CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Wow, Kaitlyn. You’ve really given it your own spin,” Mr. Garrison said.

They had toured the dining room, living area, sitting room, and ballroom, and were now walking down the upstairs hallway and peeking inside the guest rooms that were currently unoccupied.

“Each room has its own theme,” Kaitlyn said. “My friend Josie helped me come up with that idea. Mitch helped me pull it off.”

“It’s wonderful,” Mr. Garrison said.

“Mitch has really been a lifesaver,” Kaitlyn continued, rambling nervously. “I don’t think I could’ve done this without him.”

Mr. Garrison turned to her at the end of the hall. “And what about when he leaves? The conditions are satisfied on Christmas Eve. That’s not far away.”

“Well, then I have Gina Hargrove down the street. She’s been a huge help as well.”

“Ah, yes, Gina always enjoyed helping out your grandmother. It’s convenient since she lives so close.”

“Let me make you a cup of coffee.”

“That sounds wonderful.”

Kaitlyn led Mr. Garrison back downstairs where he sat on a metal stool at the kitchen island.

The brew was already in the pot. She grabbed two mugs and poured both three-quarters full. Then she grabbed cream and sugar and placed them at the center of the island before sitting down as well.

“Here you go.” She pulled her own cup to her. It was her third cup this morning, which meant she was bubbling with energy and nerves, fidgeting almost uncontrollably, and talking at supersonic speed.

“You know, Mable was a matchmaker of sorts. I think that’s part of what she was doing when she left the inn to you and Mitch.”

Kaitlyn’s eyes widened. “I thought she wanted us to run the B and B because of my creativity and Mitch’s business mind.”

“Sure, sure. That’s what she said. But everyone who knew Mable knew she always had a hidden agenda. She set up a number of couples in this town, you know.”

“No, I didn’t know that.”

“She’s the person behind my first date with my wife.”

“I had no idea my grandmother did that kind of thing.”

Mr. Garrison chuckled. “Between Dawanda’s cappuccino readings at the fudge shop and your grandmother, singles here have never had a chance. Have you met Dawanda?”

Kaitlyn giggled as she nodded. “Yes. She gave me a complimentary reading.”

“And you didn’t run from Sweetwater Springs screaming? Means you’re one of us now.”

Kaitlyn liked the sound of that. “It’s part of the town’s charm. So, you think my grandmother was trying to set me and Mitch up?”

“She never would’ve admitted to it, but…” Mr. Garrison shrugged. “I miss Mable’s meddling ways.”

“There’s so much I didn’t know about her. I wish we could’ve spent more time together.”

“I’m guessing that’s another reason she chose you. You can learn about her by living the life she lived. You’re making it all your own, of course, but there’s a certain lifestyle that comes with running a bed and breakfast. I’m assuming you want to continue on even when the conditions are met?”

Kaitlyn didn’t hesitate. “Definitely.”

“Because legally you and Mitch could sell this place. The way you have it running now, you’d probably make a pretty penny.”

And she could go back to New York. Maybe reclaim her life and career there. “No. This is my home now.”

Mr. Garrison seemed pleased by her declaration. “I sure do wish I could’ve talked to Mitch.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Just good to know he’s helping out. When Mable put him in the will, I had my doubts he’d even agree. It was a risky move, knowing Mitch’s history here. Mable had faith he wouldn’t leave you high and dry. That’s just not the kind of man he is.”

“He’s also not the kind to stay once his promise is fulfilled.” It was worded as a statement but Kaitlyn’s tone of voice turned it into a question. She already knew the answer in her heart of hearts but some part of her needed confirmation from someone else. “I mean, he loves working at the police station. His mom is here. He seems happy. I know he has a past, but…”

Mr. Garrison frowned. “You and Mable are more alike than you know.” With that, he stood. “I’ll check in with Mitch later, before the condition of the will is officially up. We’ll need to fill out some paperwork to turn this place completely over to you.”

And that was his answer to her question.

Mr. Garrison shrugged. “Or not. Have a great day, Kaitlyn.”

She followed him to the door. “Thank you. You too.” Closing the door behind him, she blew out a breath. She wished Mitch had been here, but she thought she’d done well on her own. Hopefully, Mr. Garrison was convinced that she and Mitch were satisfying Grandma Mable’s terms so far.

*  *  *

There were two cars in the Martins’ driveway as Mitch and Alex pulled up to the curb. A clean, older model Honda Accord and a dirty, dented-up Toyota Corolla with missing rims. He guessed they belonged to Cassie and Kyle Martin, respectively.

“Let’s have a chat with our burglar, shall we?” Alex said to Mitch, knocking on the front door.

A moment later the door opened, and a petite woman with bobbed black hair and a cautious expression peered back at them. Mitch glanced down at his uniform. He was willing to guess this wasn’t the first time an officer had been to her door. He was also willing to guess she already knew this would be about her son.

“Hello, Cassie,” Alex said with a friendly nod.

“Hi, Chief Baker.” Her gaze moved to Mitch.

“This is Officer Mitch Hargrove,” Alex told her. “He’s new to the department.”

“Good morning,” Mitch offered, already feeling bad about what they had come to do. Although she was young, Mitch could see in Cassie’s eyes that she’d endured a lot in her lifetime.

“I was wondering if we could speak to Kyle.”

Her lips pressed together, and her eyes narrowed. “Is he in some kind of trouble?”

Alex offered a stiff smile. “For the moment, we just want to talk to him. Is he home?”

She nodded and gestured for them to follow her inside the house. “I’ll go get him. You can wait on the couch.”

Mitch and Alex sat on the edge of a faded couch with several tears patched up with duct tape. There were more than a few dings and holes in the walls too. They weren’t a rich family, and this wasn’t the best of neighborhoods. Being a single parent wasn’t easy. He knew that from watching his own mom. Mitch had felt the pressure of making ends meet back then. Maybe Kyle was also feeling it.

A few minutes later, a tall, lanky kid—definitely not an adult yet, even though he was nearly eighteen—stepped out into the living room.

He cast a wary gaze between Mitch and Alex. “My mom said you wanted to talk to me,” he said more to Alex than Mitch.

Alex nodded from the couch. “That’s right. This is Officer Hargrove. We need to ask you a few questions.”

“Yeah, whatever,” the kid said with attitude.

“Why don’t you sit down first?” Alex suggested.

Mitch remained quiet because the family was more familiar with Alex.

Kyle sighed and plopped into a worn recliner across from them. Mitch saw Ms. Martin lingering within earshot.

“I believe this is yours.” Alex slapped Kyle’s driver’s license down on the coffee table between them.

Kyle’s gaze swept over it. He shrugged, looking between them. “I lost it a couple weeks ago.”

The kid was a bad liar. “I found it in the bookstore that was robbed downtown earlier today,” Mitch told him.

Ms. Martin gasped in the background.

“Wasn’t me. The thief who stole my license must like books too.”

“He didn’t steal books. Just cash.” Alex kept his gaze trained on Kyle, who was doing his best to look uninterested.

“Thanks for finding it for me. No risk of getting a ticket for driving without one anymore.” At this, the teen offered up a smile but his eyes were still dull and lifeless.

“Your fingerprints were at the bookstore too,” Mitch lied. They hadn’t had time to run fingerprints yet. Alex would probably have something to say about Mitch’s white lie later.

Kyle shifted uncomfortably.

“There’s more than a traffic ticket at stake,” Alex continued, not correcting what Mitch had claimed.

“Kyle?” Cassie Martin stepped up to her son now. “Did you rob a bookstore? Is that where the money came from?” she asked.

Mitch looked at her. “How much money?”

He could tell she was hesitant to answer. Doing so would likely implicate Kyle. “My son is a good boy. If he did this, it’s only because he was trying to help me. He’s a good boy,” she repeated.

Mitch’s eyes flitted to meet Kyle’s and then returned to her.

“I’m sick,” Cassie confessed. “I have cancer, and the treatments will be expensive. I can’t afford them, and even if I could, I wouldn’t be able to work because the treatments would make me sicker. Not at first, at least. Kyle has been working long hours, doing side jobs, and raising money to help me get well.” Her lips trembled. “He really is the best son a mom could ask for.”

“Listen,” Kyle spoke up, “I’ll pay the money back, okay? All of it. I never meant to do anyone harm.”

“Kyle!” Cassie’s hands covered her mouth. “Why would you do such a thing?”

“Because I don’t want you to die, all right?” Kyle shot back. “I need you. I would do anything to keep you well.” He lowered his head into his hands. “I know it was stupid. Am I going to jail?” he asked in a small voice.

Mitch could hear his own teenaged self asking a couple of law enforcement officers that same question a decade earlier. He remembered the feeling of wondering if his next ten to twenty would be behind bars. Worse than that feeling was knowing that he was the reason that the rest of someone else’s years would be in a wheelchair.

“You’ll have to come down to the station, yes,” Alex said.

“You’re arresting him?” Cassie’s dark eyes filled with thick tears. It reminded Mitch of when his own mom had arrived at the hospital after the accident. A couple of police officers came to talk to Mitch in his room. Once he was discharged, they wanted him to come down to the station for questioning. In Mitch’s case, it had all been an unfortunate accident. But Kyle had purposely robbed several stores. Yeah, his reasons seemed almost noble if you looked at it from a teenager’s viewpoint, but he’d still committed crimes.

“I’m afraid we have to,” Alex said. “But considering the circumstances and Kyle’s age, we might be able to work out a deal with Judge Ables. Can’t make any promises about that though.”

“It’s okay, Mom. Don’t worry about me.” Kyle gave a wobbly smile to Cassie, who had tears streaming down her cheeks now. If she couldn’t afford medical treatment, she couldn’t afford bail money either.

“He’s right,” Mitch told her. “We’ll take care of Kyle. You need to save your strength for your own fight, and you won’t be doing it alone. Sweetwater Springs takes care of its people.”

“I don’t like to ask for handouts,” she said, lifting her chin. “It’s not other people’s responsibility to worry about me.”

Mitch stood. “No, it’s other people’s privilege to help someone in a time of need. We’ll figure it out. Together.” The word we on his tongue surprised him. He hadn’t been part of the Sweetwater community since he’d left town after high school. Ever since he’d returned here, he’d made a point of not including himself, especially when he referred to the bed and breakfast.

Alex nodded. “The police station and fire department have been known to join forces for fund-raisers. I’ll arrange that side of things.” He glanced over at Kyle. “Fund-raisers are legal, and I’m guessing we can rake in a lot more than can be taken from a bookstore register.”

Kyle smiled weakly. “Thanks for helping her. She’s all I have.”

Mitch’s stomach twisted. He knew that feeling of helplessness. Kyle didn’t have to take on the burden of helping his mom alone though.

The three of them headed out to the police SUV and got in.

“Have I completely screwed up my life?” Kyle asked midway through the ride to the station.

“Everyone deserves a second chance. One mistake doesn’t define you, son,” Alex said, glancing at Mitch. “Unless you let it.”

*  *  *

Kaitlyn’s cell phone had rung four times since she’d started this new project. No doubt it was her mom—the last person she wanted to talk to right now. So she continued hanging fairy lights outside under the eaves of the covered porch. She’d seen something similar in a magazine recently, and it had looked so romantic. Perfect for the holidays too. The lights also reminded her of her first kiss with Mitch by Silver Lake under a blanket of stars. She’d never forget that moment, sweet and perfect.

The back door opened, and the man himself walked outside. Kaitlyn stared at him for a moment, trying to make sense of the picture in front of her. Mitch was dressed in his police uniform and holding a bouquet of flowers. The image did not make sense in her mind.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

He held out the assortment of brightly colored daisies. “For you. I stopped at Halona’s flower shop on the way.”

“They’re beautiful.” She stepped off her ladder and walked to him. “What did I do to deserve this?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Put up with the likes of me.”

She laughed, taking the flowers and sweeping them under her nose. “You’re not so hard to put up with.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here this morning. I know it was important to you. How’d it go with Mr. Garrison?”

She looked up at Mitch, remembering how Mr. Garrison had told her about Mable’s matchmaking ways. Was this her grandmother’s grand finale of matchmaking? “It went fine. He was sorry you weren’t here, of course, but he understood. So do I.”

Mitch’s wooden posture softened. “So I can skip the groveling part?”

She laughed again. “Yes, please skip over that part. You don’t strike me as someone who’d get down on your knees anyway. I did figure out a way you can make it up to me though.”

He raised one brow, and if she wasn’t mistaken, he looked a little worried. “Yeah?”

Kaitlyn held her bouquet under her chin, the soft scent still lingering in the air. “It was your mom’s idea actually.”

Yep, that was definite concern lining his forehead. “You’ve been talking to my mom? Now I’m worried.”

Kaitlyn laughed. “She came over earlier to watch the place while I went grocery shopping. And before you ask, yes, she looked fine. You can see for yourself when she gets here in a minute.”

Mitch folded his arms in front of him. “Why is my mom coming here?”

Kaitlyn suppressed the small quiver of guilt in her belly. Since she and Mitch had inherited this B&B, he hadn’t watched it for her on his own once. Yeah, he’d done a lot of repairs and handled any of the maintenance that the inn needed but Mitch hadn’t played host. “The downtown stores are staying open late tonight for last-minute shoppers. Your mom and aunt Nettie invited me to go with them, and I would really like to.”

Color drained from Mitch’s cheeks. “So who will be watching the inn tonight?”

She lifted her brows, waiting for him to come to the natural conclusion. “It’ll only be for a few hours. I’ve set aside a movie to play in the ballroom for entertainment. And hot chocolate.”

“I don’t entertain.”

“So you’ve said.” Kaitlyn smiled softly. Gina had warned her that Mitch would try to get out of this but she’d told Kaitlyn to stand her ground. He was capable, and it was just as much his responsibility as hers, at least until Christmas Eve. “I’m sure you’ll do fine.”

The doorbell rang before he could continue to argue.

“That’s them now. Do you mind getting the door while I put these flowers in a vase? Thank you, Mitch,” she said, walking past him. Not that he’d agreed. She’d let his mom do the final persuasion. He didn’t seem to be able to tell Gina no.

Once Kaitlyn returned from the kitchen, the other two women were waiting excitedly by the door for her. Mitch, on the other hand, looked like a pound puppy, frightened and caged. Gina tugged Kaitlyn’s hand through the door, tossed a wave over her shoulder at her son, and then they made their way through the biting cold of the night.

“Don’t feel bad for a moment,” Gina said, patting her arm. They all climbed into Gina’s sedan in the driveway. “It’s good for him.”

“And shopping is good for us,” Nettie said, climbing into the front passenger side.

Kaitlyn took the back seat. “I do have Christmas shopping to finish up, including gifts for the angel I selected off the tree during Lights on the Lake.”

“The downtown stores will have everything you need. I’m certain of it,” Gina said.

Ten minutes later, they parked in the overflow lot for the row of stores and made their way through shop after shop. Kaitlyn picked out a hand-knitted scarf for Josie and a second one for her mom, even though she probably wouldn’t see them over the holidays. She found a baby doll that cried and peed for the little girl she’d pulled off the Angel Tree, along with extra outfits and a toy stroller. Her dad was getting a new tie per usual.

At Dawanda’s fudge shop, Kaitlyn got some dark chocolate fudge for Paris, who had been not only her first guest at the inn but also one of her first friends here in Sweetwater Springs.

There was only one person left on her list to buy for. Mitch. Gina had gotten him several shirts and a mug featuring a picture of a thermometer indicating an improved mood at the bottom of the cup after he’d drunk all his coffee. But Kaitlyn had no idea what to get him. Hopefully it would come to her before the big day.

Arms full of bags, the three women finally made their way back to the car and drove back to the inn.

“How do you think Mitchy fared on his own?” Nettie asked Kaitlyn, angling her body to talk to her in the back seat.

“Honestly, he’s a better host than he thinks. I’m sure he did just fine.”

“And how hard is it to turn on a movie and serve some drinks?” Gina said on a laugh. “Maybe he’ll realize he has a knack for it after all and decide to stay.”

Kaitlyn’s heart sank as she watched the lighted homes blur by while they drove. Some little part of her had hoped the same thing when she’d left Mitch to watch the inn tonight. It was the season of hope after all—even if she thought that one particular Christmas wish was hopeless.