He parked behind the two-story building that held his office and made a quiet note to have the yard tidied and the paths cleaned. The trees needed feeding and it wouldn’t hurt to add some color to the containers by the back entrance either. It was a wasted effort to do so in his own yard with Oscar being in the habit of digging up the plants. David walked in the back door and called out good morning to his receptionist and long-time friend, Monica. “Busy day ahead?”
“The usual.”
“Right. I’ll get my coffee and be back in five minutes.” David dropped his briefcase off in his office and turned on his computer before heading out.
He checked his Fitbit as he walked down the side street and came out onto the main road, crossing over with the break in the traffic. One benefit of having Oscar was the way it made him go running more often. Seven miles this morning and the dog hadn’t even faltered. For an animal that had never been more than a couch potato before, in the twelve months David’d had him, he’d outdone himself. The view over Flathead Lake never ceased to amaze him. The huge expanse of water rippled under the early morning sun. The boats had begun to come back after their winter hiatus and he noticed a seaplane landing, sending up a wave of spray behind it. And it was all his for the taking every morning. Made getting up earlier well worth the effort.
“David. Good morning.” An elderly couple waved as they did a fast walk along the main road on the lake side.
He lifted his hand and waved back. “Hello, Jean, Brian. Lovely morning for it.”
They nodded as they powered along.
He sidestepped a jogger with his dog, dripping in sweat from a long run. “Morning.”
The café came into view and the smell of coffee wafted out the door. His shoulders relaxed as he stood in line to place his order. The short dose of sun and the smell of his morning pick-me-up had the same effect every day.
“The usual, David?”
“Please.”
He gazed into the cake display case, seeing if anything would tempt him to add something to his order for morning coffee. Nothing new apart from a brownie that looked far too health conscious for his taste buds.
“That’s a new gluten-free brownie we’re trying. Loaded full of seeds and grains. Tastes amazing.” The barista handed over his coffee. “Can I get you a slice?”
“No, thanks. It looks too much like bird seed to me. I enjoy healthy but not into something like that.” He took the cup. “Thanks for this.”
Chapter Two
“That was an interesting call.” Mari sprayed the furniture polish on the balustrade and ran her polishing cloth over it, getting into all the nooks and crannies. “Not sure that was the right way to go about it, though.”
April slid her cell phone into the huge cavernous pocket of her flowing recycled cotton pants, relieved that call was over. “Sorry. I know I should have told him before I left town but you know what he’s like. He’d have done his best to try and change my mind. Probably have taken the keys to the VW off me given a chance.” April chewed on her thumbnail. “I don’t get the problem, really. I mean, him and Mom are talking about moving here and they didn’t ask my advice when they made that decision, nor do they expect to gain my permission. I’m a big girl now. Works both ways, you know.”
“Yes, I know but you have to realize it’s what parents are like.” Mari folded her arms. “I dread how protective I’ll be when Noah wants to spread his wings. He’ll probably hate me forever.”
“Please. You’re the coolest mom I know. That little man adores you.”
“Most of the time. But enough about me. We were talking about you and the parents.” Mari leaned on the railing.
“It makes sense for me to be here too if I’m going to be anywhere.” She didn’t need to talk herself into it but saying the words out loud made it seem all the more real.
“Of course it does. Family sticks together.” With a flourish of her cloth, Mari moved down the stairs and into the small lounge off the foyer. “Did you tell Dad that I lent you the money and the shop ‘close’ to the hotel is actually part of my building? I think he’s going to be a little bit suspicious when he finds out I’m your landlord.”
April followed her in. “No. I didn’t think it was my place to tell him that part of it. If you want to tell him about your business affairs, that’s up to you. He asked where the money came from though and then got sidetracked onto something else thankfully. I didn’t really want to tell him. Not yet anyway. And since the whole deal is going through an agent, do we have to tell him or anyone about the finer details of it?”
“I guess not. I haven’t actually gone around shouting out that the building is mine yet and, to be honest, I’m not sure I want to. Rake bought it under a company name and we use Tommy Clements to look after things, so it’s not like everyone will know I’ve done you a favor by leasing it to you. I don’t think anyone else in town knows I own it and I don’t want to suddenly become the wealthy widow that everyone wants to marry for her money. I much prefer for things to go along as they are now.”
“Of course you don’t. I doubt your accountant would like the idea of you giving away profit to family when you have your own future to deal with either. And I’m not saying anything to Dad until I can show him I’m on a winner here.” Not until she had some sales figures she could throw at them to prove she was doing the right thing. “Are you sure you didn’t mind lending me the start up cash? That was life insurance money for you and Noah, to set you guys up for the future.”
“True but it’s not like we don’t have enough. We do. I’ve put what I need for the renovations aside, and start-up money in case I have bad month, and don’t forget I sold my business, too, for a tidy sum. But honestly, I want to see you succeed. You’ve hovered around success for long enough. Time to make the commitment that will give you the push you need to stay in one place long enough to prove to everyone you aren’t as flighty as they think.”
“So long as you’re sure. I’d never forgive myself if you needed it and I couldn’t give it back in a hurry.” She perched on the arm of an old leather button chair and watched her sister polish the furniture. Mari certainly had some beautiful pieces in the hotel. Warm and inviting rooms along with enough antiques to sink a ship to make the inner geek in April swoon. From what she’d seen upstairs, things were only going to get better. “Are you sure you don’t mind me raiding your attic as well? Seems to me that I’m the one getting the better end of this deal.”
“Nope, not at all. There’s so much junk up there it’s ridiculous. The poor inspector couldn’t even get in there to do the building inspection when Rake bought the place. I’ll never use it all but, in payment, once you get settled, you can do some decorating here for me if you like. I have more than enough to do running this place, plus with trying to sort out the designs for my upcoming renovations, I’m run off my feet. The builder wants me to settle on the plans so he can finalize the quote.” She stood up, flicked her hair back from her face. “I love your style, April. I doubt you’ll have any problems settling into town and making a niche market for yourself. You can even leave a little card with your name on it with the displays you make for me if it will help.”
“Sure thing. And I really do appreciate you lending me the money for the lease on the shop, Mari. I promise you won’t regret it.” She never could have done it without her big sister stepping in and making the offer. And April wouldn’t have considered taking money from her until Mari had made it clear that her husband had left her well provided for when he died.
“I know you won’t, honey. I have faith in you.” She rubbed at a spot on the side table to move the dull patch, bringing it back to a high shine.
“Which is more than Dad has.” Unfair but she couldn’t hold back the words.
Mari stood up, hands on hips. “Come on, April. You can’t really blame him. How many jobs have you had in the last five years?”
“Don’t you start in on me.” She huffed out a sigh. “I k
now it’s my own fault. All the classes I did that really amounted to nothing.”
“Is any education a waste?” Mari buffed the rest of the old side table.
“I suppose not, but college was more fun than I thought it’d be so I’m not sure learned a lot there. Too many parties and not enough days in the week. I’m surprised I passed all my exams.”
“I’m not. You have a great head on your shoulders and even I could see the way your style became more centered and focused. An arts degree is not to be sneezed at, you know, even if you only managed to do two thirds of it before taking a break and doing something else.”
“And what did I do with it when I went back and finally finished it? I went and worked at the garden center. Fat lot of good it did me there. Nobody needs a degree to water plants.”
“So tell me then, why did you bother? Why not take a year off and go travelling instead?”
Her big sister was more astute than April had given her credit for. April shrugged her shoulders. “I’m not sure.”
“Yes, you are. Think about it and don’t worry you’re going to hurt my feelings because you won’t.”
“Anyone ever tell you that you’re really annoying sometimes?”
Mari laughed and flicked her cleaning cloth over her shoulder. “Yes. Rake did all the time.” She perched on the couch and looked expectantly at April. “Talk.”
“Because I didn’t want to be the only sister who couldn’t hold her own, that’s why.” She dropped her head in embarrassment. “But when I got stuck into what I thought I wanted, I found I didn’t.”
Mari nodded her head. “And you kept looking for the ‘right thing’ until now?”
“Yeah. I guess that’s the best way to explain it. You see, what I want is all the above. So really, if you look at it logically, all those classes and jobs all led up to this one. Just that Dad doesn’t understand that.”
“I get it.”
“Well, I’m glad you do because Dad thinks I’m a scatterbrain. He’s going to be watching me like a hawk, waiting for me to throw my hands up in the air and walk out on yet another opportunity.” Life sometimes was entirely too difficult. “The only child that isn’t ‘normal’ and doing an appropriate profession in his eyes. I’m so screwed if I don’t get this right.”
“Not entirely but now’s your chance to prove everyone wrong. I wouldn’t have lent you the money if I didn’t think you could do it. What time are you picking up the keys?”
April looked at her oversized bright yellow watch with the Mickey Mouse face and jumped up. “Eeek, now!” She gave Mari a quick kiss on the cheek and ran out of the hotel, scurried toward the coffee shop squeezed in beside the hotel and her new premises and ran smack into someone walking out the door. Hot coffee splashed over her arm and she jumped back, a ripe curse rippling through the air.
Strong arms grabbed her, stopped her from falling. “Sorry, but I didn’t see you.”
The masculine voice barely registered as she tried to deal with the fallout. April struggled free from his arms, tugged off the coffee soaked poncho and dropped it on the ground. “Ow, that’s hot!” Her bare arm was red where the coffee had seeped through her favorite coverall.
“You came out of nowhere. I’m sorry. Let me have a look at that.” He reached for her but she ducked away, not willing to let him touch her.
“No, don’t. It’s okay now.” She waved her hand over her arm, trying to cool it with the breeze she created.
“I think it’s going to need more than that. At least let me take you into the coffee shop for an ice pack. It’s not serious but if you don’t cool it down, it’s going to hurt more, maybe even blister.” He reached for her again. “I’m a doctor. I do know what I’m talking about.”
April glanced at him. The serious eyes behind black rimmed glasses, the neat short-clipped hair, tidy trousers and pressed shirt. Even the tight knot of his subdued pale blue tie gave her a hint of the man beneath it. He had professional “something” written all over him. She should have guessed. “A doctor, huh?” A cute one at that.
“Dr. David Morrison.” He held out his hand and she smiled, grabbed it and shook. “Nice to meet you, I think.” She blew on her arm, wondered if ice wouldn’t be a bad idea. A loud woof startled her. She’d forgotten Hamish was sitting in her VW van, waiting for her. He hung his shaggy head out of the side window, his big eyes giving her his usual sad look.
“Sorry, buddy. I didn’t mean to leave you there for so long.” She turned to the doctor. “Look, I’m fine, honestly. I’ll put some cold water on it when I get into the shop.” She pointed down the street to where the estate agent stood patiently waiting for her, waving his hand in greeting.
“Miss, I really think I should put something on that sooner rather than later. Trust me on this. You’ll regret it if you don’t. It wouldn’t take a minute to tend to it.”
April ignored him and opened the door of her old van, slipped on Hamish’s lead and hurried down the pavement with her big dog loping along beside her. She pulled Hamish to a halt when she reached the realtor. “Sorry I’m late. Little bit of an accident.”
“That’s fine. Tom Clements. Nice to meet you in person at last.” The agent nodded, focusing on the drooling jaws of her dog. “I saw you bump into David. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“It’s nothing, really. I’ll put some aloe on it or some cold water. Now, how about letting me in the shop. I’m so excited I can hardly breathe.”
*
This colorful person was taking the shop next to his? David watched as Tommy Clements opened the door and her huge dog dragged her into the empty side of his building. David knew it’d been leased but didn’t know to whom. What an introduction. He leaned down and picked up the bright orange and green poncho she’d dropped on the pavement. The smell of coffee overlaid with something spicy and romantic wafted to his nose. How anyone wore anything this bright was a mystery to him. His eyes burned looking at it.
“David, I saw what happened.” The barista who’d made his early morning coffee came out with a fresh takeaway cup in her hand.
“That’s very kind of you. Thanks.” He took it and looked down the street.
“Guess that’s the new business owner then?” The girl leaned on the open doorway, keen for a chat.
David looked at her and frowned. “Not sure I understand. What business, do you know?” How come everyone knew she was moving into his building and he didn’t? And surely they would have leased it to a lawyer or something similar. He couldn’t see this person being a legal type. She screamed hippie and the 1970’s era of free love and protest marches. Certainly not a business owner.
“No, sorry. I heard the shop had been leased and it seems as though she’s the one taking over since Tommy’s doing the hand over. Certainly going to add some color to Cherry Lake, that’s for sure.” She glanced at the clothing he held. “Seems like a ball of energy, too.”
“Hmm, yes, she does. Thanks for the coffee.” He walked down the pavement toward the shop, knowing he couldn’t stand around all day because he had patients arriving shortly. The door was wide open and her excited voice echoed through the empty rooms out to where he stood. David felt a bit awkward but he couldn’t leave her clothing lying there when he was at fault, or at least half at fault. He should have looked before he stepped out but his mind was elsewhere, as it often was these days. Still caught up in his opera, his mind hadn’t yet changed track to the business of the day ahead.
He listened to her voice, loving the melodic ring and the enthusiasm. “I love it. It’s perfect.”
He watched her twirl around the room, her enthusiasm a bit over the top, but she was going to be a neighbor. Energy to burn was exciting, just not within his small circle of personal space.
“The keys on this ring are for the apartment upstairs too. I can show you that if you like. Entrance is just over there by the storage room and up those stairs. You can lock that off if you need to.” Tommy walked to the back of the
room and opened a door. “This is the common area. You share that with the doctor’s office next door. A kitchen, storage, and bathrooms. There’s also a back entrance to the parking lot and a set of stairs outside for the apartment in case you want to sub-let it out.”
She looked up then and saw him, tilted her head as if asking what he wanted. David stepped into the shop and heard the growl. The large wiry dog ran over to him and stuck its nose into the poncho then stared up at his face, a warning look in its eyes.
“Hamish, stand down.” She walked over to them and grabbed the dog’s collar. “Sorry, he’s a bit rattled with the move. Everything’s foreign to him.”
“I understand. Ah, you left this on the pavement. I thought you might want it back.” He held it out and she smiled, her blue eyes lighting up.
“Thank you. I appreciate it. That’s my favorite poncho. A vintage one I found on eBay.” Her fingers curled over it and she took it. “They’re getting rarer all the time. I was so lucky to get this one.” Her dog stood staring at David, its gaze unwavering and scary. Made Oscar look downright charming with his diminutive size.
“Um, Miss Moore, did you want me to show you the apartment?” Tommy hovered in the background.
She turned then. “Sorry, I don’t mean to be so rude. No, thanks anyway. I’d like to explore it myself and feel the energy when it’s empty but I do appreciate the offer.” She shook his hand and he scurried past the dog, a wary look on his face.
David felt for him. The hounds of the Baskervilles had nothing on this long legged creature. Dogs had never been his favorite animal, especially one this size.
“Well, I’d better get to work, too. I have patients arriving.” David turned to the door and then looked over his shoulder. “Did he say Moore?”
“Yes he did.”
“Are you related to Dakota and Bella?” He knew both and this woman didn’t fit the Moore family mold as far as he could see. They didn’t wear flowers in their hair and this girl was more elfin looking, finer boned. He couldn’t pick the resemblance at all.
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