If I was going to stay in Love, I would need to find something for myself to do. I wasn’t sure my interior design degree would translate to anything meaningful on the Saskatchewan prairies, but the money I had pulled from my savings account wouldn’t last forever. I was eternally grateful I had kept my bank accounts separate from Nick’s, so I knew I had something to fall back on but was still leery of there being any sort of trail to him finding me, so I’d use the cash I had as sparingly as possible.
It was nearing six in the evening by the time I found myself making my way back to the bed and breakfast, and that was all ittook. One day, and I had already fallen in love with this charming town.
After I left Cupid’s Cup, every single person passed me with a smile and the “good morning” greetings blurred together. I couldn’t remember the last time I had seen so many people so happy. In the rush of city life, people barely looked up from their phones, and if they did it was with a scowl on their face for disrupting them. Here in Love, no one had a cell phone in their hand. Melody explained that they could get service at the main highway, and a couple bars sporadically throughout town, but for the most part they used landlines or satellite phones. It was a refreshing change of pace.
After Cupid’s Cup and Blissful Bites, I passed by the most divine flower shop, which was really like a giant greenhouse, Love in Bloom. The owner was walking around watering all the flowers outside all the storefront windows, and I had to quickly turn away from her warm smile as my breath caught. Showing up for others in such simple but meaningful ways had become such a foreign concept in my life, tears almost sprung in my eyes to see it in action. Next to the floral shop was Heartstrings Bar and Grill, and across the street was a wedding dress shop, Vintage Vows Boutique, and what looked to be a hardware store, The Tool Box. Maybe another day I would visit those places, but my eyes had been set on the library at the end of the road, where I ended up spending the rest of the afternoon.
Now, clutching my books on my walk out of town toward Whispers of Love, I realized I never did find the bookstore.
“Oh well, an adventure for another day.” I smiled as I balanced on the railroad tracks that lined the road. One of the books I’d picked up at the library had some history on this town and I couldn’t wait to dive into it.
Having fun, feeling free, I could already feel my spirit lifting. This was what I needed. I knew I felt checked out from my lifein Utah, but I don’t think I even realized how much I’d been living on autopilot until I spent a day completely removed from it. Maybe this was the fresh start I had been craving.
As the road curved and brought me closer to the bed and breakfast, the long driveway starting just a handful of yards away, a weathered and rundown rail house first came into view.
“Wow,” I gasped at the beautiful architecture. The white brick was worn but looked solid as it held up the gorgeous two-story building with an extra lookout tower on top. There were rows of windows boarded up, but my eyes were drawn to the stunning ornate pillars that framed the front door with the beautifully elegant stone steps leading up…and then I spotted a shadow moving inside.
A scream escaped me, which was my first mistake as it caught the attention of whatever was in the rail house. Instantly, a little brown snout and round fluffy ears peeked out at me, and Iran.Second mistake. The cute little cub, who was definitely notthatlittle—but still kind of cute—obviously thought this was a game and I was his prized honey pot.
It’s okay, though, the bed and breakfast wasright there.I was so close, if I could just get there and get inside everything would be?—
Bang!
I screamed as a shot was fired, then another in rapid succession, and the bear behind me went running off in the opposite direction.
I reached the deck of the bed and breakfast, which was a gorgeous old farmhouse, panting and struggling for breath.
I flinched as strong hands gripped my shoulders, but they just as quickly released me. I almost missed the warmth the moment they let go.
“Are you okay?” He may as well have been singing me a lullaby, his voice was so soothing while I struggled to catch mybreath. And it was at thatexactmoment I realized it was Calvin asking me if I was okay, and what looked to be hisentirefamily standing out on the deck, concern covering all their features.
Melody pushed past him, pulling me into a hug, and my shaking subsided slightly. “What happened?” she asked.
“I was walking back here, past that old rail house and a bear was inside. I screamed and startled him. It was my fault—I shouldn’t have made noise or tried to run like I did.” Shame clouded my vision, I wanted to hide in my room for the rest of the evening, so I wasn’t a bother to this beautiful family.
“Calvin, they must have busted the door open again,” Vicky said.
“On it,” Calvin replied. I hadn’t noticed but he had already grabbed a hammer and nails from the porch and was throwing some planks of two by fours into his truck.
“Need a hand, Cal?” another man called.
“Nope, I’ve got it.”
“What? No, you don’t have to leave.” I glanced inside the open door to see the counter full of food. “Truly, it’s my fault. I didn’t mean to interrupt anything.”
Confusion laced Calvin’s features for a moment before he looked at me, his expression genuine and warm but serious. “Nothing about this is your fault. That door should have been blocked, and it’ll only take me a few minutes to fix it. Go inside.” He turned away and got in his truck without saying another word.
“Don’t worry about him,” Trixie said as she linked her arm with mine. “He gets a little bristly sometimes when he thinks he can’t take care of everyone. Come in, we just got supper set out. Let’s get you a plate.”
Everyone introduced themselves to me, and the chatter carried on as we all filtered inside, as if I didn’t basically barrel down the door.
I was shocked to find my feelings of shame fading as my hunger pains did as well, as not only was my stomach filled with the delicious meal, but my soul was filled with the love this family had for one another.
I grunted as I slammed the hammer against the nail, as if the force of it could force the memory of Stella’s scream from my mind and the feeling it gave me from the pit of my stomach. Maybe if I made sure nothing like that happened again, I’d never hear her make that terrified noise.
I finished nailing the last board and gave the rail house door a solid shove to ensure it was secure. By the time I got back to the house, the sight of Stella with a plate full of food surrounded by my family was the thing that finally eased my tension. She didn’t look at ease, however she appeared much more relaxed than the state I saw her in less than twenty minutes ago.
Conversation flowed easily as plates of food were passed around the table.
