The Archer House (The Archer Inn Book 1)

by Kimberly Thomas

  Before she could decide that question, Gabby cut in. She stopped walking and grabbed Holly's wrist, forcing her mother to turn and look into her eyes. "Mom. I'm pregnant."

  "Wha... what?" Holly stammered out. Her eyes went wide as her mind went into overdrive. Gabby was... pregnant? Was that what she had wanted to tell her in person when they had talked last? Her heart pounded faster and faster with each passing moment.

  Tourists wandered around them, not paying them any attention. Holly didn't notice any of them, though. In her mind, it was just the two of them standing there together, as Holly tried to fully comprehend the bombshell her daughter had just dropped on her.

  She was going to have another grandbaby? She had known this would probably happen at some point, but it had always seemed like some far off time. But then, it had felt like that when Sean had told her his girlfriend had been pregnant.

  Though in his case, they hadn't even been engaged, so it had been a bit more of a shock. But Gabby and Lucas were set to be married within the next year. They had to be over the moon about the news.

  And yet, as Holly stared into her daughter's eyes, she knew that wasn't the truth. She didn't see the excitement and joy she expected from a mother-to-be. Instead, she just saw fear and panic. Her baby girl looked ready to burst into tears at any moment, and Holly's heart broke as she pulled Gabby into a hug.

  "I don't know if I can do it," Gabby said as she fought back the tears. "I... I always thought I would be overjoyed to have a baby with Lucas. I mean, I love him to death and I can't wait to start a family, but after everything with you and Dad... I just... I don't know anymore."

  Holly's chest's tightened. She had to fight just to breathe as her daughter shook against her. It was no wonder Gabby had seemed so urgent about the two of them talking in person. She was even more of a mess than Holly had thought, and Holly cursed herself once again for having let things get away from her.

  "You and Dad... You guys always seemed so happy together. I never, ever, thought he could be capable of something like this. But if he was able to lie to you and keep secrets from you and then try to run off and hide instead of taking responsibility... What's to say, Lucas won't do the same thing in the future?"

  Holly's heart continued to break. She opened and closed her mouth several times, trying to find the words that might ease her daughter's mind. But no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't figure out what it was she was supposed to say.

  What had happened with Will had absolutely shattered her when she had first found out. It was only now that she was beginning to put those pieces of herself back together. It was no wonder Gabby would be terrified of the same thing happening to her.

  "I don't want to look back in twenty-six years and feel like my entire life was a disaster. I just... I don't know what to do, Mom. I haven't told Lucas about the baby yet."

  Holly had been right, back at the inn. This was a train she needed to get in front of before it sped out of control, assuming she wasn't already too late to stop it. But this was her only daughter, her baby girl. She had to find some way to fix everything for her, to give her the shot at a better life than Holly had.

  She squeezed her daughter tight. Holly may not have known exactly what she needed to say to make things right, but she would figure it out. She wasn't Superwoman or even Supermom. But dang it, she was not going to let her daughter go through this alone. One way or another, she would figure this out.

  But she didn't have to do it alone, she realized. None of them had to go through all these problems by themselves. Heck, maybe that was the whole reason the universe had sent her back here, back to Islamorada after so many years.

  Here, she still had family. She still had friends. Here, she had help. Just as much as Nelly and Randy needed her help, she realized she needed their help too. None of them could shoulder their burdens alone. But, together, just maybe they could all figure it out.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  It took a little while for Gabby to calm down enough for Holly to do anything. She stood there, in the middle of the park, and just held her daughter. If Gabby had needed her to stand there all night and hug her, then that was what Holly was going to do.

  But, her tears finally subsided. She still shook and the look in her eyes told her the tears could return at any moment. The middle of a busy park wasn't the best place for them to try to figure this all out, Holly decided, and after a few more moments to make sure Gabby was a bit more stable, they headed out.

  Holly didn't want to go back to the inn just yet. There was too much going on there right now, and Holly wanted to be able to give Gabby her complete focus for a bit longer. Instead, she decided to take her to Mel's cabana bar. It wasn't the most private of locations, but if they could snag a table in the back, they would have enough privacy to talk without everyone in the world overhearing.

  That would have to do for now.

  Thankfully, it was between lunch and dinner when they arrived, so the place wasn't very busy at all. The hostess seemed surprised they wanted a table inside rather than one of the ones out on the beach. While there was a handful of people outside enjoying a late lunch or early dinner, there was next to no one sitting inside.

  This was perfect for them as it gave Holly and Gabby some time to talk before the crowds started showing up.

  "I still can't believe this happened," Gabby said, her hands resting on her stomach. "I mean, I guess I can. It's not like we were being super careful or anything like that. We're engaged, you know? And I mean, eventually, I wanted to have kids with him. It's just... now..."

  Holly nodded her understanding. Having kids in the future was one thing. Getting a sudden surprise, right in the middle of the world, being topsy-turvy was a completely different scenario. And while she had no doubt Gabby and Lucas would make amazing parents, she understood her daughter's fears.

  "Lucas isn't like your father," Holly said, choosing her words carefully. "I've seen the way he treats you. The way he talks to you. Your father was never abusive or anything, but he never doted on me the way Lucas dotes on you."

  Gabby blinked for a moment and then smiled just a bit. Her eyes clouded over, and Holly knew she was lost in a memory. Probably some romantic gesture Lucas had done for her at some point.

  Now that Holly thought about it, how often had Will done romantic things for her? Ones he had done just to surprise her or make her happy, without anyone else around to give him brownie points? Maybe it was just the lingering resentment, but try as she might, she couldn't think of a single time.

  "Has Lucas ever once done anything to make you think you can't trust him? Even the smallest thing?" Holly asked. She could think of a number of things Will had done over the years. Nothing that would outright raise red flags, but all together and with the power of hindsight, there were clues all throughout their relationship.

  Gabby pursed her lips as she considered the question. She thought about it for a long while, and Holly sat patiently, not wanting to rush her daughter. "No," she said at last. "He's always been an open book. I mean, I don't hover over him or anything, but he never really hides anything from me. I know the password to his phone, not that I ever check it. Same with his laptop."

  "You think your father ever gave me the passwords to anything that wasn't directly related to my work at the company? Not that I ever asked for them. Back then, I hadn't ever had a reason to. But he would have never volunteered that information. If Lucas did, then that should tell you something right there."

  "Yeah," Gabby said quietly as she nodded. Once again, she was lost in thought. This was all so much for her to process and come to terms with. It was going to take time for her to truly figure out how she felt about everything, instead of just letting her emotions run rampant.

  But Gabby had something to look forward to. She may not have realized it just yet, but that tiny baby growing inside her would change her life. Babies were something special. They gave you this sense of hope and positivity that Hol
ly had never been able to replicate in the years since she'd had hers.

  Heck, just knowing she had a grandbaby on the way sparked something inside of Holly. She had been slowly figuring things out and piecing herself back together. But now... Now she had something new and exciting to look forward to.

  She remembered the time she had spent with her granddaughter Rachel as a baby, how looking into her big, beady eyes had filled her with so much joy and excitement. God, how had she let that get away from her? That right there should have been the pivotal moment in her life. But it hadn't been. She had gone right back to work, burying herself neck-deep in it.

  "You can do this, Gabby. You and Lucas are going to be amazing parents. And he's going to be an amazing husband." Holly reached across the table and took her daughter's hands in hers. She squeezed them tight and locked eyes with Gabby, not breaking eye contact for even a moment. "I have more regrets about my past than I can count. But, you know what? I've got even more moments that I wouldn't trade for the world. Like you and Sean."

  Gabby stared at her for a moment and then blinked away the tears that had started to form. She nodded and smiled, a real smile, for the first time since she had arrived in the Keys.

  Just like everything else, her problems weren't going to be solved in an instant. But they had time, and together they would figure it all out.

  "Well, well, well," a voice said from across the restaurant. Holly looked up to see a grinning Melissa heading toward them. "First, I don't see you for years at a time, and now I've seen you three times in a week. The world really must be coming to an end."

  Holly grinned and stood, hugging Mel when she walked over. "Nah, it's just finally starting to right itself out. Mel, this is my daughter, Gabby."

  "Wow, she's the spitting image of her mother." Mel winked at her and gave Gabby a quick hug. "What brings you to our tiny little town? I hope you're not planning on whisking your mother back to Miami already. She just got here."

  Gabby and Holly exchanged a look. That was one of the benefits of them being so much alike. They didn't always need words to communicate with each other. Gabby gave her mother a slight smile and a nod, answering her silent question.

  "Well, if you must know, Gabby drove all the way down here to give me the good news. She's pregnant with her first child."

  Melissa's eyes went wide. Her mouth hung open, and she looked very much like the air had just been knocked from her lungs. "Oh, my God! What wonderful news," she said, her voice echoing across the restaurant. Holly hadn't realized just how long they had been there. A small group of people had trickled into the place, mostly older locals who wanted dinner before it became a zoo with tourists.

  "That's gotta be the best thing I've heard all day!" Melissa pulled Gabby into another hug, squeezing her tight. Holly's best friend was bouncing up and down with excitement, making Holly laugh. "I think that calls for a little celebration. I'll be right back!"

  Neither of them had a chance to inquire what Melissa meant by that before the woman disappeared back into the kitchen. They looked at each other for a moment, and then both burst out laughing. They wore matching grins now and at least for a little while, all of their worries and stress had been put on the back burner.

  Before Melissa could return, the early bird guests started making their way over to their table, offering their congratulations to Gabby. Gabby stood there, wide-eyed, as Holly introduced the various people to her. Most of them Holly hadn't seen in decades, but they all seemed to remember as if it was only yesterday.

  "Don't ask me how old she is," Holly whispered to her daughter as an elderly woman was escorted back to her table. "Misses Thompson was ancient when she was my first-grade teacher. I'm pretty sure she's secretly a witch and found a spell for immortality."

  Gabby put her hands over her mouth to stifle her laughter. By the time Melissa returned with two of the largest desserts Holly had ever laid eyes on, Gabby had looked positively overwhelmed. Having lived her whole life in Miami, she had never gotten to experience the charm of a small town where everyone knew everyone and where gossip spread like wildfire.

  Heck, there was a good chance the rest of the family would know about Gabby's news by the time they got back to the inn. But that was a risk you took when you lived in the Keys, and even though Gabby was overwhelmed, she had a broad grin on her face as she dug into the cookie-brownie-sundae concoction Melissa and her chef had created just for them.

  "I'm starting to think it's not the baby that makes you fat when you're pregnant but the cravings!"

  Holly laughed and grinned. "Oh, honey. Let me tell you, the cravings are just the beginning. Before you know it, you'll be wanting to eat non-stop!"

  "Well, then maybe I should stick around, at least for a little while. I can't think of anywhere in Miami that makes food like this place!" Gabby looked around the little restaurant appreciatively. It wasn't much to look at, at least not the little inside portion, but Gabby wasn't wrong. There wasn't anywhere in Miami that quite had this place's charm or delicious cooking.

  "You'd be welcome to stay as long as you would like." Holly didn't bother asking her mother. Gabby was an Archer. Even after she got married, she would still be an Archer. And Archers were always welcomed at the Archer House and the inn.

  Family didn't turn away family, not ever.

  "Your grandmother's going to be so surprised when she finds out the news, though. If you think Melissa got excited, just wait until you get back to the house!" Holly could already see her mother jumping up and down for joy. She had been out of this world when Sean had had his baby three years ago. She was going to be just as excited about this one.

  Yes, this was what the universe had been guiding her towards. And not just her either but the entire family. This baby would give them a fresh breath of life again. It was just what Nelly needed to keep pushing forward, and it would remind Randy there were still good things in life to look forward to.

  And as for Holly? She couldn't express just how she felt, knowing she had another grandbaby on the way. Even when life seemed like it was nothing but doom and gloom, there was always dawn if you just waited and looked for it.

  It wasn't there just yet, but Holly felt herself inching closer and closer to it. And yet, at the same time, she was also apprehensive, like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop. But she refused to focus on those feelings and kept them locked up and buried away.

  She wasn't about to let her anxiety ruin a good thing!

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Just as Holly had expected, her mother was over the moon with the news. Even Randy was in a better mood, and dinner that night was practically a feast. Nelly ate more in that one meal than Holly had seen her eat since she had gotten there, so that had to be a good sign.

  In fact, over the next few days, she was positively upbeat. That alone gave Holly hope for the future. Gabby also insisted on helping Holly and Randy with the maintenance around the inn. Holly had suggested she rest instead, being pregnant and all, but a single look from her daughter put an end to that.

  It was a couple of days after Gabby's arrival. They were all sitting around the dining room table, having just finished dinner. Gabby had been quiet for most of the meal, and when Holly asked if she was okay, she gave her mother a strange look.

  "You said the Archer Inn has been a staple of the island for decades, right?" Gabby asked. Everyone else at the table exchanged looks and then nodded. "Well, then it makes sense the island would want to see it restored to its former glory, right? So why don't we set up a fundraiser or something? I'm sure at least a couple of the people would be willing to pitch in, from what I've seen."

  No one said anything for a few moments. Holly's mind raced with idea after idea, each building on the next. Gabby was right. The locals all looked out for each other for the most part. No doubt, they would be disappointed at the current state of the inn. Maybe enough to pitch in to help bring it back to life.

  All of a sudden, everyone was
speaking at once. Nelly went off to get some notepads and pens from the office, and then they all went to work planning the entire thing out. It wouldn't be cheap to do it right, but from what Holly had read in the books, they had enough cash on hand for it. And, if it was successful, they would bring in much more than they spent.

  Once the plans were laid out, everyone had their role. Even Nelly was going to be put to work for this one, though her job was easily done from the couch or from the bed if she wanted. She had the task of inviting everyone she could to come to the event. After all, Holly was pretty sure Nelly knew every single local on the island.

  It took a couple more days to bring their ideas to fruition, but on a sunny Saturday morning, everything was ready to go.

  And boy had Gabby been right about the islanders wanting to help out. From what Holly could tell, every single resident of Islamorada was in attendance, and the grounds of the inn were positively packed with people from the main grounds to the beach area where they had their volleyball nets set up.

  At fifty dollars a head, Holly struggled to calculate just how much money they had brought in.

  Holly and her family mingled with the crowd of people, shaking hands and thanking everyone for coming to help out. Nelly and Randy went off on their own, seeking out the people they knew best, while Gabby stuck close to her mother.

  Holly could barely contain her laughter as almost every person she introduced Gabby to inquired about the baby. Gabby seemed shocked each time someone asked since she didn't know any of these people. But on Islamorada, that didn't matter. They all knew her whether she liked it or not.

  That was the beauty of a small town.

  "What, are you trying to put me out of work?" A deep voice called from behind her. Holly whirled around to see Jake standing there, dressed in his uniform, grinning. "Guess there's not gonna be much crime today if every danged person on the island is here!"