face, and she had not fought the auburn highlights that all three sisters had in their hair. She had embraced this tendency to go red and had kept her hair a lovely shade of strawberry blond for the last five years.
Cody’s look appraised her at the doorway but true to Charlotte’s independent spirit, she quickly led him out to the sanctuary and put him to work getting the grill ready. His eyes looked after her speculatively as she went back into the kitchen. Charlotte sensed his look but he was wasting his time; Charlotte’s heart was still much too broken to even enter into a casual relationship. That didn’t mean that she didn’t appreciate his tall outdoorsy good looks.
Chapter 18
Several neighbors arrived including Lucy Wright and Mandy Grainger. Mandy was very excited that she had managed to get away from her children for an evening. She loved being an at home mother but how she longed for an adult conversation.
Handyman Dan came in with a few construction friends of his and finally the person Lacey had been holding her breath for came out into the sanctuary. Wyatt.
As she looked across the stone patio, she could swear everyone else disappeared. Their eyes met and he hurried over to her. While the two of them thought they were the only ones who noticed their fascination with each other, everyone there could see that there was something between them.
When he reached her side, he fought an almost physical ache to pull her into his arms.
Joan and Suzy joined the group on the patio, flushed from both their exertions hiking all day and the young handsome construction workers that looked at them appreciatively.
Lacey looked around at the faces that were reflected in the twinkling fairy lights and thought, this is what I wanted, creating a special evening for a group of people.
She blocked her mind to the violence that had marred her grand opening and instead reveled in this normal gathering.
Pitchers of margaritas and bottles of wine stood readily accessible for the guests.
Aromatic smoke rose from the grill, just as convivial conversation rose from the group of guests. Lacey felt content, this is how it would have been if murder had not intruded.
Wyatt touched her on the arm as if to say he understood.
Everyone prepared their plates and began sitting in cordial groups at the wrought iron tables scattered across the faux ancient stonework. As they were finishing the delicious al fresco dinner, Miranda and John Braverman came thru the old and weathered reclaimed barn wood gate.
Lacey was surprised to see them this early and rushed over to them.
“Was everything okay at your dinner? Did you enjoy it?” she asked anxiously.
They beamed at her and assured her gift of a romantic dinner for two had been wonderful. They sat down at a table that included Lucinda Wright and some other townspeople.
Lacey brought them each a brimming margarita glass and then did her best to circulate around to each table making small talk .
She was very aware of Wyatt’s eyes following her movements.
She brought out the brownie trifle to enthusiastic applause. Just as she had always told herself, dessert makes everything better. She scooped up the trifle making sure to include some of each layer in each serving.
As Charlotte helped her serve each table, she felt happy. For just a moment, she was able to forget the ugliness that had touched all of them in the last couple of days.
The impromptu party wound down and one by one, each guest made their exits.
The Inn guests headed to their rooms and the townsfolk headed back to Elkville.
Soon, only Charlotte, Wyatt and herself remained clearing tables, and turning off both spa and fairy lights in the outdoor area.
It felt so natural that the three of them didn’t really need to talk as they loaded the dishwasher and put away leftovers.
Charlotte hugged her sister and quickly left the Inn to drive the short distance to her rental house.
As Lacey moved through the
Cody’s look appraised her at the doorway but true to Charlotte’s independent spirit, she quickly led him out to the sanctuary and put him to work getting the grill ready. His eyes looked after her speculatively as she went back into the kitchen. Charlotte sensed his look but he was wasting his time; Charlotte’s heart was still much too broken to even enter into a casual relationship. That didn’t mean that she didn’t appreciate his tall outdoorsy good looks.
Chapter 18
Several neighbors arrived including Lucy Wright and Mandy Grainger. Mandy was very excited that she had managed to get away from her children for an evening. She loved being an at home mother but how she longed for an adult conversation.
Handyman Dan came in with a few construction friends of his and finally the person Lacey had been holding her breath for came out into the sanctuary. Wyatt.
As she looked across the stone patio, she could swear everyone else disappeared. Their eyes met and he hurried over to her. While the two of them thought they were the only ones who noticed their fascination with each other, everyone there could see that there was something between them.
When he reached her side, he fought an almost physical ache to pull her into his arms.
Joan and Suzy joined the group on the patio, flushed from both their exertions hiking all day and the young handsome construction workers that looked at them appreciatively.
Lacey looked around at the faces that were reflected in the twinkling fairy lights and thought, this is what I wanted, creating a special evening for a group of people.
She blocked her mind to the violence that had marred her grand opening and instead reveled in this normal gathering.
Pitchers of margaritas and bottles of wine stood readily accessible for the guests.
Aromatic smoke rose from the grill, just as convivial conversation rose from the group of guests. Lacey felt content, this is how it would have been if murder had not intruded.
Wyatt touched her on the arm as if to say he understood.
Everyone prepared their plates and began sitting in cordial groups at the wrought iron tables scattered across the faux ancient stonework. As they were finishing the delicious al fresco dinner, Miranda and John Braverman came thru the old and weathered reclaimed barn wood gate.
Lacey was surprised to see them this early and rushed over to them.
“Was everything okay at your dinner? Did you enjoy it?” she asked anxiously.
They beamed at her and assured her gift of a romantic dinner for two had been wonderful. They sat down at a table that included Lucinda Wright and some other townspeople.
Lacey brought them each a brimming margarita glass and then did her best to circulate around to each table making small talk .
She was very aware of Wyatt’s eyes following her movements.
She brought out the brownie trifle to enthusiastic applause. Just as she had always told herself, dessert makes everything better. She scooped up the trifle making sure to include some of each layer in each serving.
As Charlotte helped her serve each table, she felt happy. For just a moment, she was able to forget the ugliness that had touched all of them in the last couple of days.
The impromptu party wound down and one by one, each guest made their exits.
The Inn guests headed to their rooms and the townsfolk headed back to Elkville.
Soon, only Charlotte, Wyatt and herself remained clearing tables, and turning off both spa and fairy lights in the outdoor area.
It felt so natural that the three of them didn’t really need to talk as they loaded the dishwasher and put away leftovers.
Charlotte hugged her sister and quickly left the Inn to drive the short distance to her rental house.
As Lacey moved through the
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