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Lauren winced. “Don’t remind me.”
“You’re free as a bird,” Gwen added. “I’m sorry, I’m not trying to make you feel bad, but it’s a perfect time for you to get away, before you’re tied up with new employment.”
Unfortunately, the new employment thing didn’t seem to be a problem. Despite the number of resumés the unemployed corporate attorney had sent out, she didn’t exactly have employers beating down her door to get to her. The fact that she was “let go” from her prior job, she was sure didn’t help matters.
“Besides that, we have a surprise,” Gwen said in her usual perky voice. A voice that sometimes irritated Lauren.
“Gwen, don’t give everything away,” Candace warned.
Uh-oh, these two were up to something. “Do you need to tell me something?”
“Uh, no, you’ll find out soon enough. Let’s just say we’ve taken care of everything and all you have to do is show up.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Lauren pointed out.
“What’s that?” Candace asked.
“The ‘we’ve taken care of everything’ part.”
Gwen laughed. “You worry too much, Lauren. Just go and have fun.” To Gwen, life was just one big party.
Oh, well, there was no use fighting them. Besides, Lauren needed to get out of town. Away from Jeff and Camilla. Away from the memories.
“Now, write this down,” Candace was saying. “Woodwards’ Bed and Breakfast.” She proceeded to give Lauren the address and phone number. “Your flight leaves at seven-ten tomorrow morning. One short layover and transfer.”
Lauren groaned.
“Sorry, that’s the best we could do. Grab a taxi and you’ll be there by early evening.”
“What about Nocchi?” Lauren asked, referring to her shih tzu.
“They said you could bring her.” Gwen laughed. “We checked.”
It seemed they had thought of everything.
Lauren was silent.
“You still there?” Candace wanted to know.
“Yes.”
“Are we all set?”
Lauren hesitated, then offered a resigned “Yes.”
“Whoo-hoo,” Gwen called from the line.
“Great!” Candace chimed in. “I’m going to London with Mom and Dad for a week. Should get back to the States during your second week. I’ll call you then.”
“Okay,” Lauren said, feeling none too sure about this whole thing.
“Bon voyage,” Gwen called with a laugh.
“She’s not going on a cruise,” Candace said dryly.
Showing her good-natured spirit, Gwen simply said, “Oh, yeah. Well, adios.”
Candace groaned. Being the more sensible one of the two, she too sometimes struggled with Gwen’s constant bubbling. “Have a wonderful time, Lauren. Who knows, this trip could possibly change your life.”
I could use a changed life, she wanted to say. “Thanks, Candace. Thanks, Gwen. You two are the best.”
After they all exchanged goodbyes, Lauren put the phone down and stared at it. Candace’s words rang in her ears. This trip could possibly change your life. Lauren wanted to believe that. Her life couldn’t get any worse.
She looked around her bedroom decorated with modern furnishings and deep crimson-colored walls with white trim. How long had she lived in this apartment? Three years now? As a two-bedroom, it wasn’t huge, but it was spacious enough for her. She liked the layout of the place and the fact that it was brand new when she moved in. With it being situated so close to work was a definite plus. She wasn’t sure what had held her back from buying a home, but given the current situation of living off her savings, she was glad she wasn’t tied to a mortgage. Besides, with her best friends living in other states, the bigger home would only increase her feelings of loneliness.
Lauren left her bedroom and headed toward the attic to retrieve her luggage, all the while praying her friend was right.
By Saturday afternoon four of the contestants had arrived. No one was sure if number five would show. Since they had lost her application, Macy and Molly seemed a little relieved.
After dinner, Garrett stepped outside behind their B and B. Twilight had just settled over Bliss Village, and he needed a breath of fresh air. Macy and Molly could take care of entertaining the guests for now.
Once outside, Garrett gazed at the evening sky. Was he crazy for trying to run this place? After all, the B and B had been his wife’s dream, not his. They’d only lived there, what, two years when she died? Hardly seemed possible that he and the girls had lived there five years already.
He walked over to get Bear, his black Lab, from his pen. He had never seen such a diverse group of women. Where in the world had his daughters found them—on weirdbadandugly.com? He sighed. Okay, he wasn’t being fair. They weren’t ugly, after all. But they were, well, a little weird. He kicked a rock out of his path. Maybe they weren’t strange at all. It might just be him—he didn’t know what to look for in a woman anymore.
Bear trotted alongside him as they took a pine-laden path in the woods behind his B and B.
Besides, Garrett had to admit Gracie appealed to him, with her lithe body, long brown hair that looked soft enough to wallow his face in and brown eyes that could match that of any doe in the county. It had been some time since he’d been attracted to a woman.
If only he could duct-tape her mouth.
There was something about her voice, or maybe it was the way she said things, or what she said. He didn’t know. But he had a sneaking suspicion if he was with her for very long, they’d have to put him in a strait-jacket. In fact, he figured the government could use her as an instrument of torture in times of war.
No wonder she lived on a mountain.
Maybe he should reserve judgment. Perhaps she was nervous. He’d give her the benefit of the doubt.
He’d try to give them all the benefit of the doubt.
Garrett came to the wicker bench he had placed on the rough trail and sat down. The air smelled damp and heavy with the scent of pine. This place calmed him like nothing else could. Birdsong whispered through the trees that cooled and protected him when he visited during the heat of the day.
Bear walked around, sniffed here and there, then strutted back. With the stance of a lawn ornament he sat at attention beside Garrett’s feet.
Brown cones and pine needles littered the area. Garrett sighed and ran a hand through his thick dark hair. He couldn’t remember such a stressful day. Oh, he knew his daughters meant well, they constantly nagged him about dating, but he had a feeling the next two weeks would be about as comfortable as wearing a suit and tie on a fishing boat. He leaned over and scratched Bear’s head. The dog leaned in for a good rub.
“What am I going to do, Bear?” Garrett kept scratching. “There’s not a woman there I can relate to. I know the girls have put a lot of work into this, so I have to follow through, but it won’t be easy. I have a feeling we’ll be making lots of trips out here, ol’ boy.” Bear looked up and Garrett was almost certain he saw a smirk on the hound’s face. Sometimes Garrett felt his dog was close to human.
He rubbed his forehead. Why did Susie have to leave him? He wouldn’t be going through this whole mess if she were still here. They had so many dreams for their future. He could still remember how her eyes used to sparkle whenever she talked about the B and B. She had such a passion for people, for…life. He sighed. Those days were over and there was nothing he could do about it now. But, oh, how he missed her.
How long he sat there Garrett wasn’t sure, but darkness had fallen over the trees, with only slivers of moonlight poking through the branches. When he stepped into the clearing, the full moon sailed high in the sky and lit his way back to the house. He hoped to sneak up to his room, since the actual “contest” didn’t start until tomorrow. With any luck, they’d all disappear with the morning fog.
Garrett and Bear trudged the path toward the house. “Good night, ol’ boy,” Garrett said, hooking the hound to a chain and giving him one more scratch behind the ears. Then Garrett straightened. As if on cue, Bear yawned and walked back to his doghouse, completing their nightly ritual.
When Garrett stepped inside the back door and into the kitchen, he was pleasantly surprised by the silence that met him. Seeing a note on the kitchen island, he walked over and picked it up. “Dad, we took the women to the coffee shop. Figured you’d appreciate some time to prepare for tomorrow. Be back in a little while. Love, Molly.”
“Ah, thanks, girls,” he said to the empty house, feeling himself relax. Pulling a cold soft drink from the fridge, he grabbed a hunting magazine and settled into an overstuffed beige chair in the den.
This evening held promise after all.
Recognizing some of the familiar sights in Bliss Village, Lauren knew the taxi had to be getting close to the bed-and-breakfast, though not close enough for her. The stench of stale smoke and cheap cologne filled the car, making her wish she’d not eaten the greasy hamburger at the airport. Even Nocchi whined and pawed at her nose. A country-and-western tune whined through the radio speakers, while the taxi driver concentrated more on scratching the whiskers on his face than driving.
Frustration mounted as Lauren fumbled through her bags in search of—but not finding—the paper with the information on where she would be staying. The bed-and-breakfast was located on Pine Road in Bliss Village and the name had “wood” in it—she remembered that much. If the driver went to Pine Road, they were sure to find it. She finally gave up her search for the paper, shoved everything back inside her bag and zipped it closed.
She glanced out her window. Earlier, they had passed a few quaint, cozy Victorian homes with warm, inviting lampposts and porches. Now they approached a more rustic area lined with cabins and woodsy-type homes. Lauren saw a sign on the lawn of the next property. Woods Inn Bed and Breakfast.
“There it is!” she said, pointing.
The driver hit the brakes and screeched to a sudden halt at the curb, practically giving Lauren a whiplash in the process. She knew some personal-injury attorneys who would love this guy.
Quickly she checked on her dog in the carrier beside her feet on the floor. The driver got out of the car and Lauren followed suit, then reached back inside for the carrier. Once outside, she took in a big breath of fresh air. The driver slid her bag from the trunk as if he hadn’t the strength to lift it, and let it drop on the street with a thunk. Feeling less than charitable, she paid him reluctantly for his services.
The taxi squealed off and she glanced around the property dense with pines and large, leafy green foliage. Gothic arches adorned the thick massive stone structure that loomed before her. Not exactly the cozy Victorian she had expected, but it had a sort of earthy quality about it.
Lauren grabbed her things and looked at the front door. “Well, here goes nothing.” Trudging up the incline toward her home for the next two weeks, she hoped Candace and Gwen were right and that she could get some rest here.
Once she reached the door, she set her luggage down beside her, took a deep breath and knocked.
Upon hearing the doorbell, Garrett leaned his head back against the comfy chair and glanced toward the ceiling. “Great, contestant number five.” He squeezed his eyes shut for a fraction of a second, as if it would all go away like a bad dream. With reluctance he pulled himself from the deep chair, walked down the hall, around to the front door and opened it. The visitor took him by surprise.
“Hi, I’m Lauren Romey. I have a reservation here.”
Now here was a welcome sight. Dressed in stylish jeans and a long white T-shirt adorned with a classy silver belt at her waist, this woman had definite potential. It didn’t hurt that she had hair the color of buttercups and eyes that made him feel he had stepped into the clear, blue-green water of Emerald Bay. His spirits improved considerably.
“Garrett Cantrell, owner of the place.” He shook her hand, then stepped aside to allow her entrance. “So you decided to come after all, huh?”
She raised her eyebrows and looked at him with surprise. “Oh, uh, yeah.”
“Here, let me get that for you.” He reached for her luggage. In her other hand, he noted a dog in a carrier.
“You have a dog, Miss Romey?”
“That’s what they call ’em where I come from.”
“Oh, a guest with a sense of humor,” he said with a smirk.
“Is that a problem?”
“The humor or the dog?”
She laughed with a little hesitation. Seeming to sense they were talking about her, Nocchi whined and pawed at the floor of her carrier. “Shh,” Lauren scolded. She turned back to Garrett. “They told me I could bring her. I assure you, Nocchi is harmless.”
“Nocchi?”
“Yes, spelled N-o-c-c-h-i, but it’s pronounced no-key.”
He thought he’d eaten an Italian dinner once by that name.
“Her name is actually Pinocchio. I call her Nocchi for short.”
Now he’d heard everything. A tiny black dog with a barely visible nose named Pinocchio. Okay, that was weird. Weirdbadandugly.com. Garrett stuck his face closer to the carrier to get a look at the animal. He rubbed his eyes and peered in again. The dog was actually wearing a dress. Not only that, but a denim sailor-type cap festooned with a matching bow sat a little crookedly on her head. Now he’d seen everything. Talk about your froufrou dogs. This was just wrong. No animal should have to suffer that type of humiliation. Garrett leaned in farther and squinted. “Is there something wrong with her, um, eyes?” he asked, pointing.
“Huh? Oh, that.” With a defensive jerk, Lauren pulled the carrier away from him. “She’s—” Lauren lifted her chin “—cross-eyed.”
Certain he had misunderstood, Garrett leaned toward her. “She’s what?”
Her chin rose another notch. “I said Nocchi is cross-eyed.” Her expression dared him to challenge her.
He thought she was about to add, “You got a problem with that?” But she didn’t. He bit the sides of his mouth to keep from laughing.
She turned back to her pooch. “Poor thing. She was dropped as a pup, and they said she’s been that way ever since.” Lauren stuck her fingers through the grated door of the carrier and stroked Nocchi. “I do have to be careful moving the furniture.”
Garrett shuddered.
Lauren missed it; she continued to stroke her dog. “She’s a shih tzu,” Lauren explained. “She never makes any noise—” Nocchi suddenly yipped and jerked back, making Lauren almost drop the carrier.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Nocchi,” Lauren cooed, checking the dog over. She looked back to Garrett. “I think I poked her in the eye.”
Garrett looked at Lauren’s long, manicured nails. He wondered if the dog would ever see again.
Lauren hurried on. “She’s housebroken and won’t be a problem, I promise.” The woman lifted those Emerald Bay eyes to him.
How did women do that? It seemed they had an internal button marked “charm weapon” that they turned on when they needed it. Garrett winced inside, but his lips rose at the corners. There was a strict “no pets” policy—why would Macy and Molly tell her a dog was all right? He sighed. He couldn’t turn her away. She was the one normal applicant in the group. Well, at least she appeared normal. Still, the dog was questionable.
“That’s fine, Miss Romey—”
“Please, call me Lauren.” Her eyes twinkled.
Oh, sure, now that I’ve accepted her dog, it’s Lauren. “Lauren,” he repeated. “If you want to step into the front room, I have your key on a desk there.”
As they walked down the hall, Garrett heard her footsteps behind him and wondered what she would think of the place. A woman like her no doubt stayed in only the nicest inns and hotels. He squared his shoulders. Why should he care what she thought? Woods Inn could rival the best of them.
She gasped as he led her into an enormous room with a massive stone fireplace that stretched to a cathedral ceiling. He glanced back at her and followed her gaze from the brown beams arched above to the dark warm carpet beneath their feet. Though the room was large, the subdued lighting that shone from corner lamps gave it a sort of cozy feel. Well, that was what his girls had told him, anyway.
“This is very nice,” Lauren said as though she meant it.
“Thanks. My girls offer the feminine touch with the plants and fluffy pillows, all that. If I had my way, I’d have bear heads mounted on the wall.”
Lauren grimaced.
