Lover's Leap (3 page)

“Yes, you did. But honey, maybe it’s a good thing this happened.”

“Why? So that our vacation ended on a sour note? Because I didn’t really need to mark the Great Barrier Reef off my bucket list?”

“No,” Nic responded, her voice patient. “Because personally, I think the anger is a good thing. I think that all these years you’ve needed closure on your relationship with Cam. Maybe now you’ll be able to finally let him go and open your heart to someone new.”

Sarah rolled her eyes. “Not that old argument again.”

“Just saying.” Nic held up her hands, palms out. To Sarah’s relief, she changed the subject and asked, “How is your mom doing?”

“Okay. She’s content to sit in the living room and watch sports on TV. All I can say is thank God for cable TV and especially ESPN Classic. I do see progression of the disease, but I believe the new medication has slowed its pace.”

“Good. Let’s hope that trend continues.”

“Amen to that.”

“Now that you’re back from your trip, will the church group resume helping you with caretaking?”

“Yes.” Sarah didn’t know what she’d do without the St. Stephen’s Women’s Group, because as her mother’s health had deteriorated, they had stepped up. Someone visited Ellen twice a day, which substantially reduced the need for paid caregivers and made it economically feasible for Sarah to continue to care for her mother at home. “Someone will check on her at mid-morning and mid-afternoon. We can get by okay with that for now. Hopefully by the time the busy season hits, I’ll have something else arranged.”

“What are you thinking? Live-in help? That worked well while you were gone on your trip.”

“Yes, but it would consume my monthly budget.”

Nic opened her mouth to speak but apparently changed her mind, because she shut it abruptly. It didn’t matter. Sarah knew what she’d been about to say, because Sarah knew Nic as well as Nic knew Sarah, and they’d had this discussion dozens of times in the past.

“I know a memory-care facility is in our future, but neither Mom nor I are ready for it yet.”

Sarah nibbled on her lower lip and silently debated spilling the beans about her new plans. For some reason, telling Nic would make it more real than signing papers at the bank. Yet she was glad she’d have the distraction in the weeks to come. Nothing would get Cam Murphy out of her head faster than flinging herself into something new. That as much as anything had helped her decide to green-light the change. “I have something else in mind. I’m selling the Trading Post, Nic.”

Nic’s brows arched, her eyes bugged, and her mouth gaped. She worked her jaw, but no sound came out. Sarah found the fact that she’d shocked her friend speechless twice in one day immensely satisfying.

A note of panic in her voice, Nic asked, “Are you moving away?”

“No.” Sarah straightened her spine, squared her shoulders, and declared, “I’m going after my dream, Nic. I have Lori’s college expenses taken care of now, and after three successful summer tourist seasons, I’ve been able to set aside enough for start-up expenses. I’m going to remodel this house to suit Mom’s needs and mine, and open my dream business right here.”

Nic sat back heavily against her chair. “Your bakery. You’re going to open your bakery!”

“I am.”

Beaming, Nic jumped up and threw her arms around Sarah in a fierce hug. “How exciting! That’s wonderful news. I know this is something you’ve wanted for a long time. Tell me everything. When did you get serious about the idea?”

“I met with Bob Carson at the bank the first time back in October. Someone tangentially connected to Lorraine Perry had contacted him looking to buy an established business in town, so he asked me about the store.”

Nic winced. “Not another Lorraine Perry!”

Lorraine was a reality TV show chef who had brought Hollywood to town by leasing the Bristlecone Café, turning it into a restaurant more suitable for Aspen than Eternity Springs, and using it to launch her newest TV series. Unfortunately—or, fortunately, depending on one’s viewpoint—the series had aired only twice before being canceled in February. Lorraine hadn’t been back to town since. Sarah and her friends viewed that as a blessing.

“No. The buyer is a man with a family who wants to raise his kids in a good environment.”

“Oh. Good.” Nic carried her empty mug to the coffee-maker and refilled it. “Well, the Trading Post is as established as it gets, since your family has owned it for over a hundred years.”

“That didn’t make this decision any easier.” Sarah glanced at the clock, then rose and set out mugs for the others along with the coffee cake she’d made for the morning meeting. “It took me a couple of months to work my way through the whole severing-the-family-tie part of the decision. But Lori doesn’t want the store, and not long before he died, Dad told me not to consider myself chained to it, so I don’t feel like I’m abandoning a legacy or anything like that.”

“Good.” Nic clucked her tongue as she took plates from the cupboard and set them beside the coffee cake. “Wow. Times have sure changed in Eternity Springs.”

“Thanks to Celeste and Angel’s Rest.” Sarah exhaled heavily and added, “Bob Carson says the buyer is anxious. He has papers all ready to sign.”

“This is so exciting, Sarah.”

“Scary, too. The butterflies in my stomach have butterflies.”

“How soon before you’ll begin your remodel?”

Sarah swallowed hard. “If I sign the papers today, then tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow! How in the world did you manage that?”

“It’s a cash sale. I’m going to use Jarrell Construction, and they had a cancelation in their schedule. Joe told me he can have the bakery ready to open in six weeks.”

“No!”

“Yes. I’ll believe it when I see it, though.”

“Whoa. That’s great, Sarah. It’s just wonderful. I’m so happy for you.”

“Thank you. It’ll make things easier with Mom, I think, especially as time goes on. Change is hard on Alzheimer’s patients, and with the remodel we’ll be able to keep her space like it is, only I’ll be within earshot just steps away instead of across the street at the store. I’ll be able to keep her home longer.”

“In that case, I think it’s just what you need. You’ve spent all these years taking care of Lori, putting her needs first. Now she’s well on her way to being settled, and it’s your turn. You can have a brand-new start doing something you’ve always wanted to do.”

“That’s the way I’m looking at it.” Or at least the way she was
trying
to look at it.

“You know what I think? I think seeing Cam in Australia was fated.”

“Or arranged,” Sarah muttered.

“Arranged!”

“Think about it. How did it happen that we took the trip?”

“You won a contest.”

“Sponsored by Celeste. Who made all the travel arrangements, including booking the tour with Adventures in Paradise? Who is one of the handful of people in the entire world who knows that Cam Murphy is my daughter’s father?”

“Celeste.” Nic considered the charge for a moment, then slowly nodded. “You have an argument there. She’s lovable, but she does like to dabble in people’s lives.”

“Dabble?” Sarah scoffed.

“Have you asked her about it?”

“Why bother? She’d never admit it. She’d make one of her philosophical statements and change the subject.”

“True.” Nic grinned. “Nevertheless, whether the hands of fate made it happen or Celeste Blessing poked her pixie nose into your business, seeing Cam was a good thing. You needed to say goodbye to the old to make way for the new. You’ll have a fresh start—a new home, a new business, who knows, maybe a new man.”

Sarah wrinkled her nose. “I didn’t exactly say goodbye.”

“Didn’t you?” Nic waited until Sarah looked at her to explain. “Maybe not face-to-face, but turning away and going away says it pretty clearly.”

The knock at her door saved Sarah from responding to that. “Speak of the devil,” she murmured.

“Cam is here?” Nic asked innocently.

Sarah laughed and started for the door, saying, “Celeste.”

Ali Timberlake, the owner of the Yellow Kitchen restaurant, had arrived with Celeste. Sage Rafferty pulled her car into the driveway as Sarah opened the door to let the other women inside. Sarah watched as Sage, an artist and the owner of the local gallery, Vistas, removed a large tote bag from her backseat and hurried toward the house. A few minutes later, her best friends in the world were seated at her kitchen table, moaning with pleasure over the taste of cinnamon and sugar and coffee cake that melted in their mouths.

Well, except for Sage. She’d refused the high-caloric treat and opted for an apple instead. Sarah knew why, and judging by the gleam in Sage’s green eyes, she suspected that the others were about to learn, too. “You look especially beautiful this morning.”

“She does, doesn’t she?” Ali Timberlake agreed. “You’ve done something different with your hair. It’s gorgeous.”

“Thank you.” Sage lifted her long auburn tresses. “I cut three inches off and had it layered while Colt and I were in Denver yesterday.”

“I saw that Vistas was closed yesterday,” Nic said. “I didn’t know you went to Denver. Was the trip for work or fun?”

“Actually …”

Sage glanced briefly at Sarah as she paused significantly, and Sarah knew her suspicions were correct. A smile played about her lips as she saw Sage reach for her tote bag. “Mostly fun. I had a doctor’s appointment, and then Colt and I went shopping. We’re redecorating one of our bedrooms, and I want your opinion. Help me decide which theme to use.” She pulled two canvases from the back and held them up. “Bunnies or ducks?”

It took a moment for the revelation to take. Then Ali sat up straight and grinned. Nic’s mouth gaped in shock for the third time that day, and Celeste folded her hands and beamed. Sarah allowed herself a smug smile.

Nic cleared her throat. “Sage, correct me if I’m wrong, but those look suspiciously like nursery designs.”

“You’re not wrong,” the artist said, her eyes bright.

“You’re pregnant?” Ali and Nic said simultaneously.

“I’m into my fourth month and scared to death and happier than I ever would have imagined.”

With a chorus of cheers and delighted squeals, Sage’s friends jumped to their feet and wrapped her in hugs. Sarah had known about the pregnancy since before Christmas, when she’d stopped by Vistas and caught Sage in the throes of morning sickness. Sage had asked her to keep her secret, and while it had tested Sarah’s self-discipline, she’d done so.

Now, as she witnessed Sage’s joy, Sarah didn’t even try to hold back the tears. Presenting her news to her friends with such obvious pleasure showed just how far Sage had traveled in her journey to healing. Not long ago, due to trauma she’d suffered while working with Doctors Without Borders, Sage couldn’t have held a baby, much less looked forward to giving birth to one.

The happy mood continued throughout their planning meeting and grew even more boisterous once Sarah shared her own news with her friends. By the time Sarah crossed the street to open the Trading Post at nine-thirty, the comradery had chased away her lingering sadness at Lori’s departure.

The store enjoyed a steady stream of business, and Sarah stayed busy until lunchtime. After fixing a sandwich for her mom, she phoned the bank and made an appointment with Bob Carson. By two o’clock, the deed was done. She’d agreed to operate the Trading Post for two more weeks. After that, the Reese family business would be some other family’s responsibility. Joe Jarrell confirmed that the remodel on the Reese family home would begin bright and early tomorrow morning.

It was a new beginning, a fresh start. “Maybe that’s what I should name my bakery,” she murmured as she swept the floor at the Trading Post after closing the store for the night. “The Fresh Start. Or just Fresh. That’s hip, edgy.”

She liked it. She liked the entire thing. Nic had been right. Sarah did need a new start. By summer, she’d have a new business, and essentially a new home. And yes, maybe she would see about finding herself a new man, too.

Why not? The time had come to say goodbye to the old and hello to something new. Something exciting. Something wonderful.

Her work done for the day, Sarah headed home. As she crossed the street, she looked up toward the postcard-worthy view of a snowcapped Murphy Mountain standing against a brilliant blue sky and said, “Something new. Something exciting. Something wonderful.”

She was ready. Finally, she was ready.

She lifted a hand and made a symbolic wave toward the mountain. “Just in case you didn’t hear me before, I’ll say it loud and clear now. I’m over you, Cam Murphy. I’m done with you. Once and for all. Goodbye and good riddance.”

THREE

June

“Hello, and welcome to Eternity Springs.” From the front passenger seat of a rental Jeep Cherokee, Devin Murphy read the sign aloud. “ ‘A little piece of heaven in the Colorado Rockies.’ How hokey is that?”

“Hokey enough,” Cam replied, sparing the roadside sign a negligible glance as they passed it. One corner of his mouth lifted in a lazy smirk that belied the nervousness churning in his gut. He made an effort to relax the tension in his grip on the steering wheel. Had anyone told him six months ago that he’d be back in Eternity Springs by summer, he’d have called him crazy to his face.

The Jeep approached the Hummingbird Lake scenic overlook, and on a whim, Cam pulled in next to a motorcycle and parked. Devin questioned him with a look but didn’t speak as Cam opened his door and climbed out into the crisp mountain air. He shoved his hands into the back pockets of his jeans and gazed down at the lake and the little mountain town beyond.

From this perspective, little appeared to have changed in Eternity Springs in the decades he’d been away. Four avenues ran north and south. Eight streets tracked east and west. He did note some new construction on the grounds of the old Cavanaugh family estate, and he briefly wondered who owned the property now. His mother had grown up there, but someone else owned it by the time he’d been born.

“Eternity Springs isn’t very big, is it?” Devin asked, coming to stand beside Cam. “Lots of cars around, though.”

“Tourist season. Also, it looks like something’s going on today. They have Aspen blocked to traffic.”

“Cool. I like a good street festival.” Devin shot Cam a sidelong glance as he added, “Or maybe they heard that you were coming home and decided to throw a party in your honor?”

Cam snorted. “You’re such a comedian, son.”

Devin knew what to expect from the people of Eternity Springs, because Cam had told him the whole ugly story after Devin’s first less-than-positive reaction to the news of their pending trip. Self-centered in the way that came naturally to teenaged boys, Devin had assumed that Cam had planned the trip in order to separate Devin from his friends. He’d pitched a fit and pouted like a two-year-old until Cam clued him in on the real reason for the trip.

Cam hadn’t denied that removing his son from the influence of his friends had played a part in his decision to travel to Colorado. However, he’d made sure that Devin understood that Cam’s primary purpose for the trip was to make peace with his past, particularly that part of his past named Lori.

The explanation had proven to be a game changer where Devin was concerned. He’d even quit whining about the independent-study projects his teachers had assigned to substitute for days in the classroom. Armed with new knowledge, he’d been both insulted on Cam’s behalf and intrigued, since he finally understood his dad’s weird reaction to the way the Reese party of two had bolted that day in March. At first Devin had wanted to go into Eternity Springs with proverbial guns blazing, but after reflection, he’d agreed that some reconnaissance was in order prior to going into battle. The plan for today was to check in to the rental cabin they’d booked under the tour company name, then nose around town a little bit, incognito.

Cam didn’t expect to be recognized by people in town, so this tension humming through his blood was premature, though not unexpected. Returning to Eternity Springs was the most difficult thing he’d done in years.

He set his jaw, then turned around and strode toward the Jeep. “Let’s do this.”

More than twenty years after leaving Eternity Springs in handcuffs and locked in the back of a sheriff’s sedan, Cam Murphy returned to the scene of his crimes.

He drove slowly up Spruce, the main thoroughfare in town, noting changes and those things that looked the same as he remembered. The tourist center was new, as was a restaurant named—translating from Italian—the Yellow Kitchen. The library and bank hadn’t changed one bit. At the intersection of Spruce and Fourth, he did a double take upon seeing an art gallery named Vistas. An art gallery? In Eternity Springs?

He turned right onto Fourth and spotted the sign for the Elkhorn Lodge on the next block. The Elkhorn was a grouping of ten 1950s-era freestanding cabins built in a U shape around the perimeter of the large lot. Years ago, the two-story structure in the center had served as both office and home for the manager. That didn’t appear to have changed, but the swimming pool in the center of the U was new.

Cam didn’t recall ever seeing the interiors of the cabins, but he wasn’t looking for anything fancy. He had chosen to stay at the Elkhorn because the website had advertised cabins equipped with kitchenettes and the best mattresses on the western slope. Considering that he’d brought an Aussie eating machine with him, the kitchen would come in handy, and while Cam could sleep anywhere, his no-longer-young muscles thanked him each morning he climbed from a decent bed.

He pulled the Jeep into a parking space in front of the office. “I’ll get us registered.”

“Want me to do it?” Devin asked, his gaze focused on the office door. “I see a rack of brochures inside. I’d like to check them out for market research.”

For the past year or so, Devin had designed the marketing collateral for Adventures in Paradise, so the claim wasn’t too big of a stretch. Cam didn’t believe him. Devin’s protective antennae were extended and quivering. “They’ll want me to sign a credit card receipt, but you can come in with me if you’d like.”

Bells sounded as he opened the door to the office and stepped inside. A man about Cam’s own age entered from a back room. Cam tried to place him as the man said, “Welcome to the Elkhorn. How can I help you?”

The voice helped Cam put a name to the face. Brad Lawson. He’d been a year behind Cam in school. His father had owned the barber shop. “G’day. I have a reservation for two under Adventures in Paradise Tours.”

Lawson’s wince put Cam on guard. “Hmm. Paradise Tours. Yes. We had cabin number seven reserved for you.”

“Had?”

“Don’t worry. We found a place for you. I’m afraid we had a bit of a bear problem in number seven yesterday, and we’re gonna need to do some work before it’s habitable again.”

“Bear problem?” Devin repeated.

“I don’t have another unit to put you in—we’re full up, due to the quilt festival—but I called around and found a place for you. A great place.” He beamed with pride. “Instead of two bedrooms, you get an entire house—at the original rate, of course. It’s a rental unit that Angel’s Rest recently purchased and remodeled. The owner just made it available for rental yesterday, which is why we could get you into it.”

Lawson opened a wooden box and removed a set of keys. Checking the round tag on the end, he nodded, then handed them to Cam. “Here you go. The address is 354 Seventh Street, and you can reach it by—”

“What?” Startled, Cam dropped the keys. They hit the wooden floor with a clunk. “Where? What’s the address again?”

“It’s 354 Seventh Street.”

“You are kidding me.”

Lawson blinked. “Is there a problem?”

Yeah, there was a problem. Cam’s lips flattened into a grim line as he bent to retrieve the keys. He’d grown up in the house at 354 Seventh. Remodel or not, it would be full of ghosts. “Is anything else available?”

The innkeeper shook his head. “No, sir. Eternity Springs is hosting a quilt festival this week, and we’re busting at the seams. I don’t believe there’s a room to be had within a hundred miles. These ladies are serious about their craft.”

“A quilt festival?” Devin repeated. “That’s the reason for the tents lining part of that one street?”

“The tents are mostly from vendors who have followed the crowd. The quilts on display are in the school, including a special traveling exhibit from the Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative. That’s a great cause. Proceeds from that go toward Alzheimer’s research. Hope you’ll consider buying tickets.”

When Cam still hesitated, Lawson added, “You know, I recall taking your reservation—just about three weeks ago, right? The call right before yours was a cancellation, which is why we had a spot for you at all. Honestly, man. You’re lucky to have a place to stay.”

Cam shook off his hesitation and stuck the key ring into his pocket. He’d come to Eternity Springs to face old ghosts, had he not? Might as well get started. “The house will be fine.”

“Good. Now, if you’ll just sign here.” The innkeeper handed over a registration slip, then took a tourist map from the top of a stack. He marked an
X
at the spot of the Elkhorn Lodge and said, “You’re here now, and the rental is—”

“The old Murphy place,” Cam said, then deliberately added, “I know it.”

Taking unusual care to make his handwriting legible, Cam signed the slip, then passed it to Brad Lawson. “Thanks, Brad.”

“I’m sorry. Have we met?” Lawson’s gaze dropped to the registration slip, and he audibly gasped. His head jerked up, and he stared at Cam with eyes rounded in shock. “Murphy? Cam Murphy?”

The reaction was expected, but it still annoyed, so Cam showed him what Devin called his great-white-shark smile. “You can be the first to welcome me home, Brad.”

The innkeeper’s mouth opened and his jaw worked, but he didn’t make a sound. With an amused chuckle, Cam turned away and looked at his son. “You ready?”

“Sure. Except …” Devin glanced at Brad Lawson. “Mister, I’ve had a sudden craving for popcorn. Know where I can get some? I always like to munch on a tub of popcorn when I’m watching a show.”

“Smart aleck.” Cam smirked as he turned and left the office without bothering to listen for a reply.

He expected Devin to pepper him with questions as they made the short drive to the house on Seventh, and the teenager did not disappoint. “So which team did ol’ Brad belong to? Friends or enemies?”

“Neither.
Acquaintance
is a better word for it. In a town this small, everyone knows everyone.”

“And this place we’re staying? You called it the Murphy place. So it’s your house?”

“It’s where I grew up, but it’s not my house. After my old man died, I couldn’t pay the taxes on it. Didn’t want to, to be honest. The place doesn’t hold many happy memories for me.”

“That sucks. Sure you want to stay there? I have Jack’s number in my phone. We could call.”

Devin’s “Jack” was Jack Davenport, a distant cousin of Cam’s, whom he’d met when Jack rented the
Bliss
for a private day cruise seven or eight years ago. Idle conversation had revealed the family connection, along with the fact that Jack had built a house on inherited land outside of Eternity Springs.

That had been the first of a half-dozen visits Jack had made to Cairns, and he and Cam had become friends. When Cam decided to make this trip, he’d debated taking Jack up on his standing offer of Colorado lodging but eventually decided against it. This was a trip, an effort, he needed to make on his own—even if it meant sleeping with ghosts.

“It’s just a house, Devin,” Cam replied, meaning it. Now that he’d taken action and outed himself, the nervousness that had churned in his gut on the way into town had dissipated. Unfortunately, however, the weight of the old familiar chip had slipped right back onto his shoulder with ease.

Childish of him, Cam admitted, but he wouldn’t beat himself up over it. His anger at this town and these people had simmered inside him for most of his life. No sense trying to pretend otherwise.

He pulled his Jeep to a stop at the curb in front of 354 Seventh and took time to study the little two-bedroom house. The place looked good. It sported a fresh coat of appropriate Victorian-era blue paint and white shutters and gingerbread trim. Baskets of red geraniums adorned the porch, and hummingbird feeders swung from the eaves. The grass was trimmed, the rosebushes tended, the flower beds tidy. The house had never looked this good when Cam and his father lived there.

“This is it?” Devin asked. “Home not-so-sweet home?”

“This is it.”

“Looks girly. Like a dollhouse. I can’t imagine you living here.”

“Not exactly my style,” Cam agreed.

Their home in Australia had the smooth, sleek lines of modern architecture. It occurred to Cam that whenever he had a choice to make, if one option reminded him of Eternity Springs in any way, he always chose the other.

Cam tensed as he unlocked the door. He couldn’t help it. Drawing a deep, bracing breath, he stepped inside.

The scent of fresh paint and varnish swirled in the air. Wood floors gleamed; the light fixtures, window curtains, and furnishings were all new. The walls sported photographs of scenic views of the mountains around Eternity Springs and framed and matted inspirational quotations. Taking a closer look, he saw that the quotation theme extended to pillows on the sofa, doo-dads on the tables, and even the throw rugs on the floor. The interior looked nothing like how Cam remembered it, and he relaxed. No ghosts here, after all.

“Which room do I get?” Devin asked. “Both bedrooms have queen-size beds.”

“Take your pick.” Devin chose the room that once upon a time had been Cam’s. Cam carried his suitcase into his parents’ old room. A skylight and new windows had transformed it. He could be comfortable here. Tossing his suitcase on the bed, he began to unpack. His gaze fell on the two black velvet jewelry boxes tucked in with his socks. He debated for a moment, then picked up the smaller box containing the white-gold earrings shaped like boomerangs that he’d purchased to give to Lori. He stuck the box in his pocket, then, when he turned to leave the room, he caught a glimpse of his reflection in a mirror. Hmm. Maybe he should run a comb through his hair before he went looking for his daughter. He’d already given her a bad first impression. He wanted to improve this time around.