Chapter 4

 

Danny settled in at the counter, Xena laying behind him as Bobby and Lucy took up residence near the front windows, watching the few brave people out walking in the storm. “Nice to see snow doesn’t shut this place down,” he commented, remembering his small town.

“Nah, snow’s a part of life here,” Donna told him, tucking her graying curls behind her ears. “You either deal with it or move out. Coffee or tea?”

Danny leaned forward and whispered, “Got any chocolate milk?”

Donna patted his arm with a wrinkled hand bearing a rather large diamond wedding ring. “I think I might just have some.”

“Don’t tell anyone.” Danny winked.

Donna’s cheeks flushed red as she filled a glass from a carton and slid it over to him. “I'll trade you a secret for a secret,” she whispered as if they were about to discuss battle plans. Her face grew serious. “What are you really doing up at that inn?”

“I came up here for the holiday, to take a little vacation,” he said lightly. “I somehow managed to make reservations at her inn. That’s it, I’m afraid.”

“Uh huh, and what do you think of our dear Mel?”

Danny drank his glass of chocolate milk. “I’ll take that coffee now,” he requested, buying time to figure out the safe response. Telling this woman, who appeared to care for Mel, that the woman in question had a great body and a horrible attitude ninety percent of the time was probably not the best approach.

Donna reached behind her for the pot of coffee as the bell above the door chimed and a blustery draft of snow and icy air rushed inside. The three dogs barked and yipped in excitement as a large, burly man in a heavy wool coat stomped the snow from his feet on the front rug. The dogs jumped up and licked at his face.

“Marty, what did I tell you about coming out in this weather?” Donna scolded, slamming the coffee pot down on the burner. “You’re going to catch your death, old man.”

The man pulled a wide-brimmed wool hat from his head to reveal a perfectly shaved head, bright green eyes, and a chubby face bearing a mischievous smile. “I’m perfectly capable of walking through my own town any time I want,” he argued. “Mel here?”

“No, she went to run some errands, left the dogs and a new friend,” Donna said, finally pouring Danny that cup of coffee. “This is Danny. He’s staying at the inn.”

Marty’s hands stilled in the middle of hanging up his coat on the rack. “You’re staying at the Fairbanks Inn?”

“Yes, sir,” Danny said.

“Right now? You’re staying there right now when it’s closed and she locks herself away for three weeks?” he asked, sounding even more astounded than before.

“That’s right.” He stood, holding out his hand. “Danny Stone… pleasure to meet you, sir.”

“Marty, Mayor of Westbend,” he said slowly and took Danny’s hand. “Mighty fine grip you have there, young man.” He tugged and Danny moved forward as the mayor whispered, “What’s going on at that inn?”

“I’m sorry?”

“I was just getting to that, Marty, if you’d sit down and listen.” Donna pulled out a second coffee mug and set it on the counter. Marty frowned but plopped his large and slightly overweight frame onto the stool next to Danny. “Does your wife know you left the house?”

Marty ducked his head, sheepish, and Danny laughed quietly. “Don’t you call her. I couldn’t stand being cooped up during the festival.”

“Can you even have it still with a storm like this?”

“The townsfolk would riot in the streets if we didn’t,” Marty said proudly and patted him heartily on the back. “Just some snow. We have heaters aplenty and hot chocolate that will send you to heaven and beyond.”

“Sounds delightful. Guess I’ll have to head to the festivities at some point.” His mind drifted to marketing plans revolving around the festival for next season. They could make this town very rich indeed, but that hinged on Mel selling the inn and the chances of it grew slimmer by the second.

“Take Mel with you,” Donna said sternly. “That woman needs a night of fun.”

“More than one night, I’d expect,” Danny murmured into his coffee before he took a sip. When he raised his eyes, Donna and Marty watched him closely, and he cleared his throat. “Not to say she isn’t a wonderful hostess.”

“Don’t lie to us, boy,” Marty growled. “That woman is more hard-headed and dour-faced than anyone I’ve seen in my long years.”

Donna sighed and poured herself a cup of coffee as well. “Not that she doesn’t have her reasons, but she can’t waste away like this. I’m amazed she let you stay.”

Danny knew Mel was a widow, but no one knew he had that information. He forced his brow into a curious frown as he asked, “Did something happen to her? She lose somebody?”

Marty nodded solemnly as he spun on his stool and pointed to a wall of photos. “See that man there? Top right corner?” Danny stood and walked to it, recognizing the face from the photos at the inn. “Name’s Robert—Bobby, around here. He was her husband, died overseas.”

A twinge started in Danny’s chest. “Sorry to hear that. I had no idea.”

“You wouldn’t. Damn girl never talks to anyone,” Donna said sadly. “Robert grew up here and they bought that inn together. Wanted to run it together when he was out of the navy, except he… He never made it home.”

“Was it recent?”

“Three years ago,” Marty answered. “Three years, she’s been hiding in that damn place, sinking deeper and deeper into herself, and there’s nothing she’ll let anyone do for her.”

Danny hadn’t known it had been that long, but he guessed, for her, it might not seem like that long ago. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“She might not be so badly off if it hadn’t been a double blow,” Marty scolded, and Donna shushed him quickly as she took the towel from her shoulder and whacked him with it. “What? If he’s stuck with her for a few days, he might as well know it all.”

Donna pursed her lips, raising the towel to whack him again, but she let it fall to the counter instead. “You’re right, but if she throws him out into the storm later, you better have a room ready for the poor man.”

“What else happened?” Danny asked, curiosity biting him.

Marty puffed his chubby cheeks out and patted his rounded belly. “She was pregnant when she got the news,” he said quietly.

“She never mentioned that.” Danny’s stomach plummeted with each step he took back to the counter. “You mean she… oh no.” The realization hit him when he saw the sadness in Donna’s eyes. She wiped away a single tear before turning away. Marty hung his head, and Danny wanted to kick himself in the face. He’d come here to buy this woman’s inn, but remorse for his selfish desires overwhelmed him. He sat down heavily on his stool and tapped his fingers on the coffee mug. “No wonder she’s not a very happy person.”

“That’s putting it mildly.” Marty sighed sadly. “She used to be so full of life.”

“She lost so much of herself after that,” Donna added. “Damn near killed the poor girl, and now, she refuses to move on. It’s time, but all she does is hide in that inn.”

“The place is falling down around her anyway, and no matter how much work a handyman puts into it, it’ll never be the same.” Marty lifted his mug to Danny. “The past is going to keep dragging her down ‘til there’s nowhere left to go.”

Danny’s gaze found the picture of Robert on the wall again. His face was stoic and strong, but he had a glimmer in his eye, a smile, and Danny wondered if he’d been thinking of Mel when the photo was taken.

“Think she’ll ever sell the place?” he asked now that he knew the extent of her loss.

“No, and we don’t want her to,” Donna said firmly. “If she’d find a way to move on, that place could go back to what it used to be before her life crashed. It was the heart of this town, especially during the holiday festival.”

“Not anymore,” Danny said, thinking of how sad the inn looked without any decorations. “She doesn’t even have a tree up yet.”

“And she won’t,” Marty growled. “Such a shame, but she won’t let anyone in this town help her…” He trailed off, his eyes narrowed as he leaned closer to Danny. His brow rose, crinkling his bald head, and he swiveled on his stool to Donna. “You think?”

Donna reached over and took Danny’s chin in her hand, turning his face gently this way and that. He grinned, laughing nervously at her intense stare. “Maybe. He has potential.”

“Potential for what?”

Donna patted his cheek. “She could use it, that’s for sure,” she announced. “I say we do it.”

Marty slammed his palms down on the counter and leapt up with an excited yell. “Great! We’ll have to plan—really plan—to make this work. No time to lose!”

“Make what work?” Danny asked louder, and they turned to stare at him. Marty waggled his eyebrows and Donna clasped her hands together, smiling as her soft eyes wrinkled at the edges. “Are you… are you trying to hook Mel up with me? She hardly knows me… You hardly know me!”

“By Jove, I think he’s got it,” Marty teased before he downed the rest of his coffee. “So much to get planned for in so little time. You don’t have anywhere you need to be, right?”

Danny’s mind raced. “Guess not. Can’t exactly get out of town right now, anyway.”

Marty clapped his hands together. “Good point. Now then, you just lay low and act like this never happened. I’ll be in touch soon.”

“About what?” Danny muttered quickly. “What are you going to do?”

“Don’t worry about it for now. Just let the old mayor work some magic, eh?” He hurried to the coat rack, giving all three dogs a final pat on the head as he slipped into his coat and dropped his hat on his head with a wink. “Soon. Be ready.”

“Ready for what?” Danny called out, but too late. The mayor left the diner, whistling as he waltzed out into the blizzard. “Should I be worried?”

Donna laughed as she wiped down the counter and pulled out a one-page menu. “Why don’t you order some of our famous pancakes? Might help ease your nerves for wooing our sweet Mel later.”

“Sweet, right,” he muttered, and Donna laughed even harder.

He needed to tell them the truth, tell them who he was and why he was really there, but watching Donna wipe down the counter, whistling as she did so, and the hope in her eyes, tied his tongue. What the hell had he gotten himself dragged into? Mel wasn’t just a widow, but she’d lost a baby, too. If he’d known, he might not have been so aggressive about trying to buy the inn. Did he still even want it?

The door opened again and the dogs barked as someone stomped their feet. “Well, this is a nice surprise,” a familiar voice said. Danny turned to see Greg. His driver waved, but Donna was at the counter, and he quickly shook his head. Greg dropped his hand, frowning, and instead, turned his smile to Donna as she spoke.

“Well now, you’re not from around here either. Two tourists in my diner on the morning of a blizzard. What a coincidence.”

Danny needed to talk to Greg, and as he swung around on his stool, he stood with a dropped jaw of surprise. “Greg? No way, man, how’ve you been? I haven’t seen you in years!”

Greg’s eyes widened for a second before he held out his arms. “Danny! What the hell are you doing up here?” He played right along, and the two men embraced tightly. “When was the last we saw each other? Grad school?”

“I think so,” Danny mused as they separated. “Donna, this is Greg, a buddy of mine from college.”

Donna held out her hand to him and Greg shook it. “Well then, this day just keeps getting better,” she said brightly. “How about I get you both an order of pancakes, on the house.”

“Thanks, Donna,” Danny said, and she walked quickly to the kitchen with a wave.

“Mind telling me what’s going on, sir?” Greg asked with a smirk as he removed his coat and hung it up.

“No sirs,” Danny whispered, watching the kitchen doorway. “Like you said, we’re old college buddies.” He steered him a bit further from the counter and any prying ears. “And if you didn’t notice, we’re snowed in here for at least the weekend.”

“Not that I mind, sir—I mean, Danny,” he said quickly. “What’s gotten into you? The sale not going as planned?”

Danny ran a hand through his usually perfectly spiked hair. “You could say that.”

“Did she say no?”

“I haven’t exactly brought it up yet,” he muttered. “She thinks I’m here on vacation. Her inn is usually closed during the holidays.” He filled Greg quickly in on everything that had transpired and watched as his driver’s face lifted in a cheery smile, a cackle escaping his lips. “I fail to see the amusement in this situation.”

“You like her, don’t you?” Greg stated simply. “And she thinks you’re some innocent salesman. You really put your foot in it this time.”

Danny couldn’t argue with the man, but he hadn’t heard the worst part. Glancing towards the kitchen to be sure they were still alone, he told Greg quietly what he’d found out about Mel. “If I’d known—if I’d had an inkling—we would have gone about this completely differently. And now, the mayor and the diner owner are conspiring to hook me up with her.”

Greg’s face went from amusement to sadness and back to amusement as he clapped Danny hard on the shoulder. “In town barely a full day, and you’re already stirring up trouble with the locals. Just like the old Danny.”

“Old Danny?” he asked as they finally moved to the counter.

“I’ve heard stories about who you were before you were the hotshot CEO,” he said quietly. “I wasn’t even surprised when you said you were heading to a small town this weekend.”

“No?” Danny wondered what exactly Greg had heard about his time in Iowa.

“The small-town life always calls you back, one way or another,” he mused. “There are days I miss it so much I think of hopping in my car and driving ‘til I reach home.”

Danny realized after all the times he’d sat in the backseat of Greg’s car, he’d never bothered to get to know the guy. All he knew was he had a wife he adored and a baby on the way. “Where is home?”

“Montana, tiny little speck on the horizon,” he said with a laugh. “My wife’s from the city, though. Don’t think she’d ever get used to the silence.”

“Here we are,” Donna announced happily, carrying two plates of pancakes with her. “You’ll eat these, and you’ll never go back.” She handed over rolled-up silverware and asked Greg if he wanted some coffee. As she poured, she peered around their heads out the windows when the dogs all jumped to their feet. “Don’t say a word about the plan,” she whispered to Danny.

“I don’t even know what the plan is,” he muttered into his pancakes as the door flew open with a gust of cold air.

The three dogs whined and barked as Mel threw her hood back, shivering from the cold. “Damn blizzard, can barely see anything.”

“Did you get what you needed?” Danny rose from his stool, but she waved him back down. He caught Greg’s half-smile as he looked at Mel while she unzipped her coat and hung it up.

“I did, but you might as well eat the rest of your breakfast, otherwise Donna will never forgive you.”

“Coffee, Mel?” Donna asked as Mel reached the counter, her three dogs circling her legs.

“Please,” she said and glanced at Greg. “Find a friend already?”

“Actually, I did.” Danny leaned back so Greg could extend a hand in greeting. “Small world—an old college friend of mine is here as well, for the festival.”

“Greg,” he said and shook her hand. “Danny was telling me a woman put him to work at the inn he was staying at. Thought I’d never see the day a woman made him do anything.”

Danny shot him a look as Mel’s blue eyes darkened. “Is that right?”

“It is. Wild man, he is. No woman has managed to tame him.”

“You can stop talking now,” Danny mumbled, digging into his pancakes, but Mel leaned on the counter, holding her mug in both hands, and breathed it in.

“No, please go on. What else can you tell me about our dashing Danny?”

Greg took a large bite of his breakfast before he replied. “He’s from a small town, just like this one. Grew up on a farm, but found himself in the big ‘ole city working for a company he doesn’t always enjoy.”

Danny’s fork slipped and clattered to his plate, but it wasn’t out of anger. Greg continued to talk as if nothing had happened, but he stopped listening to the tales his driver relayed about his failed dates and the women always after him. What worried him was that Greg was dead on. There were days—many of them—where he questioned his life. He never dwelt on it and never spoke the words of doubt aloud in case someone overheard and took advantage of him as they had so many times before. He'd convinced himself he was happy, secure in his life, but those times alone in the backseat of a car, he let his guard down. A longing tugged at his heart for his small town in Iowa and being in the thick of the gossip and the regular goings-on. He’d known everyone, and everyone knew him and his family. They respected them, and it wasn’t because of their wealth but because they were good people. Caring people. Now look at him, trying to buy an inn from a widow and a mother who had lost a child.

His cell rang in his pocket, and when he saw Todd’s number, he excused himself from the counter and ducked into the bathroom. “Todd?”

“You haven’t called yet,” Todd said stiffly. “I was worried you lost cell service with the storm.”

“We’re going to be stuck here for a few days, looks like.” He meandered over to the sinks and stared at his reflection. His chestnut eyes stared back at him, but the hardness in them from his days of doing business was absent. Instead, bits of the farm boy he once was shone through.

“Figured as much, but at least you got the land, right?”

Danny leaned one hand against the sink and sighed. “Not exactly.”

“I thought you were going to use your charm last night at dinner?” Todd asked, annoyed.

His own anger sparked at his tone. “Apparently, she knows she’s being short-changed. She told me some jackass from the city is trying to buy her out. I thought you said you were handling this situation the best way you could.”

A chair creaked in the background—a very familiar creak—and Danny’s hand tightened on his phone. Todd was sitting at his desk, in his office, in his office chair. The man had nerve, but Danny didn’t think he’d try to put himself literally in his boss’s seat.

“I was, but things may have gotten heated through our e-mails at one point when she bothered to respond.”

“So you never physically called her?”

“No, that’s not how I do business. You know that. Not until the final stages of the deal, and then I hand them over to you.”

Danny pinched the bridge of his nose. “If you’d called her you might have realized a few things—like she’s not an old woman, as we assumed, and she has a hell of a lot more fight in her than the poor, old widow you described.”

“You’re blaming me for this falling through?” Todd yelled, and Danny wished he was in the same room so he could kick the man out of his office—hell, out of the building.

“This deal was your project, and you failed to convince her to sell.”

“She’s just being stubborn,” Todd argued, but Danny shook his head.

“It’s more than that, and if you’d bothered to act like a human being, you would’ve figured it out. Now I’m trapped in this town with a woman who may or may not sell me her inn because my associate is a manipulative bastard!” He yelled the last words and mentally cursed himself as he watched the bathroom door, but no one came in to check on him.

Todd sniffed hard on the other end, and Danny pictured his tightly drawn face. “Funny hearing you say that when for the past three years, you’ve hidden in your office and let me deal with all negotiations.”

Danny’s mouth opened, but no words came out in his defense. Todd was right, and he hated him for it. “Get out of my office. I’ll text you when the deal is salvaged—if it’s salvaged.”

“If you don’t get that land, your investors will not be happy,” Todd warned before hanging up.

Danny shoved his cell angrily in his back pocket and glared at his reflection. He’d come to Westbend with a clear purpose in mind, confident he’d close the deal and walk away with the land he’d been after for the past year. Now, his mind was jumbled with images of a woman he wanted to wrap in his arms, tackle to his bed, and love away the pain in her eyes. He wanted her so hard his hand gripped the sink until his knuckles turned white. What the hell had she done to him? Her, this town, the people…they all beat at his hardened shell of nonchalance. What happened if he stayed here through the weekend? What happened when Marty and Donna set him up with Mel, however they planned to make that happen? A few minutes ago, he’d told himself he wasn’t going to get involved with her, but now… Now he saw the image of her crying in her room, alone and miserable, and wondered if there was anything he could do to lift her spirits. To help her move on.

The investors, though… He had to have this land for them to move forward with the project. If he pushed for the sale of the inn, convinced her to do it, there had to be a way to make sure she never found out who he really was.

And then what? You run back to the city and never see her again? he argued with himself. You really think you can get that close and just walk away? She’s not like any other woman, and you know it.

Danny shoved away from the sinks and paced the bathroom. He needed the land, but he didn’t want Mel to figure out what he was up to. There had to be a way to convince her to sell without making her suspicious, without her finding out he was behind it the whole time.

Or you give up the damn land and the city and stay in Westbend and see what happens with this woman who’s already under your skin.

The idea hit him so hard, his feet tripped over each other and he staggered out of the bathroom door. Everyone turned to stare at him, Mel raising her brow in question as Greg fought a laugh.

“Floor’s slippery,” he mumbled and cleared his throat. “If you’re ready to head back to the inn, I’m good to go, or I can go on ahead.”

“You didn’t finish your breakfast,” Donna argued with a pout.

“Lots of work to do,” he said hurriedly. “Can you wrap them up for me?” Donna nodded and took his plate back to the kitchen as he grabbed for his coat.

“I’ll be along soon,” Mel told him suspiciously. “Who was on the phone for you?”

“Boss,” he said quickly. “Negotiating a few more days of vacation.”

“It’s the weekend,” Mel pointed out. “You’ll be able to get out of here by Monday morning.”

Danny zipped up his coat and reached for the door. The words came out before he even realized what he was starting. “I think I’m staying longer than I expected. See you back at the inn.” He ducked out the door, ready to close it behind him when Xena poked her head out and ran out into the snow. The other two stayed behind, and he caught Mel’s curious glance before the door closed on the diner.

Xena led the way back down Main Street as Danny looked at the small town again—the shops and the festival tents set up farther down the way, circling the town square and the statue he saw before. Maybe this weekend, he’d find his way down there and take Mel with him, force her out of the inn that dragged down her spirits.

“Robert trained you, didn’t he?” He looked down at Xena walking by his side without her leash. She yipped and wagged her tail at the man’s name. “You sure you want me around?” he asked as if talking to a child and not a dog. “I’m not sure Mel’s ready.”

Xena nudged him hard with her massive furry body, and he staggered a few steps in the deep snow. She did it again until his hand found her ears and he scratched them as they walked.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” he whispered. Even if this failed miserably, even if Mel kicked him out of her life, he couldn’t see himself leaving her to her bitterness unless he tried to drag her out of it first, kicking and screaming if need be. Another chunk of wall fell away from him as he reached the inn and stomped the snow from his boots. If he stayed too much longer, he risked losing the hard man he’d become.

In some dark corner of his mind, a light sparked to life, realizing that might not be such a bad thing after all.