, bro. We’re dying to see this place.”
The door opened to reveal a small, sprightly old woman with graying wisps of hair bursting every which way from a short ponytail. She smiled a wide smile at all of us before promptly slamming the door again, right in our faces.
Huh?
Collin fidgeted.
Carson and Ethan burst into laughter, breaking up the awkward silence. Then the door swung open wildly, revealing the woman and an elderly man.
“Collin!” the old man shouted. He smiled at us before capturing Carson up in the tightest bear hug I had ever seen. “Good to see ya, my boy! Nice to see you finally got some sun on ya!”
Carson chuckled good-humoredly and jerked his thumb behind him. “Actually, I’m Carson. Collin’s right behind me. But it’s nice to see you too.”
“Oh? You aren’t Collin?”
“No, sir.” He grinned.
“Well, what in the heck are ya doin’ huggin’ me like that, boy? Don’tcha know it’s not good to go around huggin’ complete strangers? Ya dang fool kid!”
“Oh, I guess I couldn’t help myself!” Carson laughed.
“Well, I suggest ya don’t ‘help yourself’ anymore. You’re lucky I’m so nice. Ya never know out here in these parts—the next ol’ geezer you try to hug just might thump ya. Goin’ around huggin’ people like that, well, I’ll be!”
Collin looked as if he’d die of apoplexy because he was trying so hard not to burst out laughing again.
“You Collin?” The old man pointed his finger right at Ethan.
He quickly sobered up his countenance. “Uh, no, sir.”
“You gonna try and hug me too, like I’m some pansy?”
“Uh, maybe.” Ethan’s eyes sparkled. “If you chew me out as much as you did Carson, it just might be worth it.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t ya? That’s the problem with you young folk these days— you’re never gettin’ put in your place. So when ya do, you think it’s funny. But don’t worry, I’ll be watching you. I’m sure you’ll get plenty of talkin’ to while you’re here. Now, move outta the way so I can see.” The old guy pushed Ethan into Collin and came flush up to Gregory. “There’s no way you’re him. You’re way too tall. So that leaves you.” He swung around and pointed right at Collin.
Collin looked nervous. “F–Frank,” he stuttered.
“Well, get over here and give me a hug afore your friends try and give me a heart attack. What kind of a game are you playing at anyway, hiding behind everybody so I couldn’t see ya?”
“I–I was standing right n–next to Carson.”
“Don’t talk back to your elders, boy. It’s rude. Now come and give me and my wife a proper welcome.”
“Kind of puts a damper on exploring the house,” Gregory whispered right above me, causing my heart to race. I glanced up, but he was watching Collin.
“I don’t know.” I looked back at the old guy. “He kind of reminds me of my uncle. I bet I could win him over.” When I glanced back up, my smile froze. Gregory was staring right at me.
His eyes glittered into mine intensely as he murmured, “You know, I think you’re right. I think you could win him over. You could win over anyone, couldn’t you?”
My breath caught in my throat. Is he saying what I think he’s saying? He couldn’t mean I’ve won him over, could he? “Gregory?” I whispered disbelievingly as I searched his eyes for some sort of clue.
“Now, are ya’ll just gonna stand there like a bunch of idiots, or are ya actually gonna come in?” Frank brusquely interrupted.
I was jostled slightly by Madison, who moved past on my right. “Sorry,” I murmured to her, but I don’t think she heard. Carson was next to her in an instant and they were both laughing as they entered the house.
I glanced back up, but Gregory was gone. I found him walking through the door with Kylie’s arm wrapped possessively around his waist.
Sighing to myself, I picked up my bag and crossed over the threshold. I smiled at Frank’s wife as she closed the door behind me. Then I looked up into Gregory’s chocolate gaze from across the room. Quickly, I glanced away and focused my attention on a bright red floral painting that covered a large portion of the wall behind him. I could feel his eyes as they stubbornly traced my features, tempting me to peek at him. My heart frantically rammed within my chest as I wondered what he was thinking. I looked at him again. We were ten, maybe fifteen feet apart, and I could still feel the force of his magnetic gaze pulling me like a moth to a flame.
“Amanda?” Madison called, forcing me to wrench my gaze from Gregory’s. She had started to walk toward me, her feet sinking into the plush Turkish carpet.
“Yeah?”
“I was wondering if you’d like to share a room with me.”
“A room?”
“Yeah. It looks like Kylie and Lilly are going to be together. And Sydney has already claimed the single bedroom. So what do ya say? Are you up for it?”
How did I miss that conversation? I glanced over at Kylie and watched as she laughed at something Lilly had just said. So, they’re sharing a room. Maybe Kylie wants to get the dirt on Gregory. “Sure.” I smiled up at Madison and tried not feel offended.
“You don’t have to worry—I don’t bite or anything. Of course, I can’t guarantee that I don’t snore.”
“Snore?” My smile grew. I answered sarcastically, “That oughta be fun.” Frank’s wife, whose name I learned was Anna, directed us to a really cool room. It had two queen-size beds set against the wall, with just a small nightstand and lamp separating them, kind of like what you would see in a hotel. Except that’s where the hotel part ended and this “guest” room began. There were French doors that led to a large bathroom with double vanity sinks and an even larger walk-in closet. The bathroom was full of all the amenities, including makeup samples, curling irons, and hair supplies. In one cupboard we found loads of miniature perfume samples. It was every girl’s dream. There was a linen cupboard supplied with oodles of fluffy towels, deodorants, shower gels, shampoos, and feminine supplies. Is there anything these people haven’t thought of?
That wasn’t all. When we returned to the room, we saw on the large dresser a huge basket full of all sorts of snack foods and drinks. In the basket we found a note that read:
Dear guests,
We hope you enjoy your stay here in Moab and come to love it as much as we do. Please help yourself to anything you see in your room. It is our tradition to supply each guest room with its own “survival kit.” As you see, it is full of all sorts of yummy snack foods to help tide you over if you find you are hungry in a strange house late at night. It is your gift, so enjoy. If you have any questions or need anything, please do not hesitate to ask Frank or Anna. They love guests just as much as we do!
Sincerely,
Roger and Darlene Hadley
P.S. All of the cosmetics are samples from the beauty company that we own. They are yours to keep.
“Okay, seriously, I have to meet these people face to face one day and thank them personally,” exclaimed Madison. “I had no idea Collin’s aunt and uncle were this generous. I knew they were stinkin’ filthy rich because they own like twenty companies, but this is way more than generous.”
“I know, I can’t believe it.” I was still stunned at all the chips, crackers, cookies, and bottles of juice and water spilling out of the basket. “We couldn’t eat this much food if we were here for a month.”
“Look. Check out these bookshelves. They are loaded with all kinds of books and magazines. Holy cow, this place rocks!”
I turned to my right and gasped at the huge floor-to-ceiling white bookcase packed with books. Okay, I will never, ever leave this room. I quickly stepped up and scoured each shelf. There was a separate row for some of the greatest mystery books, one row full of all my favorite fantasy authors, a romance shelf, a shelf packed with famous biographies . . . and the list went on and on. It was like my home away from home.
“Okay, so the Hadleys have got to be the coolest people in the world,” Madison said.
I laughed. “I know. What good thing did we do to deserve all of this?”
“I don’t know, but whatever it was, it kind of makes me wish Ethan’s competition lasted a whole lot longer.”
“Oh, me too.” I placed my jacket and my purse on the bed closest to me.
“Well, it’s 3:00.” Madison put her suitcase on the other bed. “What do you want to do? I heard there’s a swimming pool.”
“I was hoping to poke around the place first.”
“You mean like go on an adventure?”
“Well, sort of . . . just really peek into some of the rooms and see what they’re like.”
“Cool. That sounds like fun. Let’s do that. We can totally go swimming later tonight.”
“Okay, let me grab my camera and
I’m ready to go whenever you are.”
“I’m ready.” She dropped a small makeup case on the bed. “Let’s go.”
It only took me a moment to get my camera from my bag, and then we were out the door. In the hallway, we nearly ran into Frank as he was coming out of the room opposite us.
“Hi, Frank.” Madison smiled and gave a little wave. “I’m Madison and this is Amanda.”
Frank grinned and clasped her hand in what looked to be a firm shake. “You girls didn’t believe that nonsense out front, did ya?”
“Nonsense?”
“Yeah.” He reached over and shook my hand, too.
Yep, a very firm grip.
“You really don’t think I’m a crazy ol’ man, do you?
“I don’t know,” I said, loving his contagious grin. “What’s your definition of crazy?”
He laughed out loud before brusquely thumping me on the back. “You know, I like you.”
Madison giggled. “So if you’re not crazy, then what were you doing at the front door—trying to scare us away?”
“You liked that, did ya?” He chuckled again. “Nah, just years ago—when Collin was a li’l tyke—he used to go around asking people if me and my wife were crazy. We’ve been helping him keep that illusion up ever since.”
“Wait!” Madison gasped. “You’ve been acting like you’re looney to Collin for years?”
“Yep. But don’t tell him. We’ve spent too much time getting him to believe us. Don’t wanna go and spoil it all now, do ya?”
“No, sir.” I grinned.
“Promise me you’ll disregard anything either Anna or I do or say from here on out, all right?”
“It’s a deal.” Madison laughed. “I love practical jokes. Seriously, this has got to be the funniest one I’ve ever heard.”
“Good.” Frank winked and rubbed his hands together. “So, where are you two girls headed? Maybe I can show you the way.”
Nervously I glanced over at Madison. “We were going to explore the place a bit. Do you mind?”