In the kitchen, Joss rubbed the sudden gooseflesh on her arms. Turning toward Annie didn’t erase the pull from the barn. “So what else do we need for the Thanksgiving dinner?”
Thankfully, Annie said nothing about the vet’s presence, though her gaze returned to the blue SUV several times. “I’m finished shopping. Will Kyle come?” The hope in Annie’s voice shone through, though she seemed to struggle to remain casual.
“Overnight, yes.” Her son hadn’t missed a holiday yet. “Lydia too.”
Annie brightened. “Oh, good. I like her.”
“Thanksgiving wouldn’t be the same without family.” Not necessarily a bad thing when your family’s certifiable.
Since Halloween, everything had remained calm. Normal. If only she could say the same for her family.
Wiping her hands, Annie asked, “How are reservations?”
“Five more booked for dinner, so we’ll have thirty.” More than she’d expected.
“Great. Any staying overnight?” As always, Annie’s enthusiasm made even small news seem huge.
“Seven, including Kyle and Lydia.” She’d hoped for more, with people’s relatives coming into town for the holiday, but the inn needed time to build its reputation.
“Once people see how beautiful the inn is, word will get out, and we’ll be turning people away.”
Nice to dream big, anyway. Joss wouldn’t dampen Annie’s hopes. “It does look wonderful, doesn’t it?” The walls in the front room were light sage, the trim painted in cream, carried into the foyer. “Better than I’d imagined.”
“When will the new sign arrive?”
“Not until after Christmas, because it’s a special order.” Joss sighed. “I can’t wait until spring, when we can paint the outside.”
“And plant the lavender.” After a slight squee, Annie said, “Your dreams are coming true. By next summer, they’ll bloom into reality.”
Something about the words struck Joss hard. The dream. Every night, it recurred: the man in the lavender field. Her soul mate. Who was he? Where was he right now?
Joss didn’t realize Annie stood beside her until her friend touched her arm.
“Are you all right, hon?”
Shaking off the odd sensation, Joss smiled. “Fine. I can’t stop worrying about the enormous amount of work ahead. Especially the barn. I hope the boarders will understand why we need to make the changes.” Moving the pasture to the other side of the stable, for starters. Building a new tack room so Joss could make use of the old summer kitchen.
“Don’t forget the patio.” Dreaminess filled Annie’s voice. “It will give us a lot more options. Just think, people will book birthday parties there, graduation parties, anniversary parties…and weddings! How perfect will that space be for weddings?”
At the word, Joss’s stomach twisted. “Absolutely perfect.”
The kitchen echoed the click of Taz’s nails across the floor as he went to the door, then glanced back at Joss.
“You want to go out?” She hesitated before opening the door. “Don’t bother the doctor.”
To her horror, Taz beelined for the stable and squeezed inside the barely-open entrance. “Oh, no.”
Annie chuckled. “He likes to keep an eye on everyone and everything.”
Sometimes the wrong things. With growing caution, she found herself riveted to the scene outside. She opened the door to listen.
“You’re not worried, are you?” Annie’s voice sounded far away.
More vividly, a horse’s snort came from inside the barn. Shuffling hooves stamping the ground. A dog’s yelp sounded.
Red flashed through Joss’s mind and her blood chilled. “Taz!” She ran with only one thought in mind, please let him be safe.
Eric’s loud commands sounded across the yard. “Settle down. Whoa.”
She scrambled to push the barn door wider and halted, her throat constricted.
Eric crouched over Taz, lying on the ground. With calculating precision, Eric ran his hands across the dog’s rump and back legs.
Heart pounding, she halted. “What happened?”
“A small kick. He got between Triple Power and me in the stall.” Eric stood. “He’s fine.”
As if to prove it, Taz scrabbled to his feet, tail wagging.
Joss released a long shuddering breath. “Thank goodness.” She went to him. Instinctively, she ran her hands along the same path the vet’s had taken. Everything appeared to be in place, and Taz gave no protest.
She turned to Eric. He stiffened. His gaze lit with an intense fire. One that ignited within her. She nearly forgot to say, “Thank you.”
Eric lurched to a stand. “No problem.”
Lost in the whirl of his emotions, she steeled herself against reaching for him. “I’ll take Taz inside.”
He stepped closer. “He’s no bother.”
At first surprised, Joss reasoned, Of course. Animals, he’s comfortable with. It’s people he doesn’t like. The storm brewing beneath the man’s skin unnerved her.
Sensing his deep discomfort, she blurted, “We’re open for Thanksgiving dinner. If you have nowhere else to go.” Not a very gracious invitation, but it hid the hope he’d accept.
Darkness crossed his face, hardened his features. “I’m not sure yet.”
Three days away and he hadn’t firmed up plans? “Annie’s turkey dinner is legendary.”
He jerked his head, not quite a nod so much as a dismissal.
With no other reason to stay, she strolled to the door. “I should get back.” A final glance at Taz revealed the dog wouldn’t follow. Taz sat watching, unmoving except for his tail swishing against the ground, mouth open in a pant, uncannily resembling a smile.
* * * *
Sheree closed the door of her apartment harder than she intended. Another night alone. She’d grown tired of waiting. When would the shadowy guy fulfill his end of the bargain? She’d told him everything she’d learned. Sure, it wasn’t much, but could she help it if Mrs. Gibson was about as boring as could be? She worked throughout the day and stayed in at night. So far as Sheree could tell, so did Eric.
Lately, though, when he came to the diner for lunch, Eric looked at her funny. Like she was up to something.
He wasn’t supposed to know. They must have messed up somehow.
“I’ll give you an earful this time.” Grumbling, she hung her coat in the hall closet, closed the door, and gasped, heart suddenly in overdrive. “When did you get here?”
Leaning against the wall, the dark man chuckled. Not the kind that inspired her to laugh along, either. “This instant. What juicy tidbits have you gathered this week?”
Sheree gulped. “Mrs. Gibson’s having Thanksgiving dinner.” Not exactly earth-shattering.
His smile faded. “You’re joking.”
“No, she’s been renovating the inn.” Wasting tons of money on the old rundown place.
He stood straight. “Come now,” he hissed. “Is that the best you can come up with?”
What the hell did he want? Lies?