Pennyroyal Christmas (A Ruthorford Holiday Story Book 1) by Shanon Grey

but glance around the clean, functional motel room.
    “Fine. It’s so strange. It’s like they stayed there but didn’t live there. Everything was just so…so…perfect.”
    “Maybe someone came in and cleaned,” he suggested.
    “Oh, I’ve no doubt,” she agreed. “The fridge was empty. But, it’s more than that. It’s like there was nothing really personal about either one of them there. The only thing personal was of mom’s and that was in the attic.”
    Her declaration was met with silence before he asked quietly, “You mean you’ve never been there?”
    All she’d said was that she needed to go help settle the estate. “No. They sent me to Aunt Ada’s. His sister.” It was hard to keep the venom out of her tone. “Then college. Then on my own.”
    “No holiday visits? Ever?”
    “Nope.”
    “I’m sorry, Kat.” His voice was caring. She almost caught what sounded like remorse.
    “Rowe, don’t go there. It isn’t your fault.”
    The silence stretched out before he asked, “Anything I can do?”
    “You are.” She let herself smile. He was still the most caring person. “How’s Tramp behaving himself?” She changed the subject.
    Kat heard the loud bark. “I love you, too, boy.”
    “Wow. This is sudden,” Rowe teased.
    “I thought you were Tramp.”
    “In case you haven’t noticed, he can’t dial a phone.”
    “Hey, don’t tell him that.”
    The mood lightened. He told her about the Black Friday event and warned her that at least four people were holding items for her inspection.
    “What’s your schedule look like?” he asked.
    “I’m calling a couple of movers in the morning. I hope they’re open on Saturday. I want to get boxes and go back through some things. Pack. And, hopefully, meet them Monday or Tuesday at the latest.”
    “So you did find something to bring home?”
    Home. She liked the sound of that.
    “Yeah. She kept some of my stuff in a trunk and the statues I sent her in an old armoire.” She was quieter. “I’ll look tomorrow but I think that’s all I want.”
    “Then we look forward to seeing you sometime next week. Oh, you call me, okay? I tried you, but your reception’s iffy out there. I couldn’t get through.”
    “I will. Thanks for taking care of Tramp for me.”
    “He’s having a ball. Ran the range with Pharaoh and me. They are becoming quite a team, those two. Pharaoh’s teaching him how to herd. And Tramp’s teaching Pharaoh how to beg.”
    He heard her moan. “Later,” Rowe said with a laugh.
    “Later.” She hung up to the silence of the room.
    The next morning, getting boxes to use turned into more of an effort than she’d planned. The local haulers didn’t carry supplies. The big stores broke them down almost immediately. The place she was staying finally sent her to a local place in a little town called Adams Grove.
    Following directions, she pulled in front of Huckaby House, Real Estate & Renovation Supplies & Rifle Range. Kat was smiling as she pushed open the tall wooden door and stepped into a renovator’s dream.
    “Be with you in a minute,” a voice boomed and she watched as a man with a grey-blonde mane of hair eased through the back doorway wielding a mantel. He leaned it against three others, stepped back and brushed his hands. “What can I do for you?”
    “I called about the boxes.”
    “You Kat Chance?” He studied her face, pulling at the corner of his bushy mustache.
    “Yes. I’m packing up some things of my—”
    He reached over and squeezed her arm. “I heard about the accident. I am so sorry. I have something for you.” He turned and strode into the back room, returning with a small object in his hands. It was the tiny raccoon she’d fashioned for her mother.
    “Where?” She couldn’t continue. Tears welled and threatened to spill.
    He rolled an old office chair over so she could sit, pulled a three-legged stool in front of her, sat and took her hand. “Your mom came in here a bit,” he softened