RICHIE ROBERTS

Monday morning and after a whole week of rain, the sun was great. I left my room, kinda had to. Me and Clari sorta made a mess of the place, not something I think Riley would like to know happens in one of her rooms, that’s for sure. But it was a blast. We fucked on the bathroom sink, in the shower, against the wall in the bedroom and when it was all said and done, woke up on the floor surrounded by all the sheets and pillows and blankets. Even the sofa cushions were down there. Luckily my room is the first she cleans on my floor, so Clari was making sure it would past muster before she moved on with her daily duties.

We been at it for days … and nights. I like crazy Clari. Like her tattoos and that ring pierced in her nipple. She told me she was thinking about getting one stuck in the lip of her sex and that kinda turns me on … but I think that might hurt. Up to her. Her body, ya know.

Yeah, Clari’s a nice diversion but it’s time for me to do some serious thinking. There’s a natural order to things, and it just don’t seem real natural, me and Vermont. I’m the kinda guy who needs tall buildings around me. Not sure if Clari might like to move to New York, but it’s almost all I can think about lately. This is a nice family … about as dysfunctional as humanly possible, but nice all the same. Knowing they’re my family makes it even weirder. But even though a lot of us live in Vermont, there are a lot of us who don’t. I’m thinking maybe I’m one of the ones who shouldn’t.

I walked along the pretty paths, already lined with fall colored flowers and sat on the bench near the pond. Autumn comes faster up here, not like down in Jersey. It’s real pretty, seeing the occasional golden oak mixed in with all that green. Way too much nature for a man like me, though.

I’m not ready to leave just yet, not ready to tell Clari I’m hitting the road. I just ain’t tired of her yet. Chances are she won’t want to leave the Inn. She’s up for a promotion, head of housekeeping. It’s a good deal I guess. But for me? I need to set up a law office and get my head into working again.

The decision was made before I headed back to the Inn and breakfast. Next week I’ll go to the Thorne and O’Leary office and have a talk. Terry said he’s leaving the Inn on Wednesday. He’s too preoccupied with his Latin beauty right now, be better to wait. When I talk with him next time, it’ll be for advice. He’ll help me figure some shit out. I’ll be defending some suspected criminal in court before the end of the month, I just know it.

Feeling better I trotted up onto the porch and into the breakfast room. Winked at Monica and eyed the buffet. Yeah, I’ll sure miss breakfasts like that. But at least I’ll feel productive. There’s no way I’d find the kinda cases I can sink my teeth into in a town like Stowe.

KIM

I was looking forward to a quiet evening at home; the day had been a little hectic with the push to complete the construction at the Inn and I had to rush out during lunch to pick up the diamond earrings I had ordered as a surprise for Emmie. We’d barely had a chance to say two words to one another all day and I really wanted to see the expression on her face when I gave them to her. I had the clerk at the jewelers wrap the earrings up in a pouf of pink and turquoise paper and bought a single long stemmed white rose for an extra little touch. Emmie loves white roses.

We were only home about five minutes when the phone rang. I was about to guide her into the bedroom and give her my present, but Emmie slipped free of my embrace and grabbed for the phone.

“Hello?”

I tried to hide my irritation. I thought I was doing pretty well, until I overheard her side of the conversation.

“Really? I start next Monday? Oh my gosh, this is all happening so fast! What’s that? Oh, no … this won’t be a problem. I understand that the position needs to be filled quickly. Thank you for calling me tonight to let me know … this is so exciting. Okay, yes, thank you!”

She flipped the phone shut and I didn’t even wait for her explanation.

“You’re actually going through with this.” Suddenly, the earrings didn’t seem so important anymore.

She looked at me and actually smiled. “Kimmy, why are you making it sound like I’m abandoning you? You knew that I’d been sending out my resumes and this is the opportunity of a lifetime.”

Actually, if I had known that she was still pursuing this crazy idea of finding another job, I certainly wouldn’t have bought the earrings. “Okay, here’s your big chance of a lifetime. So tell me, what company hired you?”

She hesitated.

“Well?” I crossed my arms and stood, waiting for her answer. “Spill.”

She bit her lip and seemed to be considering something before answering. I waited.

“Trump Enterprises.”

“WHAT?”

“Trump Enterprises.”

I felt sick to my stomach not only at the realization that Emmie had been looking for a job behind my back but that she had actually felt it was perfectly okay to work for the very company that fired me last year. I couldn’t remember the last time I felt so angry or so betrayed by anyone. My God, that Emmie would do this to me when she claims to love me. Does she have any idea what this does to our relationship?

“Kimmie, what’s wrong?”

I couldn’t believe she had the nerve to ask. “You really are serious about this, aren’t you?” I had to hear her answer before I made my next move.

“Kim, New York isn’t all that far away. I can fly home on Fridays and go back on Sunday evenings.”

Bloody hell. She was serious.

“Why are you so upset by this?”

I lost it. I grabbed my jacket and headed for the door. “You don’t want to know how upset I am right now. If you actually thought about someone other than yourself for a change you wouldn’t even have to ask me such a bloody insulting question.”

“Kim, wait …”

I brushed past her, maybe a little too forcefully, but I knew that I had to get out of there before I did or said something that I’d regret later. Perhaps her knowing that I was angry was enough to make her reconsider? When she didn’t follow after me, I felt the fear gripping even tighter in my stomach.

I think she’s really going to take the job. How can she do this to us?

JOHN

It’s been one of those strange, tugging kinda days; the kind where no matter what I did or where I went to cover things around the Inn, I kept coming across Riles. And every time I saw her, something heated inside me. Her smile was warmer; her eyes twinkled when she noticed me. Shit, you’d think we were high school kids passing in the halls between classes and dying for some after school fun in the back seat of my Chevy.

It was Monday, a day full of meetings. I had mine with the gardener, the construction foreman and Antony. Riles had hers with Kim and the housekeeping staff and the kitchen. Sometimes we cross in those meetings. I got to sit in on the kitchen meeting. Chef Chris was going on vacation next week and that meant both me and Riles would be stepping up in some capacity to cover the hole. I’d be managing the waitresses inside the kitchen, making sure they had full tickets before they hauled loaded trays out to the dining room. Riles would be working either on the line or expediting.

But all too soon, that meeting ended and we were off in different directions again. It wasn’t that I was horny. Well, not really. It was more like I missed touching her. We get so busy sometimes we go weeks without even bumping into each other in bed.

Finally the day was over and I’d gotten Nathan into his bed and asleep. Riles was finishing dinner dishes and I didn’t even wanna turn on the television. I helped her load the dishwasher, even washed the pots and pans while she tossed a load in the washing machine. I caught her arm just as she reached for the TV remote.

“Oh, no. Not tonight baby,” I grinned and she snuggled.

“What is it that makes you so damn handsome today?”

“The fact that I’m dying to make love to you? Maybe? Ya think?”

I stripped her pretty little body and got her into bed. You know, for the life of me I can’t understand guys complaining about foreplay. It’s my favorite part of sex. Maybe because my wife gives as much as she gets, I dunno. I get a real charge outta getting us both so fired up we think we might spontaneously combust.

I had my mouth everywhere. My hands and fingers moving. God sakes, for a few minutes there I was afraid I wouldn’t get inside her before I exploded. It’s days like that that really hold us together. It’s the glue that gets us through the rough times. Knowing we could be in sync like that keeps all the passion alive, no matter how many nights we might have dropped off on the couch from sheer exhaustion.

I climbed over her and aimed, so fucking ready to drive it home and get all the satisfaction that comes with it.

“John,” she panted. “John, wait!”

I blinked. Wait for what? “Huh?” was all I could manage. The blood wasn’t in my brain at the moment, if you know what I mean.

“John, you have to use something.”

“Huh? What’re you talking about?” I inched closer, actually felt her wet heat at the tip of my cock.

“Wait!” She slithered back, crunched up against the headboard and gasping. Yeah, she wanted this as bad as I did. “You have to use something. Some protection. When I told Doctor Conklin last week that we were planning another pregnancy around March or April,” she panted, actually wiped sweat from her brow, “he took me off the pill. You have to use something.”

Took me a few seconds to digest all that. To remember our negotiation, our plan for another baby after the construction was finished and my campaign for mayor was well under way. But this sure as hell wasn’t a complication I was planning on.

My eyes were wild, shooting around the room, thinking about what was inside every goddamn drawer I could see. Did I even have any rubbers, God sakes? “You think it’s safe to just, ya know … go ahead this time?”

Riley blinked. I could see it in her eyes, she didn’t … but I could also see that she wouldn’t be so unhappy if she got pregnant right now. “I don’t know, John. Do you want to take the chance?”

My cock was screaming, reaching to get into her but my brain was struggling to function on the minimal blood flow. “Do we have rubbers?”

Her head shook and I could see her looking a little desperate too. “Shall I call Richie? He must have some.”

“Fuck no.” I moved away, rubbed my eyes, sat at the edge of the bed and everything started to cool down. Then I heard it. That soft sob that breaks my heart. I turned and hugged her close. “Shh, hey, it’s okay. Shh.” I pushed tears from her face, they were trying to get into her ears and I kissed the tip of her nose.

“It’s not okay. I should have told you,” she sniffled.

“When? Riles I don’t think we’ve had time to sit still in the same damn room since a week before Lach’s wedding.”

“I should have picked some condoms up after my doctor’s appointment,” another tear escaped and I thought about that; kinda nodded agreement. It would’ve made things a little easier, right? But I didn’t want to put this all on her. That wasn’t fair either.

“Tell ya what,” I nuzzled a breast and suckled a few moments. “If you give me some head, I’ll get you off again and we’ll call it a night. Tomorrow I’ll pick up a couple packs of rubbers and we’ll be sweet. Okay?”

But, it didn’t go down like that, not at all … and when we were finished I couldn’t help but groan with concern. It’ll take two weeks before we know if we dodged the bullet after this. Whatever happened … happened. But truth be told, I’d rather have had this one last time without a raincoat. There’s a good chance we didn’t conceive. A real good chance.

Right?

LACHLAN

I woke up around seven AM, a little groggy and disoriented but glad to smell coffee brewing out in the kitchen. I also smelled bacon and my stomach growled as I tossed on my sweats and bathrobe, stumbling out into hallway to investigate. Jessie was busy cooking breakfast just as I suspected, but the smile brought on by the anticipation of having a hearty morning tucker was replaced with a flash of anger when I realized that someone was sitting at the kitchen table, watching her.

More pressing than the reason why Matt, the gardener, was visiting so early in the morning was the question of why he was sitting at my table shirtless and barefoot and drinking coffee from my favorite mug. Realizing I was missing out on some important bit of information, I straightened my shoulders and marched into the kitchen to join Jessie as she went to pour me a cup of coffee.

“Good morning handsome,” she smiled, reaching out to give me a hug.

Okay, she was acting like having Matt half naked in the kitchen alone with her was the most natural thing in the world, but I wasn’t buying it. The guy’s been a little too friendly with my wife from their very first meeting, and even though I trust Jessie, I don’t trust this Matt bloke any further than I can throw him … which at that moment could have been fairly far.

“Why is he here?” I whispered into her ear as I leaned down to return her hug.

She pulled away and gave me a funny look as if she didn’t quite understand the question and it was then that I noticed that Matt at least had the decency to look a little uncomfortable. I was just about to head on over to the table and toss Matt out the bloody door when Mitchell came tromping out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a pair of sweatpants. He came up behind Matt and tugged on a piece of his hair before looking up to meet my disbelieving gaze.

“G’morning, mate. Jess, the bacon smells great.” He pulled out the chair next to Matt and grinned. I stood there dumbfounded as Jessie giggled.

Just then a look of realization came over Mitchell’s face and he gave Matt a nudge. “We’ve just been found out, mate.”

Jessie’s giggle turned into a cackle of laughter, but Matt continued to look embarrassed.

Mitchell grabbed Matt’s arm and pushed his chair back from the table. “Hey, let’s get go put some shirts on before Lach here goes all medieval on both of our arses.”  He was fighting back his laughter and I was kicking myself for not sussing up the situation beforehand. As both men headed down the hall to Mitchell’s bedroom I turned to Jessie and shook my head.

“You knew about this?”

She gave me a sympathetic look and patted my stomach. “You didn’t?”

“But he was always here following after you like a lovesick puppy. I thought I was going to have to take him outside and have a little talk …”

“You looked like you were going to knock him senseless just a minute ago.” Then it dawned on her. “Babe, were you actually jealous?”

“Well … yeah. I was. I thought he was making a move on you.”

She edged in real close and ran her hand very purposefully over my crotch. I looked up real quick just to make sure that Mitchell and Reese were well out of sight.

“I’ve never seen you jealous before.” She slipped her hand up around my neck and pulled me down for a kiss. “It’s kind of sexy.”

“Um, sweetheart?”

Another quick caress. “Babe?”

“Could you hold that thought until after breakfast? I think I need to build up my strength after what just happened.” I gave her a smack on the bum and scooted over towards the frying pan to grab a piece of bacon. She gave me a pout of disappointment and I waggled my eyebrows in answer.

Mitchell and Reese returned, both wearing tee shirts and happy grins. Mitchell’s eyes caught mine and he winked as they both sat back down at the table. “Hey Lach, bring the coffee pot over for a refill, will ya mate?”

I still can’t figure out how I missed knowing about all of this.

BEN

Yesterday morning I got into my car … and I sat there. Got out and got in again. Smoked a cigarette and went back to my room. There I was, doing the same damn thing this morning. I huffed. Considered trying again tomorrow.

The passenger door opened and Biebe plopped his ass in. “Ya know, at some point you gotta go into town.”

I turned away, looked outta my window.

“Ben. You really should go in and meet with your officers, have a talk with Mike, get everything he can tell you. You officially start next week.”

“John,” I groaned and pushed back my hair. “I don’t wanna be sheriff.”

“Man,” he leaned his head back and sighed. “If you only knew how many times I said that. I was a sheriff a long time. But I tell ya, it’s a good job. You get to take care of a whole town, help people. You earned their respect, saving the bank.”

I finally turned and looked at his profile. “I wanted to rob that bank.”

“I know,” he said. “I know. But you saved the lives of a pregnant woman and a ninety-two-year-old guard. In the end, you did the right thing and you earned their respect … and every vote you got too. Face it. You are the new Sheriff of Stowe Vermont.”

I sighed, again stared out the window.

“You’ll do fine. You won’t fail at this. I know it. Now,” he clipped his seatbelt. “I’ll go in with you. Need to talk with the mayor and got some errands to run.”

I started the engine but before I put the car in drive, I looked into his face. “You sure?”

“About what? You? Being a good sheriff? Fuck yeah. Let’s get going, I gotta be back by noon.”

DAISY

Closing time, two AM. I’d just said adios to the last of our regulars when sure enough, that damn ghost, Brian, was sitting on his usual stool, his reflection grinning at me from the mirror behind the bar. Next to him was an old guy I’d never seen before; large and kinda lumpy, bushy gray-streaked hair. Tie-dye shirt, worn motorcycle boots, jeans, frayed combat jacket draped on the stool next to him. But best of all, not saying a word to Brian. Not even reacting to him, just like he wasn’t there. Beauty! Definitely human and not some figment of my over-active imagination.

“So, one for the road, dude? Gotta be a quick one. We closed five minutes ago.” I grabbed my bar towel and started to wipe the polished wood, ignoring Brian completely.

The old guy’s face was nice; twinkling ice-blue eyes, heavy beard, and the most infectious grin I’d seen in a long time.

“Sure,” he said. “One for the road would be great. Pint of your best draft, please.”

I made small talk as I pulled his draft. “So, haven’t seen ya here before. What’s your name?”

“Bob.” He tapped his fingers on the bar. “Bob Sawicki.”

“Nice to meet ‘ya, Bob.” I set the glass before him, turned and began to straighten the bottles and glasses. “I’m Daisy. Been in town long?”

“Yeah, been here a while, Daisy … Lazy Daisy … Daisy Bell … Daisy Tripping … Daisy Dukes ….”

I turned and glared. He giggled, his glass already half empty.

“Aw … just having some fun, little Daisy Chain.”

“No worries, Bob.” His expression was so cheerful I had to chuckle in return. He was the kinda guy you just liked immediately. He sorta reminded me of how John would be with a few more years and pounds on his face and frame, but with a lot less anxiety. Bob seemed like he could go with the flow. Very laid back.

“Well, little Daisy Chain.” He sighed as he looked at his empty glass, “gotta go. See ‘ya around, hey?”

“See ‘ya, Bob. Come back again soon.”

Brian snorted. “Got a new boyfriend, Daisy?”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You … you’re not real.” I turned my back as Brian laughed.

PULLO

Among our other problems, the old farmhouse roof had a leak. I went in to Stowe for a few supplies at the hardware store. Later I’d be meeting Skinner in the coffee shop. Kevin had arranged for us to talk with an engineer regarding the stream tearing cross our property, even though the rain had stopped days ago. Kevin thinks it can be rerouted to protect the vines, I hope he’s right.

I walked into Grayson Hardware and looked around. I needed shingles, wood, sealant and nails. Gathered almost everything and was about to pay for the purchases when I remembered the section of rain pipe that needed replaced. As I walked back I noticed a young woman looking at a ladder and trying to reach a box on the highest shelf. I’d seen her before. Her name is Christina Mayfair. A mousy little thing with pretty eyes behind horn rimmed glasses as big as Skinner’s. She had her light brown hair tight in a knot at the back of her head but several lovely curls had escaped, playing around her face and making her look like a sweet angel from those pictures on greeting cards. I stood behind her and easily brought down the package she was reaching for.

“Here ya go, love.”

“Oh … oh …” she blinked those sky blue eyes then smiled. “Thank you so much, Mr. Pullo. I’m terrified of this ladder.”

“Mr. Pullo?” the manager called and quickly approached. “Did you find everything you need?”

“Yes, just this length of rain pipe and I’m finished.”

“Christina,” he turned his attention to the girl. “What took you so damn long to get that box? Get over your fear of heights or your days are numbered here, young lady. Now, back to your inventory.”

Christina skittered away like a frightened squirrel. I nosed around a few moments and found her sitting on the floor, opened drawers of screws on her lap.

“What’re you doing?”

“Counting screws. Inventory. I do it a lot.”

I crouched low to meet her eye level. “When do you get a break, love?”

“Five more minutes.”

“Meet me outside in five minutes, okay?”

I paid for my purchases, tucked them into the trunk and stood outside the door. Watched the manager berate the girl for several moments but finally she joined me. I took her arm and walked three stores down. As I led her into the shop she stopped.

“Mr. Pullo. I’m sorry about that back there. Mr. Silvers can be kinda rude sometimes.”

I snorted and waved her inside.

“Pullo!” Kelly came to meet us, her smile nice and bright as she hugged my neck.

“Jeff still at the school?”

“Yes, he’ll be home in a few hours. What can I get for you?”

I watched Christina’s eyes scan the neat little gift shop and grinned. “Kelly, this is Christina Mayfair. She’s been working at the hardware store.”

“Ew,” Kelly’s nose wrinkled. “Jimmy Silvers can be such a shit sometimes. What do you do there, Christina?”

“Inventory. I’ve counted two million, four hundred and sixty eight screws … of different sizes of course.”

“My sympathy.”

I chuckled. “Kelly, I was thinking that Christina might like working for you. Have you got any openings?”

“Oh man, with the holidays coming? Are you kidding?” she took Christina’s hand. “I would love for you to work here. Come on back to my office, we’ll fill out the application and get all your paperwork done. You can start this afternoon; I have a shipment of Thanksgiving items to unpack.”

I watched them leave, Kelly looking so pretty and poor little Christina, wearing her baggie flannel shirt and jeans and glancing back. It’ll be nice to see that girl treated well for a change.

When I left Kelly’s shop, Skinner was already waiting in the coffee shop, waving to get my attention but I had one more thing to do first. I went back to the hardware store.

Young Jimmy Silvers was sitting at the front counter reading a comic book. He looked up. “Forget something, Mr. Pullo? Or did Christina mess up your order?”

I leaned elbows down on the counter and grinned. “No, I didn’t forget anything. The order is fine. But … just wanted you to know that Miss Christina Mayfair will not be coming back. She’s accepted a job at the gift shop down the street.”

“She’ll fuck it up. She’ll be back.”

I stood and glared down my nose at the manager. “Not such a nice way to talk about her, you know. And she won’t be returning, so maybe you should get off your arse and do some bloody work around here for a change. Of course when I see Mr. Grayson at Old Maulder’s later for a beer, we can have a little talk about how this place looks.” I glanced around. “He may need to not only replace Christina, maybe he should think about hiring a new manager too. Good day, Mr. Silvers.”

Now that was fun.

RILEY

I stood with Terry outside his car; his and Eva’s luggage already packed in the trunk. I so hate goodbyes, especially when Terry leaves. Granted I didn’t get much time with him this trip but he looked so good, so happy, so … relaxed. It made my heart thump. Then suddenly his face went deadly serious as he looked over my shoulder.

Cory was walking toward us, jingling his keys and grinning ear to ear. “Hey Terry, you leaving? Have a safe drive … uh …”

Terry had taken Cory’s arm and slammed him back against the fender. “You listen to me, Cory White,” he hissed. “Next time you plan to light up a bloody joint you better think twice. I got no problem putting you behind bars, ya know.”

Cory swallowed hard, blinked and squeaked. “Yes, sir. Sorry. Um … I gotta go … meeting Daisy in town for lunch. Gotta go,” he slipped away and turned back once. “Drive safe, man.”

I glared at Terry. “That was kind of harsh, don’t you think?”

“Next time you think about getting high –”

“What? You’re going to put me behind bars too?” I teased and he grinned, kissed my cheek.

“Just don’t be encouraging him, Riles.” He hugged me tight. “Love ya, Riles.”

“I love you too. Have a safe drive.” I scooted around the car and leaned in to hug Eva. “Take good care of him,” I whispered.

“I will.”

“And make sure you both get back for Thanksgiving, okay?”

“We’ll be here,” Terry chuckled. “Take care of yourself, darlin’.”

I watched him drive from the lot behind Cory and turned just as Emily trotted toward her car. She had tears in her eyes as she stood in front of me. “What’s wrong?”

“Riley, I … I just wanted to tell you … I’m leaving. I got a job offer in New York.”

“Oh my. New York?” I tried to smile. “Wow.”

“Yes, it’s a wonderful opportunity. I start Monday.”

“Ah, well … congratulations. We’ll miss you, Emily. You’ve been with us since we opened. And hey, remember … you get tied of the big city, you can always come back to the Inn, sweetheart.”

“Thanks.” And she climbed into her car. Watching her drive off the lot I groaned a long sigh.

“I HATE when people leave.”

HANDO

I just spent two days with Colin in Dover, Delaware and it was more than enough to know I got one bloody mess on my hands. Not somethin’ I’m prepared to handle on my own so instead of going straight home to Mere, I stopped at the Inn. Called John from the parking lot.

“Mate, I need to talk. I’m here. Can ya meet me in the pub?’

“What’s up?”

“Colin. He’s gone off the fuckin’ deep end. Need some advice, John.”