I was born and raised in Garden Grove, a suburb of L.A. After I graduated from Stanford with a business degree, I took a job in a California marketing firm.” She gave her dark head a toss. “And that’s where I’ll be heading back as soon as I fulfill Uncle Willard’s will and claim my inheritance.”
“Sounds like a good plan,” he agreed, “but small towns can be vicious sometimes when it comes to outsiders. Why don’t you let me introduce you around? Might make your stay more pleasant. Better to let everyone have a look at you before the grapevine gets hold of the news that you’re in Timberlane.” Without waiting for her answer, he got out of the pickup, walked around to her side and opened the door.
Stacy hesitated, then straightening her shoulders, she gave him a wry smile. “All right. Lead me to the slaughter.”
Chapter Three
Alice’s Pantry was a mom-and-pop café crowded with town folks laughing, chatting and sitting, both in booths and at scattered tables in the middle of the floor. Nearly every eye in the place seemed to swing in the direction of the open door and its tinkling cowbell when Josh and Stacy entered.
The hum of conversation perceptibly lowered, and some man audibly swore. “I’ll be damned. Spencer’s got himself a new woman.”
Heat flared in Stacy’s cheeks. She shot a quick look at Josh. Was that why he’d brought her here? To show off the woman who’d spent the night at his house? She fought the impulse to turn on her heel and march out the door.
Josh must have read her thoughts because he put a firm hand on her arm and eased her into the first empty booth. She sat there stiffly, wondering why on earth she’d let him parade her around like this. Josh’s new woman, indeed. Never in her life had she felt so uncomfortably on display.
Almost immediately a tiny woman in her forties, who had been standing behind the cashier’s counter, came bustling over to them. Wisps of graying sandy hair framed a freckled face, and her eyes twinkled with a friendliness that matched her wide-tooth smile.
“Josh, what a nice surprise. What are you doing in town? Someone said you really got a pounding from the storm up your way. Is Gramps all right?” Her bright brown eyes darted to Stacy. “Who’s this pretty lady?”
Josh gave a deep chuckle and with obvious gentle amusement sorted out her barrage of questions. “Yes, Alice, Gramps is fine. Ornery as ever. The storm hit us hard, the river’s running high, and our bridge is nearly out. And this pretty lady is Stacy Ashford. She got caught in the storm, nearly lost her car in the river and spent the night at my place.”
“Land’s sake, sounds like it was a blessing that Josh was around.” Alice smiled at Stacy and held out her hand. “My husband, Ted, and I own this place, and we’re longtime friends with Josh and his grandpa.” Her eyes clouded slightly as she added, “And Glenda, too.”
“I’m glad to meet you,” Stacy replied, beginning to relax. Maybe Josh had been right about introducing her around. After all, she couldn’t very well hide herself away in an isolated empty hotel for any length of time.
“We stopped in for a cup of coffee before we head up the canyon to Stacy’s place,” Josh said casually.
Alice’s forehead puckered. “Oh, what place is that?”
Stacy replied quickly before Josh could answer, “My uncle left me some property, a small hotel. I understand it’s a few miles up Devil’s Canyon. The Haverly Hotel?”
Alice put a hand up to her cheek. “Oh my, oh my.” Her rounded eyes fixed on Stacy. “Are you…are you going to tear it down?”
“No, I’m going to see to its renovation.”
“But…but…” Alice stammered. “Josh, haven’t you told her about…about Glenda?”
“Yes, I’ve told her. Unfortunately, Stacy can’t claim her inheritance until she completes the renovations that her uncle started.”
An impatient customer standing at the cashier’s counter called out, “Alice, are you going to take our money or what?”
“Yes, yes.” Throwing Stacy a bewildered look, Alice hurried away.
“Alice and Ted invested a lot of their time and love in Glenda,” Josh explained grimly. “When she ran away from home at sixteen, they gave her a waitress job and let her stay with them in their apartment upstairs. As it turned out, they weren’t able to handle her any better than Gramps and I.” A deep hurt was in his eyes.
“At least she had people who loved her and tried to help,” Stacy offered.
“A lot of good it did. Glenda went her own way, finally ending up living at the Haverly Hotel. I’ve tried to tell Alice and Ted that what happened wasn’t their fault, but they feel that they failed her.” His mouth hardened. “Just the way Gramps and I failed her.”
“It sounds to me as if she made her own bed,” Stacy replied. “Sometimes there’s just nothing you can do with those who are determined to destroy themselves.”
“You sound as if you speak from experience?”
She avoided answering. She wasn’t about to share the still-painful memory of the night when two policemen came to her house and informed her that her fiancé, Richard, had died from an overdose at a party. It was then she’d learned that Richard had been a closet drug user, and, regretfully, she’d never known it.
The ill-fated love affair still haunted her, and she’d come out of the experience with a determination never to risk opening herself up to emotional turmoil again. It was lonely sometimes, but playing it safe, and keeping her guard up against any romantic involvements, had kept her life on an even keel.
Josh sensed that she’d been hurt, and badly. Probably by a man. Even her strong will and determination might not be enough to support her with the burden her uncle had put upon her. If the harsh challenges broke her spirit, another tragedy would be laid at the door of that wretched hotel. He knew it would be useless to argue. She’d just tell him to mind his own business.
When the waitress took their order for coffee, Josh asked her to fix them a couple of lunches to go: barbecue beef sandwiches, chips and a couple of pieces of Alice’s homemade apple pie. “You can order whatever supplies and groceries you need from the general store. Abe Jenkins, the owner, will make deliveries for a modest charge.”
As they drank their coffee, Stacy was aware of curious looks as several customers passed by their booth. A couple of older ladies greeted Josh with grinning familiarity, and he returned their teasing quips in the same light banter, ignoring their obvious desire to know who Stacy was.
It wasn’t until Alice’s husband, Ted, slipped into the booth that Josh introduced Stacy as the new owner of the Haverly Hotel.
Ted had the same incredulous expression as his wife. He was a sturdily built man with pleasant features and smile lines around his eyes. Stacy guessed him to be younger than his wife.
“I’ll be damned,” he said. “That monstrosity of a hotel seems to have more lives than ten cats. Everyone thought when Malo Renquist took off that the place would be torn down, and then your uncle came along and got it for back taxes…and now here you are.” He shook his head. “You’ll
