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Chapter 2
Some cause happiness wherever they go. Others whenever they go.
When I reach the reception area, Lyric is gone as is the cookie I gave him. I take the plate and coffee cup to the kitchen before exiting through the back door of the bed and breakfast. My sister, Aspen, should be arriving at our parents’ house any moment now and I want to be there to welcome her back home.
She thinks she’s only here for a visit while she waits for the insurance company to pay her claim for the business and home that burnt down. She doesn’t realize the entire town is planning on doing everything within our power to make her stay. Game on.
I walk to my parents’ house since nothing is far in Winter Falls. I wave at my sisters, Ashlyn, Lilac, and Juniper, waiting with my parents on the front porch for Aspen to arrive. Mom and Dad had five daughters. Aspen’s the oldest. I’m next. Two years behind me is Lilac. Then, they took a four-year break until Juniper came along. And, finally, there’s the baby cakes of the family, Ashlyn.
My mom wraps her arm around my shoulders as soon as I’m within range. “Ellery Promise.” She rocks me back and forth. “Have you met any hot men at the inn lately?”
I groan. “Seriously? The guy checked in five minutes ago. How can you possibly know about him already?”
“A mother knows all,” she sings. “Don’t forget to use protection.”
“I’m not going to sleep with him,” I protest despite my body tingling in anticipation at the idea. I’ve obviously been working too hard. I don’t tingle when thinking about a man whom I just met. Men aren’t on my radar. Work and making the inn a success is all I care about.
“Why not? From what I heard, he’s scrumptious.”
“Ew! Stop.” Ashlyn feigns gagging.
“I don’t know why you’re such a prude,” Mom tells her. “It’s like you’re not my daughter.”
“Maybe I got switched at the hospital at birth.” Ashlyn wiggles her eyebrows.
“Except you have my eyes and your father’s height.” Ashlyn’s shoulders slump. “And you never left my sight in the hospital.”
“Speaking of wayward daughters,” Dad interrupts to gesture toward the tow truck barreling down the street.
“What is Aspen doing in Basil’s Beast?” I wonder.
“I assume her car broke down,” Lilac answers.
“I meant …” I cut myself off. There’s no sense in explaining myself to Lilac. She takes everything literally.
The tow truck pulls into the driveaway and Mom rushes down the porch and wrenches the passenger door open. “Aspen Cloud, you’re home.” She wraps her arms around Aspen and sways her from side to side. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to see you.”
Aspen melts into Mom. Huh. My big sister doesn’t usually accept the comfort our mom so freely offers. She must be more stressed than she let on when I talked to her before she began her journey from Texas to Colorado. I’m not judging. I’d be stressed out of my freaking mind if the inn burned down, and the insurance company blamed me.
“You’re going to be fine, baby girl. Just fine,” Mom tells her.
“Thanks, Mom.”
Dad elbows Mom out of the way and lifts Aspen before twirling her around. She giggles as he spins her.
“Put me down, Dad. I’m not a child,” she claims despite continuing to giggle like one.
Dad sets her on the ground and whispers something to her too soft for me to hear.
“Stop hogging her!” I scream before Juniper, Lilac, Ashlyn, and I rush down the front porch and jump Aspen. We’re rolling on the ground in no time.
“It’s good to have you home, big sis,” I tell her while my other sisters murmur their agreement.
Woof!
Aspen struggles to my feet. “I need to let Waffles out before he pees all over the interior of my car.”
Lilac curls her lip at the state of Aspen’s car. “This is your vehicle? It’s in violation of the town ordinance.”
