Chapter Five

The air was crisp and fresh as Gen stood in the middle of what Spring Grove called their town square. In the middle of the square was the fountain showcasing small children playing in the most epic water battle. It was supposed to be modeled after Old Man McElroy’s three boys and his daughter. They were trouble growing up from what she’d heard. Though now, they were all pretty successful but maybe still a bit crazy. She hadn’t seen them yet, but she was sure she would. She always did, and boy, were they gorgeous. Which reminded her that she really needed to go on up the hill and check out the distillery. Old Man McElroy would be upset if she didn’t check in with him.

But for now, she would explore. With a grin on her lips that was as wide as Kentucky Lake, Gen took in the splendor that was Spring Grove. Around the town square were all the brick buildings that made up downtown. It was almost like an old Western town, all the buildings side by side. The post office, court, and jail all sat together. Though Gen was sure no one had been in that jail in years. As she walked by, she looked ahead at where the stores began. Big windows gave a peek inside, but usually, they were full of whatever the store was selling. Big beautiful flowerpots were everywhere, and in the trees were lights that she knew shone brightly at night. It was all so beautiful, and nothing had changed.

Just like she’d hoped it hadn’t.

“Well, holy crap, is that the town celebrity?”

Gen turned and almost came out of her skin when Delaney’s mawmaw grinned back at her. Pearl Abbot held her arms open, and Gen went into them, hugging the short, round lady hard as her eyes fell shut. Within seconds, Gen realized she had missed Pearl more than she should have. But how could she not? As they parted, Gen drank in her honorary mawmaw. She had aged in the years that had passed, but her blue eyes were blazing. Her puffy white hair was in a high bun that was probably held together with loads of Aqua Net. She had bright red lips and an even brighter red jumpsuit.

“Mawmaw,” she gushed as Pearl held her face in her hands.

“I swear, you’re even prettier than the last time I saw you. How long has that been? Five years?”

“Around that,” Gen said, covering the older woman’s hands with her own. “How are you?”

“Alive, kicking, driving my grandbabies crazy.”

“They wouldn’t want it any other way.”

“Tell that to Delaney. I’m sure she’s about to kill me.”

“Never,” Gen said, waving her off as they parted.

“I have a bone to pick with you, though. Why weren’t you at Ms. Neil’s funeral?”

“I never knew!” Gen exclaimed, her stomach dropping once more. She still wasn’t handling the shock of Ms. Neil’s death well. She hated that she had missed the service, but most of all, she hated that she had never gotten the announcement. She wasn’t sure why, but maybe they had gotten the wrong address. It hurt, though. She would have wanted to be there. “It kills me, honestly.”

“Oh, I know. We figured the news never got to you, and no one had your number. You changed it. You couldn’t tell anyone?”

She let her head fall back, shaking her head. “Things have been nuts. I moved in with my fiancé, and then I moved to his phone plan, got a new phone, and yeah, I didn’t even think of that. I suck, I’m sorry.”

“You do, but I forgive you,” she announced with a nod of her head. “Fiancé, huh?”

Gen groaned. “I think we might be separated.”

Pearl’s bushy white brows pulled together. “What’s that mean? I’m old, help me.”

Gen giggled, shaking her head. “Problems in paradise, or better yet, DC.”

“Oh. That’s why you’re here, then?”

Gen shrugged. “Actually, no. I wanted to finish my latest novel, but then it evolved into more.”

“Oh, well, this is the place to do it. Your second home. Figure you out, girl.”

“Yeah,” Gen agreed before Pearl took her hand in hers.

“Is he beating you?”

Gen gawked at her, then started laughing. “Not at all.”

“Oh, I didn’t think so. But I tell you what, these so-called men, I swear. Delaney was with one. He raised his hand once on her, and she smashed his face in with a bat. It was nasty, I tell you.”

“Jesus.”

“Exactly. She wasn’t very close to the cross that morning.”

“Can you blame her?”

“No, not at all,” Pearl said with a smile. “But this boy, you love him?”

Gen swallowed hard. “I do, but I don’t know if I’m in love anymore.”

Pearl shook her head before she reached up, cupping Gen’s face. “You’re a smart girl, Genevieve. It’ll all come together.”

“I hope so.”

“It will. God’s working every day.”

“He is,” Gen agreed as Pearl patted her face.

“That’s right. Now I gotta go and help with the planning for the parade. You’ll be here for the Fourth?”

Gen shrugged. “I’m unsure how long I’ll be staying.”

Pearl rolled her eyes. “You’ll be here, I feel it.”

With that and a sweet wave, Pearl headed in the other direction as Gen just grinned at her retreating back. She loved that lady. So much. Her heart full, even with her issues with Montgomery rearing their ugly head in her brain, she turned, heading toward the south side of the small town.

When she got to Becky’s Country Kitchen, Gen heard her stomach rumble, and she knew where she’d be eating lunch. She had spent a lot of time in Becky’s. The diner was older than the town, or at least, that was the rumor. She wasn’t sure, but they had the best burgers with fried egg she had ever eaten in her life. Along with some damn good fries.

Heading toward it, she waved and smiled at the residents of Spring Grove, feeling every bit at home before pushing open the door to the diner, which wasn’t as busy as she expected. Glancing down to her watch, she realized it also wasn’t as early as she’d thought. Time flashed by when she was exploring, and that was fine. Fewer people, the faster she could eat. Going straight to the counter, she sat down, grabbing a menu as someone tapped her shoulder.

Before she could turn to see who it was, she heard, “I’ll be with ya in a second, love.”

She’d know that voice anywhere. She looked toward where Rita Lloyd was rounding the counter with her arms full of plates. She was slower and looked older than Gen had remembered, but there was something about Rita that, even in her later years, would always be beautiful. She had luscious, long brown hair and the brightest blue eyes Gen had ever seen. Well, except those of her son. Her lips were thick and plump, along with a body that was downright banging for a fifty-year-old lady. If Rita looked like that now, trim waist and wide hips, no telling what she had looked like in her prime.

Which was probably how Montgomery’s father had gotten involved with her.

Throwing the dishes in the bucket, Rita turned, reaching for her pen and pad from her apron before looking up. When she did, her eyes widened before she squealed.

“Genevieve!”

Rita reached over the counter, and they embraced in a tight hug that took Gen’s breath away. “Rita.”

“My Lord! You surprised the hell out of me!”

Gen giggled as they parted. “I was hoping to. Though, I wasn’t sure you were still working here.”

“Girl, I’ll die in this diner. How are you? My Lord, you’re gorgeous!”

“You’re too sweet. I was thinking the same about you.”

“Please, I have more gray than I do brown, but I refuse to dye it. My hunny says it gives me a foxy look.”

Gen grinned. “A hunny, huh?”

“Oh yes, Roger, my love. He’s a good man.”

“Good, you deserve it.”

“You got that right,” she said with a wink. “Let’s get some food in you, yeah? The regular?”

“Yes, please.”

She grinned back at Gen before she put the order in, ringing the bell. “We missed you at the funeral for Ms. Neil.”

“I know,” Gen said sadly. “I never got the notice, and I forgot to give my new number to Delaney.”

“That’s too bad.”

“It is. I’m very upset I missed it.”

“Well, I’m sure you’ll go to her plot, lay some flowers. She’d understand. You’re our ritzy celebrity.”

Gen just laughed. “Please.”

“So how’s it going? Life?”

“Good, I’m busy.”

“Which is a blessing, ya know.”

“It is.”

Rita just shot her a grin. “So what brings ya back? I haven’t seen ya in, what, four years, right? Tell me, a book need finishing?” she asked, wiping the counter.

“Yup, and I needed to clear my head.”

Rita’s brows rose at that before she threw the rag in the sink. She then reached for a glass and poured some sweet tea. “Oh? What’s going on?”

Rita set it down in front of Gen, and she reached for it as she shrugged. “Boy problems.”

“Everyone has those,” Rita joked, and Gen laughed along with her. “Is it fixable?”

“I don’t know,” she answered honestly. She hated that. She didn’t want that. She wanted to know for sure what was going on with Montgomery. She wanted him to call her, tell her he missed her, that he loved her, but it had been silence since she left. Except for his dismissive text about her books, she hadn’t heard from him. It was depressing.

“Well, it’ll work out. You always said this town was magic for you.”

“Yeah, it is.”

Rita gave her another wink as she moved around, refilling the ketchup. “How’s your momma?”

“She’s good.”

“Your daddy?”

“Fine.”

“Good, since I haven’t seen them, I’m guessing you’re staying out of trouble?”

Gen just grinned. “So far.”

“Let’s keep it that way.”

Gen took a long swig of her tea and asked, “How is everything here? Still the same?”

“Always,” Rita answered with a wide smile. “The way we love it.”

“You and Roger living in the same house?”

“Yup,” she said with a grin. “He wants to do all kinds of stuff, but we’re so lazy.”

Gen laughed, but she had to force it. She wanted so badly to ask about Rita’s son, but she knew she had no right to. She hadn’t seen or heard from Theo in eons. She shouldn’t even want to know anything about him. She had a fiancé. She was supposed to be happy.

Supposed to be.

“You like your room at the Blu?”

Gen nodded, her face lighting up. “I do. I love it so much.”

“I do too. A lot.”

Nodding once more, Gen said, “I heard there are new owners of the Blu. I haven’t met them yet.”

And just like Delaney, Rita froze. Looking over at Gen, Rita swallowed hard. “Yeah.”

“I haven’t even seen them. Isn’t that insane?”

“Yeah.”

Gen shot her a look, but before she could ask more, the ring of the bell sounded that her food was ready. Reaching for it, Rita laid it in front of Gen.

“Now eat up, my love. I’ve got some work to do. You’re a distraction for sure!”

With that, she walked away, and Gen realized she was really starting to get annoyed.

Why wouldn’t anyone tell her who the damn owner of the Blu was?