Her gaze drifted to the surrounding moat, at least six inches wide and a foot deep. But was it supposed to keep someone in or out?
The rumble of boiling water at the bottom of the kettle pulled Penny from her philosophical musings.
As she waited for her coconut chai tea to steep, images of the white-capped waves and heart-stopping plunge invaded her mind. But what haunted her the most wasn’t what she could see. But rather, what shecouldn’tsee.
Colt had deserted her on the crest of the waterfall.
Shivering from a nonexistent chill, she asked aloud, “What do you think it means?” more to herself than anyone in particular.
Chip’s eyelids flitted open briefly before he burrowed deeper into his enclosure.
“Sorry.” Penny pulled an apologetic face for waking him.
Quietly gathering her teacup, she crept into her father’s office and gently latched the door behind her. Settling at his desk, she popped open the secret compartment. The smooth white envelope felt pleasantly cool to the touch, and she pressed it to her collarbone, closing her eyes.
“I don’t know what to do, Dad. Do you think I can trust him?”
She received no response, save for the haunting call of a lone owl in the distance.
But even without hearing her dad’s voice, she suspected his answer.
Giving someone your heart required the biggest risk of all.
And it hadn’t turned out well for her father.
Penny was five years old the first time she asked about her mother. She had no memories of ever having one, but according to the other kids in school, every child did, at one time or another.
That’s when she learned her mother wasn’t a boring ole human mom like all the other kids had. But a magical being more beautiful than any woman on earth, with huge, birdlike wings and a singing voice so mesmerizing, she could use it to cast spells.
One evening, her father found her mother trapped in the forest, her large wings pinned by a fallen branch. She was so grateful he’d rescued her, she offered to take him on a flight around the world. He said they fell in love among the stars.
A few months later, they married in the chapel on top of the hill, and she seemed happy in Poppy Creek, for a time. Especially after having Penny. But eventually, she grew restless.That’s the problem with having wings, her father had said.You need somewhere to fly.
Of course, as she grew older, she knew the fanciful story couldn’t be true. And she also learned her father’s brave face was only a mask disguising the truth, much like his fairy tale.
But she only saw him without his mask once, when she was nine. In the middle of the night, she woke to a stirring sound coming from the balcony. Tiptoeing to the French doors, she eased one open and peered through the crack. Her father clutched an emerald and ruby brooch, the gems glittering in the moonlight. As he gazed at the stars, silent tears trailed down his cheeks. And even though she’d outgrown the childish tale about the woman with feathered wings, for the briefest of moments, she wondered if he was out on the balcony hoping to catch one last glimpse.
And that’s when she realized all the love in the world couldn’t make someone stay.
Especially if they wanted to fly.
* * *
After yesterday’s harrowing experience and several hours of roasting coffee, Colt expected to feel drained—mentally and physically. But when it came to his newfound passion, he seemed to have an endless reserve of energy. Each stage of the process enthralled him, and he wanted to learn as much as possible. Ultimately, he hoped to earn Frank’s trust so he could develop his own blend. He already had a few ideas, but whenever he broached the subject, Frank would insist he wasn’t ready.
After their last roast of the day, Colt’s entire body ached—a memento of a hard day’s work. In the downtime while the beans circulated in the chamber of hot air, Frank had him refill the barrels. Each sack of green beans had to weigh over a hundred pounds. And rather than scoop the beans into the barrel by hand—which would have taken forever—Colt employed a shortcut, lifting each sack and dumping the contents. While much quicker, his lower back paid the price.
At the very least, all the manual labor served as a distraction. He struggled to keep his mind off Penny, wondering how she was doing after the previous day’s adventure. Not to mention their almost-kiss. Every time he closed his eyes, he envisioned the outline of her perfect lips, and couldn’t help wondering if they tasted as incredible as he imagined.
Shaking the spine-tingling thought from his mind, Colt grabbed a broom to sweep the spilled coffee beans into a neat pile. His muscles groaned even under the menial task.
Although Frank operated on a much smaller scale before Cassie opened The Calendar Café, Colt still marveled at the man’s stamina, especially for his age. And with the increase in demand ever since they created an online store, he wasn’t sure how Frank would keep up long-term, even with Cassie’s help.
He cast a concerned glance in Frank’s direction. He’d remained in the rocking chair, a few feet from the action, most of the afternoon, supervising Colt’s roasting education. And yet, his weathered features displayed signs of fatigue and strain. Fortunately, he’d get a break tomorrow while Colt completed the fourth adventure with Penny.
As the thought sprang to mind, he couldn’t help a reflexive smile.
“Who is she?”
