As Joanne walked toward what I was guessing was the kitchen area, I faced Brighton. She was a very attractive woman, though not as beautiful as Greer. And she didn’t make my body feel anything when she smiled at me. Unlike Greer’s smile, which certainly had an effect on my body. “Please tell me Mary Lou isn’t also single.”
She laughed and shook her head. “Happily married with three kids. She’s been working here at the bed and breakfast for what seems like forever. She does a little bit of everything. The gardening mostly, but she does help Mom with the dinner and clean-up a few times a week.”
I nodded as I looked around before clearing my throat. “Well, if you’ll excuse me, Brighton, I’ve got some work to do.”
“Enjoy your evening, Hudson.”
“I will. You too.”
Turning, I headed to the staircase and quickly made my way up two steps at a time. I turned right at the top and walked all the way to the end of the hallway where I entered the key code on my door. I was glad that I didn’t have to carry a key card around or, God forbid, a skeleton key like at the last bed and breakfast I’d stayed at.
I took one look at my laptop and headed straight for it. I opened my browser to Google and typed in Turning Pages Bookstore, Boggy Creek, New Hampshire.
Greer
I stepped out onto the front sidewalk from the door that led up to my private residence above the bookstore. I drew a deep breath, taking in the crisp fall air. It was almost October, so the leaves were beginning to turn, and soon all of the valley would be filled with vibrant shades of orange, red, and yellow. I loved fall and spring in Boggy Creek Valley. I drew my sweater around me a bit tighter as I smiled at folks passing by.
The honk of a horn made me turn as my brother, Kyle, pulled up in his car and parked in one of the designated spots for Turning Pages. We were currently closed, so I couldn’t get onto him about parking here.
I smiled and made my way toward his car as he got out.
“Mornin’, little sis. How are things going?” he asked before kissing me on the cheek.
“They’re going,” I replied, looking at his clothing. He had on a long sleeve Under Armour shirt, a wading jacket, and fleece pants. “No work today?”
He shook his head. “Not today. I’m going fishing with Hunter, Bishop, and Aiden.”
Hunter, Bishop, and Aiden were my brother’s best friends from high school. They were thick as thieves then, and just as much now. Aiden had returned to Boggy Creek Valley a year ago after serving in the Navy as a SEAL, and now ran his family’s construction company, O’Hara Construction. Hunter was Willa’s brother, and Bishop owned the local Christmas tree farm.
I chuckled. “The four of you together spells trouble.”
With an innocent smile, Kyle placed his hand over his chest and replied, “What on earth do you mean?”
I rolled my eyes and wrapped my arm in his. “Do you have time for coffee?”
He glanced at his watch and nodded. “Yeah, I’ve got about thirty minutes before I’m meeting them at The Coffee Pot.”
“Perfect, let’s head up to my place.”
I lived in the apartment above Turning Pages, and had since I’d bought the bookstore five years ago. I’d saved every penny I could all through high school and college in hopes of someday buying the local bookstore and making it my own. Mr. Brooks, whose daughter owned a quilting store right next door to The Coffee Pot, had run the bookstore since 1952. When I was fourteen, he promised me that when he retired, I would be the first person he’d consider selling it to since I was there nearly every day.
I’d bugged him endlessly from that day forward, asking when he planned to retire. I started working for him in high school, and again when I was home from college in the summers. I learned everything I could from Mr. Brooks. From keeping the books to customer service.
I wasn’t able to buy the building yet; instead, I was leasing it from Mr. Brooks until I was able to afford it. After I’d bought the business five years ago, I made some major changes. The name being the first. For four months, I’d painted the walls and ceilings, sanded and stained the bookshelves and tables, and went through every single book to decide what should stay and what should be donated. Before I bought the business, there were very few romance novels in the store. I changed that quickly too. The back right was the romance section, which included historical. The back left was suspense, mystery, fantasy, and science fiction. The front left featured the kids’ section, which took up nearly the whole side. I loved it, though, because it included one of the windows, and I always did fun displays. The other window was near the entrance. The middle of the bookstore housed classic novels, poetry, literature, and Christian fiction. The second floor held nonfiction, young adult, autobiography, social and political sciences, cooking, and nature and gardening, as well as local books about the Boggy Creek Valley area.
I placed reading nooks throughout the store, as well as in the study room at the very back. My tiny office was just behind the romance section, and the stock room was on the opposite side of the store next to the study room. Walking into the bookstore, the checkout counter was to the left, and to the right was a huge display listing staff picks and each week’s New York Times Best Seller list selections.
“How are Aiden and Willa doing?” I asked as I opened the door to my place and headed toward the kitchen. “They haven’t been in lately for one of the kid events, and I haven’t been able to meet up with Willa in a few weeks for lunch.”
Kyle flashed a wide smile. “No one is supposed to know this yet, but Willa is pregnant. Aiden broke down and told me and Hunter, then swore us to silence. They’re going to tell everyone soon. They wanted to wait until she was farther along, and then they decided to wait a bit longer. She’s almost four months now.”
I brought my hand up to my mouth and let out an excited laugh. “Oh my gosh! I knew it! Last time I met Willa and Anabella for lunch and asked how the baby-making was coming along, Willa flushed so hard. I should have known, but she played it off so well.”
Kyle laughed. “Yeah, Aiden was bursting at the seams to tell someone, so he told us a few days ago.”
“Do Jack and Renee know? What about Lacy?” I asked, pouring both of us a cup of coffee.
“Jack and Renee know, yes.”
Jack and Renee Turner were Willa’s parents. They owned Boggy Creek Valley Apple Orchard, which Willa had pretty much taken over after Jack’s second battle with cancer. Lacy was Willa’s sister, who was married with two kids of her own, Lilly and Jacob.
“And Carl and Rose?” I asked. Carl was Aiden’s grandfather. He’d been the owner of O’Hara Construction company before giving it to Aiden to run since his health wasn’t the best. Rose was Aiden’s mother. His father died before Aiden had graduated from high school.
“Yep. They know as well. Ben’s going to be over the moon to have a little baby brother or sister.”
I smiled as I took a sip of coffee. Ben was Willa’s son from her first, very short, marriage. Aiden had adopted him not long after he and Willa got married last New Year’s Eve. “I bet. I’m so happy for them.”
Kyle nodded. “Yeah. So am I. Aiden’s been doing so great with the construction business and with the organization he and Mitch Hathaway set up to help folks suffering from PTSD.