Edith's Inn

By TJ Yeomans

When Edith’s youngest daughter dies in child birth, she simply brought the baby home to raise as her own. Years later Alexis returns to care for her dying grandmother. In her will Edith leaves her granddaughter the large farmhouse surrounded by Napa Valley grapes and her estates, but that’s not all. With their bond so strong, Edith watches over Alexis from the grave.
In small, loving and sometimes playful ways Edith’s spirit makes her presence known to Alexis. Yet anytime Vern or Martha were about, their mother’s ghost did what she could to protect Alexis from the jealousy and greed of her two older children.
Realizing life needed to move on, Alexis begins the process of trying to figure out what to do with herself and the house. When her childhood friend Scott suggests opening up the Inn, Alexis scoffed at the idea. Not so easily deterred, he points out with his wife’s experience in the hotel business, Alexis’ culinary skills and the beautiful Napa Valley setting, they could really create a special place for people to stay that would make Edith proud.
To make it happen, Edith gives the project a little assist. While driving through the valley one fall stormy morning, Baron finds himself stranded when his car dies and his cell phone is dead. Hiking back to a house he’d seen on the road, he seeks help. When the couple meets, things just click. At ease, Alexis tells Baron of her dream. A jack of many trades, Baron immediately sees the potential for the lovely old home. But so do Vern and Martha.
When bullying and nagging don’t work to get what they felt should have been rightly theirs, they begin to up the ante. Each time the uncle and aunt sabotage the Inn’s creation, Alexis, Baron, Scott and his wife Angela foil their plans. But will it be enough?

• Language: English
• Publisher: TJ Yeomans
• Release date: Oct 31, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370025244

TJ Yeomans

Having a vivid imagination as a child, I began putting my ideas on paper in 2000. Since then I’ve had a lot of fun working with my characters as they tell their story. Now it’s time for them to venture out into the world for readers to enjoy. When I’m not at the keyboard, you can find me playing with fabrics to create fun and colorful quilts and other sewing projects.

Book preview

EDITH’S INN

Copyright 2016 T.J. Yeomans

Published by T.J. Yeomans at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

In loving memory of my husband Fred

And the dream we shared of publishing my work

Thanks for always believing in me

And special thank you to all those who helped

Make this dream a reality.

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 1

FLOUR FLEW AS ALEXIS FLIPPED the bread dough she was kneading. Temper had her vigorously applying pressure with the heels of her hands. By the time the dough was ready for baking, her shoulders would be aching, but she’d feel better. Flipping it again, Alexis sent more flour into the air.

That’s going to be one heck of a batch of bread, Scott joked while sipping his morning coffee. He knew what brought on this much anger. Al? he asked, causing Alexis’s eyes to dart to his. Which one called and what did they have to say?

The phone call from the night before had been calculated, arriving right when Alexis was shutting the house down. Her aunt knew full well Alexis would stew all night on the bitter words once more expressed. Ever since the reading of her grandmother’s will, at least one of the relatives had been in Alexis’s face about the outcome. Simply put, Edith left everything to Alexis. At the funeral, Martha and Vern’s sad faces hadn’t fooled anyone. Though they exclaimed how much they loved their mother, the truth was, they had only loved her money. Over the last few years of Edith Browning’s life, unlike Alexis, her family had little to do with the old woman. Now Alexis’ aunt and uncle just wouldn’t let things be.

Martha and Vern were sixteen months apart, with Edith’s third child Helen coming ten years later. Wild and free-spirited in nature, at twenty Helen had an affair with a married man, became pregnant, and was later abandoned by him. She returned home only to die in childbirth. Not knowing who the father was, Edith raised Alexis with love from day one. When her grandmother needed care because of failing health, Alexis lovingly returned the favor.

Stopping by Alexis’s was Scott’s morning routine and he’d been doing so for years. A rangy man, who towered over her, Scott had known Alexis since kindergarten. The two shared the same tawny brown hair and caramel colored eyes. They could have easily passed for brother and sister and thought of each other in just that way. Secretly Edith always hoped they’d marry, unfortunately though, only a deep friendship blossomed.

My aunt, saying the same old thing. She and Uncle Vern have talked with yet another attorney, just to have this one confirm the will was solid. Martha rattled on, saying if I was a decent person, I’d give them what’s theirs. Flipping the dough into a bowl, she did as her grandmother taught her. With the side of her hand, she wacked the top of the bread dough twice, making the impression of a cross. With her bread blessed, Alexis covered the bowl with a cloth, setting it aside for a last raising of the morning.

Getting up, Scott poured coffee into her mug, then topped it off with milk just the way she liked it. Curiosity had him asking, How’d you know it was them?

For the first time since he’d arrived, Alexis smiled. The chandelier shook, she chuckled. A private joke just between them, for only Scott knew the truth.

Since the death of her grandmother, Alexis had felt the presence of the woman throughout the house, as if she was still watching over her granddaughter. The little signs had been sweet, though the larger ones were almost scary. Lovingly Edith let Alexis know she was there. A favorite piece of jewelry would playfully move, or a door would open when Alexis’s hands were full. Best of all was the soft kiss she felt each night just before drifting off to sleep.

It was a much different story when Edith’s children came around. Doors slammed without warning and a chill formed in the air. While she was there, Martha sometimes complained of feeling as if she was being watched. Laughing at the comment, Alexis knew someone was doing just that.

Her uncle wasn’t welcome either. One could feel Edith’s anger singe the air. Doors often closed in his face as he tried to move from room to room. When this occurred, Alex blamed it on the wind, but she knew the truth. Her grandma was there protecting her.

One day on her way home Alexis felt an overwhelming urge to hurry. It was as if a warning bell had gone off in her head. Pulling into her driveway, she spotted her uncle sitting on the front porch. As she rushed up the steps, Alexis noticed blood on his shirt and his swollen red nose. From the matching smear on the screen door, it had swung out and hit him square in the face. As she looked down at him, he seemed more embarrassed than angry. Being polite, she’d invited him inside, but Vern made a lame excuse, leaving without explaining his reason for being there.

Scott hadn’t liked it when she reported her uncle’s skulking around. He advised her to call her lawyer, since Edith had left many valuables in the house. Scott wouldn’t have put it past Vern to help himself to some of those items. Not wanting to cause more family strife, Alexis decided against doing so. Instead, she gave thanks for her grandmother’s intervention.

Sitting down, Alexis joined Scott, trying to dismiss her greedy relative’s rants. I might have shared if they’d just visited her once in a while. All Gram ever wanted was a little of their time, only they were always too busy. They only came to see her when they wanted something. Now they’re mad because Gram left me this great big house, and all that’s in it.

And let’s not forget a tidy sum of money, Scott added biting into the berry pie she’d served him for breakfast. He knew her family history like the back of his hand. Edith and her husband had made their home on the old family farm. Though they never intended to work the land, they loved the huge house. Just weeks before Helen was born, her husband had suddenly passed away. The land had been a lifesaver. The rich soil was sought after by those who grew grapes in the Napa Valley. With two vineyards competing, Edith brokered an excellent deal leasing the land. Providing not only an income, but enabling her to put her