“Is it? Is it, really?”
He was speaking cryptically again. “Eric, I just want to know where I stand and what you want me to do.”
“I want you to keep your same job. But in addition, I want to help you as much as I can when I’m here.”
“With what?” She couldn’t really see him making beds or blueberry muffins.
“First, I want to make sure our work relationship is taken care of. I’ve asked the lawyer to visit with us in a day or two so we can draw up a contract.”
“Contract?”
“Salary, days off. Benefits. She is also going to take care of all the accounting.”
“So I’ll only have to worry about the guests.”
“Yes. Then, after we get that settled, I want to talk to you about improvements. This is a pretty inn, but it looks like some of the rooms and such could use a little TLC. I thought I could handle that part.”
Beverly’s hands started shaking. Her financial worries would be eased, but she’d still be able to do her job. She wasn’t even going to have to move. As far as most people would be concerned, nothing would change. She was going to be okay.
It was so incredible, so much better than her worst fears, her eyes watered.
“Are you crying?” He got to his feet, true panic in his voice. “Please don’t start crying on me, Bev. I’m no good at tears.”
Now, there was a story. He sounded so adorable, she grinned at him through her tears. “Seeing a woman cry distresses you that much?”
“Absolutely. I hate when Amy cries.”
Amy? “Who’s Amy?”
“My girlfriend.”
“Ah.” Her throat felt tight as she fought to hold back an unwelcome wave of jealousy. He had every right to a girlfriend. For that matter, how in the world had she imagined that he wouldn’t have someone special? He was handsome, self-assured, and rather kind.
And funny, too.
Who wouldn’t want a man like him?
Hoping she didn’t sound too fake, she said brightly, “I, um, didn’t know you had a girlfriend.”
“We’ve been off and on for a couple of years.” Looking satisfied, he said, “Currently, we are back on.”
“That’s good.” Frustrated with herself, she shook her head. “I mean, that’s great, Eric. I’m happy for you.”
Now she felt like crying for a whole different set of reasons, reasons that didn’t bear thinking about. Turning away from him, she walked across the room and pulled a tissue from the box and dabbed her eyes. Took a deep breath. When she faced him again, she had almost completely regained her composure.
“Everything sounds good, Eric. You know what? The inn is fairly quiet right now. Why don’t you simply walk around a bit and inspect some things? Then later I can answer any questions.”
A line formed between his brows. “Did I upset you again?”
“Not at all. Knowing I’ll get to stay here made me happy. Actually, I might be the happiest woman in Pinecraft.”
As his gaze drifted over her face, his expression grew thoughtful. For a moment, it looked like he was going to say something, but instead, he smiled. “Good. That’s real good. Great.”
Before she could comment on that, he turned away.
PENNY TOOK THE LONG way home from the Orange Blossom Inn. She didn’t know why, exactly. She was in no hurry to face her parents, but other than them, she had no one else to see.
But what a day it had been! All day she’d felt deliciously decadent, going off to the beach with Michael Knoxx. Of course, her adventure had brought forth a myriad of feelings, too. She’d had moments of giddiness and depression. She’d been hopeful and scared to death. Worried and sleepy and so blissfully content, she wasn’t even sure there was a way to describe it.
Now, her nose was surely sunburned, her dress was full of sand, her feet were sore, and she was tired. But also so happy.
It had been a wonderful-gut day. The best.
Still, she knew that the moment she walked into her house it was all going to take a turn for the worse. Her parents were going to be angry and worried. Sullen and obstinate. They were going to want answers and she was afraid that she wouldn’t have any for them.
She was so lost in her thoughts, she hardly heard Violet Kaufmann call out to her. When she turned, she saw Violet, her brother, Zack, and his fiancée, Leona, all sitting on the front steps of the Kaufmann house.
“Hi,” she said awkwardly. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying any attention.”
“That’s okay,” Violet said with a smile. “We were just wondering if you’d gone to the beach today.”
“I did.” Glad for a reason to delay the inevitable, she walked closer. “It was wunderbaar.”
Leona smiled. “I bet. Zack and I might go sometime this weekend.”
“Who did you go with?” Violet asked.
“Um, one of the guests at the inn.”
Violet’s eyebrows rose. “Really? You went with a stranger?”
“Not really. He’s staying there for a month, and one of my duties is to look out for him.”
Violet frowned. “That sounds awkward. Is he old?”
“Nee. He’s um, about my age. One year older.”
Zack grinned. “So it was like a date.”
Though she tried hard to hide it, Zack’s playful words made her feel even more awkward than she usually did. She was starting to wish she hadn’t taken the long way home. “Not that at all. I mean, a man like him wouldn’t date me.”
“Why not?” Leona asked. “Is he English?”
“Mennonite.”
“I’m dating a Mennonite man,” Violet said, as if she had all the answers to Penny’s problems. “My parents weren’t exactly thrilled about me seeing him, but they came around.”
“It’s not that.”
“Then what is it?” Violet asked.
“You don’t have to tell us if you’d rather not,” Leona said quickly. “Or is it that he’s not nice?”
This game of twenty questions was making Penny’s head spin. Realizing that someone might have seen them together anyway, she said, “I was with Michael Knoxx.”
All three of them looked stunned. “You mean the Michael Knoxx?” Violet practically whispered. “Of the Knoxx Family?”
“Jah. He’s staying at the inn. We’ve become friends.”
“Why’s he staying here in Pinecraft?”
“I’m afraid I can’t say. That’s his story, not mine.” She braced herself, ready for them to argue, but instead of pushing her, Leona and Violet merely nodded.
Zack, on the other hand, just looked at her as if she’d said something amusing. “Why would you think he wouldn’t be interested in courting you, Penny?”
She blinked at him. Was he teasing her? “You know.”
He shook his head. “You’re pretty. And though no one really knows you well, it’s obvious you’re kind.”
“Zack’s right,” Leona said. “Why, I’m sure any man would thank his lucky stars to spend time with you.”
“Um, I had better go. My parents are surely upset with me for being gone all day.” Taking a chance, she confided, “Putting it off isn’t going to make it any easier.”
Violet got to her feet. “Penny, didn’t they get mad at you and not let you eat supper on Monday?”
“Kind of. I mean, they, um, decided to go out for pizza and didn’t bring me anything to eat. That’s when I stopped by your house.” As soon as she said the words, she wished she could take them back. Not because they weren’t true, but because they revealed too much about how things had been. “I’ll be all right tonight.”
“How about I go with you?” Violet offered.
She felt like she’d already shared too much about how uncomfortable her home life had become. The last thing she needed was for Violet to actually witness her parents giving her the silent treatment. “Danke, but—”
“Penny, I’m starting to realize that you don’t like to ask for help. Why don’t
I go with you so if your parents are upset with you, you can come stay at my house?”
“I couldn’t.”
“Sure you could. My parents love to have company,” Zack said. He got to his feet, too, then pulled Leona up by the hand. “Hey, why don’t the three of us go with you?”
Ack, but this was getting awkward! “I think having Violet with me is enough. Thank you for the offer, though.”
Violet picked up Penny’s tote bag and started walking down the sidewalk. She was smiling, but other than that, she didn’t let on a thing.
Which made Penny realize that Violet couldn’t have planned this better if she’d orchestrated it herself. Now, instead of facing her parents alone, she had Violet by her side. Which was exactly what Violet had suggested in the first place.
CHAPTER 15
By the time Penny and Violet reached her house, the sun was beginning to set. Its rays sent out a spectacular glow, casting the usual blue sky into shades of pink and rose. The cooler temperature had brought out many of her neighbors. Snippets of conversation and laughter lit the air.
The lovely sunset, the chirping of birds, and even the faint perfume of blooming rosebushes created a wonderful atmosphere. Penny would have remarked on the beauty of it all—if she hadn’t been worried about what would happen when she arrived home.
It turned out that her suspicions were correct.
Her parents were not happy. As a matter of fact, they were so eager to discuss their disappointment in her—their words, not hers—that they looked completely flummoxed seeing Violet walk through the door by her side.
“What are you doing here?” her mother asked her the moment they walked in the front door.
Penny grimaced. Her mother was practically glaring at Violet! “Mamm, I invited her here.”
Instead of looking intimidated, Violet merely stood by Penny’s side and smiled politely. “My brother Zack and I started talking to Penny when she walked by. When she told me that she wasn’t sure what she was going to do for supper, I decided to accompany her on the off-chance that you both had already eaten.” She smiled again in a winsome way, practically daring Penny’s parents to argue with her reasoning.
Of course, what Violet had alluded to was the fact that the kitchen was completely neat and tidy. No meal was waiting for Penny.
Her father rested his closed fists on his hips. “If you will excuse us, we need to speak with Penny in private.”
But instead of apologizing and scurrying off—which was absolutely what Penny knew her parents wanted Violet to do—Violet looked her father directly in the eye. “Before she eats or after?”
“She missed supper.”
“How about I wait for you in your room?” Violet asked Penny. “Then when you’re done, we’ll go get something to eat.”
“It’s late,” her mother said. “Too late for Penny to leave the house for supper.”
Violet nodded as if that made perfect sense, which, of course, it did not. “Penny, would you like to come to our haus for supper and then spend the night?”
“You wouldn’t mind?” she asked. “I need to be at work in the morning.”
“You can simply leave from our haus.” Her lips curved up in a half smile that seemed to convey everything she was thinking but didn’t deem appropriate to share. “Which way is your room, Penny?”
“It’s down the hall. The door on the right.”
Once Violet stepped inside her bedroom and closed the door behind her, Penny faced her parents. “What did you want to speak to me about?”
“You know. You must know,” her father said around a glare.
“I’m sorry, but I’m not sure what, exactly, you are upset with me about.”
“We don’t like that you’ve been gone so much, Penny,” her mother murmured.
She knew they worried about her. She knew Lissy’s kidnapping and death had everything to do with their worry. But she also knew that her independence was a long time coming. Still, any retreat she made now would be closely guarded.
Therefore, she kept her answer short but respectful. “I do know that.”
After a moment’s silence, her mother’s patience erupted. “That’s it? You don’t have anything else to say?”
“Mamm, what more can I say? I’ve taken a job. It has kept me busy.”
“Not that busy.” Pointing at the grains of sand still stuck to her toes, her mother said, “You went to the beach today.”
“I did. I took one of the guests at the inn.” As she said the words, she practically willed her body not to flush. She knew she was not telling the whole truth. However, she didn’t feel as if she had any choice.
“I think we all know that you chose to go. I think we all know that you wanted to go.”
“You’re right. I did choose to go to the beach.” Mentally she shook her head in wonder. When, exactly, had her parents decided that everything needed to be twisted and turned? They were speaking of Siesta Key like it was a den of iniquity! “Mamm, spending the day at the beach was fun. I’m glad I went! The sand was soft and silky, the water was beautiful, and everything smelled fresh and clean. I saw lots of people there who were at least six or eight years younger than me.”
Her father harrumphed. “I don’t know what that has to do with anything.”
“It has everything to do with everything.” When he merely looked at her myopically, she attempted to explain. “It has everything to do with how I’m feeling. With how I’ve been feeling. For years.”
He blanched. “Years?”
At last he was listening to her. “Daed, I was sad when Lissy died. I was scared, too.”
“Don’t talk about your sister,” Mamm blurted.
“I’m not,” she retorted impatiently. “I’m talking about me.” She stressed the last word, hoping against hope that something about what she was saying, something about her words this time would sink in. And that her dear father would notice her as a person instead of as a reminder of all they’d lost. “I was glad when we moved here. Glad when you and Mamm kept me close. But that was years ago. Time has moved on.”
Her father folded his hands behind the back of his neatly tucked-in white cotton shirt. “The years passed, but the dangers didn’t change.”
“But I have. I’m not a scared twelve-year-old little girl anymore.”
“So what? You’re going to ignore everything we taught you?” he asked. “You’re going to ignore everything we’ve done for your welfare?”
Penny pulled herself inward. He wasn’t hearing her. Yet again, nothing was going to change. But still, she decided to say her piece, if for no other reason than to know that she, at least, was making strides. “Father, I saw a lot of teenagers at Siesta Key.”
“Well, sure—”
“Listen. Those teenagers weren’t at the beach with their parents, they were with their friends. They were having a gut time, simply enjoying a sunny day. And it was obvious that this wasn’t the first time, either. Daed, they were doing things that I should have been doing for years now. All I’m doing is catching up.”
After looking awkwardly at her father, Mamm picked up a dishrag. “You never said you missed those things.”
“That is because I knew you would be upset if I said anything. And I knew there was no way when I was sixteen or seventeen or even twenty that you would have let me go to Siesta Key alone.”
Instead of commenting on that, he waved a hand toward Penny’s bedroom. “We’re not just talking about your sudden need to act like a teenager, Penny. You keep doing all sorts of strange things.”
“Like what?”
“Like bringing Violet Kaufmann to our house.”
Penny felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment. She certainly hoped Violet hadn’t overheard that. “There’s not a thing wrong with Violet, and there isn’t a thing wrong with me inviting guests over. What is wrong is the fact that you are denying me meals if I don’t come home early enough.”
“You have been receiving the co
nsequences of your actions.”
“Consequences of your choosing.”
“Nee, daughter. You have been making the choices. Things don’t have to be this way.”
“I’m starting to feel that the only way things will change is if I move out. Unfortunately, because I’ve hardly had any freedom, I have nowhere to go.”
Her mother looked stricken. “Unfortunately?”
“Mamm, you must see how unfairly you’re treating me. I’m too old for this.”
“Watch yourself, daughter.”
Never before had she dared to verbalize her thoughts. But now, realizing that if she didn’t speak up in this moment nothing was ever going to change, Penny knew she had no choice. Suddenly, she felt so angry at herself for having lived in a fearful fog, so disappointed that her father wasn’t even trying to see her side of things, so betrayed that her mother simply glossed over everything that had been happening to her, that she lost her temper. At last. “Watch myself? Father, that is all I have been doing! Things need to change. I did not die. I am going to live my life and make friends and go to work and one day, with God’s help, find the right man and get married. Those are normal, right things that I should be doing.”
“We never said you couldn’t marry,” her mother interjected timidly.
“Mamm, all three of us know that even if I met the perfect man on Sunday at church it would not be all right. What you have to decide is whether you want me here at all. If you don’t, I’ll start looking around for a new place to live.”
“You wouldn’t do that. You wouldn’t actually leave us, would you? After everything we’ve been through? Penny, I can’t lose another daughter.”
And that was the problem, Penny realized. Her mother couldn’t differentiate between Penny growing up and moving forward and Lissy being kidnapped and killed when she was twelve.
In her mother’s mind, both girls were still leaving her.
And her mother was doing everything she could to bend Penny to her will. Even using manipulation and guilt.
“I never thought I would leave, but I’m afraid I will now. It’s time you both accepted me and accepted my future.” Before they could answer, she turned and walked down the hall to her room.
The Proposal at Siesta Key Page 12