by Alicia White
Andrew pulled on his tool belt and went to the fuse box. He messed around with the circuits, changing them out for new ones and reconnecting the wires. “Please, please, please let this work,” he said quietly to himself.
After he was finished with the fuse box, he went back in and changed the light bulb. Andrew stood by the light switch, holding his breath. He closed his eyes tight and flicked it to the on position. He waited to hear a loud pop sound, but nothing came. He opened his eyes and the light was on, shining brightly.
“Yes!” He did a fist pump in the air and jumped around, feeling completely overwhelmed with excitement. This project would end on time and everything would be fine. He just needed to keep having a positive attitude.
Chapter 5
One Week Later
Sam had already loaded his luggage and gun case into the truck. He sat on the barstool, sipping his coffee, waiting for Andrew. He had woken up early, wanting to hit the road for their six-hour drive to Spirit. Now, he was waiting for Andrew to finish with his shower. When the water shut off, he got up and filled his travel mug. Most of their projects were finished or only needed the final touches to be complete. Luckily, they had a good team that would be able to make it happen while they were gone.
Andrew strolled out of his bedroom, his luggage strapped around his body. His hair was wet, and Sam knew he was tired. “Coffee?” he asked, and Sam pointed to his cup sitting on the counter.
They headed out of the house, loaded up Andrew’s stuff, and jumped in the truck. He always loved going to Spirit. Being there gave him a sense of peace that he never usually experienced, and he really loved seeing his parents.
Andrew’s loud groan caught his attention. “What? Did you forget something?” Sam slowed down, ready to pull over and drive back to the house.
“No. It’s six in the morning. Why couldn’t we sleep in?” he complained.
“We’ll be in Spirit by lunchtime. We can check into the Inn and then go see our mom and dads.”
“It’s the first day of our vacation. Next time, let me sleep.” Andrew grabbed the handle next to his seat and leaned it back, closing his eyes.
Sam shrugged his shoulders. He loved driving in silence. It was his way to meditate in the morning. He turned onto the interstate and headed toward Spirit, Colorado. He had a lot of plans for this vacation, and he hoped that they would be able to accomplish everything. He wanted to go to the gun show, but he also wanted to go hunting. They rarely had time to have fun in Santa Fe. They had been focusing so much on work and getting their company jobs that they didn’t go out.
* * * *
Six hours of driving with Sam and Andrew was about to lose his mind. Although he felt like he and Sam had a lot in common when it came to music, they disagreed. For once, he wanted to listen to something other than country western music. He was sick of hearing men whine and complain about women troubles, alcohol, their dogs, and their damn trucks. When they pulled into Spirit and drove down High Country Boulevard, he had wanted to jump for joy.
They pulled up to the High Country Inn, and Andrew jumped out of the truck. He stretched and inhaled the clean, chilly mountain air. He loved this place. He just needed to talk to Sam, but in order to convince him, Sam needed to be in the right mood. After a few beers with Mom and his dads, they might talk him into moving.
Andrew smiled, grabbed his luggage, and headed toward the entrance. They needed to check in, drop off their luggage, and then head to their parents’ house. He knew that they were waiting for them. He stood by the elevator while Sam checked them in, hoping he wouldn’t take too long.
Sam walked toward Andrew, holding a keycard and wearing a smile. “It feels good to be on vacation doesn’t it?” He pushed the button, and the doors opened on a ding. They both walked onto the elevator and waited patiently for it to rise to the third floor. Andrew was glad he had been able to sleep for a few hours. Otherwise, he would be too tired to go to their parents’. As it was, being in a car for six hours nonstop was too much.
His stomach growled, and he rubbed the hollow ache, needing some food desperately. Sam pushed the keycard into the slot, and pushed down the handle, opening the door. They both walked in and dumped their luggage on opposite beds, each claiming one of the queens. He had hoped to be staying at the bed-and-breakfast, especially since their mother had been talking about Selena Easton for years.
“I need food. Let’s go see Mom. She’s the best cook I know.” Clearing his throat, he smiled widely. He loved teasing Sam. His facial expressions were priceless. “Besides you, of course.” Their mom had taught Sam everything he needed to know to be the perfect housewife. He kept that thought to himself, not wanting to push all of his brother’s buttons.
Sam shot him an evil glare, shaking his head, and Andrew laughed. “I’m serious. I’m starving. Can we go?”
“Come on. I know that they’re waiting for us,” Sam said. They left the hotel and headed for the truck in the parking lot.
* * * *
Ruth heard a truck pull up the gravel driveway and ran outside to greet both Sam and Andrew. She was so excited to see them. She had been waiting for them for almost an hour and couldn’t wait to hear what they thought about Selena. She had all of their favorite dishes lined up on the table, hoping that they might be persuaded to tell her. Did they think that she could be the one? That was the question she wanted to ask, but she knew that it wasn’t really any of her concern.
She could see both of their big smiles as the truck pulled up closer. Sam parked the truck in front of the house, and they both jumped out of the truck. “Mom, it’s so good to see you. You look great! How are you doing?” Andrew pulled her into a tight hug and in that moment she realized how sad she had been without them both near her. Andrew moved out of the way, making room for Sam to give her a hug next.
“I’m good. I’m so glad to see you both. Come in. I’ve got some lunch waiting for you.”
“I knew it! Thank you, I’m starved,” Andrew said, walking inside the house. She followed both her boys inside and straight to the kitchen. Andrew wasted no time, grabbing a plate and filling it to the brim.
“So, how was the drive?” She already knew where her line of questioning was going, but she took things slowly, hoping they would say something about Selena.
“It was good,” Sam said, smiling as he made a plate for himself.
“What do you think about the bed-and-breakfast? It looks great doesn’t it? Selena…” She trailed off, waiting to hear what they thought of her.
“We’re actually staying at the High Country Inn,” Sam said, and Ruth stood frozen, shocked.
“Why? Why aren’t you staying at the B and B?” It didn’t make any sense. She had asked Selena to make a reservation for them. She turned to look at Andrew. He was supposed to make sure they stayed there. He only shrugged.
“I called and tried to make a reservation, but the B and B was full. No big deal. We’re still planning on coming for breakfast every morning to see you.” He winked and gave her a killer smile and started eating.
Ruth sat down and started eating, feeling a little confused. Selena had promised to make a reservation for Sam and Andrew. She had said that there was a room available. Did she change her mind? Did she not want to meet her two boys?
She half listened to Sam and Andrew talk, trying to figure out what had caused Selena’s change of heart. Chaos seemed to break out as her husbands, Thomas and William, walked into the kitchen. Sam and Andrew jumped up and hugs were exchanged all around. It was so wonderful to watch them together.
She felt blessed to have her family together once more. Ever since both Sam and Andrew moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, she had only had the opportunity to see them a few times a year. Christmas, March for the yearly gun show, and then a week during summertime. She hated to admit that she wanted them to move back to Spirit. Her reasons weren’t all selfish, though. Yes, she wanted her family back together, but she really wanted her husbands to be able to
retire. They weren’t as young as they used to be, and she knew they were getting tired.
They spent the afternoon talking and eating. Having the house full once more made her feel complete in a way she hadn’t for a while. They sat around the fire, having coffee as the sun slowly set and the night air grew colder.
She yawned, trying to stay awake longer, not wanting to miss any time with her sons. “Honey, I think it’s time we call it a night,” Thomas whispered in her ear, and she smiled.
“I know. I’m tired. I don’t want to go to sleep, though. It’s so good to finally have Sam and Andrew here.” Ruth leaned into Thomas and William, who moved closer to her, placing his hand on her thigh.
“Let’s call it a night.” Sam stretched out his long legs, standing up. “Tomorrow morning we’ll come to the B and B for breakfast.” Andrew stood up as well. They both walked over, and she stood up, hugging them good night.
Tomorrow would be a new day, and maybe she would be able to speak to Selena and get some answers.
Chapter 6
Selena woke up and stared at the ceiling. She knew that she had to get out of bed, but for some reason she just didn’t feel motivated today. Maybe she needed a vacation or a break from the B and B. She seemed to be in a funk lately and knew that she needed some changes. She listened to the sound of the clock tick back and forth for a few minutes and then got up.
She went through her usual morning routine and then walked out to the reception desk. She needed to check the schedule. For some reason she felt like she was missing something. Selena thumbed through the reservation book and noticed that Ruth’s sons, Andrew and Sam hadn’t checked in the previous day. She shrugged her shoulders and wondered if they would be arriving today.
She walked out to the entryway and lit the incense, pulled out her yoga mat, and sat down. It was still dark outside, and she stared out at the snow, watching as it glistened under the moonlight. Spirit was beautiful. Selena closed her eyes and took a few deep, cleansing breaths, clearing her mind. She had everything that she wanted, but still something was missing from her life and she couldn’t quite put her finger on what that was. She sat there for a few minutes, relaxing her body, and preparing for the day ahead.
The sound of Ruth’s car pulled her back to reality, and Selena quickly stood up and folded her yoga mat. She only planned on working through breakfast and then she was going to head to Trapper Bill’s Outfitters for the opening day of the gun show. She was hoping to get a good deal on a new hunting rifle or bow. She needed some time outdoors.
Selena opened the kitchen door and smiled at Ruth as she got out of her old car. “Good morning, Ruth. How are you today?”
“I’m fine,” Ruth said as she brushed past her, and Selena arched her brows, feeling very confused. Ruth was usually so happy and the morning.
“Okay.” She closed the door, letting the screen slam. She turned around and faced Ruth, watching as she moved around the kitchen, getting the ingredients together to make pancakes. “Ruth, what’s going on?”
“Nothing,” she said sharply, and Selena crossed her arms over her chest, knowing that there was obviously something bothering Ruth.
“I know that something is bothering you. What happened?” Selena asked, becoming anxious. She wasn’t sure if she had done something to upset Ruth. She searched her mind, trying to think of what she could have done to upset or offend her.
She watched Ruth stir the batter aggressively and tried to say something, but she had no idea where to start. She waited patiently for Ruth to tell her what had happened. Selena went about the kitchen, folding a small pile of napkins and then running to the dining room to decorate the tables. Breakfast was due to be served and she needed to stay on schedule.
When she returned to the kitchen, Ruth was cooking breakfast, and the wonderful aroma filled the large space. After a couple of minutes, Ruth turned to her. “Why did you tell Sam that the B and B was booked when I asked you last week to make a reservation for them?”
“I did make a reservation for them.” She shook her head. “I never talked to Sam.” She felt confused by this whole conversation.
“They’re staying at the inn across the street. Sam said that he called and talked to you and that you said there weren’t any openings.”
“Ruth, I never spoke to Sam. I’ll show you the reservation book. I booked them both in the last room that I had available. Promise.” Ruth didn’t say anything for a minute, and Selena was tempted to run into the other room to get the reservation book to prove she wasn’t lying.
“Okay. Maybe it was miscommunication.” She smiled, and Selena felt relieved that their small little spat was over. She hated tension, especially with one of her favorite people.
Ruth pulled on her earphones and started listening to her favorite music. This was her normal routine when Selena wasn’t in the kitchen. Ruth said that the music always helped her to move to a quicker beat. Selena walked to the large table and sat down on one of the barstools, folding the rest of the napkins.
Beverley walked in and put her apron on, preparing to start serving the guests. “Good morning.” She smiled, spitting her gum into the trash can.
“Good morning, Bev. How are you doing?” Selena asked.
“Good. Are you heading to the gun show today?”
“Yup. After breakfast. You’re staying at the reception desk, right?” She had asked Ruth and Beverly to work a few more hours so that she could go to the show and not have to worry about any of their guests.
“Yeah. No problem.” Beverly smiled, grabbing her tray and heading back to the dining room.
Selena focused back on her job of folding the napkins and other dish towels. She did a few loads of laundry daily. She could hear Ruth behind her moving around the kitchen making breakfast. Ruth hummed as she flipped the pancakes and Selena could hear the bacon sizzle when it hit the pan.
“Hey, girlfriend,” Lana’s sweet voice chirped, and Selena smiled, looking up at her friend.
“Hey, sweetie. I didn’t expect to see you this morning. Weather’s a bit grim,” she said, continuing to fold.
Lana grinned, “I know, but I wanted to share some good news.”
Selena stopped folding and stared at Lana, curious as to what she was going to say. “Do tell.”
She glanced over Selena’s shoulder. She obviously had something private to share and wanted to make sure that Ruth wasn’t going to hear what she had to say. She kept her voice low and whispered just loud enough for Selena to hear. “I had an amazing night of debauchery.”
Selena covered her mouth in mock shock, wanting to laugh at the look on Lana’s face. “You slept with Jake Martin?” she guessed, hoping that her night of debauchery was with Mr. Hottie.
“Shh. Jake? No. His brother, Cal,” she told her.
Selena grinned and wagged a finger. “Naughty girl. Tell me everything.” She placed the stack of napkins off to the side.
“Well, I went to the Emporium and bought a really cute pink, lacy bra-and-panty set. Oh, I also met the new owner, Casey Charles. She’s really sweet. You have to meet her.”
“Tell me about Cal. We can talk about Casey later. I want details.” Selena waited impatiently.
“Okay, so he came back to my place after dinner. Let me just say that the man is seriously packing.” She winked, and Selena laughed. “He’s definitely an ass man, too.” She laughed.
“Oh, my God.” Selena’s brain went right to a ménage scenario. She couldn’t stop thinking about having sex with multiple men. Maybe Lana would get the chance with Cal and Jake.
“He played with me until I was ready to beg. Let me tell you that man has one wicked tongue. I swear he’s an expert. I’ve never had a man that could make me come that hard with his mouth. Then, we had sex. Oh, my God, he rocked my world all night long! I’ve never had sex in a chair before, and let me just say, it was amazing.” Selena hung onto every single word she said, wishing and dreaming that she had a man.
Se
lena clamped a hand over her mouth then looked over at Ruth to make sure she was still listening to her music. “That’s awesome, though I still think you should consider adding another to the mix.” There were a lot of women in town who were in ménage relationships, and she’d always wondered what that would be like. She fantasized about having multiple men all the time.
“You mean be with Jake and Cal at the same time? I don’t even know if they’d want to.” Even though she said that she wasn’t sure she wanted both Jake and Cal, Selena could tell that she did.
Selena shrugged, pretending like she was an expert in having multiple men. “I bet if you’d ask they’d agree. Take one or take both. In my opinion, having four hands on you is so much better than two.”
“I could hardly control myself with Cal’s wonderful hands on my body. Have you ever had a ménage?”
Her shoulder slumped. “Only in my dreams.” She had wanted two men for years but she didn’t think a one-night stand was going to be enough to satisfy her.
Beverly walked through the door at that minute and announced, “You got three more breakfast takers.” Ruth handed her three more plates and Beverly left the kitchen to serve the guests.
Lana stood. “I won’t keep you. I just wanted to share.”
“What are you up to now?” She was hoping that they could make plans to get together. She really needed a night out on the town.
“I need to prep for the trial. I go back to work tomorrow. At least it’s only for two days and then it’s the weekend.”
Selena hugged her good-bye. “Think about what I said.”
“Thinking is okay. It’s the doing part that scares me silly.”
“Sometimes a girl has to take a chance.” She knew that she needed to start taking more chances. Her life was becoming a bit boring.