| |
Penny
Since dropping Jaxson off at the motel, Penny had been determined that she would not seek him out again. He wasn’t interested in her kindness or her friendship or anything else for that matter, and she had better things to do.
Yet there she was, standing in Zeb’s garage, dripping all over the floor and rationalizing her presence there by telling herself she was simply ensuring that the problems she’d caused were getting taken care of.
Neither Zeb nor Jaxson were in sight, but Jaxson’s bike was, which meant that he probably was, too. The low rumble of male voices out back, barely audible over the pouring rain, confirmed it.
Penny took the opportunity to lean down and get a closer look at the motorcycle. It looked better than it had the last time she saw it. All the parts seemed to be in the right place and facing the right direction.
When the voices grew louder, she straightened to standing. She should leave before they saw her. Clearly, they had things under control. But her feet wouldn’t move.
“That you, Penny?” Zeb called out.
She’d just say hello and thanks, and then she’d leave.
“Yeah, it’s me.”
She pasted a smile on her face, clutched the potted plant to her chest, and summoned her courage. Jaxson was standing beside Zeb, his expression set in an unreadable mask. He looked the same, but he didn’t have the same darkness rolling off of him as he had before.
She looked at the bike again. It looked old but in good condition. Well, except for the fresh scratches. Was it, like the pocket watch, an heirloom of sorts?
Zeb’s throat cleared. “What can I do for you?”
“I just wanted to thank you again for helping. Here, I brought this for you,” Penny said, holding out the pot to Zeb. “It’s a citronella plant. It should help keep mosquitoes at bay when the weather gets warmer.”
“Thanks.”
I should go now. “So ... everything’s okay? With the bike, I mean?”
“It’s all good,” Zeb assured her.
“Great. What do I owe you?”
“Nothing,” Zeb said with a smile. “Jaxson took care of everything.”
“Oh, good.”
An awkward silence stretched between them, growing more awkward by the moment.
“Well, I should get back to my deliveries. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay.”
“It is.”
“Great.”
Penny turned and walked back out into the rain, grateful for the cool drops against her hot cheeks. Jaxson hadn’t said a word to her. Not one word. Not a hello. Not a thank you. Not a hey, I’m sorry I acted like an aster. He’d just stared at her as if she were some kind of rare bug or something.
Maybe he was still mad about the incident. Or maybe he figured he didn’t have to be nice anymore since she’d already told him everything she knew.
Not that he’d been nice per se. More like less grumpy and more tolerant to get information.
It didn’t matter. Now that his bike was fixed, he’d be on his way soon enough.
Which reminded her, she needed to pay a visit to Sanctuary, sooner rather than later.
Penny finished her scheduled deliveries and then drove up the mountain road that would take her to Sanctuary. It had been a long time since she’d been to the Winston resort, but the drive was just as beautiful as she remembered. As was the resort itself. The manor house had been restored with meticulous detail, and the grounds appeared well-kept.
She parked in front of the main building and took a deep breath, the air heavy with the scents of wet earth and pine. The rain had stopped, but the heavy gray clouds suggested it wouldn’t be long before it started up again.
You’re doing the right thing, she told herself as she got out of the van and walked around to the back doors. If you were Sam, you’d want to be forewarned.
“Penny, right?”
Startled, Penny whirled around to find a guy with blond hair suddenly beside her. She was sure she’d seen him before.
“Right.” The memory came to her an instant later. “You came into the store with Mr. O’Farrell. You’re Tina Obermacher’s guy, aren’t you?”
He chuckled at the description. “That’s what she tells me. I’m Doc. What brings you to Sanctuary?”
“A long-overdue welcome.” She reached into the back and tugged on a pallet-sized tray of decorative ferns, spider plants, Chinese evergreen, and pothos.
“All this?”
“Think of it as a housewarming gift, plus interest. Plants bring good luck and fortune—at least, that’s what I’ve read.”
Doc laughed. “Fair enough. Tell you what. Why don’t you pull around to the greenhouse, and we’ll unload them there?”
“Sounds good.”
Penny followed his directions and used an access road to drive around to the back of the main building, where the greenhouses were. As someone who spent a lot of time in a greenhouse, she appreciated the obvious care and attention they had put into them.
A familiar face stepped outside, her lips curling into a genuine smile when she saw Penny. Kate’s family’s hardware store was located near the flower shop on Main Street, and when Kate had worked there, they’d often stop in to see each other, say hello, and catch up. Now that Kate lived at Sanctuary, Penny didn’t get to see her much anymore.
“Penny!” Kate exclaimed, removing her gloves and welcoming Penny with a hug. “I’ve missed seeing you!”
“I’ve missed seeing you, too,” Penny said, returning the embrace. “I brought some plants, but it looks like you’ve got that covered.”
Kate laughed. “Fruits and vegetables and herbs, yes. But houseplants and flowers? Not so much.”
Doc reappeared and helped her unload before disappearing again. Penny wondered if all the guys were stealthy like that, then figured they probably were.
“Can you stay for a little while?” Kate asked. “It feels like forever since we had lunch together. I could show you around a bit, too.”
“I’d like that,” Penny replied. “But lunch first, right? Then, we can walk some of it off.”
“Good plan.”
Kate grabbed a bowl of fresh-cut herbs and led Penny inside to a gorgeous kitchen, where she saw another familiar face. One with gray-green eyes and rich chestnut hair. Unlike the last time Penny had seen her, Sam’s face held none of the wariness it once had.
“Sam, you remember Penny Hoffmeier, don’t you?” Kate asked.
Sam’s face lit up. “I do. It’s good to see you again.”
“You, too,” said Penny.
“I invited Penny to have lunch with us,” Kate told her.
“Great! Tina, Sandy, and Bree are already in the dining room.”
Penny’s spirits lifted further at the thought of seeing more familiar faces. She knew Tina Obermacher and Sandy Summers. Both were Sumneyville locals who had moved up to Sanctuary to be with the men they loved. Bree, Penny hadn’t met but had heard of. She was the journalist who had come to town to do an article on Sanctuary and the town and ended up moving permanently.
“Do you always eat lunch together like this?” Penny asked a short while later.
“Not always, but often,” Kate told her with a dimpled grin. “When you’re surrounded by alpha males, girl time is important.”
“True enough,” Sam said on a laugh.
Penny wasn’t sure she’d ever heard Sam laugh before.
“So, Penny, what’s going on in town?” Sandy asked. “Anything interesting?”
It was the perfect segue.
“Funny you should ask,” Penny said, sipping her iced tea. Tina Obermacher made the best peach tea. “A new guy showed up in town a few days ago.”
“Someone came to Sumneyville? On purpose?” Sandy said with a twinkle in her eye. “Do tell.”
“Well, he’s a biker type. Long hair. Leather jacket. He was in the Army, but he was injured and got out on a medical discharge.”
The women exchanged glances.
It was Bree who said, “We aren’t expecting anyone new this week, are we?”
“Not that I know of,” answered Kate.
“He’s not here for Sanctuary,” Penny told them. “He didn’t even know what it was.”
Tina leaned forward. “Okay, I’m intrigued. What’s he doing in Sumneyville?”
“Asking questions. Lots of them,” Penny said. “In fact, that’s one of the reasons I’m here. His father passed, and apparently, he found some letters in his father’s things. Letters from a woman who used to live in Sumneyville. He’s trying to find out more about her.”
“Good luck with that,” Sandy murmured, shaking her head. “Everyone might know everyone else’s business, but they’re not likely to share with an outsider.”
“Who is he looking for?” asked Sam.
Penny took a deep breath and looked at Sam. “Your mother.”
A collective gasp went up around the table.
“My mother?” Sam said, looking shocked. “He must be mistaken. She’s been gone a long time.”
“I don’t think so,” Penny said. “The letters are from thirty years ago, give or take. The woman’s name was Ilsa, and he knows about you, Sam. I wouldn’t be surprised if he showed up here, wanting to talk to you.”
Sam paled. “But why?”
“I think he’s trying to find his mother. He said she was never a part of his life, and when he found the love letters, he thought ...” Penny let the words trail off as the color continued to drain from Sam’s face.
“I never knew my father either. You don’t think ...”
“I don’t know what to think, but I thought you should know in case he shows up. I’m sorry I upset you.”
“No, no, it’s okay. I’m glad you said something. It’s just a lot to take in.”
“This guy,” said Bree, her gaze fixed on the window behind them, “about six-two, long brown hair, bad-boy-biker hot, walks with a limp?”
“Yeah, that’s him,” Penny confirmed. “Why?”
“Because he just pulled into the lot on an old Harley.”
“I’m calling Smoke,” Kate said, getting to her feet. Steve “Smoke” Tannen was Sam’s husband. “Sandy, go see if Matt’s in his office and let him know what’s going on.”
“Will do,” Sandy said, getting up and then moving rapidly toward the exit.
Bree’s eyes went wide. “Oh my God.”
“What?” asked Kate, following Bree’s gaze.
“Sam, he looks just like you.”