AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I hear a light knock on the door and open it cautiously, finding Beth on the other side, holding a plate of cookies and two glasses of milk. “I just wanted to check in on you and see if you needed anything. I brought treats.”
I hold the door ajar and hesitate. “Before you come in, I have to prepare you for something, and you can’t freak out, okay?” I learned my lesson with Preston. Don’t surprise people with pet raccoons. Especially very pregnant people. Evan might not appreciate the raccoon, but he definitely won’t appreciate me scaring his babies out of Beth.
Beth laughs nervously. “Okay...”
I gulp, then I confess. “I have a pet raccoon. I’ve had him for six years now. He’s registered as a domesticated exotic wildlife animal in the state, and I have his papers.”
Beth’s jaw drops. “Show me.” Her smile is wide as she pushes the door open to see for herself. “Oh my gosh, you are the cutest,” she squeals, softly approaching Pancake and sitting beside him on the bed.
I lean back against the door and let out a deep sigh of relief. “I thought you would freak out like Preston did.”
“Preston just needs to loosen up,” Beth says with a small laugh. “I saw him trying to pretend he was irritated with you tonight. But I can tell he likes you. He’s also a city boy through and through. Don’t worry, we’re countrifying him up here in Freedom Valley.”
I laugh. “He does seem very buttoned up.”
“Preston’s a good guy, and he means well. He’s new here, and he’s still figuring it all out.”
“He’s definitely something,” I murmur. Honestly, he smells amazing, he’s sexy as hell, and he’s way the hell out of my league. But he’s nice to look at, and I like arguing with him. A lot.
“What are you thinking right now?” she asks.
“He just seems so different. Worldly. Scholarly. Not really the type of guy we see around Freedom Valley.”
“He’s done so much for this community already in such a short amount of time. He actually is down to earth. You’ll see. He helped Evan out a ton last year, and we’ve really gotten to know him well. I think once you get to know him, you’ll see that there’s more to him than his suits and career. He’s good at what he does, but he’s an even better friend.”
I shrug and sigh. “Yeah, maybe.” We’ll see, I think to myself. He wasn’t very compassionate with me.
“Where did you get him?” Beth asks as she tears off a piece of cookie and feeds it to Pancake. He’s already cuddled up next to her as she pets him. Pancake makes little noises that sound like purring.
“My grandpa Harry found him when he was just a baby. His mom had been killed. I guess raccoons have a lifespan of about two years in the wild, but when they’re domesticated, they can live up to twenty. At the time, I was away finishing college, and Pancake had become his companion. But when Harry had to move to an assisted living facility, I took Pancake back to the city with me. We came to visit as often as we could, though. He’s been my sidekick. The past few years, I’ve worked a lot and haven’t had a lot of time for friends and fun. Pancake was mostly all I had. It’s crazy to think I worked so many odd jobs and so hard, and now it’s all for nothing.”
“I’m so sorry this has happened. Hopefully you can get it all figured out. As for Pancake, your secret is safe with me.” She winks. “Pancake is just a sweetie, aren’t you?” she says as she scratches his chin. He leans into her, sniffing her for more cookies.
“So, Evan said you lived with your grandpa here?” she asks, offering me a cookie.
“Yes. My mom grew up here, but she was kind of a hippy, and she and I moved around a lot. She worked a lot of seasonal jobs and waitressing gigs. She homeschooled me from wherever we would end up. The first thirteen years of my life were full of epic adventures, traveling all over the country in our van. I never knew where we’d be. Then we ended back up in Freedom Valley.”
“I bet you have incredible memories from the places you’ve been. Why did you two come back?”
“We didn’t really have a choice. She got cancer, and we came back for her to get better. Only she never got better. Harry raised me here after that, and we’re very close. I graduated from Freedom Valley High, which is how I know Evan, but it’s been a long time since I’ve really connected with anyone.” I take a bite of a cookie.
“I’m so sorry to hear about your mom. I lost my mom to cancer, too. When I was six. I grew up in foster and group homes.”
“I’m sorry for your loss, too. Losing a parent is not a club anyone wants to belong to, is it? I wish we could trade in our memberships.” My throat feels tighter, and my eyes burn just remembering the pain and realizing Beth is intimate with this feeling, too.
“Agreed. But look at you now,” she says, changing the subject and lightening up the mood. “Opening up your own bookstore? Your mom would be so proud of you. I bet your grandpa is so proud of you, too.” She takes a bite of her cookie.
“Thanks. And look atyou. You’re an author, and that’s so cool. I’ve read everything you’ve written,” I admit.
Beth laughs. “Thanks. I just turned in another book a few weeks ago. I’m trying to take a break until the babies come, but I’m always working on a new idea.”
“I can’t wait to read it. Hopefully the bookstore will be open so we can have an event when your new book releases.”
She nods and looks thoughtful for a moment, then says, “I was kind of a nomad myself for a while before I landed here at the inn. It’s funny how it all works out, isn’t it?”
“Or doesn’t work out,” I sigh. “Sometimes I wonder if I should just hit the road again. But I can’t leave Harry now. I need to stick around. What brought you to Freedom Valley?”
“I broke down on the side of the road, and Evan found me.” She flashes a grin at me and adds, “I thought he was a serial killer at first.”
