Summer At Lakeside Read online

  Barbara tugged on Diana’s arm. “Come on. It’s almost time to start.”

  Diana didn’t want to leave without telling Ethan about Charlie. “My dog has a red collar. If he won’t follow you, tell him you’re taking him to the—”

  “Mom and Dad are waiting.” Barbara pushed her forward.

  With an apologetic look at Ethan, Diana walked through the crowd. She just hoped Charlie hadn’t chased another bird into the lake. Otherwise, they’d have a smelly, wet dog to clean while a lot of people wandered through their house.

  Chapter 2

  Ethan found Diana’s Golden Labrador sitting under a table on the far side of the yard. Kneeling on the ground, he pushed the tablecloth away and patted Charlie’s head. “Your mom’s looking for you.”

  Another head popped out from behind the tablecloth. “Charlie doesn’t have a mom.”

  “What are you doing under the table, Jack?”

  The red-headed seven-year-old sent a cheeky grin to Ethan. “I’m hiding with Charlie.”

  Looking at the ketchup on either side of Jack’s mouth, he’d say there was a lot more going on than hiding. “Does your dad know you’re here?”

  “I told him I was getting a hot dog. Then I saw Charlie and he wanted one, too.”

  Ethan held out his hand. “You should probably come with me. We’ll take Charlie home and then find your dad.”

  Jack crawled out from beneath the table. “Do we have to?”

  “Diana’s looking for Charlie. You could walk beside him so he doesn’t run away again.”

  With big blue eyes focused on his canine buddy, Jack wrapped his arms around the Labrador’s neck. “We can’t eat any more hot dogs, boy. We gotta go back to your house.”

  Ethan smiled as they walked across the yard. The speeches had finished a few minutes ago and everyone was milling around, eating the delicious-looking food, and waiting for a tour of the new inn.

  Jack was taking his role of doggy-minder very seriously. He held Charlie’s collar in one hand and made sure no one got too close with the other. By the time they reached the veranda, Charlie looked as though he would have stayed glued to Jack’s side for the rest of the day.

  “Do you think Diana’s inside her new house?” Jack asked.

  “I’m not sure. She said she’d meet me out here.” Ethan moved to the side of the wide front steps with Jack and sat down. “We can wait here for her. How’s your dad?”

  “He’s good. Did you see his new leg?”

  “It looks great.”

  “And it’s real comfortable. He hardly ever uses his wheelchair.”

  Ethan returned Jack’s excited smile. It never failed to amaze him how resilient the human spirit could be. Even though Jack’s dad was living with the physical and emotional trauma of what happened in Afghanistan, Jack always looked for the positives in a situation.

  “You found him!”

  Ethan smiled at Diana. “He was eating hot dogs with Jack.”

  Diana sat beside Charlie and gave him a hug. “He loves all sorts of food, but hot dogs are his favorite.” She smiled when she saw Jack’s face. “It looks as though you enjoyed them, too.”

  “I had three,” Jack said proudly. “And they were yummy. Ethan said you were looking for Charlie.”

  “I was. Thank you for taking care of him.”

  “That’s okay. I gotta find my dad now.”

  Ethan pulled himself to his feet. “I’ll go with you. There are still a lot of people here.”

  “I’ll be all right.”

  “You probably will, but I’ll feel better if we find your dad together.” Ethan looked at Diana and smiled. “It was nice meeting you. Good luck with the Bed and Breakfast.”

  “Thanks. If you’re ever walking past, you’re more than welcome to have coffee with us.”

  “I might do that.” He wished he could stay with Diana for longer, but he couldn’t leave Jack to wander off on his own.

  “Come on, Ethan,” Jack said as he jumped off the bottom step. “We gotta go.”

  He sent Diana another smile before walking hand-in-hand across the yard with Jack.

  “There’s Dad,” Jack said. “He’s talking to Mr. Terry.”

  From the anxious glances Richard shot toward the lake, it looked as though he was worried about something. It didn’t take much to realize he could be worried about his son.

  When he saw Jack, Richard sent Ethan a relieved smile.

  “Go and see your dad.”

  Jack didn’t need to be told twice. He raced across the yard and gave his dad a hug.

  By the time Ethan reached them, Jack was telling his father about eating hot dogs with Charlie.

  Richard shook Ethan’s hand. “Thanks for bringing my son back. The last time I saw him, he was talking to some children from the tiny home village and then he disappeared.”

  “’cos I saw Charlie.” Jack looked at three boys playing on a jumpy castle. “Can I play with Darren, Josh, and Stevie?”

  “Only if you promise to come straight back after you’ve finished.”

  “I promise,” Jack said as he hurried to his friends.

  Richard watched the boys playing in the sun. “It feels like we’ve been living in Sapphire Bay a lot longer than we have.”

  Ethan smiled. “It’s the same for me. I never thought I’d live in a small town, but here I am.”

  “Do you ever wonder what your life would be like if you hadn’t moved here?”

  “I’d be working fourteen-hour days and worrying about burnout.” He looked at the glistening water of Flathead Lake and listened to the sound of the children playing in the yard. “This is what matters. I earn half as much as I did in Chicago, but I’m ten times happier.”

  Richard’s serious blue eyes never left his son. “Three years ago, I didn’t think I’d make my thirty-fifth birthday.”

  “Because of what happened in Afghanistan?”

  “I lost my best friend, my leg was shredded to a pulp, and Jack was a stranger to me. I had nothing to live for.”

  Ethan heard the pain in Richard’s voice. “How do you feel now?”

  “Better.”

  If there was one word that could change people’s lives, that was it. For the people he counseled, each day was a struggle. Finding moments when you could see a glimmer of hope made everything worthwhile.

  Like Richard, Ethan was working through issues of his own. But because of a blond-haired, green-eyed woman, his day was better, too.

  Diana carried a tray of clean glasses outside and placed them on a table. So far, the afternoon had gone better than she’d expected. The tours of the house were popular and everyone had commented on how gorgeous the renovations were.

  Looking across the yard, she spotted Barbara talking to their uncle. Katie was on the veranda, speaking with another group of friends before they toured the house, and Penny, her eldest sister, was laughing as she helped Wyatt with the barbecue.

  A deep sense of peace washed over her, filling her with hope. Coming home was the best decision she’d made in a long time.

  As she turned to go back to the kitchen, she stopped. A man stood close to the lake, staring at her from across the yard. She broke out in a cold sweat. Something wasn’t right.

  She looked closer, convinced she must be imagining who it was.

  It couldn’t be him. Derek never visited Sapphire Bay. It was too small, too slow for the fast-paced life he’d always craved. But, even from this distance, she felt the weight of his gaze, his resentment for ending a marriage that had almost destroyed her.

  Her heart pounded. What was she going to do? The last thing she wanted was to draw attention to her ex-husband. Her family was furious at the way he’d treated her. If they knew he was here, it would ruin the opening of the inn.

  Hiding was out of the question. He knew where she was, who she was with, and how easy it would be to destroy everything she’d taken for granted.

  With no other option, she walked toward h
im. Each step pulled her back in time, reminding her of every hurtful moment that led to the end of their marriage.

  Derek hadn’t changed. He was still the same handsome man who’d swept her off her feet and left her thinking she was the luckiest person alive. But beneath his clear blue eyes and brown hair was a person who was as cold and detached as he was charming.

  “What are you doing here, Derek?”

  “If you’d answered my emails, it would be obvious.”

  Nothing was ever obvious with him. “My lawyer told you not to contact me. I don't have anything to say to you.”

  “Stephanie and I have broken up.”

  That didn’t surprise Diana. When Derek told her about his affairs, her sisters had stalked his latest girlfriend’s social media accounts. They’d concluded that Stephanie liked expensive trinkets and much older men. Barbara was particularly scathing. She’d told them that as soon as Derek’s money ran out, Stephanie would be gone.

  “I’m not sure what the relationship with your girlfriend has to do with me.”

  “Stephanie took all of my money before she left. I took out a large mortgage when I started my business and I don’t have anything to repay the loan. I was hoping that since you’ve inherited your grandmother’s house, you’d be able to lend me some money.”

  Diana’s mouth dropped open. She couldn’t believe what he’d just said. “I’ve spent all my savings on remodeling the inn. And, even if I did have some money, I wouldn’t lend it to you.”

  “That’s hardly fair. We spent a lot of time together.”

  “You ran off with another woman! That counts for a whole lot more than the time we spent together.”

  “I thought you would have forgiven me by now.”

  “You thought wrong.” Diana couldn’t help the bitterness in her voice. Not only had he shattered her illusions of what it meant to love someone, he’d destroyed her self-confidence. Now he expected her forgiveness? He was crazy if he thought she would ever forgive him.

  Derek sighed. “I’m sorry. I wouldn’t have flown here if I had other options.”

  “I’m not an option. You can’t come to Montana and see me. I—”

  “Sorry to interrupt.” Ethan stood beside her.

  She was so thankful to see him she could have given him a hug. “It’s okay. Derek was about to leave, anyway.”

  Ethan glanced at Derek before focusing his attention on her. “Your mom asked me to find you. She needs you in the kitchen.”

  That was as good a reason as any to leave. She turned back to Derek, feeling more confident with Ethan beside her. “I have to go. Don’t contact me again. I can’t help you.” And with legs that weren’t quite steady, she walked away from her ex-husband.

  When they were far enough away, she glanced over her shoulder.

  “He’s gone,” Ethan said quietly. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m better than I was a few minutes ago. Thank you. Does Mom really need me?”

  Ethan shook his head. “You seemed uncomfortable talking to him. When I heard some of your conversation, I thought you might need a wingman to get you out of there.”

  “I’m glad you came to my rescue. That was my ex-husband. I haven’t seen him since our divorce was finalized.”

  “That must have been difficult.”

  Diana nodded. It surprised her how upset she was. After all this time, she thought she would have been able to cope with seeing him, but she still felt sick to her stomach. His betrayal of everything that was important to her had left her raw and vulnerable, and far too fragile.

  As they were nearing the inn, she looked at Ethan. “Can I ask you for a favor?”

  “Sure.”

  “Don’t tell my family you saw Derek. They were just as upset as I was when we divorced. I don’t want to spoil their day.”

  Ethan studied her face before nodding. “I won’t tell them. But if you need someone to talk to, I’m a good listener.”

  The kindness in his voice brought tears to her eyes. “Thank you. I’d better find Barbara. She might need my help.”

  And before she did something foolish, like burst into tears, she hurried up to the inn.

  After the last of their friends went home, Diana sat with her sisters in the living room of The Lakeside Inn.

  Katie leaned back in her chair and smiled. “I can’t believe we survived the opening without having any major disasters.”

  An image of Derek flashed in front of Diana’s eyes. She bit her bottom lip, hoping no one noticed how quiet she was.

  Penny reached for a cup of coffee. “Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves—especially when the speeches weren’t too long.”

  She’d noticed the relief on people’s faces, too. “Most of the people we’d invited were looking forward to seeing the dresser where we found the letter.”

  “And seeing the amazing transformation of the house,” Katie added. “No one realized how much work we’ve done. But we have more important things to discuss than the house.” She looked pointedly at Penny. “When did Wyatt arrive?”

  Their sister’s cheeks blushed pink. “Half an hour before the opening of the inn.”

  Barbara came into the room carrying two mugs of coffee. “I’ve already interrogated Wyatt. He’s still recovering.”

  The man in question followed their sister into the room. “It wasn’t so bad. Although Barbara should work for the FBI. She’d make a great special agent.” He slid a plate of home baking onto the table and sat beside Penny.

  Katie looked at her sister. “Does this mean you and Wyatt are officially an item?”

  Penny stared into Wyatt’s eyes and smiled. “We are. There’s something else you should know. Wyatt bought the house next door.”

  “The one you were renting? I didn’t know it was for sale.”

  Wyatt shrugged. “The owner wasn’t planning on selling it, but my offer changed his mind.”

  “What about the art residency program in Berlin?” Diana asked.

  “I told them I wouldn’t be going. The Academy asked me to do some shorter master classes instead.”

  Diana was glad everything was working out for Wyatt and Penny. Wyatt was a good person and an even nicer neighbor—especially when he didn’t mind the banging and sanding that had been happening over the last few months.

  Barbara opened her laptop. “We took another six bookings this afternoon.”

  “That’s incredible,” Katie said. “I can’t believe so many people want to stay here.”

  Diana looked around at the freshly painted living room with its deep, comfy sofas and gorgeous rug. She could sit here all day enjoying the view of Flathead Lake. “Grandma’s house was always lovely. What we’ve done makes it even better. If I wanted a relaxing vacation, I’d come here.”

  Penny nodded. “Anyone who’s crazy about history will want to stay here, too. It’s not every day you get to sleep in a house that has a direct link to Abraham Lincoln.”

  “We hope it has a direct link,” Diana said. “Until we hear back from the Smithsonian, we won’t know for sure.”

  Barbara frowned. “Diana’s right. We could get ourselves into all kinds of trouble by advertising the inn as anything other than an accommodation option in Sapphire Bay.”

  Katie let out a heartfelt sigh. “I should write a book about the letter. Maybe that would get the attention of the publishing companies.”

  Diana sipped her coffee. It felt good to be with her sisters, to fill her mind with things that didn’t involve this afternoon’s unexpected visitor. “Have you heard anything about the manuscripts your agent sent out?”

  “Everyone thinks my stories are interesting, but they don’t want to publish them.”

  “It will happen.”

  Katie shrugged. “Maybe. Does anyone want anything from the general store? I promised Mom I’d drop off the extra plates and tablecloths we borrowed.”

  After Wyatt and her sisters said they were okay, Katie picked up her bag and left the living
room.

  Diana leaned closer to Barbara. “Do you think she’s all right?”

  “I’m not sure. She seems even more depressed about not hearing from her agent.”

  That’s what Diana thought, too. “I wonder if she’s considered publishing the books herself.”

  “I said the same thing to her yesterday, but she wants to be a traditionally published author.”

  “If she has to wait until her agent has a contract, she might never see her books in a book store.”

  “That’s what everyone thinks except Katie. Sometimes she’s too stubborn for her own good.”

  “Talking about stubborn…” Diana looked at her other sisters and Wyatt. “Mom and Dad’s wedding anniversary isn’t far away. I’m trying to convince them to go somewhere special. I told them we’d work in the store with their part-time staff, but Mom’s worried something will go wrong.”

  “Are you sure she wants to leave Sapphire Bay?” Barbara asked. “She might prefer to stay here.”

  “They don’t have to go far for it to be special. When was the last time they left the store for a vacation?”

  Penny frowned. “It’s been so long that I can’t remember.”

  “Exactly. Can everyone encourage them to at least think about it?”

  Barbara cradled her cup of coffee in her hands. “I think it’s a great idea. I don’t know much about power tools or some of the other things they sell, but I’d be happy to help.”

  “Me, too,” Penny added. “And, if we need the part-time staff to work more hours, they’ll enjoy the extra money.”

  “Especially if they’re working with the bosses’ daughters,” Wyatt said. “If you need another pair of hands, you can count me in.”

  Diana sighed. “Thank you.” The grandfather clock in the entranceway chimed and she leapt to her feet. “I have to go. I promised Pastor John I’d deliver the leftover food to The Welcome Center by four-thirty.”