The Inn at Dead Man's Point

by SUE FINEMAN

  By the time her jailors at the nursing home knew what she was doing, she’d be living in the inn, where she belonged.

  And they couldn’t stop her.

  <>

  After church the next morning, Jenna followed Alessandro to the inn to pick out furniture. Sophia was taking Katie to Angelo and Teresa’s house for Sunday dinner.

  Jenna suspected that Sophia wanted to give her time alone with Alessandro. Under other circumstances, that would be nice, but Alessandro was all business. He was trying to dispose of some of the furniture in the inn, probably so he could remodel.

  She drove through the open gate and parked in front of the inn. He closed the gate, unlocked the front door, and held it open for her. Unable to look at his face, she walked past him and into the living room. “What do you want to get rid of, Alessandro?”

  “I only want to keep the dining room furniture and a couple sets of bedroom furniture. Pick out what you want and I’ll move it to the garage.”

  She ran her hand over the dusty console radio in the living room, the one they’d danced to so many nights ago. “I’ll take this.” Turning to face him, she found him staring at the radio, no doubt remembering that night. “And I’ll take the kitchen table and chairs if you don’t want to keep it.”

  He recovered quickly. “No, I don’t want it. What about the living room? Do you want the lamps and tables and—”

  “I’ll take this sofa, this chair, and these.” She pointed to the two antique lamps that she’d helped Uncle Charlie rewire when she was in junior high school. “And the tables they’re on.”

  Alessandro grabbed the two lamps and carried them out to the garage. She suspected it was as much to get away from her as it was to move them. She took one of the tables and followed him to the garage. “I wish I knew what happened to the gate opener.”

  “It’s around here somewhere, unless a cat ran off with it.” He rearranged some of her boxes to make more room in the garage.

  They carried the sofa out together, and the rest moved quickly. She’d have to cover the sofa and chair with something. They were faded and worn from decades of use, but the frames were solid and the springs still good. Someday, when she had the money, she’d have them reupholstered. Or maybe she’d learn how to do it herself. Without Alessandro in her life, she’d have the time.

  A wave of dizziness caught her as she turned, and she grabbed the door frame to steady herself.

  “Are you all right, Jenna?”

  “Fine.” The dizziness passed and Jenna returned to the inn, to Uncle Charlie’s room. There was nothing left in this room worth taking. She had the picture album and his wallet at Sophia’s house.

  While Alessandro carried the kitchen table and chairs to the garage, Jenna went upstairs. He’d taken two beds apart, so she assumed that those were the ones he intended to keep. All the mattresses were old and worn out, so she’d buy new ones after she got moved. She chose an antique dressing table with a low mirror for Katie’s room and a mahogany dresser for herself, with beds and nightstands and lamps to match.

  Alessandro grabbed the dressing table. She asked, “What about linens?”

  “Take what you want, Jenna. If you don’t, I’ll end up giving most of it away.”

  “Why? I thought you intended to live here.”

  He set the furniture down and gazed into her eyes. “I sold the property to Nick. He’s tearing down the inn and building several million-dollar homes on the property.”

  She was too stunned to reply. He’d been adamant about making this his home, and now he was selling it? When she found her voice, she asked, “Why?”

  “It doesn’t feel like home anymore.”

  It didn’t feel like home to her, either. She thought she could get past the memories of her parents dying, of losing Charlie, of Mattie’s bitterness and cruelty, and of learning that the inn would never be hers. She’d shared some good times with Alessandro and Katie here, but being here now just gave her a heaviness that she couldn’t shake. Seeing it and knowing that Alessandro didn’t love her was almost more than she could bear.

  “If you want to fight for ownership, you’ll have to talk to Nick.”

  She shook her head slightly. “The money is gone. It was never used to buy part of the inn. Most of it went to a hospital in Seattle to pay my brother’s bills.”

  “What brother? The one in the picture?”

  “His name was Tom, and he died of cancer, but not before he and his mother went through my parents’ money. You don’t have to sell your home because of me.”

  “For God’s sake, Jenna, why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I just found out where the money went, and I tried to tell you I wouldn’t fight you for the inn, but you wouldn’t listen.”

  He took a deep breath and blew it out. “I wish you’d told me about the check.”

  “It wouldn’t have made a difference, Alessandro. You’d already decided I wasn’t to be trusted.” She picked up a small table and started downstairs with it.

  Al felt like a fool for not trusting her, but he wasn’t sorry he’d sold the inn. It was the right thing to do. The only thing he was sorry about was his ruined relationship with Jenna. It was too late to get back what they’d lost.

  And he had no one to blame but himself.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Jenna spent most of the afternoon going through closets and packing linens and dishes. Since she and Alessandro had talked, the atmosphere was more cordial, but they’d never get back the easy, loving relationship they’d had before. It was gone along with the money and the inn. A few sticks of furniture and some linens and dishes could never make up for what she’d lost.

  Alessandro asked, “What’s in the shed behind the garage?”

  “That was Uncle Charlie’s workshop. I haven’t been in there in years.”

  They walked out to the shed together. There was a padlock on the door, but Alessandro kicked it open. The field mice had moved in. One ran over the toe of Jenna’s shoe and she jumped. Alessandro’s strong hands caught her. “It was just a mouse, Jenna.”

  “Just a mouse? Let the darn thing run across your foot and see if you jump.”

  His silent laughter caught her off guard. If she didn’t get out of here right now, she might do something foolish, like kiss him. “If you see anything else you think I might need, stick it in the garage. I’ll look for an apartment next weekend, and as soon as I find one, I’ll—”

  “You don’t have to move out of my mother’s house, Jenna. She likes having you there.”

  “But you—”

  “I don’t mind.”

  “Well, I do. I don’t like mooching off other people, and she won’t even let me buy the groceries.” She walked around the inn to her car.

  Alessandro caught up with her. “Jenna, Nick and Cara pay all her utility bills, and Blade and Maria set up an account for her at the grocery store. Tony paid off her mortgage years ago. Giving you a place to live makes her feel good, so what can it hurt?”

  She wanted to tell him that seeing him hurt, that hearing his voice on the telephone hurt, and knowing he didn’t want her hurt even more. Touching him would tear her apart, and if she stayed much longer, she would touch him. Or he’d touch her again. If they ended up in bed and he dumped her again, she’d never survive.

  Jenna sat in the car, strapped on the seatbelt, and started the engine. He’d sold the inn, but she’d already let go of it. No matter what Uncle Charlie said, the inn had never been hers and never would be.

  She drove up the hill toward the gate, which he’d closed behind them. Resting her forehead on the wheel, she waited until he opened the gate to let her out. Her heart pounded so hard it made her eyes blurry. Deep breaths helped, and by the time the gate opened her head had cleared.

  <>

  When Sophia arrived at Angelo and Teresa’s house, she found Phillip there. Angelo said, “I hope you don’t mind, Ma. I invited your friend to have dinner with us today.”


  “I don’t mind at all.” She smiled at Phillip. “It’s a nice surprise.” A wonderful surprise, and it was time she started introducing Phillip to her children.

  Sophia held Liliana while Teresa and Angelo put dinner on the table. When Luciana started crying, Phillip picked her up and she settled right down. Vincent used to do the same thing. He always played with the babies while she put dinner on the table.

  They shared a warm smile and she looked up to see Angelo watching them. He didn’t know what to think yet, but whether he and the other kids approved of her friendship with Phillip or not, she wouldn’t stop seeing him.

  By the time they’d finished eating, Phillip had won Angelo and Teresa over. Nick had already accepted Phillip as a friend of the family, and Alessandro seemed to like him. That left Maria, Gina, Tony, and Vinnie.

  “Family dinner at Blade and Maria’s next Sunday,” said Angelo. “I hope you can join us, Phillip.”

  Phillip glanced at Sophia. “I’d be delighted to meet the rest of your family.”

  Katie was a very good girl, but an hour after they ate, she rubbed her eyes, and Sophia knew she had to get her home for a nap. She said her goodbyes and drove home.

  Jenna was sound asleep in the guest room. First she didn’t sleep at all, and now she slept all the time, and she looked so pale. Something was wrong, and she had a feeling that something had to do with Alessandro.

  She put Katie down for a nap and went into the kitchen to call her son. “Did something happen with Jenna today?”

  “Jenna picked out what she wanted from the inn and we moved some furniture to the garage. Why? Isn’t she there?”

  “Yes, but she’s sleeping again.”

  “She had a dizzy spell when she was here. Maybe she’s coming down with something.”

  “That must be it.” But Sophia had an idea this wasn’t an illness.

  <>

  Al worked on a preliminary sketch of another house plan. It was easier this time, because he’d cleared the air with Jenna. He’d wanted to kiss her so much he could almost taste her, but he was afraid to touch her, afraid she’d tell him to go to hell. If only she’d talked to him and told him about the check. If she had, she’d still be here at the inn with him, and they might be planning a future together.

  One of these days he might risk his heart again.

  Would she be willing to risk hers?

  He turned on the music and cranked it up to drown out the silence, and then he went to work on the kitchen of another plan. He saw Jenna dancing around in the kitchen of the plan, her hair flying around as she danced barefoot and sang along with Madonna.

  Maybe if he started in the bathroom. As he drew the spa tub in the corner of the room, he saw Jenna lying back in the tub, her toes sticking up through the bubbles, a terry robe lying on the floor beside the towel, and fat candles glowing in the corner of the window behind her.

  So much for the house. Maybe he could work on the garage. But when he tried, he saw Jenna in the driveway with Katie, washing her car.

  He gave up and drove to his mother’s house. He was hungry and she always had good things to eat.

  And Jenna was there.

  <>

  Jenna was lying in the half-sleep of someone not fully awake when she felt something heavy on the bed and a big, warm hand on her forehead. She opened her eyes and saw Alessandro’s worried face. “Don’t,” she whispered, and he removed his hand.

  “You don’t want me to touch you?”

  “No.”

  The worry in his eyes was replaced with hurt. “You’re still pissed at me?”

  She rolled up to sit on the other side of the bed. “It’s too hard,” she said before she walked into the bathroom and locked the door. If she wasn’t careful, she’d end up in bed with him again, and she couldn’t let it happen.

  It was time to find another place to live, time to move out of this house and get her things out of the garage at the inn. Time to get out of Alessandro’s life for good. She and Katie could get along without a man.

  Minutes later, they sat down to dinner together. Sophia had made Italian meatloaf, pasta tossed with vegetables in a spicy sauce, and garlic bread. It looked wonderful, but Jenna’s stomach couldn’t handle that much spice tonight. She ate some of the meatloaf and a few bites of bread.

  Sophia smiled warmly. “It’s all right, Jenna. I know you’re not feeling well. How about cereal or toast?”

  “Yes, thank you. I’ll fix it.”

  As Jenna made herself a piece of toast, she heard Alessandro asking his mother what was wrong.

  “She’ll be all right,” said Sophia.

  “Maybe I should take her back to the inn and—”

  “I’ll take good care of her, Alessandro.”

  “I know you will, Ma.”

  Jenna wondered what Sophia knew that she didn’t, but she wasn’t about to ask while Alessandro was there. She ate her toast and listened to Sophia tell Alessandro about Angelo and Teresa’s twin daughters. They’d just started sleeping through the night feeding. “Poor Teresa. All she does is feed those babies. She needs more sleep.”

  “Two babies at once must be twice the work,” said Jenna.

  “Yes, but Angelo is a good daddy. He’s helping her with the babies and the cooking. They’re such pretty babies. Luciana’s hair curls a little, and Liliana is always smiling. She’s such a happy baby.”

  Sophia asked Katie, “Do you like babies, Katie?”

  “Yeah. Can we make a baby, Mommy?”

  “You need a daddy and a mommy to make a baby.”

  Katie looked up at Alessandro, and Jenna muttered, “Don’t even think about it, Katie Bug.”

  Alessandro didn’t say anything, but he didn’t have to. The way he looked at her, with his eyes sparkling, said he was quite willing to do his part. “Don’t you think about it, either.”

  He gave her an innocent look. “Who, me?”

  Sophia watched the interaction between them and knew things were going better than they were yesterday. Alessandro hadn’t come here today because he was hungry. He knew she’d put a pan of lasagna in his refrigerator. He came to see Jenna.

  Alessandro didn’t suspect that she was pregnant. Jenna probably didn’t either, but Sophia recognized the signs. She knew they’d been sleeping together, something that was forbidden when Sophia was a girl.

  Nobody in her family knew she was pregnant when she married Vincent. He was the love of her life. After he died, people urged her to find another man and marry again, but no one could replace her precious Vincent. She was left with six children to raise, and she felt Vincent’s presence around her often until they were all grown. She still felt him now and then.

  Alessandro was still in diapers when his father died, and if she was right about Jenna, he was about to have a baby of his own to change and cuddle. Katie would have her baby brother or sister, and Jenna would be a wonderful mother. She was already a good mother to little Katie.

  After dinner, while Alessandro cleaned up the kitchen and Jenna bathed Katie, Sophia drove to the drug store, where she bought a pregnancy test kit.

  At home, Sophia found Katie in the kitchen chattering to Alessandro. Jenna was in the bathroom washing out the tub. Sophia walked in behind her and closed the door. “Jenna, is there any possibility that you could be pregnant?”

  Jenna stared in stunned silence. This was apparently something she hadn’t considered. Finally, she said, “It’s possible.”

  “I bought you something. You don’t have to tell anyone the results if you don’t want to, but if you are pregnant, you can’t hide it forever.” Sophia put the pregnancy test on the bathroom counter and left the room.

  Two minutes later, Jenna came out of the bathroom and nodded slightly. The results were positive. Sophia would have another grandbaby to love. She gave Jenna a big hug and left her alone.

  Jenna lay on her bed, sick to her stomach from the smell of food and sick at heart because she was pregnant and the
baby’s father didn’t love her. It didn’t matter with Brian, because she didn’t love him, but this wasn’t Brian. This was Alessandro, and she did love him. She’d give anything if she could undo the past.

  But she couldn’t.

  At least Alessandro would be a good father, no matter how he felt about her. He wouldn’t be anything like Brian, coming around when another woman dumped him, visiting Katie when it was convenient for him without considering that Katie was sitting in the window watching and waiting for him.

  Katie would have the baby sister or brother she wanted, and Jenna had a feeling they’d end up with another cat or two when Alessandro moved out of the inn.

  It was the wrong time to have a baby. She had health insurance this time, but one of the reasons Cara had hired her was because she was pregnant and sick herself. What would she do when she found out Jenna was pregnant, too?

  What would Alessandro do?

  He walked through the door behind her. She didn’t see him, but she felt his presence in the room. He sat on the side of the bed and put his hand on her shoulder. “Jenna? Are you all right?”

  Was she? Right now she wasn’t sure anything would ever be all right again.

  He closed the door and lay down beside her, and she knew she was going to cry again. Her emotions were so messed up right now she couldn’t help herself.

  “What’s wrong, honey?”

  “I can’t talk about it right now.”

  “Is it something I did?”

  Yes, but he didn’t do it alone. She was a more than willing participant. Now she’d go through another pregnancy, give birth to another baby, and have another child to love.

  He pulled her into his arms and tucked her head under his chin while his big hands held her gently. It felt so good, she stayed there, breathing in the male scent of him and wishing she could stay there forever. After a few minutes, she felt herself relax, and she fell asleep against his tear-dampened shirt.

  Al knew he should get up and go home, but he couldn’t move. It was the first time since California she’d let him hold her like this, and he didn’t want to let go. She wasn’t feeling well, and she was upset about something, but she couldn’t talk to him about it.