Where I Belong

by Charlene Bright

  Her mother was right … it was unlike her. She just couldn’t for the life of her figure out what was going on with her moods lately. “I’m sorry. I was just surprised when I came in to find you and Drake laughing like old friends. Mom, he’s supposed to be here to work—”

  “Oh, stop it. That boy works his tail off from sunup to sundown six days a week for you. He’s entitled to take a break and eat a good meal and even have a few laughs. It wouldn’t hurt you to have a few yourself.”

  “You seem as smitten with him as everyone in town is,” Sophie told her.

  “He’s a really nice person, Sophie. Maybe you should take a cue from all of these people and get to know him better. It would do you good to have a friend your own age to do things with.”

  “I don’t have time to get to know him or ‘do things’ with anyone. The Harvest Festival is in four weeks. That means if I plan to open that weekend, I’ll have to begin advertising by next week at the very latest. I’m not even sure we’ll be ready by then, and I still have a list of jobs I need Drake to do—”

  “Sophie, I thought we decided that even if you didn’t get to open up that weekend, you were going to be okay with that.”

  “No, Mom … I admitted that it wouldn’t be the end of the world, but the truth is, it really will be. If we’re not offering beds on the busiest tourist weekend of the season, then it’s all been for naught.”

  “If you make yourself sick by overdoing things, my dear daughter, you’ll never be able to enjoy the outcome. I thought we were keeping the joy in this.”

  “I feel it still, Mom, in here.” Sophie pointed at her heart. “But I’ve worked too hard and dreamt of this for too long to lose focus now.”

  “Okay, so how about this. You agree to give me just one day between now and the Harvest Festival … just one.”

  Sophie smiled at her relentless mother. She knew she was worried so much about her because she was so much like her father. Brenda believed that her husband’s heart attack was related to the pressures he put on himself. Sophie hated making her mother worry. She had uprooted her life for her daughter, and she’d been a huge help in getting things set up. This was one small thing she could do to show her appreciation. Besides, she was probably right and taking just one day off wouldn’t make or break her deadline.

  “What are we going to do with this one day?” Sophie asked.

  Her mother smiled brightly now. “Since it’s my day, you’ll do whatever I ask.”

  “That sounds ominous.”

  Her mother laughed and said, “Do you trust me?”

  “Of course, I trust you more than I trust anyone.”

  “Good, then just trust me and you’ll have a great day … but you have to relax.”

  “Okay, when is this ‘day’?” she asked.

  “Tomorrow,” her mother told her. “It’s Saturday and a lighter day for you normally, right? There won’t be any deliveries, so no wall furnishings or curtains to put up.”

  “Okay,” Sophie said again, still reluctantly. She felt her stomach clenching at the thought of losing all of those hours, but she needed to do this for her mother.

  ****

  When Sophie went down for breakfast the next morning, she was surprised to find Drake, and not her mother, in the kitchen. “Good morning,” he said with that killer smile.

  “Good morning.” She took the coffee mug he offered her and poured herself a steaming cup full. She took a long sip of it before asking, “Have you seen my mother?”

  “Yes. She told me to give you this.” He handed Sophie a note, and she furrowed her brow as she began to unfold it. She recognized her mother’s handwriting right away:

  Darling daughter of mine … today is my day. So, what I would like for you to do is get out and get some fresh air and really enjoy it. Drake has an extra bike for you. Please be nice to him. I will see you soon. Have a great ride.

  Sophie looked back up into Drake’s eyes. He was smiling. He had the most perfect face that she’d ever seen … but what the heck did her mother think she was doing conspiring with him? It didn’t matter how handsome he was, she was not going on a bike ride with him. “Drake … what is she up to?”

  “She wants you to relax. She’s worried about you. This mountain behind us has some of the greatest bike trails in the world—you’ll love it! There are also some really great trails through the apple orchards just south of us, and lake trails too.”

  “Drake, I don’t have time to go on a bike ride. You and my mother both know how much there is still to do here—”

  “Your mother said you promised to take the day off.”

  Suddenly he was her mother’s confidante. “I did … but to spend it with her. If she’s not even going to be here, I don’t see the point.” She felt bad as soon as she said that.

  His pretty brown eyes looked hurt for just a second, but then he covered it quickly and said, “I think the point—if I’m understanding your mother—is that she worries you work too hard and you need to take some time to smell the roses, or in this case, the apples.” He grinned and in spite of herself, Sophie had to smile back. He was so cute. “How about this. You can look at it as research for your place.”

  “Research?” she asked suspiciously.

  “Yes. Have you done an actual tour of the countryside?”

  “No.”

  “Well, Brook Haven is a pretty tight little town, and you should know some of the basics of what goes on here. Besides, I’m pretty sure your guests will ask you for things like directions and about the bike trails and places to hike. I know them all like the back of my hand. Also, you should check out your competition. If you look at it that way, we’re both still working.”

  He had a good point. She’d looked up the other two B&Bs that were close by online, but she’d yet to see them in person. Maybe this wouldn’t be a wasted day after all. “Okay … but it’s been a while since I rode a bike.”

  He winked at her and said, “It’s just like riding a bicycle.”

  Once again, in spite of herself, she laughed. “I’ll go change.”

  “Good, I’ll get the bikes ready.”

  Sophie changed into a pair of yoga pants and a stretchy t-shirt that she usually wore to work out. She put on her tennis shoes and pulled her long hair back into a ponytail, then grabbed a sweater and went back downstairs. She found Drake out in front of the porch with two beach cruisers. “Why do you have two bikes?” She suddenly remembered the blonde. She didn’t want to get in the middle of any drama.

  “I bought them at a garage sale and painted and fixed them up. I thought it would be nice to have two in case anyone ever wanted to go on a ride with me. And look … I was right.”

  She took the handlebars of the blue bike from him and watched as he got a wicker basket and a backpack out of his truck. He slung the pack onto his arms and strapped the basket behind the seat of his bike. “Drake?”

  “Yeah?”

  “You don’t have someone who is going to get upset that you’re spending the day with me, do you?”

  He grinned, and as usual her insides quivered. “Why? Is this a date?”

  “No! This is not a date. I just don’t want to get involved in any drama unwittingly …”

  Still smiling, he said, “Well, my dog Hooter can get a little jealous every now and again, but he’s not one to really start any drama.”

  “Good to know,” she said. She really wanted to ask him about the blonde, but she was afraid he’d take it that she was interested in him herself. That wasn’t the case … for the most part. He was gorgeous, and judging by the fact that everyone in this town seemed to love him, he was undoubtedly one of the good guys. But Sophie didn’t have time for all of that. She slipped on the white helmet he handed her and straddled the bike. “What if I wreck?” she asked.

  He laughed. “You are kind of a Negative Nellie, you know that?”

  “I am not. It’s a valid question.”

  He pulled off the backpack,
reached inside, and pulled out a small first-aid kit. “I’ve got you covered,” he said.

  “I’ll bet you were a Boy Scout.”

  “How did you know?”

  “Just something about that halo you carry around,” she said. Before he could respond, she was already pedaling away from the house. She slowed down as she got to the end of the driveway and let Drake take the lead. He grinned at her as he passed and she felt her heart rate accelerate. She followed him along the road that led from her place into town. They rode a mile or two and just before the turnoff toward Brook Haven, Drake turned in the opposite direction of town. They were on a dirt road, but it was well-maintained with no deep ruts or obstructions.

  After another mile or two, they came to a spot where there were tidy white fences and green pastures stretching out along either side. “Sheep!” she squealed, surprising herself. Drake stopped his bike and she stopped next to him. “I’ve never seen them out in the pasture like that.” The green countryside was dotted with their puffy white coats. A medium-sized white dog with brown markings on his face ran in and out between them. “Is that a sheep dog?” she asked Drake.

  He nodded. “It’s a Queensland, but they make good little sheepherders. They’re working dogs. They seem to enjoy it.” The dog came closer to the fence and looked curiously at them. Sophie could see that he had one brown eye and one blue. “Hey there, Kelly! How’s it going today?” Kelly sniffed up to the fence and Drake reached down and scratched her ears.

  “Kelly?”

  “Yeah, that’s her name.”

  “She’s a girl? How do you know?”

  Smiling, he said, “I’ve known her since she was born.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, the man who owns this ranch hires me every now and then to do some work for him around the place. He and his wife are retired from real estate out in California. This ranch was their dream, and they both tell me they’re much happier here than they ever were back there.”

  “I’ve never been to California, but this place is definitely gorgeous.” Sophie looked out over the pasture behind them. She couldn’t really process how far it stretched out because from where they were, it looked like it merged with the mountains along the horizon.

  “It is a really pretty little ranch. Are you ready?”

  “I’m ready.”

  They rode on, eventually turning onto another trail. Drake warned her before they rode over it. “This trail is a little bumpier than the other.”

  She was so enthralled with the beauty of nature all around them that she wasn’t worried about a few bumps. She could smell the trees and feel the sunlight on her face. Her mother was right—as usual—this was what she needed. Her soul was beginning to feel better already. A few minutes later, her breath was totally stolen away. They came out of a grove of trees and were suddenly surrounded on both sides by water. In front of them was a long bridge that looked sturdy, but it seemed like it had been designed for another century. It was so beautiful. “Is this part of Lake Champlain?” she asked Drake. He stopped next to her again.

  “Yeah, this is a little-known spot back here. My friends and I did a lot of fishing off this bridge when we were kids.”

  “It’s so pretty.”

  “Yeah, it is. I love it out here.” They sat for a while and just took in the scenery around them before moving forward. Drake stopped again when they came to a ridge with a long road that would lead them down into a gorgeous little valley. He pointed out the majestic line of Adirondack Mountains far in the distance behind a beautiful three-story inn that sat surrounded by beautiful sugar maples and a deep-green sea of grass. There was a huge red barn out behind the house, and close to the end of the drive, Sophie could see what looked like a small fruit stand. Between them and the stand were rows and rows of apple trees.

  “What is that place?” she asked him.

  “That will be your biggest competition,” he said. “It’s the Mayflower Maple Inn.”

  “Oh … it’s a beautiful old house.”

  “Yes, this one is owned by Mrs. Theresa Larson. She and her husband have owned it for over fifty years. He passed away last year and her daughter came home to help her run the place. Mrs. Larson is close to eighty years old. She runs that little fruit stand down there, and her daughter and the staff handle the rest.”

  “She sells apples?”

  “She does, and she makes homemade lemonade—the best in the county.”

  “Hmm … I am kind of thirsty,” she said, getting back on her bike.

  Drake grinned. “You just want to get closer so that you can check out the competition, don’t you?”

  She nodded as she took off down the long road that led to the inn. Drake shook his head and followed her with a smile. The scent of the apple trees as they rode through the grove was heady and light. Here and there the bright red apples lay on the ground—a sign that harvest season was coming soon. It was such a cozy scene that when Drake raced past her, Sophie lost all sense of the mature and serious woman she’d become. She stood up on her pedals, giggling, and raced him the rest of the way to the fruit stand. By the time they reached it—with her in the lead—they were both flushed and out of breath but laughing.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Drake thought that Sophie looked like an entirely different woman with color in her cheeks and light in her eyes. He was so incredibly tempted to kiss her that he was glad Mrs. Larson was standing there looking at them like they were crazy. He caught his breath and said, “Hello, Mrs. Larson. How are you today?”

  “I’m doing well, Drake. It’s good to see you.” She looked over the rim of her spectacles and said, “I don’t think I know you, sweetie.”

  “This is Sophie Michelson, Mrs. Larson. She just bought the old Harvest Moon Inn.”

  “Well, that’s quite the accomplishment for such a young lady. Congratulations.”

  “Thank you,” Sophie told her with a genuine smile. “I’m really excited about it.”

  “Well, I’ve been in this business for over half my life,” she said. “If there is anything I can help you with or any questions I can answer, honey, you feel free to ask. It seems you already know the best carpenter in town.”

  Drake grinned. “Thank you, Mrs. Larson. Since I’m the only one in town …”

  She waved her weathered palm at him. “You’d still be the best,” she said. She looked at Sophie again and said, “His daddy used to come by and do repairs for me and my husband on his days off from work, and he wouldn’t take a dime for it. We kept him supplied with apples and lemonade. Now his son here has taken to doing the same.”

  Sophie laughed. “Well, that sounds like a good deal to me. I was hoping to try some of your lemonade. Drake says it’s the best in the county.”

  The old lady winked. “He knows what he’s talking about,” she said. She went over to the little shed and through the divided doors. A few minutes later, she came back with two clear plastic cups of lemonade. Fresh lemon slices floated on top, and she also had a white bag in her hand. She handed one of the cups to Sophie and the other, plus the bag, to Drake. “Give that to your Uncle Mac for me, okay?”

  “I sure will,” Drake said.

  “How is he doing?”

  “Very well,” Drake said. “Hooter found us a couple of kit foxes two weeks ago. Uncle Mac’s been nursing them back to health for me while I work. You know how he is … he won’t admit it, but I think he’s enjoying the company.”

  She laughed. It was more of a cackle, and Drake couldn’t help but smile when he heard it. Sophie was smiling too and pulling money out of a little pocket in the front of her pants. Drake didn’t say anything, but he knew Mrs. Larson wasn’t going to take it. “This is $5.00. Is that enough?”

  The old lady once again waved her wrinkled palm. “Your money is no good here when you’re with one of the Tanner boys.”

  “Thank you.” Sophie took a long drink through the straw. “Wow, that is delicious,” she told Mrs. Larson.
The older woman beamed.

  “Thank you. It’s an old family recipe that I’m proud of.”

  “Well, you should be,” Sophie said. “I’m not sure how I’ll compete with that.”

  She cackled again. “I’m sure you’ll think of something. You have the advantage of youth. My daughter does her best around here and I’m thankful for her, but this never was her calling.”

  “It was a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Larson.”

  “You too, sweetheart, and I wish you the best of luck. Drake Tanner, you better kiss this old leathery cheek.” Drake leaned forward and did as she asked, smiling.

  “It’s as smooth as glass,” he told her. Her cheeks colored and she waved him away. As they rode off, she stood and watched them and waved until they were out of sight.

  Not far up the road, they came to another area of the lake. This one was surrounded by flat land and wildflowers. “Do you want to stop here and eat?” he asked Sophie.

  “Eat? Is that what you have in that basket?”

  “Yep. You didn’t have breakfast.”

  She smiled. “Come to think of it, I am a little hungry. This looks like a good place.” They pulled the bikes off the little road and Drake unhooked the picnic basket. He had a little checkered tablecloth rolled up and attached to it. Sophie smiled as she watched him spread it out.

  He looked up at her and said, “What?”

  “Just that Boy Scout thing again—always prepared.”

  He made a face at her and finished setting up what he’d brought. Sophie was amazed at the selection. He’d cut up strawberries and melons and, of course, apples, all into bite-sized pieces. He had a sampling of cheese, some bread, and even two blueberry muffins. “Wow, this looks great,” she told him, taking a seat on the ground next to the food.

  “Thanks. My mom loved picnics. I learned how to pack one from her, I guess.” He looked at the white bag and grinned. “We could always add Uncle Mac’s apple cinnamon rolls in with the mix.”

  “Who is Uncle Mac?”

  “He’s my mom’s brother. He lives on the family property with me, but in his own house. Mrs. Larson makes a batch of these rolls about once a week. She always finds a way to send some to Uncle Mac. Before his accident, he worked for her and her husband, and she’s always had a soft spot for him.”