The River House

by Carla Neggers

  Shannon shook her head. “Didn’t say.”

  “Did she mention anyone in Knights Bridge besides Russ?”

  “Morwenna Mills—Kylie Shaw Colton. Nadia said she’s reading the Badgers of Middle Branch series and hopes the launch party goes well. My kids love those books, by the way.” Shannon paused, standing back from the chair. “Nadia reminded me she’s an expert in customer development and its importance to start-up entrepreneurs. She noted she wasn’t invited to speak at the boot camp.”

  “Why would she have been invited to speak?” Gabe asked, mystified.

  “You got me.”

  It had been a good lineup of speakers, with a diversity of backgrounds and experience. Nadia would have fit in and had a lot to offer given her experience both working for him and as a solo entrepreneur herself, but he couldn’t fathom why she would have been on Dylan McCaffrey’s radar to invite. It certainly hadn’t been a slight.

  “Did you invite her to your boot camp party?” Shannon asked.

  Gabe shook his head. “It was for people at the boot camp. I had no reason to personally invite her. She shouldn’t read anything into it. She lives in California. The McCaffreys don’t know her.” He stopped himself. “I can’t believe this is even an issue.”

  “Nadia’s overstating her relationship with you. You’ve had that happen before, Gabe. People sometimes convince themselves they’re essential to a successful person when they’re not. Nadia did good work for you and contributed to the success of your company, but she wasn’t indispensable.” Shannon beamed a smile at him. “Even I’m not indispensable.”

  Gabe glanced around him. He’d done well in a short time. He had decades ahead of him. Nadia had always seemed rooted in reality, if caught up, at least to a degree, by her fantasies of her life with her hard-driving narcissist of a husband.

  Acting out a fantasy could be harmless, but whatever Nadia was up to, that wasn’t it.

  “Anything else?” Gabe asked.

  Shannon shrugged. “Nadia said she was more taken with Knights Bridge than she’d expected to be. I can understand that, to be honest, but I thought it’d be a hellhole. I had really low expectations. It didn’t have far to go to beat them.”

  Not entirely Gabe’s doing, either. He got to his feet, grabbing his cold brew. “Where is she now, do you know?”

  “No idea. I asked her what her plans were. She said she wasn’t sure what she was doing after heading to her grandmother’s house.”

  “Marty Colton?”

  “On his way to Knights Bridge, according to Nadia. It’s a surprise visit.”

  Russ didn’t strike Gabe as a guy who liked surprises, but a visit from his brother to his new home, to celebrate his wife’s latest book, might be an exception.

  Gabe didn’t much like surprises, either.

  He hoped Nadia was sleeping off jet lag and getting her head screwed on straight.

  * * *

  Shannon greeted two electricians and showed them to whatever they needed to do. Gabe finished his cold-brew coffee, but after that, he didn’t know what to do with himself. Drive out to find Nadia at her grandmother’s house and have a word with her? Call her? Was she trying to provoke him into contacting her? At this point was negative attention better than no attention?

  A lot of questions for which he had no answers. He had no playbook for her behavior.

  He took the elevator down to the garage and got in his car.

  Out on the street, traffic whizzed past him. A knot of middle-aged men and women—obviously tourists—stood at a crosswalk, waiting for the light to change. The sky was clear, the air still and dry, in the upper seventies. In truth, he had a thousand things he could do. Needed to do. Why was he letting Nadia get under his skin?

  Who was he kidding? That was an easy one. “It’s because of Felicity,” he said under his breath.

  He called Shannon, who picked up on the first ring. “Where are you?” she asked.

  “Heading to Storrow Drive in two minutes. You haven’t heard from Nadia, have you?”

  “Not since you left here. What’s that been, ten minutes? Do you want me to check?”

  “Yes.”

  A few seconds elapsed while, presumably, Shannon checked her messages. “Nothing. Why, do you think she’s watching you?”

  “No, but I don’t like her behavior.” He left it at that. “I got an invitation to the party for a new badger book, didn’t I?”

  “A what? Oh, right. The Badgers of Middle Branch series. Yes, as a matter of fact, you did. It’s a lovely paper invitation. It arrived yesterday. The party is on Friday at the Knights Bridge public library. You were just in Knights Bridge. I assume you want me to decline on your behalf?”

  “No. Accept.”

  “Okay.” She sounded dubious. “I thought you were going to travel, do something fun. Go to... I don’t know. Wyoming, right? Isn’t that next?”

  “Maybe. It’ll keep for now.”

  “Okay, it’s your life. Do you want me to book lodging for you in Knights Bridge, or will you be back here by nightfall—”

  “I’ll take care of lodging,” he said, doing his best to dismiss an image of Felicity sitting next to him on the blanket in front of the fire, the river coursing down through the trees on a warm summer night.

  “Gabe?”

  “All set, Shannon. Thanks.”

  He returned to the parking garage and headed back up to his condo.

  Shannon eyed him dubiously. “I’m heading home. You’re not leaving tonight, are you? You have an appointment with your accountant in the morning. I’ve postponed it twice.”

  He’d forgotten. Of course. “Right. I’ll be there.”

  “Do you need me to make you dinner reservations for tonight?”

  “I’ll go for a walk later and grab something.”

  She smiled. “It’s a beautiful evening. Enjoy.”

  “Thanks. You, too.”

  She left, and a few minutes later, the electricians took off. Gabe ducked into his bedroom to pack. It was his second-least favorite part of traveling. Least favorite was unpacking. He got out his duffel bag and set it on his bed. Should he tell Felicity he was on his way? Just show up? She was organizing the book-launch party. Shannon was sending an RSVP on his behalf. Felicity would put two and two together.

  Would she let him stay with her again? Did he want to?

  He stood straight, taking a breath as he tried to quiet the questions his mind was throwing at him. He wouldn’t be staying with his brother. That much he knew. Jess might be over the worst of her morning sickness, but he’d still be underfoot. They’d told him they’d love to have him stay with them anytime—“My barfing isn’t that bad,” Jess had told him before he’d left, not getting that he didn’t want to disturb her, not the other way around.

  Olivia’s inn wasn’t open to drop-in overnight guests—it wasn’t that kind of inn—but she and Dylan would put him up if he asked. But he wouldn’t ask. They had a baby on the way, too.

  One of the Sloans?

  Justin Sloan and his new wife, Samantha, were in the process of renovating Red Clover Inn, a sprawling, traditional inn located just down the street from Smith’s. Once it reopened in a few months, it would be a great place to stay while in the area. Gabe didn’t know Samantha, but he and Justin had always gotten along. Even if the inn wasn’t open to the public yet, they’d probably let him stay in one of the rooms.

  Eric Sloan would let him sleep on his couch. Mark had an unoccupied apartment at Moss Hill that Gabe could borrow.

  Hell, he could stay with his father and help him tinker with his vintage motorcycles.

  Gabe walked over to the windows and looked out at the city he loved. He wasn’t fooling himself. He had many options but only one place he wanted to stay. He got out his phone and texted Felicity: Okay if I camp ou
t in your guest room again tomorrow night?

  I just heard from your assistant. You’re coming to Kylie’s party. Why?

  Sounds like fun.

  You were just here. Fast turnaround. When do you arrive?

  Afternoon.

  There was nothing more for a full two minutes. Finally her response popped up on his screen: I’ll leave the key by the gutter on the deck if I’m not here. Russ has me locking up.

  Because of Nadia, he thought. But it was a good idea in general.

  Thanks. See you tomorrow.

  I put clean sheets on the bed.

  Setting boundaries? Gabe decided not to go there. Great.

  Safe travels.

  * * *

  Gabe didn’t have a detailed plan—he didn’t have much of a plan at all—but he had no second thoughts about going back to Knights Bridge when he returned to his condo after his meeting with his accountants. He’d then had lunch with a friend who had extensive experience with venture capital and angel investing, an area of interest to Gabe since selling his company.

  He grabbed his bag and headed to his car. He’d skipped countless parties and other events in Knights Bridge over the years given his schedule, priorities and, when he was on the road, the distance involved.

  Always a reason.

  He’d send a gift if called for, usually through Shannon. After a while, he assumed no one seriously expected him to attend anything short of something like his brother’s wedding, and invitations were a courtesy. He never took offense when he discovered he hadn’t been invited to something. More and more, even when he was fairly close, living in Boston, his hometown and his friends there were in his past, not a part of his current life. It’d been beyond him when he’d heard Felicity had returned to Knights Bridge, but she’d always been happier there than he had.

  Gabe got in his car but didn’t start the engine right away. What if he did decide to move to California or somewhere else far from New England? Did Felicity ever consider a radical move? Did she ever dream of such a dramatic change in her life, or was she rooted now in Knights Bridge?

  He’d traveled to countless places but never to Wyoming. Before Felicity had marched out of his life, he hadn’t wanted to go without her. Afterward, he hadn’t wanted to remind himself of her. He was only in his early thirties, though. He had time to travel to Wyoming and loads of other places he wanted to see.

  He started his car, trying to ease the grip nostalgia—memories—had on him. Felicity used to run up her credit cards between jobs to take trips. “Might as well take advantage of the time off,” she’d tell him, despite knowing—she’d had to know, given her background as a financial analyst, even a failed one—that made no sense. Classic fight-or-flight. If she truly had gotten her financial house in order in the past three years, Gabe didn’t see how she would have had much money for trips. Paying down debt, managing living expenses, putting together an emergency fund, transitioning to being a solo entrepreneur, saving to buy a house—paying property taxes and upkeep, buying furnishings, saving for any upgrades. It was a wonder she’d managed all that in three years, given the hole she’d been in. But this was Felicity MacGregor. She usually managed to figure out how to get what she wanted.

  As he started out of the parking garage, Knights Bridge might as well have been on another planet. It was definitely in a different world than the one he now knew.

  Felicity belonged there, Gabe reminded himself. She wanted to be there. He had no business interfering with her life. He’d done that once before, and she’d bolted. It didn’t matter that she’d heeded his advice. He’d lost her as a result of his meddling, and she’d been figuring out that finance wasn’t right for her. She hadn’t needed him to cut into her process and tell her.

  But he didn’t turn around and go up to his condo and talk to painters and figure out his life. He continued onto Storrow Drive and headed west, toward Knights Bridge.

  Eighteen

  Every morning, Felicity liked to identify three things for which she was grateful. She’d made it a habit after the second time she’d been fired. That morning, drinking coffee on the deck, her mind on Gabe’s impending arrival, sleep having eluded her most of the night, she’d written her three things in her journal.

  I’m thankful Gabe let me know he’s on his way, and his visit isn’t a surprise.

  I’m thankful he won’t have time to go swimming, and I therefore won’t be tempted to join him.

  I’m thankful I put clean sheets on the bed in the guest room.

  She glanced at her notes, still open on her coffee table. Thankful struck her as not quite the right word. Relieved better described her emotions. “I’m thankful I have enough work to keep me solvent,” she said with a smile, leaving it at that.

  She took a shower, got dressed and headed into town. She parked on South Main and walked down the shaded, picturesque street to the library. With its dark wood, elegant fireplace in a cozy reading nook and small stage, the library had a distinct late-nineteenth century feel to it, but it was also modern, a place for patrons of all ages to come. The space lent itself beautifully to Kylie’s book party. She often led the children’s reading hour. Somewhat shy and reclusive by nature, she would come to life reading a story, whether a classic like Winnie-the-Pooh or a book by one of her writer friends. From what Felicity had heard, the kids loved her.

  Clare Morgan, Phoebe O’Dunn’s capable successor as library director, greeted Felicity and took her into her office at the back of the main floor. Since arriving in town last fall, Clare, a widow, had made a place for herself and her young son. Over the winter, she’d met and fallen in love with Daisy Farrell’s grandson, Logan, an ER doctor. They were now married and had moved into his grandparents’ former house down the street from the library.

  Clare sat at her oversize oak desk, probably original to the building. She and Felicity went over everything for tonight’s party and reviewed the library’s policies and guidelines for outside events. “A woman was just in and asked if Kylie’s talk is open to the public,” Clare said. “I told her it is and it’s free but she’ll need a ticket.”

  “That’s right,” Felicity said. “Would you like me to speak with her?”

  “No, I think I answered her questions. I explained we need an approximate head count because Morwenna Mills is so popular and she could attract quite a crowd, even here in out-of-the-way Knights Bridge.” Clare frowned. “This woman actually had a ticket, so I’m not sure what confused her.”

  The evening agenda consisted of Kylie’s talk followed by refreshments. “We can handle a few last-minute arrivals. Russ will see to that. He and Kylie are having a few family and friends over to their place at Moss Hill afterward. Will you be joining us?” Felicity asked.

  “No, I’ll make sure everything’s all set here and head home. Logan has a rare night off.” She smiled at Felicity, seated in an old captain’s chair on the other side of the desk. “Did you organize the post-party party, too?”

  “It didn’t take much organizing,” she said with a laugh.

  “Well, everyone’s excited about tonight. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with me if there’s anything I can do or if you have any questions.”

  “Same here.”

  Felicity thanked Clare and returned to the library’s main room. As she headed to the entrance, she glanced into the alcove at the front of the library where the children’s section was located. All the Badgers of Middle Branch books were on display on a table. Kylie had kept her pseudonymous identity secret for months, but Knights Bridge had taken to her with appreciation but not so much fanfare that she felt awkward or out of place. This was her home now. Townspeople understood that, since it was their home, too.

  Our home, Felicity amended to herself.

  She stiffened when a woman moved from farther into the children’s nook and peered at the books on the badg
er table.

  Nadia Ainsworth.

  Felicity didn’t know what to do first. Alert Clare? Text Russ? March over to Nadia and demand to know what she was doing here? She couldn’t just leave without doing something.

  She reached into her tote bag for her phone as she simultaneously turned to head back through the main room to find Clare, but Nadia spotted her, smiled and waved. “Felicity!” She winced, touching her hand to her mouth. “Sorry,” she said in a loud whisper. “Library.”

  She scooted out of the nook and joined Felicity at the door. “I didn’t realize you were in town,” Felicity said.

  “I never would have left if I’d known I’d have to turn around and come back so soon. I need to deal with some issues with my grandmother’s house before we can finalize the sale.” Nadia gave a self-deprecating roll of the eyes that struck Felicity as insincere. “Bad planning on my part, but some things you can’t plan, really. I’m sure you understand. Um...chat outside? I feel like I’m going to be shushed any moment.”

  “Here’s fine.”

  “Oh. I’m getting the stalker treatment. I don’t blame you. I know it’s my own fault for being weird when Gabe was here.” She made a face, then smiled. “Sorry. Are you parked nearby? Why don’t I walk to your car with you, or do you have errands to run? I see you aren’t borrowing any books.”

  “I was here for a meeting.”

  “To discuss tonight’s party, right? I asked the librarian about the party earlier. I’m coming, by the way. I understand you sent out invitations and offered some tickets to the public since there’s limited space.” She spoke fast, clearly self-conscious if not nervous. “I got my hands on a ticket at the front desk when I was here a few days ago. I was going to give it up since I was on the other side of the country, but it’s a good thing I didn’t, isn’t it?”

  “Nadia...”

  “It’s fine, Felicity. Promise. I’m just doing my best to take my mind off giving up my grandmother’s house. I know I’ll never have the chance again to make chocolate-chip cookies with her, since she’s gone, but the house—it’s filled with memories. It’s like she’s there.” She paused, biting down on her lower lip, her eyes filling with tears. She sniffled, smiling. “Anyway, I’d never heard of the badgers until recently. A friend with kids informed me how much fun they are. Do you have any nieces and nephews, Felicity?”