“Don’t worry about it.” He unlocked the hotel room door and carried her son inside. Laying him gently down on the bed, he stepped back before he turned to her.
“I do worry about it,” she whispered, hanging back by the door. “If the car repair is too expensive.” She dragged her hand through her hair. “I’m sorry, this is my problem.” She let out a low laugh. “Although, it might be your problem if I can’t pay the hotel bill.”
“We’ll figure something out.” His concern was evident as he stared at her. Whether his concern was for her or her potential unpaid bill, she couldn’t figure out.
“Why don’t I bring you something to eat?”
“No.” She waved his offer away. “I really can’t afford room service.”
“Call it an early birthday gift.” He ducked his head and held her gaze. “Please.”
She nodded. “Thanks. Maybe I can pick up a shift in the hotel or something, to repay you.” Her forehead wrinkled. “I am not trying to get you to hire me.”
“Just eat and rest. We can figure things out tomorrow.” He stepped sideways, skirting around her as he headed toward the door. “I’ll be back in a few minutes with something for you to eat.”
“Thank you.” His kindness was enough to bring her to her knees. She’d been so scared of the future, but the kindness of this stranger gave her hope.
He nodded and left the room and Penny dropped her backpack on the floor before she went to the bed and slid Milo’s shoes off his feet. Unbuttoning his jeans, she carefully removed them before digging his PJs out of his pack and putting them on his little legs. Cradling his head against her, she carefully removed his coat and sweater. He could sleep in his T-shirt for the night.
After dropping a kiss on his forehead, she picked him up and slid him under the bedcovers. Stepping back, she stared down at her son. He was the most precious thing in the world to her. As long as they were together, it didn’t matter where they were.
A light knock at the door signaled the arrival of Logan with a trayful of food. She smelled it before she even opened the door and her mouth watered while her stomach rumbled in appreciation. She’d bought takeout for Milo on the journey but had been too anxious about the trip to eat herself.
“That’s too much,” she protested as Logan carried in the tray. There was a plate of chicken, potatoes, and vegetables, with an herby sauce just begging to be savored. Next to the plate were a couple of desserts. One was a cheesecake, her favorite, while the other was some kind of chocolate cake smothered in a silky sauce. Not what she’d been expecting from a smalltown hotel.
“The kitchen is about to close. So think of it as leftovers.” She didn’t quite believe Logan, but she wasn’t going to argue with his generosity. She would hate to insult his hospitality.
“You’ve been so kind.” She followed him across the room as he set the tray down on the small table for two in the corner by the window.
Penny hadn’t taken much notice of the room, she’d been so concerned with getting Milo into bed that the furnishings and decor had remained unnoticed until now. Each piece of furniture looked handmade, certainly nothing like the furniture found in modern hotels. The small table was made of solid wood, as was the dresser which graced one side of the room, next to a built-in closet, with intricately carved handles. The drapes adorning the windows were thick, the kind that would be a pleasure to pull across the window when a storm raged outside. Only there was no storm.
Penny stared at the moon. It hadn’t moved since she’d arrived in town. Or perhaps it had, and it was Penny who had moved and was looking at it from a different angle.
“Maybe tomorrow, I could show you the bay.” Logan’s inviting tone made her nod as if she had no choice but to say yes.
“Won’t you be busy?” she asked.
“I can find an hour or two to take you and Milo down to the beach.” He turned to face her, the moonlight catching his eyes making them crackle. She could stare into his eyes all day. And all night.
“I’d like that. Frank is looking at my car in the morning. I said I’d meet him at the garage, but I’m sure it’ll take him a couple of hours to fix the car.”
“A couple of hours,” he murmured.
“Yes, then I have to leave. Helena will be worried enough already that we’re...” Her eyes widened, and she reached for her phone. “I haven’t called her to tell her we won’t be arriving tonight.” She took her phone out of her pocket and checked for a signal. A couple of bars. That should be enough. “Thanks for everything.”
“Enjoy your food. I’ll see you tomorrow.” It was a promise, one she doubted he would break.
“Tomorrow.” She nodded and watched him leave before she pressed dial on her phone and waited for Helena to answer. “Helena. It’s me.”
“Penny, are you all right?” Helena always seemed to pick up on her sister’s mood, even over the phone.
“My car broke down,” Penny explained.
“Oh, no, are you and Milo okay?”
“Yes, we’re fine. I made it to a town called Wishing Moon Bay. The car is at the garage and they’ll take a look at it in the morning.”
“Where are you sleeping tonight?” Helena was well aware of Penny’s financial situation. “You’re not sleeping in the car, are you? I know Milo would see it as an adventure, but still…”
“No, we’re not in the car. We’re in a hotel.”
“Do you need me to send you some money?” Helena had offered to help Penny out financially when she heard about her money troubles. Up until now, Penny had said no. This small detour might have to make her reconsider.
“We’re fine for now. Thanks for the offer. I’ll let you know if I need anything.”
“Please do, Penny. Don’t let your pride get in the way.” Helena paused. “Keep me updated on what the garage says about the car. Get here when you can.”
“I will.”
“And if you have to stay a few days, then enjoy it. You and the little man need a break. Maybe this is fate’s way of telling you to slow down and take a couple of days off. Enjoy the moment.”
“I need to get Milo settled and find a job, I don’t exactly have time for a vacation.”
“Which is exactly when you need one.” Helena gave a short laugh. “You know what Mom always said.”
“Life doesn’t always give you what you want, it gives you what you need, even if you don’t know it yet.” Penny missed her mom with all her heart. Even if there were times when her behavior was a little strange. “I love you, Helena.”
“I love you, too. Sweet dreams and don’t worry.”
“I’ll try not to.” Penny ended the call and picked up her fork. There was nothing she could do to change the current situation. So she might as well take Helena’s advice and enjoy the moment.
As she took a mouthful of the wonderful food, she realized that was a good, simple plan.
A very good plan.
Chapter Four – Logan
He had to convince her to stay. Logan went to bed with those words circling around in his head and when he woke up, they were still there. With no apparent solution short of going over to Frank and Dennis Car Repairs and ripping the wiring out of her car.
A little over the top, don’t you think? His wolf stretched leisurely, seemingly untroubled by their mate walking into their lives and then right back out.
No, I don’t think. Penny is supposed to go and live with her sister. Do you think she’d change her plans and stay here with us just because we asked her? He ground his teeth together as he slid out of bed and went to the bathroom.
Stepping into the shower, he switched on the water, it was cold, just as he liked it. Why the guy in room one had to keep complaining was beyond him. But then the guy was older and a non-shifter. Logan didn’t need to use his senses to know the guy was a warlock. He’d been very open about that information when he’d arrived. It was as if the guy thought it made him special or would get him better service. It wouldn’
t. Everyone was equal to Logan. He’d learned that lesson from Valerie.
Logan’s mood hadn’t improved by the time he’d showered and dressed. As he went downstairs, the first rays of dawn were creeping through the window and the call of the outdoors was stronger than ever. Only this time he wanted to take his mate and her son with him. If only he could scoop them up into his arms and run away with them to his cabin in the mountains. There he would persuade Penny to stay.
However, his duty to Valerie prevented him from doing just that.
Good, because nothing would scare our mate more than being kidnapped and taken to a remote cabin, his wolf said drily.
Penny and Milo might love the cabin. Logan raked a hand through his hair. There was no point thinking about whisking them away, he had to stay here at the hotel. He’d promised Valerie he would, and he wasn’t about to break that promise.
His first stop was the coffee pot. The first person into the kitchen in the morning always made a fresh pot, it was one of Valerie’s unwritten rules and one he obeyed. Everyone worked better after their first cup of coffee.
“Morning.” Ivan, one of Logan’s brothers and also the hotel chef, was next into the kitchen. He always arrived as the coffee was ready. Logan was certain Ivan had a sixth sense, not only for when the coffee was ready. Ivan was an alchemist, with the natural ability to turn the simplest of food into delicious meals.
“Morning.” Logan poured coffee into two cups and handed one to Ivan.
“You look rough.” Ivan’s people skills were better than Logan’s, but the guy said it like he saw it.
“Thanks.” Logan ran his hand through his still-damp hair. “I had a restless night.”
“Anything to do with the new arrival?” Ivan sipped his coffee, his eyes twinkling as he watched Logan. “You know, the one who got your dinner last night.”
Logan ground his teeth together. “She’d had a traumatic experience.”
Ivan arched an eyebrow. “As have most of our guests. You do know you’re supposed to keep them all happy and make sure their stay here is hassle-free and peaceful. Mom always says the customer is always right.”
“I’m not Mom.” Logan drank his coffee, his senses fixed on his mate who was still in bed. Sleeping. His chest rose and fell in time with hers and a sense of peace descended on him.
“I think we all know that.” Ivan chuckled. “Just remember Valerie has spent years building up the reputation of this place... You know, after the last owner...”
“Rad the Bad.” Logan shook his head in disdain. “Who calls themselves that?”
“The kind of guy who thought the town needed a Gothic-themed haunted hotel.” Ivan rolled his eyes. “Warlocks.”
“Exactly. Warlocks. They think they’re above the rest of us.”
“But the warlock in room one is still a paying guest. Which means, if the shower goes cold, we apologize and figure out the problem.” Ivan fixed Logan with a look. A look that said he needed to do better.
“I’ll take a look at it today. Again,” Logan relented. “Although, I have no idea why the shower in room one has to behave any differently than the showers in the other rooms.”
“The house has a will of its own.” Ivan went to the coffee pot and poured himself another cup. “A refill?”
“No, I’m good, thanks. I want to get all my chores done, I offered to take Penny and Milo down to the bay and show them around.” Logan placed his cup in the sink.
“Penny and Milo.” Ivan turned to face Logan. “Is she the one?”
Logan nodded absently, his head reverberating with one question—how did he convince her to stay?
“Lucky you. Maybe she might put a smile on your face.”
Logan frowned. “I know how to smile.”
“Maybe you should practice it a bit more.” Ivan carried his coffee to the fridge and pulled it open. “I’ll get breakfast started. There are more guests arriving today. There are no vacancies after tomorrow night.” He didn’t lift his head from the fridge as he reminded Logan of this news.
“I’ll figure something out.” His eyes lifted to the ceiling and he focused on Penny. She was stirring. Milo was awake.
“Yes, you will,” Ivan assured him. “If you need any help, let me know.”
Logan’s attention jolted away from his mate and fixed on Ivan instead. “I could offer them Valerie’s room in her apartment. But I think Penny might find that weird.” Valerie’s once large apartment, where she’d raised the six boys had been converted into a smaller two-bedroom apartment. The remainder of the rooms had been converted to allow the restaurant area to grow as Ivan’s cooking skills brought in more diners.
“Asking your mate to move in with you on the first day? Just a little. But if they are really stuck, they can have my apartment and I’ll bunk here with you.”
“Thanks, Ivan. I didn’t expect you to offer up your apartment.”
“I am a believer in true love. If Penny found her way here, then she’s meant to stay.” Ivan placed a slab of bacon on the counter. “Call me a romantic.”
“If you have any ideas on how I’m supposed to make that happen, I’m all ears.”
Ivan chuckled. “Don’t say that in front of room one. As a warlock, he might make that happen for you.”
“He wouldn’t dare.”
“Oh, I think he would.” Ivan lowered his voice and approached Logan.
“I’ll go take a look at his shower.”
“You do know why he gets the cold shower, don’t you?”
Logan’s brows bunched together. “No.”
“The house hates warlocks.” Ivan nodded knowingly.
“The house hates warlocks.” Logan let out a shuddering breath. “There I was thinking you were being serious.”
“I am. Rad the Bad was a warlock. He used to perform spells on the house. He made the staircases move, the doors disappear...” Ivan thumbed his chest. “I was told by a guest who stayed here back then that the house hated it.”
“The house... The hotel... You’re saying it has feelings?” Logan asked.
“How would you like to have all your insides twisted around?” Ivan chuckled as he fetched the heavy frying pan from where it hung on the wall. “Believe me or not. But there is a reason the water runs cold for the warlock.”
“Then there’s no way I can fix it?” Logan narrowed his eyes. “Or are you making the whole thing up?”
Ivan chuckled as he put the bacon in the pan. “That, brother, you will have to figure out for yourself.”
“Great, a dragon shifter with a sense of humor.”
“A sense of humor and a huge talent for culinary skills. I’d say my parents would be proud, but I’d be lying.” His laughter followed Logan out of the kitchen and into the reception area. He really should go up to room one and check if the water was okay. But what he really wanted to do was wait here until his mate came downstairs. Even if it meant standing there for hours. Or eternity.
She is worth waiting for, his wolf sighed.
Logan went to the bottom of the stairs and looked up, then he stepped onto the first stair, then the second. It was as if she was reeling him in, pulling him toward her with an invisible irresistible force.
“Logan.” Room number one’s door flew open and the guy, Jeremy Barnes, stood there in a robe, his hair wet and glistening with shampoo. “The water is cold. Again.”
Penny is coming down the stairs, his wolf hissed, distracting Logan from Jeremy and the cold shower.
“Logan!” Jeremy snapped.
“What?” Logan turned toward the stairs and watched as his mate appeared with the dinner tray in her hand.
“The water.”
“Can’t you just take a cold shower?” Logan smiled as his mate saw him.
“We went over this yesterday. I want a hot shower.” He folded his arms across his body. “There must be a loose connection or something. One minute it’s hot and then the next it’s freezing. It’s not good enough.”
/> “I’m busy right now, I’ll get to it later.” Logan swallowed nervously as Penny came toward them.
“Later isn’t good enough. I have shampoo in my hair and an appointment at ten o’clock.”
“I’m busy,” Logan ground out.
“Busy staring at one guest while ignoring another one,” Jeremy replied bluntly.
“Is there a problem?” Penny reached the two men and smiled brightly.
“My shower is running cold, again, and Logan refuses to take a look at it,” Jeremy said quickly.
“I didn’t refuse...” Logan sighed heavily. “I’ll come and take a look at it now.”
“Thank you.” Jeremy stared at Penny for a long moment. Too long a moment. “I don’t think we’ve met.” He held out a clean hand.
“I arrived last night. Logan very kindly found me a room after my car broke down and I found myself unexpectedly in Wishing Moon Bay.” She juggled the tray into one hand and shook the warlock’s hand.
“Unexpectedly.” Jeremy’s eyes narrowed and his attention switched briefly to Logan. “How about that?”
“I’ll check out the shower.” Logan ushered Jeremy inside and turned in the doorway to speak to Penny. “Ivan is in the kitchen, he’ll get you a tray of breakfast and some coffee. I hope you and Milo slept all right.”
“We did, thanks.” She looked past him into the room where Jeremy hovered just behind his shoulder. “I’ll leave you to your work.”
Logan nodded like a fool and then shut the door firmly. “Right, let’s take another look at this shower.”
“Unexpectedly,” Jeremy repeated. “That doesn’t happen.”
“I know.” Logan should have gone and gotten his toolkit before attempting to fix the shower, but he’d wanted to put a barrier between this warlock and his mate. There was something about the way the guy looked at Logan’s mate that he did not like. He did not like it one bit.
“So why is she here?” Jeremy followed Logan to the small, connected bathroom that contained a toilet, sink, and shower. Eyeing the offending shower, he recalled what Ivan had said about the hotel not liking warlocks. Logan didn’t like them much either, not when they were this interested in his mate and why she was in town.
The White Wolf of Wishing Moon Bay Page 3