They’d spent a lot of time deciding what decorations they wanted. Hopefully, it looked as good as the sketches Megan created. Biting her bottom lip, Diana lifted the lid. “Oh, wow. It’s beautiful.”
Wyatt peered over her shoulder and let out a low whistle. “It’s a work of art.”
“Megan said to let her know if the cake cracked or lost any of the roses on the way here. She’s happy to fix it before Mom and Dad arrive.”
Diana studied the two-tier cake. The buttercream frosting dipped and swirled over the layers like a gorgeous satin blanket. Falling from the top layer was a waterfall of pink, yellow, and orange roses. On the bottom layer, even more roses surrounded the cake.
“It looks as though everything’s okay. It’s almost too pretty to eat.”
“That’s what I said, too.” Penny looked up at Wyatt. “Can we tell Diana?”
“I thought you wanted to leave it until after your parents’ party.”
“I know, but—”
“Thank goodness you’re here,” Katie said to Penny as she opened the kitchen door. “Barbara tried calling you both, but no one answered. She was getting ready to call the police.”
A blush lit Penny’s cheeks. “I turned off my phone after the fourth call.”
Wyatt checked his phone. “Oops. Mine’s on silent.”
Diana frowned. He didn’t look the least bit worried. Something was going on and—
“Can someone tell me…” Barbara walked into the room. “Penny? Where have you been?”
“Wyatt and I took a detour on the way home.”
Barbara’s gaze shot to the cake.
“It’s all right,” Wyatt assured her. “The cake’s fine.”
“Thank goodness for that. We don’t need any last-minute emergencies to—”
“Surprise!” Their mom walked into the kitchen.
Barbara’s eyes widened. “You’re not supposed to be here for another hour.”
“I couldn’t stay away.” Mabel rushed across to Katie and hugged her. “A little birdy told me my baby was home.”
Katie wrapped her arms around their mom and grinned. “It’s good to see you, too.”
Diana looked at her dad, hoping the anniversary party was still going to be a surprise. “Did you come in the front door?”
Her dad winked. “We did. When Barbara visited us yesterday, she told us you’re doing some remodeling on the back veranda and not to use it.”
Mabel frowned at the back door. “I thought you’d finished most of the work.”
Barbara inched closer to the cake.
“We have,” Diana said quickly to divert her parents’ attention away from the counter. If the party was still a surprise, it wouldn’t be after their mom saw the cake. “But you know what old houses are like. As soon as you finish one thing, something else needs to be fixed.”
When her mom turned toward the back door, Diana said the first thing that popped into her brain. “I’ve got something you’ll want to see. Chloe Anders from the Smithsonian emailed us some information about the letter.”
“Oh, my goodness,” Mabel said excitedly. “Have they finished examining it?”
“They have. Come and read her email. It’s on my laptop.” Diana led her parents out of the kitchen. As she closed the door, she stared pointedly at Barbara. She’d know exactly what to do next.
Upstairs, her dad’s family was getting ready for the surprise party. It was only a matter of time before someone came downstairs and her parents saw them. Keeping her parents away from everyone else, even if it was only for another ten minutes, would make a difference. Especially to the other family and friends who were on their way.
“What did Chloe say?” Mabel asked.
Diana waited until her parents were seated in the living room. “It’s real. The letter we found was written by Abraham Lincoln. The Smithsonian don’t know how it made its way to Montana, but somehow it did.”
“Oh, my goodness,” her mom said. “I can’t believe it. Your grandma would have been so excited if she’d known about it.”
Allan held his wife’s trembling hand and looked at Diana. “Did you tell Chloe that we want the Smithsonian to look after the letter and everything else?”
“We did. She was very grateful.”
“What happens next?” Mabel asked.
“The conservation team at the Smithsonian will work on each of the items. When that’s finished, they’ll release a press statement. Chloe has asked us not to say anything until then.”
“How long will the conservation process take?” their dad asked.
“I don’t know, but it could be months.” Diana saw the disappointment on her mom’s face. “I know it’s a long time, but it will be worth it.”
“You’re right,” Mabel said with a smile. “The ladies in the Sapphire Bay Historical Society will be thrilled. Just imagine the publicity opportunities for the inn. Barbara will know how to make the most of it.” She frowned and looked over her shoulder. “Where have your sisters gone? I thought they would have joined us.”
“They shouldn’t be too long,” Diana assured her. “They’re probably making everyone a cup of coffee.”
“What about your great-grandfather? Did they discover anything about him?”
Diana turned on her laptop. Luckily, Barbara had forwarded both of Chloe’s emails to her. “They found some information, but not a lot. Chloe’s team created a spreadsheet of where he went and compared it to Abraham Lincoln and his son’s travels. So far, there doesn’t appear to be any overlap in their journeys.”
Allan and Mabel studied the information. Diana was amazed at how much the Smithsonian knew about each of the people’s lives. Her great-grandmother’s journals, hidden in the attic, had provided the most information about Patrick Kelly’s movements. He hadn’t gone far but, without the journals, they wouldn’t have any information about him.
Diana held her breath as someone thumped down the stairs. When she saw Charlie, she relaxed.
Her Golden Labrador, in all his exuberance, barreled up to her parents.
“How’s my boy?” Allan said as he rubbed Charlie’s ears. “Has your mom taken you for a nice long walk today?”
At the sound of his second-favorite word, Charlie barked.
Allan laughed. “I’m assuming that means yes, but are you open to exploring the lake again?”
“He’s always ready for a walk,” Diana said. “But you might want to do it later.”
Her dad’s brother and sister-in-law came down the stairs.
“Happy anniversary!” Uncle Joe said from across the hallway.
Mabel stared at the smiling couple. “Joey? What are you and Ruth doing here?”
“We couldn’t let your fortieth wedding anniversary go uncelebrated,” Ruth said as she hugged Mabel. “We know how much you enjoy a good party.”
The shock on her mom’s face was priceless.
“A party,” Mabel repeated. “I didn’t know anything about—”
“Surprise!” Barbara, Penny, Katie, and Wyatt walked into the living room.
Mabel held her hand to her chest. “Oh, my. This is so sweet.”
“And it’s not all we’ve organized,” Barbara said proudly. “We’ve invited all your family and friends to celebrate with us. Pastor John will be cooking up a storm on the barbecue and half the town has dropped plates of food off for tonight.”
Diana smiled. Her mom wasn’t often shocked, but they’d managed to leave her speechless. Her dad, however, was a different story. His happy grin told her one thing. Someone had let him know what was happening, and he was enjoying knowing about it before his wife.
Chapter 10
Ethan smiled as Allan finished thanking everyone for coming to the anniversary party. The tribute he’d paid his wife had brought a tear to most people’s eyes. For a man who didn’t often show his emotions in public, his words were beautiful.
As he looked at the people around him, Ethan thanked God Zac had hauled
him halfway across the country to visit this incredible town. Never in a million years would he have imagined the changes that had happened in his life since moving here. His friends had welcomed him into their lives, but it was the community that had completely surprised him.
The genuine kindness and curiosity of the people of Sapphire Bay made living here easy. They embraced everyone, regardless of why they were here or what issues they brought with them. And boy, there were plenty of those.
“You’re deep in thought,” Diana said as she sat beside him.
“I was thinking about the people I’ve met in Sapphire Bay. Everyone is so different.”
Diana patted Charlie as he sat beside them. “They are. When I was growing up, most of my friends’ families had lived here for generations. Only a handful of people moved to Sapphire Bay each year. Now, there are a lot more people arriving. I met a person last week who used to live in Wisconsin. She wants to start a business that sells hand-knitted and crocheted clothes.”
Ethan smiled. “You’d better not introduce her to John. Otherwise, he’ll ask her if she wants to start a knitting group at the church.”
“That must be about the only thing they don’t offer. Pastor John has so many classes and groups it’s a wonder everyone remembers what’s going on.”
“He has a great team of people helping him.”
Diana looked at her family and friends. “Even though we try and make everyone feel welcome, it must be difficult when you don’t know anyone who lives in Sapphire Bay.”
“That’s why the church and The Welcome Center are so important.”
Diana smiled. “And the art therapy workshops you do. Did I tell you that Cassidy’s friend, Paul, stopped by this morning? He helped us set up the sound system.”
“That was good of him.”
“He seems like a nice young man. John was here and they talked about finding an electrical apprenticeship for him. I told Penny and, if her idea of remodeling the cottages happens, it could provide apprenticeship programs for people like Paul.” If that happened, a lot of people would be excited. Apprenticeships were hard to find at the best of times, especially in small towns.
“When does Penny think she’ll hear about the properties?”
“I’m not sure. A lot depends on how quickly the county develops the partnership agreement. I forgot to thank you for helping us set up everything. I can’t believe how lovely the inn looks.”
“I was happy to help. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.”
Diana grinned. “Mom’s in her element, but I’m not sure about Dad. He doesn’t like being the center of attention.”
“You wouldn’t know it to look at him. His speech was touching.”
“It was. Sometimes, I wonder where I went wrong. My marriage was definitely the complete opposite of my parents’ marriage.”
After meeting Diana’s ex-husband, Ethan was more than a little curious about what she’d seen in him. “What was your ex-husband like?”
“Derek was charming, funny, and controlling. I’d never met anyone before who needed to know exactly where I was and what I was doing. In the beginning, I thought it was sweet that he was so concerned about me. It wasn’t until later that I realized how bad it had become.” Diana looked down at Charlie. “If it weren’t for this boy, I don’t know how I would have survived. He gave me a reason to get out of bed each day.”
“I’m glad he was there for you.” Placing his hand on top of Diana’s, he felt a deep sense of contentment sweep through him. She’d had a difficult life with her ex-husband and he was worried she’d run for the nearest hills if he told her how he felt about her. But if he didn’t, he risked losing everything he could see in her eyes, the future he was beginning to imagine with her.
He cleared his throat and tried to organize the words inside his head. “I was wondering if you’d like to—”
“Okay, you two,” Katie said as she sat beside Diana. “I want to know what you think about sending Mom and Dad on an all-expenses paid honeymoon to Hawaii.”
Ethan sighed and removed his hand from Diana’s. With all four sisters living together, it was difficult to talk to Diana on her own. He just wished Katie had arrived a few minutes later. “Isn’t it a little late for their honeymoon?”
“They couldn’t afford one after they got married. I thought it would be romantic to send them away for a week.”
It was Diana’s turn to look confused. “They’ve already organized a vacation with Dad’s cousins in Bigfork.”
Katie rolled her eyes. “Where would you prefer to go?”
“Hawaii, but I’m not Mom and Dad. There’s something else to think about. Where will we find the money to pay for the honeymoon? Most of our savings have gone into the house.”
Katie waved away her sister’s concerns. “It won’t cost much. A friend of Barbara’s owns a timeshare in Waikiki Beach. She said Mom and Dad can stay there for free. I checked the airfares and they’re on sale. All we’ll need is some extra money for meals and sightseeing. With four of us contributing, we should have more than enough money.”
“When would their honeymoon happen?”
“The flight leaves tomorrow night.”
Ethan smiled at the surprise on Diana’s face.
“Tomorrow? What about—”
“You think too far ahead,” Katie complained. “For once, just say yes. I know I can make it happen.”
“You know what Dad’s like. He needs time to think things through.”
“He doesn’t need to think about this. Hawaii’s an incredible place to visit. I’ll ask Penny what she thinks. Barbara said it’s a great idea.”
“She did?”
Katie nodded. “I was surprised, too. I think living here has brought out her romantic side. I’ll let you know if Penny’s happy to help pay for the vacation.”
And as quickly as she’d arrived, Katie left.
Ethan laughed. “Is she always like that?”
“Most of the time she’s worse.” Diana smiled. “It’s what makes living with her unpredictable. At least it’s given her something else to think about. She was feeling a little down after she came back from Los Angeles.”
“How do you feel?”
“Happy, grateful, and excited.”
“That’s a positive bunch of emotions.”
Diana leaned closer to him. “Don’t tell anyone, but the letter we found in the dresser is real. Abraham Lincoln wrote it.”
“That’s incredible. Congratulations.”
“Thanks. Whatever you do, don’t tell Theo. The Smithsonian has asked us not to tell anyone until after they’ve released a press statement. If Theo knows the letter is authentic, he might say something to his radio listeners.”
“I won’t tell anyone,” Ethan promised. “You know what this means for The Lakeside Inn, don’t you?”
“Lots of guests.”
And that would mean even less time he’d be able to spend with Diana. If he didn’t ask her to go out with him now, he might never get the chance. “Would you like to have dinner with me?” Diana’s eyes widened. Before she could think of a reason why she couldn’t see him, he added, “If you don’t want to do that, we could go for a walk. Zac told me about a great trail not far from his house.”
“I’d like that. The walk, I mean. We could take some food and have a picnic on the trail.”
“What about tomorrow afternoon?”
“I can do that.”
Ethan breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m looking forward to it already.”
Diana smiled. “So am I.”
Diana took the cup of hot chocolate Penny handed her. “You even added marshmallows.”
“I thought we deserved an extra treat. It’s been a long day.”
“You can say that again,” Katie said as she sipped her own drink. “Everyone had a good time, so it was worth it.”
The front door opened and Diana’s parents came into the living room.
Penny
smiled. “I made hot chocolate for everyone.”
“Lovely,” Mabel said as she dropped into a chair. “What an amazing day. I can’t believe you kept the party a secret from me.”
Allan chuckled as he sat beside his wife. “This would be one of the few times when you didn’t know what was going on.”
“And it’s all because of our girls.”
Wyatt walked into the living room and kissed Penny. “Are one of those hot chocolates for me?”
“Of course.” A blush skimmed Penny’s cheeks. “I added extra marshmallows to yours.”
“That’s favoritism,” Barbara said with a cheeky smile. “It’s just as well I know where you hid the bag of marshmallows.”
“You’ll have to beat me to the cupboard first,” Katie said. “They’re my favorites.”
Wyatt cleared his throat. “Before you leave, I have something I’d like to share with you.”
Katie groaned. “Not another funny story about Mom and Dad. We’ve already had plenty of those.”
Diana nudged her sister’s foot. “Ssh,” she whispered. “It might be important.” Wyatt hadn’t left Penny’s side all day and their sister hadn’t stopped looking adoringly at him. There was definitely something going on between them.
Wyatt didn’t let Katie’s comment distract him. He wrapped his arm around their sister’s waist. “While we were gone, I asked Penny to marry me.”
“And I said yes,” Penny said with a smile.
Mabel jumped out of her chair and hugged them. “Oh, my goodness. That’s so exciting. I always knew you were perfect for each other.”
Allan shook Wyatt’s hand. “Welcome to the family. I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into.”
“Dad!” Penny said with a grin. “Don’t say things like that. Wyatt might believe you and take back his ring.”
At the mention of a ring, Katie frowned. “You weren’t wearing an engagement ring this afternoon.”
Penny held up her left hand. “I took it off before we came home. I didn’t want anyone seeing it before we celebrated Mom and Dad’s wedding anniversary.”
Summer At Lakeside Page 9