Honeymoon Mountain Bride

“Let me get dressed and I’ll come right out.” Grayson left the room and she traded her pajamas for a pair of jeans, T-shirt and jacket.

Vivian raced down the hall past Grayson and pounded on Temple’s room. Within a few seconds, Temple jerked open her door. “What’s going on?”

“A fire in one of the cabins,” Vivian said. “Get Jillian.”

Vivian raced out the back door of the lodge, down the steps and across the back lawn to the cabin that was burning. She stared at it, wishing she could douse the fire. Thank goodness there were no guests. Surely she could do something.

Before she knew it, she felt Temple grab one of her hands. Jillian took her other hand. She stared at the fire and knew her sisters were staring into it, too.

“Why is it taking so long for the fire department to get here?” Jillian asked.

“We’re too far away,” Vivian said. “Up the mountain, and they’re down in the valley.”

“They should be able to get here faster,” Jilly said helplessly.

She and her sisters clung to each other as they watched the cabin burn. A fire engine finally arrived and sprayed the cabin, but it was too late. The cabin was a smoldering ruin.

Vivian couldn’t explain it, but her heart was broken. Grayson came to her and shook his head. “I’m so sorry. I tried to keep everything in the lodge up to code, but the last couple of years, Jedediah didn’t want to overspend on the cabins, and he just didn’t seem to have the energy.”

Vivian took a deep breath. She knew the wiring for the cabins was primitive at best. She put her hand on his. “I’m just glad no one was in there tonight.”

Grayson nodded. A fireman approached her and Grayson, asked a few questions, filled out a report and left.

Exhausted, Vivian returned to the lodge with her sisters.

“Let’s have something to eat,” Jillian said and urged the three of them to the kitchen.

“I’m not that hungry,” Vivian said.

“Neither am I,” Temple added.

“You will be in a few minutes,” Jillian said and placed a pan on the stove top. Soon she was frying potatoes, bacon and eggs. She placed plates in front of Vivian and Temple, then served herself.

Vivian tried but couldn’t take a bite. She closed her eyes and opened them. “I’m not sure I want to sell,” she whispered.

“I don’t want to, either,” Jilly said and shoveled a forkful of food into her mouth.

Temple gaped at both of them. “Are you out of your minds? This place is a money pit.”

“Maybe. Probably,” Vivian said. “But I can’t let it go yet. Especially after tonight. The whole place feels like an elderly relative and I can’t stand to see the whole place go down. We couldn’t save Dad. Maybe we can save the lodge.”

“Even though we may need to fix the wiring in the cabins?” Temple asked.

Vivian’s stomach twisted because she knew Temple was the most financially astute of the three of them. “Yep,” she said.

Temple groaned. “Everything about this is wrong. I’ve studied this six ways from Sunday, and we’re going to have a very tough trip to make it successful.”

“So, you’re saying we can make it successful,” Jilly said.

Temple frowned at her. “It’s an outside chance.”

“I think it’s a chance I have to take,” Vivian said.

“Me, too,” Jilly said and shoveled another big bite into her mouth.

Temple sighed, looking from one of them to the other. “Well. Against my better judgment.”

“You’re in,” Jilly said, clapping her hands.

“Let her finish,” Vivian said. “I want to hear her say it.”

Temple sighed. “I’m in.”

“Yay,” Jilly said, and gave a hoot of victory.

“That said, I’ll be watching every nickel and dime,” Temple warned. “Every nickel and dime.”

“I guess that means I can’t write off pedicures,” Jilly said.

Vivian snickered, but Temple squeezed her forehead as if she were in pain.

* * *

After an extensive discussion with a local electrician, it appeared that all the cabins might require rewiring and possible plumbing repairs. The job of fixing one cabin was growing by the minute. Vivian went into town, concerned because the man she’d called wouldn’t commit to putting a priority on the full project if necessary. Plus there was the issue of choosing new fixtures to replace the out-of-date ones.

She walked into the Honeymoon Hardware store and headed toward the electrical section. Staring at the array of fixtures, she felt overwhelmed. There were even more choices here than online.

“Hey, how ya doing?” asked a male voice from behind her.

Vivian’s stomach clenched. She knew that voice. She knew it was Benjamin’s. She took a deep breath before she turned to face him. “Hello. What are you doing here?” she asked.

“I could ask the same,” he said. “I’m picking up some paint for the kitchen at the bar. What about you?”

“I can’t decide on anything. And I need a faster electrician.”

“I can help with that,” Benjamin said. “I’ve got the fastest electrician in town.”

“How did you find him?” she asked. “Everyone wants to charge us extra because we live on the mountain.”

“Give the guy a room while he does the work,” Benjamin said. “He can enjoy the amenities when he’s off the clock.”

Vivian blinked. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

“Because you don’t fish or hunt,” he said.

Her stomach took a dip as she looked at him, but she sure didn’t want that response. “I guess you’re right. But I still need to choose the fixtures.”

“Choose the most long-lasting, not the prettiest,” he told her. “Just a thought,” he added.

Vivian nodded. Sounded like words of wisdom to her. She made notes as she walked down the aisle.

“I heard about the fire. Sorry.”

“Thank you. It was upsetting to say the least.”

“Tough timing,” he said.

She nodded. “So,” she said, feeling a bit awkward, “I didn’t get to ask you about how you’ve been. The bar seems to be doing well. What about you?”

“I’m good,” he said. “I’ve purchased a couple of businesses other than the bar, so that keeps me busy.”

“What about your sister?” she asked, remembering what Millie had told her.

Benjamin seemed to freeze.

Vivian took a big step backward internally and gave a shrug. “I have two sisters and you have a sister, and I thought it was just considerate to ask about yours. I never met her because I was always at the lake.”

His shoulders lowered just a bit. “She’s doing okay.”

“Millicent told me your sister is creative and artistic. Maybe she could create something for the lodge.”

Benjamin tilted his head from one side to the other. “Maybe. So, your sisters are all in about you fixing the lodge? The last time I talked to you, you said you were leaving.”

“Jilly and I are in. We are dragging Temple. She’s an accountant, but after the fire, it just didn’t seem right to abandon the lodge.”

“I’m impressed that you’re going to try to fix it. Your dad would be proud,” he said, his gaze locking with hers.

“I’m scared. Especially financially.”

“You can make it happen. I’ll help you when I can,” he said.

She felt a sense of relief. “I’ll accept that offer, and since you’re here, help me select fixtures. Yes?”

“Sure, if you’ll go for coffee with me afterward,” he said.

Her stomach dipped at the intent expression on his face. It was just coffee, she chided herself and shrugged. “Why not?”

Chapter Three

“So, how do you feel about living in such a small town?” Benjamin asked after they sat at a small table in the local coffee shop.

“I’m okay with it for now,” Vivian said. “I’m still telecommuting with my firm in Atlanta and will have to return for some major events. Eventually I’ll need to cut the ties. I’m actually kinda glad to get away from the big city.”

“Really?” he asked and took a long draw from his cup. “You didn’t like Atlanta?”

“I did and didn’t,” she said. “Who would love that traffic? At the same time, I loved the sense of history and culture. I was raised in Richmond, so of course I loved that city.”

“Why not go back to Richmond?” he asked.

She shook her head. “Oh, no. No. My mother lives there and that would be an invitation to...well...insanity, in the worst way.”

“That bad?” he asked.

She nodded. “Yes. Well, she’s quite the perfectionist.” She took a breath. “But enough about me. I still can’t figure out why you didn’t go pro with football.”

“My mom was sick.”

“I heard about that. I’m sorry. But after that,” she said. “Couldn’t you have gone pro after that?”

“I had other obligations by then,” he said, his expression moody.

“Do you wish you had continued playing?”

He shrugged. “Depends on the day. Mostly not. It would have been physical torture. Why all the questions?”

She laughed. “My first opportunity. I barely got to talk with you when we were teens.”

He chuckled and seems to relax just a smidge. “Yeah, that’s true. Speaking of getting to know you, I’m glad you’re fixing the lodge, but I’m wondering if you decided to take on fixing Honeymoon Lodge out of obligation,” he said.

She thought about that for a moment, then shook her head. “No. Not for the most part. I think we’re not ready to let go of our memories and what we experienced here. It took the fire to bring back how important those memories are to us. At the same time, we want to make it better for those who are new visitors to the lodge. It’s tricky.”

“Yeah, I guess so. If you want it to be more than a fishing and hunting lodge,” he said.

“We do,” she said. “We think you can still enjoy the lake and the scenery even if you don’t hunt or fish.”

“Because you don’t like worms,” he added with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Or crawdads,” she said. “The lake and the mountains are still beautiful. A walk along the lake will rejuvenate you,” she said.

“Even if you hate worms,” he said.

She glowered at him. “Yes. Even if you hate worms. Or cocky men who need to be taken down a notch.”

“You couldn’t be speaking of me,” he said.

“Of course not,” she lied.

He laughed loudly, and she really liked him for it.

“Viv, you have a lot more kick than I thought you would,” he said.

She rolled her eyes. “Benjamin, how could you expect anything less from Jedediah Jackson’s daughter? My middle name is Monterey after the aircraft carrier. Eleven battle stars. My father was determined we wouldn’t be wussy women, and he was big on Navy history. Each of our middle names is from an aircraft carrier. As for me, I’ve tripped and fallen a few times, but I’ve gotten back up.”

Benjamin’s eyes widened. “Monterey,” he echoed. “I’m impressed. Does that mean I can call you Monty?”

“Only if you want me to clock you,” she said.

“I’m bigger than you are,” he said.

“I’ll catch you when you’re sleeping,” she returned.

“I can only hope,” he said. “If you catch me when I’m sleeping, that means you’ll be sleeping with me.”

A shiver rushed through her, all the way through her core. “Well, that’s not going to happen,” she said, because it couldn’t and shouldn’t. She might have been playing with the idea of flirting with Benjamin, but something inside her told her Benjamin was trouble for her. He appeared to be a pillar of the community and an all-around great guy, but for her, he could be big, big trouble. He could be a distraction to her and she wasn’t ready for that kind of distraction, especially now that she needed to focus on the lodge.

Benjamin walked her to her car. She took a deep breath and searched for her sanity. “Thanks for your help with the fixtures. And especially your recommendation for an electrician who can do speedy work,” she said.

“Glad I could help,” he said, leaning toward her.

She instinctively held her breath. “Thanks again,” she managed.

“Let’s get together again. Saturday,” he said. It wasn’t a question.

Vivian bit her lip and shook her head. “I don’t think that will work,” she said.

“Monday?” he asked.

Her lungs seemed to compress, and she shook her head again. “I’m not sure this is a good idea,” she managed.

“What’s not a good idea?” he asked.

“You and me,” she said.

“Maybe we could finally get to know each other,” he said, lowering his head.

He took her mouth in a kiss.

Vivian pulled back. “You have got to stop this,” she whispered and walked away, her body in complete chaos.

* * *

Vivian huddled with Temple and Jillian on the screened-in porch. Temple was glued her laptop and Jillian was trying a new yoga pose. “I ordered fixtures with the help of Benjamin,” Vivian announced.

“How did that happen?” Temple asked, clearly suspicious. “Did you arrange to meet him?”

“I did not,” Vivian said and wished her cheeks wouldn’t heat. “He was at the hardware store and I took advantage of his expertise. Should I not have asked for his advice?”

Temple met her gaze. “Of course not. But I must ask, is he as hunky as ever?”

“I’d like to say he isn’t, but I would be lying,” Vivian said. “It doesn’t matter, though, because we have too much to do for me to be distracted by an ex-football star.”

“He’s more than an ex-football star, isn’t he?” Jillian asked. “He’s the town entrepreneur.”

Vivian frowned. “He is, but we can’t be distracted. Right?”

“Right,” Temple said.

“So, we have fixtures ordered. I scheduled a consultation with a plumber. And in other good news, we’ll offer a room to an electrician. While they are performing repairs, they can go fishing or hunting in their off hours.”

Temple mused. “That could work.”

“I wish I could claim it as my idea, but Benjamin suggested it,” she said.

“Well, perhaps we should consult him more often,” Jillian said.

“I think this is enough for a start,” Vivian said, because she didn’t want Benjamin around to distract her. She and her sisters needed to get the lodge up to code as soon as possible. “In the meantime, I’d like us to work on the decor for the cabins.”

“Decor?” Temple echoed. “We don’t have money for decor,” she said firmly. “I’m looking at our budget, and we’re squeezed tight as it is.”

“This may require an investment from all of us. I’m willing to contribute,” Vivian said.

Temple tightened her lips. “I don’t want to go overbudget.”

“What budget?” Vivian asked. “We don’t even have one yet.”

“Well, we need one,” Temple said. “And we should stick to it. This could get totally out of hand.”

“Let’s just look at the cottages and brainstorm,” Vivian said, opening the door from the screened-in porch.

“I don’t like this,” Temple said, but the three of them walked down to the cabins.

Vivian stepped inside the dark, musty interior of the first. “They need wallpaper, a complete freshening, mold abatement, modern air-conditioning, new minikitchens and beds. Definitely new beds.”

“No to the wallpaper,” Temple said. “It’s just an invitation to more refurbishment.”

“I can paint,” Jilly said enthusiastically, lifting her hand. “I’ve even been paid for it.”

Vivian looked at her youngest sister and wondered what in the world she’d done for the last five years that included being paid for painting. She nodded and placed that fact in a file to think about at 2:00 a.m. when she awakened as she so often did. Unfortunately insomnia had recently become Vivian’s friend. “Thank you. That’s wonderful. But the AC, minikitchens and—”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Temple said, lifting her hand. “These aren’t luxury villas. They’re cabins. Rustic cabins.”

“Do you want to stay anywhere that doesn’t have heat and air-conditioning, the ability to cook some food and a good mattress for sleeping?”

Temple frowned, then sighed. “We can work on the heat and AC. No to the full kitchens. I’ll price stove tops and microwaves.”

“And mattresses,” Vivian said.

“I suppose,” Temple said, clearly unhappy.

“Don’t forget the paint,” Jilly said. “We don’t have to make these luxurious. A lot of people are trying to get back to nature.

“Just so you know I may not want to camp, but I can do it,” Jillian said and walked out the cabin door.

“That girl worries me. I wonder if she’s been in some kind of trouble that we don’t know about,” Temple said, staring after her.

“Me, too. I’m afraid of what she’s been doing the last few years. I should have kept in touch better.”

“I should have, too,” Temple said. “I think Mom did a real number on her. I mean, more of a number than she did on you and me.”

“We should take her into town for lunch,” Vivian said. “Lunch with no distractions about the lodge. We could ask her more about what’s been going on in her life.”

Temple shot her a dark look. “You think lunch will fix anything? That almost sounds like Mom.”

“That was insulting and unnecessary,” Vivian said. “I think you know I’m different than Mom. Although I wouldn’t mind having her best strengths without her weaknesses,” she said, thinking of how socially adept her mother was.

“You’re right,” Temple said. “Lunch it is. We can make it a goal after we’ve painted one of the cabins.”

“That’s perfect,” she said. “Thank you.”

Temple met her gaze. “The numbers don’t add up for this,” she said. “I keep trying, but—”

“I’ll add my savings,” Vivian said.

“But what about your retirement?” Temple asked.

“I guess I’ll just work till I die,” she said with a laugh.

“That’s how you’re different than Mom,” Temple said. “She would rather marry money than work for it.”

“It might look like she’s had a free ride, but I don’t think she has always been happy. She’s been paying for that second marriage ever since she took her vows with the good doctor.”

“I never thought of it that way, but now that you say it... Hmm,” Temple said.

“She wanted her girls to be taken care of,” Vivian said.

“But Dad wasn’t broke,” Temple said. “He could have afforded our college education.”

“Mostly,” Vivian said. “You and I got scholarships.”

“Jilly was always a wandering soul.” Temple paused. “Oh, Lord, I hope I never feel like I have to marry for money.”

Vivian looked at her slim sister with shoulder-length brown hair. She wore baggy jeans, a T-shirt and black-framed glasses she was always pushing up her nose. Temple was too intelligent to suffer fools gladly. Her hair hung in dark strands down to her shoulders.

“I don’t think that’s in your near future,” she said.

Temple seemed to snap out of her reverie. “Are you saying I’m no bombshell?”

Vivian lifted her hand. “You are formidable and beautiful. Most men couldn’t begin to handle you.”

“Another way of saying I’m not suitable for anyone,” Temple said and started toward the door.

Vivian touched her sister’s shoulder. “Another way of saying you deserve someone amazing.”

Temple’s expression softened. “How’d you turn out so nice when Mom was so sharp she cut you nearly every day when we were teenagers?”

Vivian smiled, but she knew her expression was stiff. “I took the first cuts,” she said.

“Why don’t you hate her?” Temple asked.

“A little therapy didn’t hurt. I think she did her best. Her best wasn’t yours or mine or Jilly’s.”

Temple sighed and left the cabin.

Vivian felt her tight shoulders slump. This was becoming about so much more than saving her father’s lodge. Far more than she knew or was ready to face at the moment. All she knew was that she was all in. Vivian wanted her sisters back, and she was growing surer by the day that this was the way she could get them.

* * *

Five days later, Benjamin’s recommended electrician had arrived and appeared to be fishing far more than he was wiring. Vivian thought about calling Benjamin, but instead conjured her father’s spirit and rose early to confront the electrician, Bill, as he was headed out for another fishing venture.

She stepped in front of him. “Good morning, Bill. How are you?”

“Good,” he said. “Just hoping to catch a few before I start work on the rewiring for the cabins today.”

“How many cabins have you rewired?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Well, it’s been taking longer than I expected. I’ve done one and a half.”

“Bill, Benjamin Hunter recommended you. He said you would be a good worker. He said you would do good, fair work.” She forced herself to stop. She’d heard that remaining silent was an important tool in negotiations. Vivian chewed the inside of her lip and narrowed her eyes. She hoped she looked vicious and intimidating and Bill didn’t notice the nervous twitch in her left eye.

“You wouldn’t be trying to take advantage of me, would you?” she challenged.

Bill sighed. “No. I wouldn’t want to do that.” He rubbed his hand across his face. “I don’t gotta fish today. I’ll work on that next cabin.” He paused. “You’re not gonna mention this to Ben, are you?”

“Not at the moment,” she said, her ire rising at the realization that he might not have responded to her confrontation unless she’d mentioned Benjamin’s name. “You do know who is signing your paycheck, writing your future recommendations and allowing you to live rent-free? My name is Vivian Monterey Jackson...”

Bill took a step back and nodded. “Yes, ma’am,” he said and headed back to his room, supposedly to get his toolbox so he could get to work on the cabins.

Vivian tried not to grind her teeth, but she couldn’t help it. She heard a sound behind her and turned to spot her sister Jilly, who stared at her with a wide-eyed glance.

“You’ve got balls,” Jilly said in wonder.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Vivian said, although she wouldn’t trust Bill’s performance until he’d made more progress. She was her father’s daughter.

That day, she and her sisters worked their butts off painting and completing work on the first cabin. They’d painted the walls a calming spa green and replaced the ratty scatter rugs. A small sitting area with two chairs and a table along with a new microwave, coffeepot and minifridge occupied the side of the room opposite the bed. New shades on the windows would provide a bit of privacy, and new mattresses were on the way for five of the cabins. The other three cabins could wait until they booked some new guests and started making some income again.

“It looks nice. I wouldn’t mind staying here, except for the lack of television,” Vivian said as the afternoon sun faded from the open blinds.

“You could probably watch some on your iPad by ripping the Wi-Fi from the lodge,” Jilly said as if she had experience ripping.

Vivian exchanged a glance with Temple, then brushed her hands together the same way she would have liked to brush aside her concerns about Jilly. After all, her sister was an adult. She’d appeared to survive whatever she’d been doing for the last several years well enough.

“How about we eat an easy dinner, then roast marshmallows and drink wine by the fire pit?” Vivian suggested.

“Can you start a fire from scratch?” Temple asked, her eyes full of doubt.

“I can!” Jilly said with a huge smile on her face. “Didn’t you pay attention when Dad showed us?”

“I must confess I haven’t had much practice lately,” Temple said.

“I can do it. We could roast hot dogs, too.”

“Is there anything you can’t do?” Temple asked.

Jilly’s face fell. “Graduate from college,” she said. “Finish just about anything.”

Vivian’s heart squeezed tight at the lost expression on her youngest sister’s face. Silence stretched between the three of them.

“As we’re learning, you don’t learn everything at college,” Temple admitted, even though Vivian and Jilly knew Temple held two advanced degrees. “You can light a fire, and I wouldn’t dream of twisting my stiff body into some of those yoga poses you can do. So let’s grab those hot dogs, buns and marshmallows.” She glanced at Vivian. “A better version of lunch with the ladies?”