Playing with Words (Boggy Creek Valley 2)

“Did you need help with anything?” Greer asked.

I thought for a moment. “I guess I should find out where the grocery store is.”

“Oh! If you go right on Willow Lane it will take you to Pleasant Street. Then you go right again and you’ll see Schmick’s Market on your right. If you see Brew’s Place, you went the wrong way.”

“Brew’s Place?”

“It’s the local bar-slash-brewery. Drew owns it.”

“Drew owns it, but it’s called Brew’s Place?”

She giggled. “Yeah, the sign company made a mistake, and since Drew brews his own beer, he left it. It’s a fun place. They have live music on the weekends. I haven’t been in so long though.”

Greer pulled in and parked in front of the bed and breakfast. I frowned at the idea of ending our time together.

“This is going to sound crazy,” I said, “but do you want to go grocery shopping with me and help me get settled into the cabin? Or do you need to go back?”

A wide grin moved over her face. “Yeah, it would be kind of fun to get you all settled in.”

“Great! I’ll just run in and get everything taken care of, and then I’ll follow you to the store. Did you want to go to the bookstore first and then meet me back here?”

Greer thought for a moment before shaking her head. “No, I’ll just go into the Willow Tree Inn with you and say hi to Ron and Joanne and call Candace while you pack up.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

I reached into the back for my bag and then got out of Greer’s SUV and made my way up the front porch of the Willow Tree. The door opened before I could reach it, and Joanne came rushing out.

“Greer Larson! What are you doing here?”

With a laugh, Greer hugged Joanne and followed her into the house. “I brought Hudson up to look at my folks’ cabin on the lake.”

Joanne turned and looked at me with a frown. “Are you leaving us?”

I felt my cheeks turn hot with embarrassment. “It’s not that I’m not happy here, it’s just that the cabin is the perfect little writing retreat. It’s inspiring, really.” I lifted my hands quickly. “Not that the Willow Tree isn’t.”

We all turned and looked at the willow tree that sat in the front yard. Clearly the bed and breakfast had been named after the giant tree.

Joanne gave me a brilliant smile. “Stop now, you don’t need to explain yourself to me.” Then her eyes went to Greer. “I didn’t realize you two knew each other so…well.”

Greer stiffened. “We don’t. I mean, we only met yesterday. I simply offered him the cabin so he could write his book.”

“Mmm-hmm,” Joanne hummed knowingly.

“Now, Mom, don’t go spreading any rumors,” a voice said from across the room.

I turned to see Brighton leaning against the doorjamb with a smirk on her face as she took in the scene before her.

Joanne waved her hand and countered, “As if I would spread rumors. Don’t listen to her.”

Greer looked my way with an expression that said Joanne most certainly would spread rumors, while Brighton let out a bark of laughter.

“Okay, Mom. Whatever you say.”

“If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to run and pack up my bag,” I said. “Then I’ll be back down to settle my bill.”

Joanne nodded and then began to fill Brighton in on my early departure. With a quick glance back at Greer, I said, “I’ll only be a couple of minutes.”

“No rush. I need to call Candace.”

The way she smiled at me made my chest suddenly feel strangely tight. I brushed it off and headed up the steps. The sooner I got to the cabin, the sooner I could get settled in and write the scene that had been on my mind since I’d stood in the upper bedroom earlier and looked out over the lake.

Greer

I watched Hudson bound up the steps. As soon as he was out of sight, I focused back on Brighton and Joanne.

Brighton pushed off the wall and headed my way. With a smirk on her face, she said, “Well, well, well, you two have quickly become besties.”

I shook my head. “No, not really. I simply discovered he was trying to write a book and offered him the cabin.”

She slowly nodded and glanced up the steps before looking back to me. “And the fact that the man is drop-dead gorgeous has nothing to do with it?”

“Yes. No! I mean, of course I’ve noticed he’s handsome. That has nothing to do with it. He was trying to write in the study room of the bookstore, and that’s no place to write.”

“And he couldn’t find a peaceful, quiet place here?”

Right at that moment, a female scream filled the air. “Look, what I found, sweetheart!”

Brighton rolled her eyes. “Fine, the honeymoon couple is a bit over the top, especially the wife.”