The Forgettable Miss French (Shadowvale Book 3)

by Kristen Painter

  Bringing that bad guy in now would give the reader a real gut punch, but doing that would mean a major rewrite of the opening chapters. And that meant no new words for the rest of the day.

  It had to happen, but it felt like a step backward. Right when he’d been making such good progress.

  He should have listened to that little voice in his head telling him something was wrong, but he’d plowed forward because he’d been more concerned about putting words on the page. He swore loudly at his own poor planning.

  The lights flickered at his outburst, then one of the recessed lights overhead popped and went dark.

  He growled. Great. Just what he needed. But the light had to be changed. The dining room had a great view of the front yard, but it was a little dark. And in a town that didn’t get any sun, a little dark meant borderline cave interior.

  With an exasperated sigh, he got up and went to get the ladder and his rubber utility gloves from the garage. Replacement bulbs were in the pantry. He wasn’t sure how they’d gotten there, but he’d seen them this morning when he got the protein shake mix out.

  In fact, the pantry was incredibly organized. Something he didn’t remember doing at all.

  The garage, on the other hand, still looked like a cyclone had hit it. A box cyclone.

  He hadn’t been out here since he’d moved in, and boxes were everywhere. Why was the rest of the house in such great shape, but this area was still a mess? He felt like he should know the answer to that, but he didn’t.

  Now wasn’t the time to worry about that, though. He had a bulb to change and a rewrite to get done.

  The ladder was easy to find. It was resting against the far wall. He took that inside and set it up in the dining room under the burned-out bulb, then went back to the garage. He needed his utility gloves. They had a rubber coating, and ever since the lightning strike, he wore them when he worked on anything electrical.

  It was probably overkill, like how he always turned his laptop on by pushing the power button with the eraser end of a pencil, but with the way electricity was always sparking and snapping around him, he was okay with erring on the side of caution.

  The stacks of boxes were all labeled garage, although a few also said tools. None, unfortunately, said gloves.

  He grabbed the box cutter sitting on the workbench and started opening, but after a few boxes in, he hadn’t turned up anything close to gloves.

  He didn’t have the time for this. He was just going to have to chance it. What was the worst that could happen anyway? He’d get shocked and stop shifting into creatures that weren’t wolves?

  With a sigh, he went back in the house. He made a quick detour to the pantry to get a new bulb, then went to the dining room. He turned the light switch off, casting the whole room in shadow.

  Then, bulb in hand, he climbed up the ladder. He hesitated before touching the bulb, but that was the kind of silliness that made him roll his eyes at himself. “Just get it done. You’re wasting time.”

  He grabbed the bulb. No shock. Breathing out in relief, he braced his fingers around the bulb and started twisting, easing the bulb out of the socket, being careful it didn’t slip from his grasp.

  Cleaning up shattered glass definitely wasn’t on his schedule.

  Bulb out, he lifted the new one and seated it, then started screwing it into place. On the second twist, the bulb flashed with a bright flare of electricity.

  The bolt shot down his arm and into his body, knocking him back. He fell off the ladder and onto the hardwood floor, forcing the breath from his lungs with the impact.

  The bulb that had been in his hand popped, sending glass everywhere. Electrical tremors ran through him. He gasped once for air, then everything went dark.

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Ginny arrived at the reception desk at Emerald Manor at eight a.m., the start of visiting hours. Normally, she would have done more of her design work first, but after handling a couple quick emails, she decided she wanted to see Aunt Gwen more.

  Ginny had a lot to tell her. And the emails would always be there. Aunt Gwen wouldn’t. Getting here early also meant they could spend more time together. Ginny wanted to take her into town for breakfast, then out to the lake to see Seymour. Maybe they’d even do a little shopping later, depending on how the day went.

  Nightingale Park could wait until Easy was with them.

  Besides, Seymour would enjoy the visit, and so would Aunt Gwen. Ginny had brought her suit and was hoping, if Aunt Gwen was having a good enough day, that they could both swim.

  “Good morning. I’m here to see Gwen French. Suite 19.” Ginny slid her driver’s license across the counter. It sometimes helped to speed things up. “I’m her niece, Ginny.”

  The receptionist smiled brightly. “Good morning.” She looked at the license, then Ginny. She handed it back. “First time at Emerald Manor?”

  “No. I just don’t have a memorable face, I guess.” Nothing could destroy Ginny’s good mood. She smiled at the folks reading the morning paper in the lobby’s tropical lounge area. Emerald Manor had recently installed UV lighting in the space to simulate the sun’s rays, and it seemed the residents were enjoying it. Probably wouldn’t hurt all the plants the Manor had added either.

  The receptionist laughed. “I don’t either. Are you taking her out today?”

  “That’s the plan. Should be back by lunch.”

  “Sounds good. If she’s not in her suite, she might be at breakfast. Enjoy your day.”

  “Thanks.” Ginny headed toward her aunt’s suite. If Gwen had already eaten, they’d go straight to the lake. After a trip to the bakery, of course.

  She knocked on the door of her aunt’s apartment, but there was no answer. Ginny backtracked to the dining room and stuck her head in. Most of the tables were full, and the space was divided into smaller rooms, making it impossible to see the whole place at once. There was an outside terrace, too.

  From experience, Ginny knew her aunt would probably be out there. She went in that direction, smiling at the familiar faces. Most of them smiled back even though they didn’t have a clue who she was.

  She pushed through the door to the outside patio and saw her aunt at a small table with Lucas Cartwright.

  Ginny grinned. She didn’t want to break up their breakfast date, but from the looks of things, they were just lingering over coffee. She went up slowly, giving them time to notice her. “Hi, Aunt Gwen.”

  Her aunt looked over with no recognition, and Ginny knew instantly that today wasn’t one of her better days. “Hello.”

  Lucas smiled at Ginny, but his eyes held sadness. He knew what kind of a day Gwen was having, too, and yet he was there with her. Ginny loved him for that. “You must be Ginny.”

  She nodded. “I am. How did you know?”

  “She talks about you all the time.” He stuck his hand out. “Nice to meet you.”

  They’d met many times, but there was no way he’d remember that. Ginny shook his hand. “The pleasure is mine. I’m so glad my aunt’s made a friend here.”

  His smile brightened a bit. “She has a lot of friends here.”

  Ginny laughed. “Not quite as good as you, though.”

  He chuckled. “That’s probably true. I guess she’s told you about me, too, then.”

  “She has. All wonderful things.”

  Aunt Gwen frowned at Ginny. “I don’t remember you.”

  Lucas patted her hand. “It’s your niece, Ginny. You told me just the other day about how she’d finally met a man.” He glanced at Ginny. “Sorry, but it’s what she said.”

  Ginny shook her head. “Sounds just like her.”

  Gwen looked at her niece. “You’re my niece? Ginny? The one I…raised?”

  “That’s right, Aunt Gwen. That’s me.” Ginny held out her wrist with her father’s ID bracelet. “See? There’s your brother’s bracelet. Remember that?”

  Gwen stared at it for a moment, then nodded. “Robert. He and his wife were kille
d in that terrible crash.” She looked up at Ginny. “That’s when you came to live with me.”

  “That’s right.” Ginny hated that her aunt’s memory of her was so linked to that awful day. Time to focus on something happier. “If you’re interested, I’m here to take you out for the day.”

  “Oh?” She seemed to ponder the idea. “Where?”

  “Well, I was going to take you to breakfast and then the lake for a swim, but I see you’ve already eaten, so if you’d like, we can go straight to the lake.”

  Gwen’s face brightened. “I do like to swim in the lake.”

  “Would you like to go, then?”

  Gwen looked at Lucas for reassurance.

  He nodded. “Sounds like a great day out to me. Go on, Gwen. You’ll have fun. I have a poker game at nine anyway.”

  She only hesitated for another second. “All right, then.”

  “Wonderful,” Ginny said. “We’ll swing by Black Horse Bakery first and get something for after our swim. Lucas, would you like us to bring you something back?”

  “Well now, I am partial to their peach coffee cake.” He sat back in his chair, smiling. “Wouldn’t turn down one of those.”

  “Peach coffee cake it is.”

  Aunt Gwen was staring at her. “You look like my brother, Robert. He died in a car accident more than thirty years ago.”

  “I know,” Ginny said softly. Today was really not a good day. “He was my father.”

  Gwen blinked a few times before speaking again. “You’re Ginny.”

  “Yes, I am.”

  Lucas stood and held his hand out to Gwen. “Come on, Gwen. I’ll walk you back to your suite so you can get ready for the outing with your niece.”

  She took his hand. “Okay. That sounds nice.”

  She stood, and the three of them returned to her suite. At the door, Lucas kissed Gwen on the cheek. “Have a nice time. I’ll see you for dinner.”

  Gwen smiled. “See you then.” She unlocked her door and went in, then hesitated. “Do you come to visit me often?”

  Ginny nodded. “I do. I was here yesterday, as a matter of fact. But you remembered me yesterday.”

  Her aunt sighed. “I had a stroke, didn’t I? I remember that.”

  “You did. Right after I graduated college.”

  “Are you a wolf like me? You’d have to be if you’re my brother’s child.”

  “I am. We go running out by the lake sometimes, too, but I thought today we could swim after we feed Seymour some pies.”

  Her aunt tipped her head. “Seymour. The lake monster. He likes blackberry.”

  Ginny nodded, a little hope returning. “Yes, that’s right.”

  “I’m sorry I don’t remember you.”

  Ginny shrugged. “Don’t be. I’m used to it. And some days you do.”

  “Well, I’m sorry that today isn’t one of those days.”

  “Me, too, Aunt Gwen. But I’m happy to spend time with you all the same.”

  Gwen smiled and moved farther into the suite. “I’ll put my suit on and throw a sundress on over it.”

  “Great. I’ll just sit in the parlor and wait.”

  Gwen was quick, returning from the bedroom in five minutes, wearing a little T-shirt dress over her swimsuit and a floppy straw hat. She had a beach bag with a towel in it over one shoulder. “All set.”

  Ginny got up. “Let’s go, then.”

  “Wait a second,” Gwen said. “Look what I found.” She took her phone out of the big pocket on the side of the beach bag, tapped the screen a few times, then turned it so Ginny could see. “That’s you.”

  The photo was of both of them from about a year ago when they’d gone to the Creamatorium for sundaes.

  Ginny smiled. “Yep, that’s us.”

  Gwen smiled. “I remember you when you were little. You only wanted to wear purple, and you refused to eat Cheerios unless you could have them with a cut-up banana.”

  Ginny barked out a laugh. “I’d forgotten about my purple phase. Still like it, but I do wear other colors now.”

  Gwen came closer, cupping Ginny’s face in her hands. “You grew into a beautiful woman.”

  “Thanks, Aunt Gwen.”

  “Thank you for being patient with me.”

  “You were patient with me more times in my life than I can count.”

  With teary eyes, Gwen patted Ginny’s cheek. “You’re a good girl. I’m glad you have your daddy’s bracelet. Your mother gave that to him.”

  “I know.” Ginny sniffed. Bad days were like this. Lots of past memories surfacing, but not much grasp of the present. It was okay. They had a lot of good times to remember, and in that regard, the bad days weren’t that bad.

  It was just the part where Aunt Gwen couldn’t remember her that hurt. That’s when Ginny felt the most alone. Especially now that Easy no longer remembered her either.

  She could disappear, and no one in the world would ever know.

  Despite that sobering thought, Ginny made herself smile. “We should take some more pictures today.”

  “That would be nice. I could show them to Lucas at dinner.” She started for the door, then stopped. “Are you driving? I can’t drive anymore.”

  “I’m driving. I have a Jeep. This time of year, the top is off. Is that going to be okay?”

  “I might have to hold on to my hat, but all that fresh air sounds wonderful.”

  They walked out of her suite, she locked the door, then they headed for the parking lot.

  Ginny was glad that her aunt not only wanted to go, but also seemed enthusiastic about it. Sometimes a bad day was truly bad. To the point that she wouldn’t even agree to see Ginny. But Lucas had definitely helped with that today. “I really like Lucas. He’s a very nice man. And obviously sweet on you.”

  Aunt Gwen smiled. “I’m sweet on him, too. He’s a wolf like us, you know.”

  “I know. It makes me really happy that you’ve connected with him.” Connected sound like such an odd way to describe her aunt having a boyfriend, but so did calling Lucas Aunt Gwen’s boyfriend. “Maybe some time you could both come to dinner at my house.”

  They walked out of the building and toward Ginny’s Jeep.

  “That would be lovely. Lucas drives. He doesn’t live on my side of the property. He lives on the retirement side.”

  “Oh. I see.” Emerald Manor’s over-fifty-five retirement community was a lot larger than the assisted-living side. Ginny had always hoped Aunt Gwen would move to that part of the community someday, but that seemed less likely all the time. She got the car door for her aunt, taking her beach bag and putting it in the back seat next to her own bag.

  Gwen nodded. “There’s nothing wrong with that man, I can tell you that. He might be slowing down a little, but he’s still fit as a fiddle. Although, he does like that full moon cream they sell down at Spellbound.” She put her hand to her mouth as she giggled. “A wolf’s gotta run when a wolf wants to run.”

  “Aunt Gwen, that’s an overshare, but I’m glad he’s in such good shape. You are, too, you know.”

  Gwen climbed into the Jeep with little effort. “Except for my mind.”

  “True. But otherwise, you’re perfect.” Ginny hopped up behind the wheel. “All right, let’s hit the bakery, get our supplies, then head to the lake. At this hour, there shouldn’t be too many people there, although we might run into some fishermen. Not sure Seymour will come out if anyone else is there. Maybe, but it’s been my experience that he avoids crowds.”

  Aunt Gwen clutched her hands together. “I’d love to see him. It’s been a while for me, hasn’t it?”

  Ginny pulled out and got them on the road. “Almost three weeks since I took you to the lake.”

  “Do you think he’ll remember me?”

  “I do. But I also think having pie for him will help.”

  “Pie helps everything.”

  Ginny laughed. “I’m going to get something for myself, too, one of those giant blueberry crumb cake muffi
ns maybe, since I haven’t eaten yet.”

  “I used to make blueberry muffins.”

  “You did. And they were terrible. Either burnt or underdone. Or both. Once you added salt instead of sugar.” Ginny laughed.

  Her aunt gasped. “You’re right, they were terrible. I remember that now.”

  “It must be a family thing, because I can’t bake either. Cook, yes, but when it comes to baking, nope.”

  “We used to get cookies from the little place down the street,” Gwen said, her voice a little distant as her mind worked to pull memories together.

  “That’s right. Smith and Sons Bakery. Whenever I had to take baked goods to school, you ordered from them.”

  Gwen nodded. “I remember that. I just wish I could remember you now.”

  “It’s okay. It really is. It’ll come back to you. Maybe not today, but someday. That’s just how your mind works now.”

  “I don’t like it.”

  “I don’t either.” She pulled into a spot near the bakery, parked, and turned the car off. “But I’d rather have you this way than not at all, and that stroke could have been much worse.” She squeezed her aunt’s hand. “Now let’s go get Seymour his pies, Lucas his coffee cake, and us a decadent snack.”

  Her aunt opened the door and got out. “I want chocolate.”

  Ginny joined her on the sidewalk. “We can definitely make that happen.”

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Easy came to, staring at the ceiling, the metal utility ladder, and an empty light socket. He cursed as the memory of what had happened came rushing back. His head was throbbing, but he didn’t feel concussed. At least, he hoped he wasn’t.

  He sat up, gingerly touching the spot on the back of his head that hurt the worst. He had a goose egg back there the size of, well, a goose egg. Shards of broken light bulb surrounded him, glittering in the dull light. He groaned. “I cannot catch a break.”