Alcohol had impaired his judgement, and he’d foolishly gotten behind the wheel of a car. That trip ended with a week stay in the hospital before being arrested. Though it was his first offense, the district attorney’s mother had been killed by a drunk driver, and he’d shown no mercy to Hunter.
The younger, immature Hunter had spent months being bitter. Older and wiser, he was grateful for the harsh punishment. He hated that he had a record, but he could live with that more than if he had killed someone—and if he’d gotten off lightly, he doubted he would have changed his ways.
Every choice had a consequence. His choice left him with a record and fewer career opportunities, not to mention the effects on a future relationship. He owned his mistakes, but that didn’t stop him from wishing life was different.
He stopped his train of thought before he slipped into a pity party. Life wasn’t all that bad, even if it wasn’t all he wanted. Plus, he had a speaking engagement this evening. It didn’t pay, but that didn’t matter. If he could stop one person from driving drunk, that was payment enough.
Chapter Two
Beth Aguilar stood inside by the front door of Addy’s Bed and Breakfast. Bright rays of light glinted on the bed of snow that had fallen overnight, but even full exposure of the sun wouldn’t be enough to melt the snow in the frigid temperature. The outside thermometer read nineteen degrees, and the forecast predicted a high of twenty-five.
Despite the warmth in the home, she shivered. She’d always hated Valentine’s Day. It was a day for those in love, but it was also Kyle’s birthday—a day she’d not been able to spend with him since before the children were born and now, she never would.
Her chest rose and fell with a heavy sigh. If only she could go back in time and change things. Would she? She couldn’t answer for sure, but she liked to believe she’d carry herself with more dignity. Her shame had played out in the public arena, and Addy’s had provided a safehouse for her over the last two years.
Not a day went by that she didn’t think of Kyle and his parents, though. She’d loved him with her whole heart, his parents not so much. She’d spent many years blaming them for how her life had turned out, but only recently had she begun to realize the fault lay elsewhere. It hurt to acknowledge, but if Kyle had loved her more, he would have stood up to them. If she had loved herself more, she never would have allowed the situation to become what it had.
That was the sad truth, and one she didn’t have time to dwell on today. She had two beautiful children from her years with Kyle. Regardless of how they’d come into the world, she loved Dex and April. They were the joys of her life, and the reasons she was determined to succeed at something.
Addy had left her in charge of the bed and breakfast for a month, and every room was booked for tonight. Valentine’s Day was a big night. New guests would arrive in a matter of hours, expecting a romantic getaway. She had furniture to dust, meals to cook, and accounts to settle.
The oven timer sounded right as she walked into the kitchen. She pulled out a tray of lemon poppy seed scones and set them on a cooling rack. While they rested, she mixed the glaze then sliced an apple and poured a healthy oat cereal for Dex and April’s breakfast. If they had their way, they would eat the decadent sweets every morning, but Beth didn’t want any premature trips to the dentist for cavities.
She pulled a large tray from a cabinet and filled it with fruit she had sliced earlier. Fortunately, she was a morning person which was useful since preparations for the day started before dawn. She set up the kid’s breakfast in the side nook, then called them in from the game room where they watched cartoons.
“Eat up, or you’ll be late for the bus,” she told April.
“Where are the brownies for my party?”
The brownies. She smacked her forehead, feeling like the world’s worst mom. “I forgot them.”
“But, Mom, I need them for the party today.”
“And you’ll have them.” Hunter swooped in with a grin and opened the freezer door. “She forgot to take them out of the freezer, but they’ll be thawed by this afternoon.”
She shot him a grateful look, glad he remembered on the spot that Addy always had frozen treats on hand in the freezer for when the unexpected occurred. She stole a quick glance at the label and couldn’t believe her luck. “The ones with the candies in them, just like you asked for.”
“Yippee.” April hurried to finish her breakfast, then ran upstairs for her backpack.
Her phone rang in her pocket. She drew it out quickly and caught the incoming call from the school board, announcing a snow day for Orson County. The news surprised her, as snowfall wasn’t uncommon in this area. Other parts of the county must have gotten it worse.
Dex took his time, eating one o-shaped crunch at a time. When he finished, he carried his bowl to the sink. “Can I color now?”
“Yes.” She smiled and walked with him to the office.
He was such a good child, hardly ever causing problems. Despite joking about him getting in the way, which she never said in front of him, she couldn’t have asked for a better son. They’d developed a routine since fall when April started school.
Once he was dressed, he and April could watch television for a few minutes while Beth worked on the breakfast preparations. After his breakfast, he’d go to the office where Addy had set up a craft desk for him, and he’d play there while Beth took care of the guests’ breakfast.
He’d follow her through the house, helping her with the morning chores, all while filling her ears with imaginative chatter. Before lunch, they sat down together, and she worked with him on Pre-K learning activities. Hunter or Lynne, or sometimes Addy when she was here, would play with him while she prepared lunch.
It wasn’t a traditional childhood, but it was a happy one. Dex and April thrived here, and they’d found an unconventional family at Addy’s. Lynne and Addy had become honorary grandmothers and Hunter, an uncle. Mr. Bill, a long-term perma-guest, and Mr. Lejeune, who came for months at a time for birdwatching in the Adirondacks, fully embraced their role of adopted grandfathers. The two men were notorious for sneaking the candy to the children, another reason Beth watched their meals.
She released a content sigh. For all that she’d done wrong, fate had made it right. God. God had made it right. She’d fought that mental battle for years, and she’d dealt with her bitterness, but old habits clung on for dear life. Keeping her thoughts focused on the pure took all her energy some days, and apparently this would be one of them.
Mr. Lejeune entered the dining room before the other guests, his hands full with bags and gifts. He set them on the table, reserving one that had a purple bow strung around the handles. He handed it to Beth. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”
Bless the old man. She accepted the gift and kissed Mr. Lejeune’s cheek. “Thank you.”
“Open it.” His face lit with unabashed excitement.
Toying with him, she winked and set aside the bag. “I’ll wait until everyone eats.”
His eyes lost their spark, though he continued to smile. “All right.”
She couldn’t take his disappointment, even to tease him. Giving gifts was his love language, and he thrived on the joy brought from his tokens of affection. She grabbed the bag again. “Just kidding.”