The Lakeside Inn Page 5

  Wyatt looked at the sander. “And if I’m walking, you could finish the tables.”

  Penny wasn’t sure if her suggestion annoyed or amused him. “By the time you return, everything will be a peaceful oasis of tranquility.”

  Wyatt crossed his arms in front of his broad chest. “Okay, but I’ll be back in thirty minutes.”

  Penny checked her watch. “I’ll make sure I’m finished before then.” Wasting no time, she plugged the sander into the extension cord. “Enjoy your walk.”

  Before Wyatt replied, she turned on the sander and ran it over the top of the table. And if she snuck a look at her neighbor’s retreating back as he walked toward the lake, no one would hold it against her. Especially when he had the type of body most women would sigh over.

  Wyatt glanced at his watch. In the end, it wouldn’t have mattered how long Penny took to finish the tables. A few minutes after leaving his house, Pastor John had called. He wanted to finalize the registration process for the art program.

  With his mind on everything except his current painting, meeting John gave him an excuse to do something else. So, instead of dwelling on the fact that his painting was going nowhere, he drove to The Welcome Center and met Pastor John.

  “How many people will you need for the project?” John asked.

  Wyatt had been mulling over the same question since he’d seen the tiny home village. “I’d like to include as many people as possible. There are a few stages to the process. To make it easier to involve more people, I thought we could break the project into design, preparation, implementation, and follow-up stages.”

  John’s eyebrows rose. “It sounds as though you’ve done this before.”

  And just like that, his heart was heavy with grief. “After my wife died, I helped the local hospital organize a community art project. That’s why Ethan asked me to help you. We raised a lot of money for the hospital’s intensive care unit.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t know about your wife.”

  Wyatt shrugged, but the seemingly careless gesture hid a lifetime’s worth of sorrow. “Helping the hospital’s sponsorship team made me realize I wasn’t alone. Many people lose people they love in terrible circumstances.”

  “I’m grateful you’re here. When Ethan told me you were interested in helping us, I thought he was joking.”

  “It’s helping me, too. I never would have moved to Sapphire Bay if it weren’t for Ethan, so I guess we both have a lot to be thankful for.” Wyatt made a few notes on the sheet of paper in front of him. “We could hold an informal meeting with the residents at the tiny home village. If you have a barbecue, I’ll provide lunch for everyone. We could talk about the project and keep a register of anyone whose interested in helping.”

  “You make it sound easy.”

  “It doesn’t have to be difficult.” A light tap on Pastor John’s door made Wyatt turn around. Standing uncertainly in the doorway was the little red-headed boy he’d met the other day.

  “Hi, Pastor John. Mrs. Devlin said to tell you the basketball game has just started.”

  John grinned. “Thanks, Jack. I’ll be there soon.”

  Jack’s bright blue gaze connected with Wyatt’s. “When are you painting the walls?”

  “We’ll start planning what we’ll paint at the end of next week.”

  “Dad is nearly okay with me helping. Can you talk to him?”

  Wyatt glanced at John. He knew nothing about Jack and his dad or what might make Jack’s dad hesitate.

  “Your dad probably has other things on his mind.” Pastor John knelt beside Jack. “Once we have the place and time we’re meeting, I’ll ask your dad if it’s okay if you come.”

  “Thanks. Dad likes you.”

  John ruffled Jack’s hair. “I like you both, too. You’d better hurry back to Mrs. Devlin or she’ll wonder where you’ve gone.”

  Jack lifted his arm in a silent wave to Wyatt before rushing out of the office.

  “He’s a good kid,” John said. “He’s been living in the tiny home village with his dad for the last six months.”

  “How did his dad end up in a wheelchair?”

  “Richard’s army truck hit a land mine in Afghanistan. His right leg had to be amputated.”

  “That must have been devastating.”

  “It changed his life in ways he never imagined. They gave him a prosthetic leg, but he has a lot of trouble with it. When the pain is too much, he uses a wheelchair.”

  “Can the leg be modified so it’s more comfortable?”

  John looked through the window. “His insurance only covered the first leg. Anything after that is seen as cosmetic. Richard has a few options, but he would have to see a specialist at a private clinic. That’s beyond his finances, so he makes do as best he can.”

  Wyatt stood beside John. Jack was running across the yard, heading at full speed toward the basketball court. “Is there anything I can do?”

  “Encouraging Richard to be part of the art project will help him and his son. Richard will feel more connected to the community, and Jack loves to be involved in everything.”

  A roar of applause filled the air. “You’re missing a great game.”

  “You’re right.” John picked up his baseball cap. “If you’re not doing anything you could join me.”

  “Maybe another time. I need to spend the rest of the day painting.”

  “Will you finish everything in time for your exhibition?”

  “I hope so. Enjoy the game.”

  Wyatt followed John out of the building and headed toward the parking lot. Halfway to his truck, another cheer filled the air.

  He enjoyed basketball. But, apart from the art project, he hadn’t taken time off work in so long that he felt guilty just thinking about it. His work consumed him, filled the darkest part of who he was with hope, and put food on his table.

  Without it, he worried that he’d go back to the person he was after his wife died—and he never wanted to be that person again.

  Chapter 5

  For the tenth time that day, Penny checked her emails. After she’d arranged to take another week off work, her boss had told her he was emailing everyone about the vacant management position in her team.

  There were four new messages, but nothing from work. With a heavy sigh, she left the kitchen. As she grabbed her coat from the hallway closet, Charlie skidded to a stop in front of her.

  Penny patted his head. “Hi, boy. Where’s Diana?”

  Charlie’s head swung toward a room opposite them. She should have realized that’s where her sister would be. As well as being Penny’s favorite room, it had now become her sister’s, too.

  Their grandmother had affectionately named the special room the tower because of its circular wall and high ceiling. When they were younger, Diana refused to cut her hair. Her one and only goal was to become Rapunzel and dangle her long golden locks from the highest window.

  Penny smiled when she saw Diana. She was sitting in a pool of late afternoon sunshine, sorting through some old photographs.

  “I’m going for a walk around the lake. Do you want to come?”

  “I’m okay here. I want to sort through these photos before I go into town tomorrow. Have you heard from your boss?”

  “Not yet.”

  Diana checked her watch. “You should hear from him soon.”

  “That’s what I’m hoping, too. I’ll be back in the next hour.”

  “Don’t rush. Barbara’s making dinner.”

  Penny had already seen the meat marinating in the refrigerator and the salads sitting on a shelf. Her sister was so organized, it was scary. “Do you want me to take Charlie for a walk, too?”

  As if sensing an opportunity to escape, the Golden Labrador sat at her feet, his big brown eyes focused entirely on Penny.

  Diana laughed. “It looks as though he’s decided for both of us. Enjoy your walk.”

  By the time they left the house, a gentle breeze was drifting across the lake. Penny
breathed in the clean, crisp air. It was wonderful to be outside, to let go of all the thoughts that were racing around her head.

  She looked either side of her. With no one else in sight, she let Charlie off his leash and followed the path that would take them farther away from town.

  When her cell phone pinged, she opened her emails. With a pounding heart, she read the message from her boss. This couldn’t be right. He’d told her they would start the recruitment process next month. But, for some reason, they’d moved a manager from a different department into the role.

  She read the email again, wondering if she’d missed something. There was no way anyone could do the job without having previous experience in property management. A sinking feeling hit her stomach. Had asking for more time away from work been a mistake? Did her boss think she wasn’t committed to the organization? That she’d changed her mind and didn’t want the promotion?

  Charlie barked and she looked over her shoulder. Wyatt was walking along the same path. But instead of being able to enjoy the peaceful serenity of the afternoon, Charlie had ambushed him.

  Penny hurried toward them. “Charlie! Come here.” Diana’s bouncy, lovable dog ignored her. She reached into her pocket. “Here, boy. I’ve got a treat.”

  Charlie looked at Penny and licked his lips. With no extra coaxing, he ran back, wolfing down the dried chicken thins in one gulp.

  Wyatt’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “Thanks.”

  Penny attached Charlie’s leash to his collar. “You’re welcome. I’m sorry about the doggy drool.”

  He looked down at his jeans and shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. Charlie’s happy.”

  “He’s always happy when he sees someone he knows. Did you get plenty of painting done today?”

  “Not as much as I wanted. After I saw you, I had a meeting with Pastor John.”

  “About the art project?”

  Wyatt’s eyebrows rose. “You’ve heard about what we’re doing?”

  “Mom told us. She has a way of discovering what’s happening in the community.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.” Wyatt’s blue eyes focused on her. “It looks as though we’re both going in the same direction. Do you want company?”

  “I thought…” Penny’s voice petered out. She didn’t want to sound rude, but she thought she was the last person he would want to spend time with.

  “If you’d prefer to walk on your own—”

  “No, it isn’t that.” She took a deep breath. “I’d enjoy your company. It looks as though Charlie would, too.” The dog in question was sitting on his bottom staring adoringly at Wyatt.

  “I’m surprised he isn’t barking. He usually does plenty of that when he sees me.”

  “Charlie only does that when he wants your attention. He’ll be better behaved after he’s had a walk.”

  Wyatt gestured toward the trail. “We’d better keep moving, then. Apart from sanding the side tables, what have you been doing today?”

  Penny slid her cell phone into her pocket. There would be plenty of time later to worry about the email. For now, Wyatt and Charlie were a welcome distraction. “I’ve been sorting through some furniture and boxes in the attic.”

  “That must have been difficult.”

  “It was hard seeing the things my grandparents had carefully packed away. Diana found an old scrapbook with all the pictures we’d drawn for them. They’d even kept the painted handprints we made before we started school.” Thinking about the pictures brought tears to her eyes. “Time goes by so quickly. When you’re young, you think you’ll never be twenty. And, before you know it, you’re thirty-five.”

  “And then you’re forty and sixty doesn’t sound far away.”

  Penny sighed. “That makes me feel worse.”

  “It’s part of life. Growing old is a privilege.”

  The words were spoken so softly that she nearly missed them. “I never thought of it that way.”

  Wyatt stuck his hands in his jacket pockets. “You seemed upset before Charlie saw me. Is everything else all right?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “I’ve had plenty of days like that. Is there anything I can do?”

  Charlie stopped to sniff a long tuft of grass. Penny waited beside him, not sure whether to tell Wyatt about what had happened at work.

  “I’m a good listener.”

  She looked into his serious blue eyes and sighed. Pulling out her cell phone, she showed him the message. “I really wanted the promotion. I’ve been working alongside the person who’s doing the job for months. Our latest project is ahead of schedule and under budget.” The more she thought about it, the more worried she became. “Why wouldn’t they ask me to manage our team? I have everything they need, including a good relationship with some of the biggest property investors in Seattle.”

  “Sometimes people make decisions that don’t seem logical.”

  Her hand tightened around Charlie’s leash. “I spoke to the manager who was doing the recruiting last month. He said I had everything they were looking for in a candidate. Why didn’t he tell me what they’d done when he called me?”

  “Perhaps he wasn’t the person who made the decision and he felt embarrassed?”

  Penny looked down at Charlie. She was probably overreacting, but the sting of disappointment was still raw. “Or it could be something else. I asked him if I could work from Sapphire Bay for a week or two each month. That might have changed his mind.”

  “Can your job be done from here?”

  “I live in Seattle, but work on projects along the West Coast. I could easily do half of my time from here.”

  “Was it important you work from Sapphire Bay?”

  Penny nodded and followed Charlie along the trail.

  “It might help to talk about it.”

  “It’s a long story.”

  Wyatt smiled and her heart pounded. “It doesn’t look as though Charlie’s in a hurry to go home.”

  She hadn’t spoken to anyone besides her sisters and parents about the clause in her grandma’s will. And even then, she’d kept her deepest fears to herself. “Are you sure you want to know? It would be a lot quieter if my sisters and I weren’t living in Grandma’s house.”

  “But not as much fun. The muffins someone leaves at my front door makes all the noise worthwhile.”

  Penny cheeks burned. “We thought it might make you a little less grumpy when Charlie comes to visit.”

  With a cheeky grin, Wyatt leaned toward her. “It’s working. Why do you want to stay?”

  And with a worried frown, she told him why she was here, why she wanted to live here, and why it might not happen.

  As Wyatt listened to Penny, his frown deepened. “They can’t do that.”

  “They might not call it firing, but Barclays could restructure the team and not need me.”

  “If they did, they’d be crazy. Apart from anything else, it takes months to bring a new person up to speed with what’s happening in an organization.”

  Penny shook her head. “They’ll say the staff at work have transferable skills, that another person won’t take long to fill the gaps.”

  “Even though you didn’t get the promotion, you still have a job. Has your boss told you if you can work from Sapphire Bay?”

  “Not yet.”

  “What will you do if he doesn’t want you to work from here?”

  “I don’t know. I have a lovely home in Seattle, a wonderful group of friends, and a job I love. But this,”—she looked at the lake, then lifted her chin as she followed the towering peaks of the mountain range—“this is where I belong. Grandma has given us more than her house. She’s left us with a legacy, a chance to change our lives and grow closer together.”

  Wyatt let the truth of what she was saying wash through him. He’d never felt the same sense of connection to anything. When he was living in Chicago, all he’d wanted was the soothing Tuscan landscape he’d given up for his wife. And when he was in Tuscan
y, he’d craved the rugged plains of Scotland or the hot, dry heat of the Australian outback.

  Before he met Anya, being a landscape artist had turned him into a nomad, searching the world for the perfect setting, the perfect light—somewhere to create the perfect painting.

  “I don’t want to let my family down.”

  He studied the stubborn tilt to Penny’s chin and saw more than she knew. “From what I’ve seen, your family loves you. They wouldn’t disown you if you put your career above your grandparents’ home.”

  “Diana wants to live here more than anyone. She’d be the most upset if I told her I was leaving. Barbara wants to stay and, out of all of us, could move here without too much bother. And then there’s Katie.”

  “Your sister who’s the writer?”

  Penny nodded. “She’s chasing a dream in Los Angeles and nothing anyone says can change her mind. If I’d stayed in Seattle, Katie would have been thrilled.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “She loves living in California.”

  “More than living here?”

  “Definitely. When we were teenagers she couldn’t wait to leave.”

  “People change.”

  “Not Katie.”

  Wyatt sighed. “I used to think people never changed, too. But I was wrong.”

  “What happened?”

  He looked away from the curiosity in Penny’s eyes. “I never thought I’d settle in one place. Dad worked for a humanitarian aid organization and we moved around a lot. As an adult, I did the same thing. It wasn’t until I met my wife, Anya, that I had to learn how to live in one place. Her work was based in Chicago, so that’s where we stayed. She died in a car accident three years ago.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  Wyatt took a deep breath. “Sometimes it feels like a lifetime ago. At other times, the grief is as raw as if it had happened last week. I guess what I’m trying to say is that people change, whether they want to or not.”