Chapter One
River
The town lay before her, the very picture of country bliss. With great forests surrounding it, nestled in a small valley, it looked…peaceful. Like all the cares of the world ceased to exist when you crossed over the boundary line.
River Harper was not convinced that the town was as peaceful or idyllic as it looked, but she was here, and she was determined to make the best of it.
I know you’ve had a hard time of late, but dear, you really must get away from it all. Come visit me and you can stay at the inn.
Love
Aunt Betty xx
River’s aunt had always been very protective of her, and with the last year being what it had been, she was glad that she had this place to bolt to.
A vet by trade, she had always dreamed of owning her own horse ranch, and it was a dream she had pursued since she was a child. But life had a way of putting a stop to the idyllic dreams of childhood. Whether it was lack of money, the perfect land being snatch up from beneath her, or men, it didn’t matter. All that River could say right now was that she was done with dreaming, fantasy, and men, and was ready for a new start with the New Year.
She’d had to sell her 4x4 with trailer hitch and all she was left with was her Harley Davidson Rocker. An expensive bike, but asit was one of the few things she still owned, she wasn’t about to sell it or trade it for a cheaper model.
River roared into town on the bike, the sound echoing off the perfect looking walls of the buildings around her, until she pulled up outside her aunt’s inn and cut the engine.
Christmas decorations were still plastered all over the town, making it look like it had been dressed for the front of Christmas cards. Ordinarily, the sight of it would have filled River with wonder and magic, but her amazement was now fully reserved for what new low life could kick her to.
But Betty was a woman with more love and spirit than anyone else that River had ever met, and she was looking forward to reuniting with her. Life couldn’t ruin that...could it?
When she opened the door and stepped into the inn, Betty was already running across the lobby to wrap her up in a giant bear hug.
“Oh, my dear girl!” Betty said, her face buried somewhere deep in River’s hair. “I am so glad you are here.”
“I’m glad I’m here too,” River replied. And she was. Coming to this place felt like coming home somehow, even though this was her first visit. Her aunt had a way of making her feel like that. Whether she was, home just built itself around her.
“There’s a room upstairs for you, it’s next door to a visitor, but don’t worry, she’s very quiet—when she’s here,” Betty said as she handed River a key with the number thirteen printed on it.
River groaned inwardly. Great, just what she needed—an unlucky room. If that wasn’t an omen, she didn’t know what was.
“Thanks,” River said, keeping her reservations to herself, and started towards the stairs.
“Oh, and Mrs. Thompson will be calling by shortly. She wants to talk to you about the New Year’s Eve party in the town square. I told her that you would be full of great ideas!” Betty called after her.
River groaned inwardly a second time. Seriously? She just wanted to curl up in bed and pretend that this whole sorry year hadn’t happened. She forced a smile anyway.
“Okay,” she replied and hefted her bags up the stairs. When she reached the door to room thirteen she paused with a sigh, and hesitated to put the key in the lock. The door to the room next door opened, and a young woman with dark hair darted out of it, colliding with River with a solid thud.
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” the woman said as she stepped back and looked at River with a beaming smile on her face. “You must be River, Betty told me you were coming. I’m Alice, pleased to meet you,” she said holding out her hand in greeting.
“Nice to meet you, too,” River replied automatically and shook the offered hand.
“I’m new here, too. I was only staying for Christmas, but, well, things seem to happen here, and it looks like I’ll be staying. So, if you need help getting to know the town, let me know,” Alice said. “I’m running late right now, but maybe we catch up later? Betty has my number if you want to grab it.”
Then Alice darted past her and disappeared down the stairs, taking them two at a time. River blinked after her then turned back to her room. Being in an unlucky room was better than running into any more chirpy people in the corridor.
The room didn’tlookunlucky as River opened the door. It was a pristine room with colonial furniture, including a wash stand and wardrobe, and a view from the window of what Riverthought must be the town square.
There were only three days left until New Year’s Eve and the square seemed to be alive with busy hands preparing for it. Rather than wait in the room for Mrs. Thompson to find her, River decided to get the meeting over with. She could politely decline the invitation and avoid her aunt pressuring her into helping if she went out to find Mrs. Thompson of her own accord. It would be much easier that way. Start each day by eating the frog, right? Though whyanyonethought it would be a good idea to eat a frog, as opposed to avoiding it entirely, was beyond her.
She didn’t bother to change out of her leathers for the excursion. They were far warmer than any of the clothes she had packed into the panniers on the back of her bike and in the backpack that now lay on her bed. But she did change her biking boots for her snow boots. The only other pair of shoes she owned now, and her biking boots were not cut out for this cold.
She would have to do some shopping—just as soon as she was done running errands. With that thought running through her mind, she opened the door and made her way back to the lobby.
