Coming Home by Mariah Stewart Page B

area. You’ve brought in some lovely things, Vanessa. Your windows are always such a pleasure to look at. We’re hoping you’re planning on staying for a good long time.”
    “Thank you, Miss Grace. I appreciate that.”
    “Will we see you for morning coffee tomorrow?”
    “I’ll be there.”
    “Good. And thank you again for the ride.” Grace slammed the car door and walked to the Inn’s front doors.
    Vanessa drove slowly down the long lane between the Inn and the main road that led back into town. It was all she could do not to shout “woo-hoo!” as she peeled out of the drive, still smiling with pleasure at Grace Sinclair’s compliment.
    It hadn’t taken Vanessa very long to figure out that there were two St. Dennises. There was the St. Dennis of the tourists and the summer people, and there was old St. Dennis. Miss Grace was about as old St. Dennis as it was possible to be. Not just her family, the Abernathys, but the family she married into, the Sinclairs, were land-grant families, here since the earliest days. Of course, Hal’s family was, too, and Vanessa was certain that this fact had guaranteed that most people in town would be polite to her, if not accepting, since Hal had claimed her as one of his. But Miss Grace had always been just a little more warm, a little more kind, than most of the others had, at the beginning, anyway. These days, things were fine for Vanessa, better than fine, actually, with just about everyone in town. But Miss Grace still somehow managed to go above the level of ordinary kindness, to make Vanessa feel as if she really did belong there.
    On the drive home, she repeated the compliments.
    … what a terrific addition Bling is … brought in some lovely things … windows always such a pleasure … hoping you’re planning on staying for a good long time .
    Thank you, Miss Grace. Yes, I’m planning on staying. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be .
    This is my home now , she thought as she parked in her driveway. Everyone and everything that matters to me … Hal, Beck, Mia, Steffie, my shop—my beautiful little shop—my wonderful little house … everything I love is here in St. Dennis .
    Oh, yes, Miss Grace, I’m not going anywhere .

Diary —
    Attended a lovely party on Sunday afternoon for our own Chief Beck and his beautiful bride-to-be, hosted by the father of the groom, my dear friend Hal. Nice to have met so many of the bride’s relatives, all in from out of town (and all booked at the Inn for the entire week—Daniel couldn’t be more pleased that Beck recommended us). Mia’s people are all in the FBI, except for one brother who lives in Montana and, if talk is to be believed, is a bit of a tragic figure. The story is that he’s mourning the death of his wife at the hands of his very own brother! Tragic indeed! That is, of course, if it’s true. … Small-town talk being such as it is, well, who knows what the whole story—the real story—might be?
    But I must say, for one who is supposedly grieving, he certainly seemed to be smitten with a certain young lady at the party. Not that anyone would blame him if he couldn’t take his eyes off her—the young lady in question is a beauty, and a personal favorite of mine, and one who has had more than her own share of heartbreak, so they say. Nothing would please me more than to see her meet a nice young man .
    So—we shall see what we shall see!
    — Grace

Chapter 5
    VANESSA was leaning on the counter next to her cash register, writing her shopping list for Thurs day’s bake-a-thon, when it occurred to her that 252 guests times four cookies each equaled one hell of a lot of baking between now and Saturday. She picked up the phone and dialed Mia’s cell.
    “I think we should start baking before Thursday,” she said when Mia picked up.
    “Who is this and how did you get my number?” Mia asked calmly.
    “I’m the person who’s trying to figure out how much lemon glaze we’re going to have to make to