The Inn at Rose Harbor (3 page)

“Hurry,” Michelle urged. “Richard needs you.”

Josh wagered his stepfather would keel over dead before he’d admit to needing anyone, particularly Josh. Apparently the neighbors had forgotten that Richard had taken delight in kicking Josh out of the house only a few months after his mother’s death. Josh had been just weeks away from his high school graduation. When he left he hadn’t been allowed to take anything more than some clothes and his schoolbooks.

Richard had claimed Josh was a thief. Two hundred dollars had been missing from his wallet and he was convinced Josh had stolen it. The fact was, Josh knew nothing about the missing money, which left only Dylan. Richard would never believe his own flesh and blood was guilty, though, so Josh had accepted the blame. What he hadn’t expected was for Richard to demand he leave so close to graduation.

In retrospect, Josh accepted that the missing money was just an excuse. Richard had wanted him out of the house and out of his life, and until now Josh had been more than willing to comply.

He was back in Cedar Cove, but he felt no sense of homecoming as he eased his truck into the driveway of the address scribbled down on a piece of paper. The B&B had surfaced in a hasty online search he’d conducted, looking for a location convenient to his stepfather’s house.

One thing was certain: he couldn’t stay with Richard. As far as Josh knew, Richard didn’t even know he was coming, which suited him just fine. If everything went well, he’d be in and out of town in a day or two. He didn’t want to stay any longer than was absolutely necessary. And when he left Cedar Cove this time, Josh had no intention of ever looking back.

Once he parked in the inn’s small lot, he climbed out of the truck, and reached for his overnight bag and laptop. The sky was
overcast and it looked like rain, which was par for January in the Pacific Northwest. The charcoal-colored skies were an adequate reflection of his mood. He’d give just about anything to be somewhere other than Cedar Cove—anyplace that didn’t force him to confront the stepfather who had detested him.

No need putting off the inevitable, he decided. He lugged his carry-on and his computer case up the porch stairs and rang the doorbell. Hardly a minute passed before a woman answered the door.

“Mrs. Frelinger?” he asked. She was of medium height and much younger than he’d expected when he booked the reservation. Her thick brown hair was shoulder length with a part down the middle. Her eyes were a piercing shade of blue not unlike a summer sky. When he’d booked the reservation the woman on the other end of the line had sounded older, as if she were in her sixties. The woman standing before him was young, mid-thirties at most. She wore a colorful red bib apron over casual pants and a long-sleeve sweater.

“Sorry, no, I’m Jo Marie Rose. I recently took over the inn from the Frelingers. Please, come in.” She stepped aside, making way in order for him to enter the large home.

Josh entered the foyer and was instantly warmed. A small fire crackled in the fireplace and the scent of freshly baked bread set his mouth to watering. Josh couldn’t remember the last time he’d smelled bread direct from the oven. His mother had baked bread but that was years ago. “Something smells wonderful.”

“I’ve always enjoyed baking,” Jo Marie said as if she needed to explain. “I hope you have a good appetite.”

“I do,” Josh said.

“You’re my first guest,” Jo Marie told him, welcoming him with a bright smile. “Welcome.” She rubbed her palms together as if she wasn’t sure what to do next.

“Would you like my credit card information?” Josh asked, as he removed his wallet from his hip pocket.

“Oh yes, that’s probably a good idea.”

She led the way through the kitchen and into a small office. Josh suspected the area might have been a pantry at one time. He withdrew a credit card.

Jo Marie stared at the card. “I’ll need to jot down your number for now—I have an appointment at the bank later.” Looking uncertain she raised questioning eyes to him. “If that’s all right?”

“Not a problem,” he said and she wrote down his credit card information and handed the card back to him.

“Would it be all right if I got the key to my room now?” he asked.

“Oh sure … sorry! Like I said, you’re my first guest.”

Josh wondered just how long she’d owned the business. Jo Marie must have read his mind because she added, “I signed the final papers just before Christmas.”

“Where did the Frelingers go?” Josh didn’t remember ever meeting them when he’d lived in town, but he wondered why they would sell.

Jo Marie returned to the kitchen and lifted the coffeepot, silently asking if he wanted a cup. Josh nodded.

“Apparently the Frelingers have decided to travel across the country in their motor home,” Jo Marie explained. “It was loaded and ready to go the day I took over the inn. They handed me the house keys and were off to join their two daughters in California for Christmas as their first stop.”

“They certainly weren’t letting any grass grow under their feet,” Josh said as she handed him a steaming mug of coffee.

“Do you take sugar or cream?” she asked.

“No, black is perfect.” He’d gotten accustomed to drinking it that way when he lived with Richard.

“You have your choice of rooms,” Jo Marie told him.

Josh shrugged. “Any one is fine. This isn’t exactly a pleasure trip.”

“Oh?” She seemed openly curious now.

“No, I’m here to set my stepfather up with hospice.”

“I’m so sorry.”

Josh raised his hand to stop her from expressing sympathy. “We were never close and frankly we didn’t have the best of relationships. This is more out of duty than anything else.”

“If there’s anything I can do?” she offered.

Josh shook his head. At this point there wasn’t anything to be done. If he could have, he would gladly have avoided this altogether, but unfortunately there was no one else to take responsibility for Richard.

Jo Marie showed him a room on the second floor. It had a large picture window that overlooked the cove, and the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard was directly across the way. There were several ships and a mothballed aircraft carrier visible, and the sky reflected the battleship gray of the navy vessels.

Richard had worked at the shipyard for most of his working career, Josh remembered. He’d served in the navy during the Vietnam war, and after being honorably discharged he had found work as a welder in Bremerton. Dylan had worked at the shipyard, too, until the accident that had claimed his life.

Stepping away from the window, Josh didn’t bother to unpack his bag. He took out his cell phone and logged on to his email account to collect his messages, hoping for word on the next job. He hadn’t even seen Richard yet and already he was planning his escape.

The first one that popped up was an email from Michelle Nelson, Richard’s next-door neighbor. She’d sent it only a couple of hours earlier.

Josh read the message.

Josh settled against the back of the chair and folded his arms over his chest. He remembered how Michelle’s obvious infatuation with Dylan had been an embarrassment to his stepbrother. Still, Dylan had never been cruel to Michelle like some of the other boys in school had been, taunting her with names and off-color remarks and jokes.

He appreciated her offer to accompany him when he went to visit Richard for the first time. It would be great to have another person there to act as a buffer. Josh punched out the phone number Michelle had listed, and she picked up almost right away.

“Michelle, it’s Josh.”

“Oh Josh, my goodness, it’s so good to hear your voice. How are you?”

“Good.” Michelle’s enthusiasm felt like a balm. He hadn’t expected anyone to be pleased that he was in town. While Josh had had plenty of friends in high school, he hadn’t kept in touch with
any of them. Following his high school graduation he’d joined the army and headed almost immediately for basic training. Then he’d linked up with a construction company and worked his way up to project manager. He didn’t mind the travel, so he bounced from town to town and from job to job, never staying longer than a few months in any one place. He’d seen a good part of the country and hadn’t put down roots anywhere. In time, he’d settle down, he supposed, but he didn’t feel the burning need for that to happen anytime soon.

“You sound wonderful,” Michelle continued, her voice soft with what seemed to be remembered affection.

“So do you,” he murmured. Josh had always liked Michelle, even though he’d felt sorry for her because of the extra weight she carried. “I suppose you’re married by now with a passel of kids,” he joked, confident that she’d found someone who would appreciate her. He remembered her as being generous and kind. It didn’t come as any surprise that she’d become a social worker, looking after others.

“No, unfortunately.” Her voice echoed with regret and a tinge of sadness.

Josh was sorry he’d asked.

“What about you? Did you bring your wife and children with you to see your old stomping grounds?”

“No, I’m not married either.”

“Oh.” She sounded surprised. “I asked Richard about your family and he didn’t know.”

No reason he would—they hadn’t spoken in years. “How’s the old man faring these days?” he asked in order to change the subject.

“Not so good. He’s both stubborn and foolish. He insists he doesn’t need any help from anyone, although he’s willing to let me take him meals and check in on him every now and again.”

Same old Richard: unreasonable, cantankerous, and constantly in a bad mood. “Does he know I’m coming?” Josh asked.

“I didn’t tell him,” Michelle said.

“Would your parents have mentioned it before they left for your brother’s?”

“I doubt it. None of us were sure whether you’d show or not.”

Apparently the Nelsons knew him better than he realized. “I wasn’t sure I would either,” he admitted.

“Stop by my parent’s house first,” Michelle offered. “I’ll meet you there and we can go over to Richard’s together.”

“I appreciate the offer,” he said.

Michelle hesitated and when she spoke her voice went soft, almost wistful. “I’ve thought about you often through the years, Josh. I wish … I wish we’d had more of a chance to talk at Dylan’s funeral.”

Josh couldn’t remember seeing Michelle there although she would have surely attended. His own participation had been so brief there hadn’t been time to really talk to anyone. It’d stung that Richard had discounted the strong relationship Josh and Dylan had shared. It was just another slight to add to all the rest, but as it stood now, Josh was Richard’s only living relative.

“When would you like to stop by?” Michelle asked.

“I’ll get settled in and be there in about an hour. Does that suit you?” The sooner he confronted the old man the better. Putting it off wouldn’t make seeing him again any easier.

“Perfect. I’ll see you at my parents’ house then.”

“See you,” Josh said and disconnected the call. It felt good to have one ally in town, someone he could talk to freely. He’d forgotten how just being in this town, close to Richard, made him feel under siege.

His truck keys jingling in his hand, Josh started down the staircase.

Jo Marie met him at the bottom of the stairwell. “I’m going down to the bank this afternoon, but the key to your room unlocks
the front door as well, so if I’m not here feel free to make yourself at home.”

“Thanks, I will. I’m heading out now,” he said. “I’m not sure when I’ll be back.” Josh had decided that he would drive around town before heading over to the Nelsons’. It would be interesting to see what changes the years had brought to Cedar Cove. He hadn’t noticed that much when he’d exited off the highway. From the view in his room, the waterfront area didn’t appear any different than what he remembered. He expected much had remained the same as well.

“I’ll see you later, then.”

“Later,” he concurred. Leaving the B&B, he paused long enough to zip up the jacket he had yet to remove. The cold hit him hard as he walked outside. Rain had started to fall, a steady drizzle that was so common in the winter months around Puget Sound.

He headed for the high school and saw that other than a few more mobile classrooms, everything was as he remembered it. He parked the truck and walked around the back of the school to the track and football field. The track looked like it had been resurfaced recently. He’d run track in high school and done fairly well, but Dylan was the real athlete in the family—he’d even been on the Homecoming Court his senior year. By then Josh had been in the army, and he remembered how proud he was when Dylan had told him he’d been nominated.

Josh hadn’t attended his own homecoming or, for that matter, the prom. He couldn’t afford it and Richard wasn’t likely to pay for anything beyond his most basic needs. After his mother died, Josh knew he couldn’t depend on Richard for anything more than a roof over his head, and he’d been right. In the end Richard had been unwilling to provide even that.

From the high school, Josh drove down Harbor Street and was pleasantly surprised. The library was adorned with a freshly
painted mural and the Chinese restaurant was in the same place he remembered. But several businesses were gone, including the dog-washing shop where he’d worked one summer between his junior and senior years in high school.

Finally he decided it was ridiculous to put his reunion with Richard off any longer and headed for his old neighborhood. Needless to say, he wasn’t anxious to see his stepfather, but he was determined not to let the old man intimidate him any longer.