A Father for Bella

by Jill Weatherholt

  “Of course,” he said, reaching inside to retrieve the spare.

  Faith turned her attention to the call. “Mrs. Watson—what’s up?”

  The sounds of sirens and men yelling echoed through the phone. “Faith, you need to get to the inn.” The elderly woman coughed. “Now!”

  The phone shook against her ear. Mrs. Watson’s voice was drenched in panic. “What is it? What’s wrong?” Faith asked.

  She stared at her phone in disbelief after the line went dead. “The inn. It’s on fire!”

  Chapter Five

  “Mommy, are we going to lose our house?” Bella’s question packed a punch, causing his gut to twist. If they lost their home, it wouldn’t be from the fire.

  Inside his car, Faith shot Joshua a look as though she’d read his mind. They both wanted the inn, but neither was likely to budge.

  “No, sweetie. I’m sure it will be fine. The fire is at the inn, but hopefully it won’t be so bad.”

  “But Plato is home alone.” Bella’s voice quivered.

  Joshua white-knuckled the steering wheel of his Mercedes. After the call from Mrs. Watson, they’d locked up her car and raced to his. Please, Lord, let their house be safe. And let the inn be spared.

  He glanced into his rearview mirror as the sound of sirens cried out in the darkness. “I’ve got to pull over, since there’s another fire truck coming up behind us.”

  “I’m scared, Mommy.” Bella covered her ears while Joshua veered off on a side road. “What if the fire’s like the one Daddy was in? What will happen to Plato?” she wailed.

  Minutes later, he was back on the road, apprehensive about what they’d find when they reached the inn.

  “Can’t you go any faster?” Faith pleaded.

  He glanced at the speedometer. He was already over the speed limit. “I’m not as familiar with the twists and turns of these roads—safety first.” He squeezed the wheel tighter as his vehicle hugged the curves.

  Finally, they pulled into the parking lot of the inn. Faith’s eyes grew wide as they assessed the damage. A billowing, smoky haze blanketed the Black Bear. Orange flames shot from the kitchen window.

  She gasped and flung her hand over her mouth. “My inn!” Tears filled her eyes.

  My inn. His muscles tensed at her words. She had no right to stake a claim on something belonging to his mother.

  “Plato! We have to save him!” Bella called out, peering from the back seat.

  Faith sprung from the car. “They must have called stations from the surrounding counties.” Joshua got out, as well, and Bella scrambled out quickly.

  Before Joshua could shut the car door, Bella wrapped her arms around his waist and coughed. “I’m scared, Mr. Joshua.” She sniffed. “We have to find Plato.”

  With one swoop, he scooped the child into his arms. “Don’t worry. I’ll find him, sweetheart.”

  Taking long strides, Joshua rushed toward the entrance as Faith followed. “How bad is it?” he asked a firefighter who was walking out the front door.

  Faith pushed her way past Joshua, confronting the man. “I’m the manager. Did everyone make it out safe?”

  “The guests were all evacuated, but the ambulance just transported your chef to the hospital.”

  “Oh, no, not Michael! What—how...will he be okay?”

  Joshua wondered if Faith and Michael had more than an employee-boss relationship. They seemed more like family. In fact, all of the employees at the inn appeared to be close.

  “He suffered some severe burns. I’m not sure how bad.”

  “I can drive you to the hospital, if you’d like,” Joshua said with hopes of calming her.

  She ran both hands through her hair. “Yes, I want to see him, but I need to know how much damage we’re dealing with. Can you tell me?” She pulled her eyes off the inn and turned to the firefighter.

  “A few of the crew are still working. I do know the fire was contained to the kitchen, but it’s extensive.”

  Faith gasped, but held her tongue.

  Joshua cleared his throat and addressed the firefighter. “Do you know what caused the fire?”

  “It appears there was unattended food left on the stove.”

  Faith shook her head. “That sure doesn’t sound like Michael.”

  “What about Plato?” Bella cried out as she wiggled free from Joshua’s arms. “He likes the big pillow in the kitchen.”

  Joshua turned toward the side of the inn and spotted Mrs. Watson with Plato snuggled in her arms. “He’s right over there.” As soon as Joshua pointed, Bella shot across the frosty ground.

  “Bella!” Faith shouted and took off running after her daughter.

  Mrs. Watson looked in their direction. “Faith, I’m so glad you’re here—it was awful...poor Michael.”

  Bella snatched Plato into her arms. “Thank You, God, for protecting Plato.” She smothered the white ball of fur with kisses.

  “Do you know what happened, Mrs. Watson?” Faith asked while taking in deep and steady breaths.

  Mrs. Watson’s posture stooped. “It’s my fault. The Wright family showed up early and a light bulb in their bathroom had burned out. My husband had gone into town. You know me and my fear of ladders. I asked Michael to help me. Oh, Faith, I could have burned the entire place to the ground.”

  Joshua placed his hand on the woman’s slumped shoulders. “Relax, it was an accident.”

  She looked at Faith, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry. I know how much the inn means to you, and it’s the only home you and Joy have ever known.” Her voice quivered.

  Joshua watched the two women embrace. The only home she’d known. But it was his mother’s favorite place.

  “No, no.” Faith rubbed Mrs. Watson’s back. “I should have stayed with you after some of the staff called in sick this morning. Please, stop blaming yourself—accidents happen.” She gazed toward the inn, her eyes pooled with fear. “What about Michael? How bad is he?”

  Mrs. Watson looked down at Bella, who was occupied with her puppy. She spoke in a whisper. “It’s not good, dear.” She reached for Faith’s hand. “A grease fire got out of control. Once Michael was back inside the kitchen, he must have tried to extinguish it himself and his clothes caught fire. He ran out into the dining area and rolled around on the ground...oh, Faith, it was horrible.”

  Faith didn’t need to hear any more of Mrs. Watson’s play-by-play of the fire. Joshua turned to her. “Do you want to go with me? I’d like to speak with the firefighter in charge.” When a couple of the fire trucks pulled out of the parking lot, he headed toward the remaining firefighters congregated by the front door. He wanted more details on the extent of the damage.

  Faith nodded and kneeled down in front of Bella. “You and Plato stay here with Mrs. Watson. Whatever you do, don’t wander off.”

  “Okay.” The child responded and buried her cheek against her pup’s muzzle.

  Joshua eyed Faith as she stayed focused on the inn. Being around all of this emergency equipment and dealing with a fire had to be sparking horrifying memories of the night her husband was burned. “Hey—you okay?”

  “I’m fine.”

  He wasn’t convinced. How could she be?

  “I need to know what we’re dealing with,” she whispered.

  He agreed. Depending on the amount of damage, the auction could be delayed. And what if his father showed up at the inn to see what had happened? He could ruin everything.

  “Faith! I’ve been looking for you.”

  A tall fireman with dirty blond hair carried his helmet as he approached Faith. He immediately wrapped his arms around her. “I’m so happy you weren’t hurt.”

  “Danny, I’m glad you’re here.” Faith pulled away. “Joshua, this is Danny McMillian, from New Market. He used to work with my husband.” Her vo
ice was flat.

  Joshua gripped the extended hand. “Thanks for getting things under control. How bad is it?”

  “It could have been a lot worse. The inspector is on his way.”

  “What about the guests?” Faith turned to the group gathered close to Mrs. Watson.

  “The smoke damage upstairs was minimal. They’ll need to stay in a hotel tonight, but the restoration crew we use will do some thermal fogging and have them back into their rooms by tomorrow evening. But the kitchen appears to be a complete loss.”

  Faith squeezed her eyes tight; she then opened them and focused on Joshua. “How can we stay open without a kitchen?”

  Good question and one he wasn’t prepared to answer. He kicked his foot into the frozen ground and an idea sparked. But who was he kidding? She’d never go for it. Or would she?

  * * *

  The next morning, Faith sat at her kitchen table clutching her coffee cup. She’d barely slept. It was after midnight by the time the guests were settled into the hotel. Afterward, Joshua had driven her to the hospital to see Michael. She was grateful Joy had taken Bella to her house for an overnight stay. She needed this time to figure out how to feed everyone without a kitchen. Thankfully, Mr. Watson had agreed to meet with the restoration company while Mrs. Watson had offered to take the guests to Harrisonburg for a day trip, after church. They’d eat their meals out, before returning to the inn this evening. It bought her time for today to figure things out.

  The gentle knock at her front door put her brainstorming on hold for now.

  She gasped at the sight of her unexpected guest. He was looking tall, dark and incredibly handsome for seven o’clock in the morning. A shot of cold and damp air traveled deep inside her lungs, leaving her almost breathless. “Joshua, what are you doing here?”

  She gripped the doorknob with her sweaty palm. Why did this man have to look more handsome each time she saw him? How was it possible? Yep. She definitely suffered from sleep deprivation.

  Holding a brown bag, he extended his hand, wearing a crooked smile. “I thought you might be awake, too. I brought you some breakfast.”

  Although she was touched by his generosity, she could not help questioning his motives. “That wasn’t necessary.” The minute the words slipped through her lips, she knew she sounded ungrateful. “I’m sorry. It’s very nice of you.” She glanced down at her attire, embarrassed by her pink flamingo bathrobe. Desperate for a combing, she ran her hand through her hair. Her eyes darted around the cluttered kitchen as she stepped aside. “The place is kind of a mess, but you’re welcome to come in.” She should have taken the bag, thanked him and let him be on his way. Why did she invite him in? Now she’d have to eat breakfast with a man who seemed to have just stepped out of GQ while she probably looked like the lead character in a homemade horror film.

  He entered the kitchen and the smell of peppermint followed. “I bought enough for two, so I had hoped you’d ask.”

  Faith scurried to the table. She gathered the piles of financial documentation she’d organized for her meeting at the bank and carried them to the nearby desk. She returned and grabbed two dirty glasses. “I apologize for the mess. Things have been a little hectic lately. I’m really not a slob—usually.”

  Joshua took off his leather jacket and hung it on the back of the chair. He opened the bag while Faith took two plates from the cupboard.

  She lifted the pot. “Coffee?”

  “Of course.” He placed the bagels on one of the plates. “I got poppy seed and garlic, just in case you weren’t a garlic gal.”

  Faith filled his mug. “Black, right?” The fact that she knew how he took his coffee caused her to shiver. It seemed wrong somehow. What seemed like yesterday, she’d only known how Chris drank his coffee.

  “Perfect.” He held the plate in front of her. “Pick one, you must be starving.”

  She snatched one and inhaled the zesty aroma. It was warm to the touch. “I’ve loved garlic since I was a kid.”

  He reached for the other. “Me, too.” Joshua opened the brown bag and pulled out three containers of various flavors of cream cheese. “Pick again.”

  Faith sighed. “I’m not used to making so many decisions this early in the morning, or at least until I’ve had my second cup of coffee.” She took a garlic-flavored packet. Her skin warmed when he reached for the same and their hands brushed.

  “Wow, you do like it,” he laughed and opened the pack of plain cream cheese. “Speaking of decisions—” He took a bite and chewed.

  Faith pinched off a piece and popped it into her mouth...it was warm and delicious. “Yes?”

  “You’ve got to decide how you’re going to feed the guests.” He took a sip of the strong brew. “Especially this one—I don’t want to go hungry.” He winked.

  Joshua was right. Unless his father decided to shut the place down, it was her job to keep it open. “Yes, I do have some things to figure out.”

  He picked up the napkin from his lap and wiped his hands. “I have a proposal for you.”

  Her heart sped up. What could he possibly be proposing? “I’m listening.”

  “Well, your chef’s in the hospital and he could be there for a few days.”

  True, but thankfully, after their visit last night, Faith had learned Mrs. Watson had a tendency to exaggerate. Michael had certainly been burned trying to extinguish the fire on his own, but the burns weren’t nearly as bad as Mrs. Watson had made them out to be. “Mrs. Watson offered to cook, but I’ve eaten her food before.” She crinkled her nose.

  “No good?”

  She nodded. “Her steak is as tough as shoe leather. And don’t get me started on the asparagus. It’s like slippery shoestrings.”

  Joshua released a deep belly laugh. “Well, then, you might like my suggestion after all.”

  She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. “I’m ready.”

  “It just so happens I’m a very good cook.”

  Faith’s eyebrow shot up. “Really?”

  “Don’t get me wrong, I’m certainly not trying to brag, but I took some cooking classes a couple of years ago. I didn’t want to at the time, but now I’m glad I did.” A far-off look of sadness filled his eyes. “After my ex moved out of the house, I would have starved to death.”

  Faith had a feeling taking the classes had been his ex’s idea. It was nice he’d done something he probably didn’t want to do in order to make her happy. She couldn’t help but wonder why the marriage didn’t last. She’d give anything to be with Chris again. Pushing away those thoughts, she took another bite of her breakfast. “So, you can cook?”

  He nodded. “I want you to think about it first and I hope you won’t say no.”

  “Okay.”

  “What if I cook for the guests? I can plan all of the meals—I’ll even grocery-shop. You won’t have to worry about anything.”

  This was the last thing Faith expected to hear coming from Joshua’s mouth. Why would he make such a generous offer? She was practically a stranger to him. “You want to take over Michael’s responsibilities?”

  “Why not? I’m capable of cooking most things, except I don’t make fish.”

  “The smell?” Faith loved fish, but she couldn’t stand to have her house smell fishy.

  “Exactly. I love it, but I only eat it out at restaurants.”

  Faith laughed. “So you really want to do this? May I ask where you intend to make these five-star meals?”

  Joshua pushed away from the table and walked to the gourmet six-burner stove. He turned to Faith and extended his arms. “Right here in your kitchen, of course.”

  She chomped hard on her lower lip and studied his face. There was no way she would allow it. With him as a guest, she could go out of her way to avoid him. But cooking here every day? It wasn’t an option. “Why would you want to help me? You’re
a guest.” A second later, it all made sense to her. “Oh, right, keep the guests happy so they’ll return after you’ve taken ownership. Am I right?”

  Joshua returned to his seat and placed his elbow on the table. He pressed his fist to his lips. He remained quiet, but only for a moment. “That’s what you think? My offer is purely for selfish reasons?” He stood and picked up his plate. He placed it into the sink and turned. “I wanted to help you as a thank-you.”

  She crinkled her brow. “For what?”

  “I felt bad about what happened at the hospital—when you took me to my appointment. If I’d known what you went through with your husband, I would have made other arrangements.” He approached the table and grabbed his jacket. “No matter what you think of me, the offer stands.”

  Faith’s stomach knotted. She’d hurt his feelings. Maybe his suggestion did come from a place of good intentions, but she had to stick to her plan. Keeping a safe distance from Joshua was the only way she’d have a chance at owning the inn. But she didn’t like to cook and she certainly wasn’t very good at it. What choice did she have?

  “Okay, we’ll start early tomorrow morning.”

  Chapter Six

  Monday morning, with a light snow falling, Joshua headed out the door with his laptop in hand and ideas percolating. When he’d told Faith he’d be over early in the morning, he’d hoped 6:00 a.m. wasn’t pushing it. The howling winds from the night before had settled to a light breeze as he strolled from his car toward her cottage. A forlorn whistle of a passing train in the distance sent a chill down his spine. As a child, he’d bury his head underneath his pillow to silence the lonesome sound. Even today, the memories the whistle triggered were ones he’d rather forget.

  A light shining in the kitchen window caused his shoulders to relax a bit. Good. She was up and probably pacing the floor with a cup of coffee in hand, dreading his arrival. But the two had to put their differences aside and get past this hurdle that more than likely would delay the auction.

  Not knowing if Bella was up for school, he lightly tapped his knuckle on the solid oak door.