The Summer Cottage: Includes a bonus story

by Annie Rains

  The corner of her mouth curled slightly upward—another win for him. “I’m Trisha Langly.”

  Her last name was a new bit of information. Maybe he’d run an internet search on her later this evening. No harm in knowing who your neighbors were, especially ones working for his grandmother. Vi had a reputation for being open and trusting. Jake just needed to make sure Trisha Langly didn’t take advantage.

  * * *

  Trisha didn’t trust Jake. Of course, it was quite likely he was a very nice man, and the only factor in her not trusting him was that he was good-looking and charming. Those qualities set off little alarm bells inside her. Her ex was good-looking and charming too. Those two qualities were an easy mask to hide huge character flaws.

  As they’d walked over to Jake’s place, Trisha had reminded Petey of their rules.

  “Remember what I told you,” she’d said, looking down at him. “We don’t talk about Daddy. Or why we left Sweetwater Springs. We don’t talk about the past at all, okay?”

  Petey’s boyish grin had slipped away. “I know, Mom.” Then he’d run off ahead of her to Jake’s place.

  Trisha felt horrible for asking her son to keep secrets. But it was for the best. They’d had a taste of living their truth in their last home.

  Petey wasn’t the only one who’d been bullied. Trisha had kept two jobs. One at the women’s shelter and one cleaning houses on the weekend. One of her housekeeping clients used to follow her around as she’d cleaned once she’d found out about Peter’s crimes. Then she’d let Trisha go, based on nothing but the supposition that she might be guilty too.

  Jake closed his cottage door and stepped onto the deck. Bailey jogged over and sniffed Trisha’s thighs and then returned to sniffing Petey’s chest and neck where there were likely a few crumbs from the breakfast he’d gobbled down. “Sorry, she has no manners at all,” Jake said of his dog.

  Trisha shook her head. “She’s fine.”

  Jake handed the leash to Petey. “Here you are, Copilot. We probably won’t use this. Bailey is really good about not running off.”

  Petey took it and nodded, taking his job very seriously.

  They headed down the steps and along the shore in front of the cottages.

  “Which place do you want to start with?” Trisha asked.

  Jake gestured toward the end of the shore where the woods popped up beyond Bear Cottage. “I figured we’d go all the way to the end and work our way back. Sound good?” He glanced over.

  When he did, Trisha didn’t look away fast enough. She found herself staring into those blue eyes of his. This was a working relationship, she reminded herself. That was all.

  She pulled her gaze away. “Yes, that sounds like a plan.” They walked for a few moments in silence. Then she asked, “What brings you here? I mean, not many people can afford to take off an entire month for a lake vacation.”

  Jake shoved his fingers into the pockets of his jeans. “I recently got out of a romantic relationship. It seemed like a good time to make a few life changes. I’m heading to Florida to work with my family.”

  “So you decided to break up with everything in your life?” she asked.

  “Actually, my ex is the one who broke up with me.”

  “Really?”

  Jake looked over and grinned. “You sound surprised. You don’t think I’m capable of running a woman off?”

  Trisha shook her head and answered a little too quickly, “Oh, I’m sure you are. What did you do to make your ex dump you?” Not that it was any of her business. She didn’t want to talk about her past so she really shouldn’t be prying into his. But since he was being so open, she had to admit that she was curious.

  “Nothing really. We just grew apart. Parting ways felt like the next right step in our relationship.”

  Trisha found herself suddenly sympathizing with Jake. “I’m sorry.”

  Jake looked over. “It’s okay. At least I got to keep the dog.”

  They were now standing in front of Bear Cottage, the last of the family’s property. Trisha gestured. “Mr. S lives here, of course. So we’ll go to this one.” She pointed at Magnolia Cottage. “Ready?”

  “Lead the way,” he said.

  They walked inside Magnolia Cottage, and Trisha stood back while Jake walked around and Petey played with Bailey.

  Jake’s gaze roamed the open floor plan, no doubt taking in what a fixer-upper the place was. She’d already seen what needed to be done, and it was extensive—more than she could do on her own.

  Jake craned his neck back and stared at the ceiling, where there was a hole in the roof. A bright blue tarp could be seen covering it from the other side.

  “A guy that Vi knew helped me get the tarps up there a couple weeks ago,” Trisha explained. “Before that, I placed buckets around the room whenever it stormed.”

  Jake chuckled as he looked at her. “That’s an unusual job requirement.”

  “It was kind of fun,” she said with a shrug. “Wasn’t it, Petey?”

  Petey looked up from playing with Bailey and grinned. “I miss using the buckets to catch the rain.”

  Jake laughed and returned to scrutinizing the roof. “I can get up on the roof and patch that hole this week.”

  Trisha felt her lips part. “What? You’re going to fix it?”

  Jake looked at her. “You seem surprised.”

  “Well, I mean, you’re a lawyer. Fixing a roof isn’t exactly something they teach you in law school.”

  “No, but it’s something I learned growing up around here,” Jake explained. “Gramps was always working on repairs of some sort for these cottages. It just requires a trip to the hardware store and a day’s work.” He acted like that was no big deal.

  But it felt like a big deal. Trisha had been trying to figure out how she was going to work with the leaks with the small budget that Vi had given her for repairs. It was basically only enough to cover supplies. “That would be wonderful,” Trisha said. “Thank you.”

  Jake gestured at the hole again. “Is this the only roof that leaks?”

  “No, Jasmine Cottage also has a spot. There isn’t a visible hole, but when it rains, the floor has a puddle.”

  “I’ll do that one too.” Jake continued to look around the cottage. “The walls need painting,” he said.

  “Definitely. I already have that on my list. I think these walls used to be white at some point.” This made Jake laugh, which did something funny to her chest.

  “What else is on your list?” he asked.

  “Well, um, the appliances are old.”

  “You mean ancient?” he asked with a wide grin.

  “Yes, exactly. I was thinking I’d check out the Habitat for Humanity ReStore that Vi told me about. They might have some used appliances that can be switched out with these.”

  “Good idea,” Jake said. “Maybe I should go with you when you check that place out.”

  Trisha shook her head. “That’s not necessary. You’re already fixing the roofs, which I really appreciate.”

  “I have the truck,” he said matter-of-factly. “If you find an appliance, how will you get it back here?”

  Trisha grimaced. She was hoping the thrift store delivered, but judging by Jake’s question, they most likely didn’t. “That’s a good point.”

  “Besides, this is my family’s property, and Vi is my grandmother. I should be helping as much as I can. I’m here, so use me,” he said.

  Something else loosened in Trisha’s chest. He was being overly nice, but he seemed sincere. “Thank you again.”

  “You’re welcome. We’ll handle the insides of these places and leave the exterior for last. Except for the roofs, of course. Those need to be done as soon as possible.”

  She nodded. “That was my plan too.”

  “Great. Sounds like we’re on the same page.” They headed out of the cottage and down the deck’s steps. Then Trisha and Petey started to head in the direction of the next empty place.

 
; Jake called out to them. “Since we’re all the way out on this stretch of the lake, I want to show you something,” he said, standing rooted in front of Magnolia Cottage.

  Maybe she’d found Jake to be nicer today, but she still felt guarded where he was concerned. “What is it?”

  He tugged the ball cap on his head a little lower to shield his face from the sun, which was now out in full force. “I’d rather show you.” He pointed toward the woods beyond Bear Cottage. “It’s down that trail.”

  Trisha’s mouth dropped open. “You want us to go into the woods with you?”

  “If you’re going to be part of the town of Somerset Lake, you should know the ins and outs. Things that only locals can show you.”

  Trisha looked at the trail again. “Aren’t there bears in there?”

  “They’re very unlikely to be on the trail. And we can be noisy to alert them we’re coming.” Jake gestured at the camera around her neck. “Might be good photo ops for that camera of yours. Trust me.”

  Trisha swallowed. She didn’t trust Jake. And she didn’t trust herself where he was concerned either.

  “Come on, Mom,” Petey said, already leading the way with Bailey at his heels.

  Jake chuckled. “I didn’t nickname him Copilot for nothing.” He turned and began to follow her son.

  Trisha stood just a second longer. Then she started walking, too, picking up speed to catch up. Just in case there was a bear nearby. The sun seemed to disappear behind the canopy. The air became cooler too.

  “Are you a romantic?” Jake asked a couple minutes later.

  Trisha’s steps slowed on the path. “Excuse me?”

  He pointed at a wooden sign on a tree as they approached. ROMANTICS ONLY. CYNICS TURN BACK.

  Trisha furrowed her brow as Jake looked at her.

  “Well? Are you?” he asked.

  Trisha looked at him. “I used to be. Not anymore.”

  Chapter Five

  It’s been forever since I’ve been back here.” Jake kept his gaze forward, waiting for the first glimpse of the old gated area he and his friends used to visit.

  “Is this part of your family’s property?” Trisha asked.

  “Yep. Gramps made this trail, but he didn’t make what we’re coming to see. It’s a mystery who did.” Jake chuckled. “My grandfather was so angry when he discovered it back here. He was going to tear it down, but the place became kind of a landmark around Somerset Lake.”

  The gate came into view now. The sign was crooked like it always had been.

  “Lost Love Cemetery,” Trisha read. She stopped walking. “You’re taking me to a cemetery?”

  Jake grinned at the shock and mild horror in Trisha’s expression. “Don’t worry. There aren’t people buried in there. Just the memories of those that someone used to love. Which I think is pretty romantic.”

  “How do you bury memories?” Petey asked. The kid was always listening and asking questions.

  “Well, you take something that belonged to them. You get a box or a bottle, and you bury that item in it. It’s kind of symbolic of letting go of that person’s hold on your heart.”

  “Have you buried a memory in there?” Petey asked next.

  Jake looked up to span the cemetery, his gaze holding on a spot in the back where a metal spoon poked up out of the ground. “Yep, I have.”

  But he didn’t want to talk about that relationship. He’d tried to bury it, but his first love’s ghost still haunted him from time to time, especially when he was in town visiting.

  Jake opened the gate to the cemetery and gestured at Trisha. “Come on. It’ll be fun. This is the kind of thing that small towns are known for. Their hidden oddities that make city folks scratch their heads.”

  Trisha laughed, and it felt like he’d hit the lottery. “You’re not telling me anything I don’t already know. I grew up in a small town, remember?”

  “Right.” Jake put his fingers in his pocket. “Sweetwater Springs. That name is familiar to me, but I can’t pinpoint why.”

  Trisha slid a lock of hair behind her ears. “Well, four or five years ago, it was named the most romantic town in America. Just in a magazine’s list, but it got a lot of national attention.”

  Jake shook his head as they stepped down little rows of mementos sticking up out of the ground, marking individual plots. Some people made homemade signs. Other spots had plastic flowers marking where something was buried. “No, that’s not ringing a bell. But I don’t read magazines or watch much TV.” Jake glanced over at Petey, who was exploring the opposite side of the little patch of land. “Hey, Copilot, just don’t let Bailey dig up anything. Stay in the aisles.” He lowered his voice and looked at Trisha. “This is sacred ground in Somerset Lake.”

  “I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a place like this.”

  For a reason he couldn’t explain, he began to lead Trisha to the back corner where the metal spoon poked up out of the ground. He stood in front of it for a solid minute. This was always where he felt Rachel’s memory the strongest—not at her real grave.

  “I buried the memory of my lost love here when I was eighteen,” he said, squatting down in front of the spoon. He looked up at Trisha. “Rachel and I were together from our freshman year of high school until almost graduation. We had a few breakups in there, of course, where she saw another guy or I flirted with another girl. She was always it for me though. She was the one.” It hurt to breathe suddenly. Jake cleared his throat, hoping that would clear his emotions too. “Rachel died a month before she could get her high school diploma.”

  Trisha’s hands flew to her mouth. “I’m so sorry.”

  Jake looked at the tarnished spoon, almost black after all this time. “Me too. She was amazing. I’m sure I romanticize her in my head, but she was smart, nice, beautiful. Everything I ever wanted in a relationship. We used to joke that we were going to be that couple who got married the day after graduation and never left their hometown.”

  A pang of regret hit Jake in the chest harder than he’d expected.

  Trisha’s hand touched his shoulder, surprising him. “I’m so sorry,” she repeated.

  “Thanks.” Jake reached out and touched the spoon. “This spoon fell out of her lunchbox before we were dating. I picked it up and used it as an excuse to drop by her house and give it back. The next day, she dropped it again.” Jake stood because his legs were tired from squatting. “So I picked it up and brought it back to her. It became a sort of game until I got up the nerve to ask her out.”

  He looked at Trisha, who was quietly smiling. Jake shook his head. “Rachel said no.”

  Trisha’s smile slid away as her eyes widened a touch. “Oh.”

  “Rachel wasn’t old enough to date yet,” Jake explained. “So she kept dropping the spoon, and I kept bringing it to her house after school to return it.”

  “That’s a sweet story,” Trisha said.

  “She was a sweet girl. Anyway, that’s why there’s a spoon there. And buried under that is a bottle with a few trinkets and notes we’d exchanged when we were together.”

  “You’re not afraid someone will take it?” Trisha asked.

  “Nah.” Jake shook his head. “I wasn’t kidding when I said this was sacred ground. People love this place.”

  Trisha lifted her camera off her chest. “Do you mind if I take a few pictures? Just for practice. I’m not that good.”

  “Go ahead. Just keep inside the aisles.” He winked, which made Trisha visibly stiffen. Winking was something he’d always done. It wasn’t flirty. Not usually, at least. But yeah, with Trisha, without meaning for it to be, it was.

  * * *

  Trisha realized too late that she was putting herself in an awkward position, trying to take pictures with this fancy camera when she didn’t know the first thing about photography. She’d always loved pictures. They represented home to her, which was something that always felt elusive. Until Peter came along and showered her with his love and attention. For the first
time in her life, fleeting as it was, she’d felt like she belonged.

  She wanted to learn photography. But she didn’t want to do so in front of a man she barely knew. She preferred to look like an idiot when she was alone.

  Trisha lifted the camera off her chest and looked around the Lost Love Cemetery for an object to focus her attention on, hoping Jake wouldn’t notice that she was even less than an amateur.

  She wanted to snap a picture of the spoon because it represented so much emotion. A simple spoon carried so much weight once she knew the story behind it. But it felt wrong to aim her camera there with Jake watching, so she looked for something else. There was a little spot with an orange flag blowing in the breeze. She stepped over and looked at it. There was a message attached to it, weatherproofed by clear masking tape.

  Trisha squatted and pinched the tiny flag to read. “‘Here lies the memory of the guy who cheated on me with my sister.’” Trisha grimaced as she looked up at Jake. “Now that’s a story.”

  He chuckled. “I can probably guess who put that one there.”

  Trisha moved on to another marker since that one wasn’t really the most romantic. She found a glass jar with two marbles inside. She read the label on the jar. “‘I lost my heart and my marbles.’” This one made Trisha laugh.

  “I bet I can guess who put that there too.”

  Trisha looked at him again. “I thought you’ve been gone for a while.”

  “Doesn’t mean I’m not on Facebook like everyone else. And Reva Dawson has her own blog devoted to Somerset Lake, filling everyone in on all the small-town gossip. Have you met Reva yet?”

  “No.” Thankfully. Trisha wasn’t a fan of gossip. She continued looking at the “grave” markers. “Okay, I can take a picture of that one.” She pointed at a large river stone with a couple’s initials written in black Sharpie. Pulling her camera up in front of her face, she prepared to take a picture. But everything was black.