Winter Holiday: Driftwood Bay, #4

By Teri Blake

Aryn has dealt with abuse and now lives with fear she can't overcome.

 

A relationship that's deep enough to be lasting is a long-shot. Yet, Tim consistently gives her the time and space she needs, namely his garden when he refers to her as his fairy.

 

But dark thoughts of the past hold her back and keep her from the happiness she wants.

 

Karla has heard one too many times that her relationship with Sawyer is hurting her family.

 

When her son's counselor makes a remark that dating before she's divorced—even though she isn't dating—is hurting her son's chances of ever getting out from under the thumb of the school administration, she takes a step back. Sawyer doesn't understand and is tired of being pulled in, only to be pushed back. He draws a line in the sand, and she must cross it if they are to be together. But is it a line she's willing to cross?

 

The holidays can bring people together and break them apart, but in Driftwood Bay, there is healing coming. It's only a matter of time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kari Trumbo
• Release date: Dec 19, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201437725

Book preview

Introduction

Aryn has dealt with abuse and now lives with fear she can’t overcome.

A relationship that’s deep enough to be lasting is a long-shot. Yet, Tim consistently gives her the time and space she needs, namely his garden when her refers to her as his fairy.

But dark thoughts of the past hold her back and keep her from the happiness she wants.

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Karla has heard one too many times that her relationship with Sawyer is hurting her family.

When her son’s counselor makes a remark that dating before she’s divorced—even though she isn’t dating—is hurting her son’s chances of ever getting out from under the thumb of the school administration, she takes a step back. Sawyer doesn’t understand and is tired of being pulled in, only to be pushed back. He draws a line in the sand, and she must cross it if they are to be together. But is it a line she’s willing to cross?

The holidays can bring people together and break them apart, but in Driftwood Bay, there is healing coming. It’s only a matter of time.

Chapter One

Karla Maples lugged the cleaning cart up the stairs to the second floor of their bed and breakfast-turned inn. Aryn followed close behind, making sure nothing toppled off the cart. The thud of the wheels up the stairs grated on her nerves.

You know, it might be a good idea to get a spare one of these carts for the second floor. Aryn’s eyebrows lowered and her lips flattened as she shoved the cart up a stair.

Or an elevator… Karla now admitted Becker Garret, who’d designed the new addition onto the Tidewater Inn, was right. An elevator would’ve made guests happier and cleaning easier. But the feel of the house wouldn’t have been the same.

The inn had opened back up after a two-month closure for construction. She realized the house didn’t feel the same now anyway. While it looked like the same house from the street, once inside, everything had changed.

They’d added an additional ten bedrooms onto the back of the house, five up, five down, making the house both wheelchair accessible and allowing them to make more money. But more rooms meant more work. They were also down one sister to help, since Channyon had moved back to Missouri with her husband, the very man who’d designed the addition.

At the top of the stairs, Karla leaned on the cart. Made it. Where’s Sonica? I thought she promised to help?

Aryn grabbed her phone and pressed it a few times. Looks like she’ll be a little late, as usual. The rooms are never that bad. Let’s just start without her. She grabbed hold of the push bar on the back and headed down the hall.

Aryn backed further down the hall glancing behind her every few steps. Are Maisy and Davin coming? I thought Maisy was looking for a way to earn some money? Didn’t she offer to pick up where Channyon left off?

Maisy was a touchy subject. The fourteen-year-old, with all her typical hormonal changes and less typical family changes, was often difficult to pin down. She wanted to, until I told her that her father has been in contact with his lawyer again and there’s no way he’ll agree to any changes in the custody agreement. Up to the day of the divorce, we’re stuck. She’s treating me like it’s my fault.

Aryn stopped and took a deep breath, then blew a strand of hair out of her face. It’s November, so that means you only have another…seven months to go.

Seven months felt like a lifetime when she had to give the kids up for two weeks started the day before Christmas Eve. The leave, planned by Rob, had ruined Davin and Maisy’s school holiday party plans and tests. It went all the way through to the third of January, putting them back at school the very next day.

At least they won’t be with him for three months this time. Aryn offered with a shrug.

Unless he chose to keep them again like he’d done in the past. I wish I could see the positive in that.

She stopped pushing the cart. He’s lost his influence on them. Two weeks is long, but unless he really spends time with them, trying to know them, he’s lost. And it really is his loss. Aryn unhooked a spiral keyring from the front beltloop of her jeans and opened room 15. Here we are.

The last room, room 15, was where they started on the cleaning schedule and always ended with room 1, which was her former master suite. For as much as she used to find that room a comfort, now she celebrated others enjoying the space where she couldn’t.

Room 15 was lightly decorated in a nautical theme with light blues, beige and white. Since so many visitors came to the Outer Banks to enjoy the ocean, the colors seemed a given. In each room, she left a logbook for each guest to chronicle what they did, where they went, what they loved, and if they enjoyed the room. Some people had even later requested the same room they had in the past so they could add new travels to the log.

Karla diverted her thoughts to the chore at hand. Worrying about the weeks Davin and Maisy would be with their father solved nothing. Her lawyer told her she shouldn’t count on getting the agreement overturned, but she’d still hoped. The lawyer had helped her pro bono the first time, he wouldn’t work for free on her whim, and he considered this her whim.

This is the last week we’ll have to clean all the rooms. Starting Monday, the load reduces steadily unless we have last-minute bookings. It happens, Karla said more as a hope that people would book than worry about a break. The work never bothered her. Hospitality was in her blood.

Have you considered hiring a cook or are you going to keep doing that? You’d made that decision when you thought Channyon would be here. Aryn lifted the vacuum off the cart and unwound the cord then shoved the plug in the wall.

No. She wanted that job most of all. Yes, having people stay in her inn and love it was wonderful, but serving them a meal they wouldn’t forget topped everything else. We’ll manage.

Aryn sighed heavily and moved the big vacuum to the corner. Maybe right now, with the slowdown eminent, but what about in March for Spring Break which will lead right into summer and the busy season?

Karla didn’t have the answer. Sonica tromped up the stairs and heaved a sigh. Morning. It’s early.

Karla glanced at her watch. It’s eleven. Where have you been?

Sonica’s fingers were covered in a white substance that stuck to the crevices in her skin like paint. I was up late.

Doing? Karla handed her the window cleaner.

Sculpture. But I’m not very good, which is why I was so late. I stayed there well past midnight trying to make mine look like…something. She turned deep red, shrugged, then grabbed a clean rag and headed for the windows.

Aryn flipped on the vacuum and for a few minutes, none of the sisters talked since the room was too loud for conversation. Karla stripped the sheets and blankets off the beds and rolled them in a ball, then tossed them in the laundry hamper. She grabbed all the garbage bags and motioned for Sonica to take care of the sink just outside the bathroom.

By the time Aryn lifted the vacuum back onto the cart, the room was mostly finished. Sonica eyed Aryn. So… Did you go to Tim’s this morning? I thought I heard the door slam extra early.

Aryn ducked behind the cart and grabbed the tub and tile cleaner. I’m old enough that I don’t have to answer that. If I woke you, I’ll be quieter next time.

Sonica laughed as she checked the small mini fridge then wiped it down. Gotcha. You just admitted it. You spend so much time over there.

Karla made a motion across her neck for Sonica to cut it out, but her sister ignored the warning with a roll of her eyes.

What do you do over there? Sonica stopped all pretense of working.

What do you mean? Aryn rested her hands on her hips, her face forming a defensive mask.

I mean, if you aren’t dating, what do you do? It seems so weird to go to a guy’s house almost daily, especially at that hour, if there’s nothing between you.

Aryn swallowed hard. "I never said there was nothing between us. We’re friends. I like to keep it that way. Don’t push me."

Karla shoved the cart toward the door, hating the rising tension in the room. Aryn didn’t need a guy to complete her life, but a friendship was new ground. If Sonica ruined that, Aryn might retreat again. Come on. One down, fourteen to go.

Aryn, despite her earlier good mood, shuffled past. This will take hours.

Yes, it will. That’s the point. We earn a living here and it takes time to do what needs to get done.

Sonica closed the room behind them and turned the manual lock on the door so the card key could be used by the guests. Aryn, you don’t have to answer to me or anyone else. I’m just saying it’s odd, that’s all.

Aryn stomped down the hall a few feet. So I’m odd. Look, Karla, why don’t you let me take the vacuum and just do all the rooms? I can get them done quickly, then come back to help with whatever you have left.

Karla glanced between her sisters and could feel unsaid words pulling all three of them apart. What would Channyon have done in this situation? She’d kept the three of them together for years. I think it’s easier if we stick together.

Whatever. She went to the next room and unlocked it, flipped down the door stopper to keep