The Summer Sisters (Juniper Springs Book 2) Read online

  Lillian was in Juniper Springs, and this might be her only chance to see her sister before her health declined. “Even if she decides to walk away and leave. I would still like to see her so I can tell her how much I love her.” She needed her little sister back in her life.

  “Then we’ll make it happen,” Rose promised, as determined as she’d been when she took over the inn. “I don’t know how, but we’ll find a way.”

  “I hate to break up the party, but the meeting is supposed to start in five minutes.” Moe scooted past them, holding his laptop under his arm. “I’ll head down and tell everyone you’re on your way.”

  “Thank you, Moe.” Sassy started to collect her notes but then thought better of it. She didn’t need a script for this meeting. She needed to speak from the heart.

  She and her nieces filed out the door and made their way down the steps.

  “Are you ready to face the town?” Dahlia asked when they paused outside of the meeting room.

  Sassy evaluated her current state. Unlike the last time she’d walked into this room, she didn’t seem to have any nerves at all. In fact, she felt more settled than she had in a long while. “Yes. I think I am ready.”

  “The real question is, are they ready for her?” Rose grinned and Sassy couldn’t believe how much her niece still looked like the little girl she’d danced around the living room with. Her nieces were so grown up now. If only time could stop moving. If only she could pause her life right here instead of facing an uncertain future…

  “They’re ready for you.” Moe appeared at the door, reminding her that time didn’t stop. It marched on whether you wanted it to or not.

  The three of them walked in together, and she had to stop so she could properly gape at the number of people sitting and standing in the audience area chatting away. The town council had taken their places at the table, and nearly every chair in the other half of the room had been filled.

  “Wow, we should’ve saved ourselves a seat,” Rose murmured.

  “There’s a few over there.” Dahlia pointed to two empty chairs at the far edge of the front row.

  “Let’s go before someone steals them.” Rose gave Sassy a hug and the girls drifted away while she made her way to the center of the table.

  For the most part, people hadn’t even seemed to realize she’d arrived. The talking continued in a loud buzz as if people had come mostly for a social hour.

  “Nice of you to join us,” Peg commented from the next chair over. The look in her eyes could’ve given Sassy frostbite.

  She chose to ignore the woman and took her seat, searching the crowd for…

  Graham. He sat in the very center of the front row, and she could see the encouragement in his kind eyes all the way from here. She smiled back at him and waved, not caring who saw or how they felt about it.

  “All right, everyone.” Moe’s loud whistle silenced the room. People scrambled to their seats and turned their full attention to the table at the front of the room.

  Sassy stared at all of the familiar faces—the people she’d chatted with in town or played bridge with or had welcomed to the annual Christmas extravaganza at the Juniper Inn year after year. She loved them. She loved this town. And she loved that this moment belonged to her. It might be her only moment to express her heart, since Peg would likely oust her after this, so she would revel in this opportunity. She would make the most of it.

  “Let’s call this meeting to order.” She spoke with the same steadiness she felt inside. “I can’t tell you all how delighted I am to see you here. We appreciate you taking the time to learn more about the community garden we hope to launch soon.” Never mind that the majority had most likely come to see a show. “Today, our largest agenda item is to discuss the community garden we would like to build on the land next door to the museum.”

  She went on to talk about the plans she and Graham had discussed—the different types of produce they would grow and the events that would help bring the community together. “We feel this garden will not only offer food assistance but will also bring our community closer together.” She found her gaze wandering to find Graham’s again, and the man gave her a thumbs-up.

  Peg cleared her throat, a sure sign she had prepared a soliloquy for this very moment. “It is the town council’s feeling that a partnership is not acceptable or appropriate for the community garden.”

  Sassy took a look around the table. No one else seemed to look directly back at her. Surely the other members weren’t going to sit by and let Peg have all the say.

  “The original intention was that the town should own the land in order to have the rights to do whatever we deem is in the best interest of Juniper Springs as a whole.” Peg folded her hands on the table and gave a practiced smile, mainly addressing the audience.

  Oh, gracious. She couldn’t let this continue. “And as mayor, I feel very comfortable about the agreement we have made with the museum. We’ve initiated the contract process with a local attorney—”

  “I would imagine you feel more than comfortable, given the conflict of interest you have with the museum’s president,” Peg interrupted.

  A murmur went around the room, but it didn’t fluster Sassy. This was exactly what she’d expected from the woman. “You are the only person I know who would call caring about someone a conflict of interest.”

  A few people in the audience laughed.

  Sassy didn’t give Peg a chance to respond. “I have lived in this town for almost fifty years now. Juniper Springs is my home. It’s the place I love. All I want to do is to bring people in this community together. It doesn’t matter how that happens—if we own the land or if the museum owns the land—it really belongs to all of us.”

  Applause broke out, and Rose and Dahlia both whistled. Sassy found Graham’s face again, and that intense and tender gaze told her everything she needed to know. This would be all right. No matter what happened, he would be there at the end of it.

  “That’s a beautiful sentiment.” Peg’s voice was hollow. “But when it comes down to it, whoever owns the land can dictate what happens with it. What if the museum decides to sell it in a few years?” She didn’t pause long enough for Sassy to inform her that wouldn’t happen. “The fact is, Ned originally wanted that land to go to the town before Mr. Wright got hold of him and coerced him to change his mind. That lot rightfully belongs to Juniper Springs.”

  “Or maybe Ned knew you would have a conflict of interest, Peg.” Those were the first words Moe had spoken since the meeting started. The man stood from his place at the end of the table and handed out a sheet of paper to the council members. “As you’ll see, I did some digging. It seems that you were planning to get the council to agree to sell off subsections of the land, and the bank has already promised financing to certain business owners to develop them.”

  “What?” Sassy studied the paper, her heart starting to race, a headache starting in at her temples. Moe’s handout featured two email exchanges. One regarding a new restaurant building and the other a dentist office. Both were to be built next to the museum, and the bank would be the main investor.

  All of the pieces seemed to click into place at once, and she stared at Peg in shock. “You lied.” All along, the woman and her bank president husband had been planning to profit off businesses that they’d planned to put on that lot.

  “How did you get that information?” the woman seethed, hastily moving around the table and trying to gather the papers. “That’s illegal! You can’t steal private emails and spread them around!”

  “I didn’t steal them.” Moe pulled another stack of paper out of his satchel and started to hand them out to the audience. “They were given to me by an unnamed source voluntarily.”

  Sassy had a hard time containing her laughter. That sly fox! When he’d asked her if she had a strategy he’d known she wouldn’t need one. He’d been working on all of this behind her back.

  Peg watched helplessly as the rest of the town r
ead through her deceptions. “We were still planning to move forward with the community garden.” Desperation laced her voice. “It’s a very large plot of land, and there’s plenty of room for both buildings as well as a garden. I was only thinking of what’s best for this town. We can subdivide the property and fill the coffers with the proceeds.”

  No. She didn’t care about the money the town would make from selling off subsections of the lot. “You only care about how much the bank is going to profit from financing two new businesses in town.” Sassy couldn’t listen to the woman speak another word. “I wish I could say this is unbelievable, but I should’ve known when you asked me to take over as mayor. You were looking for a pawn. You wanted someone who would give you exactly what you wanted.” She’d been an easy target. All Peg had to do was mention a community garden, and Sassy had let down her guard.

  “No.” The woman vigorously shook her head. “That’s not true at all.”

  The sound of voices rose as the spectators read the emails. “A fast-food restaurant?” someone called. “You’re trying to ruin this town!”

  And Sassy had almost helped her. “You expected me to simply let you and the council subdivide that land however you wanted.” With their money and clout, Peg and her dear husband would’ve likely convinced everyone on the council the new businesses were in the best interests of the town.

  That was not going to happen on her watch.

  “We’re moving this to a vote. Now.” Sassy glanced around the table. “All in favor of moving forward with the community garden partnership with the museum, say aye.”

  The unanimous response came in one by one. “And all in favor of firing our head council member?” She didn’t even know if she had the authority to do that, but she sure as heck was going to try.

  Another round of ayes went around the table.

  “You can’t fire me!” Peg shouted. “I do everything for this town! You don’t have the authority!”

  “Actually she does.” Moe produced a copy of the town bylaws and read section 5.1b out loud, finishing to another round of applause.

  And that was that. “Thank you for your service,” Sassy said, dismissing the woman. “But it will no longer be needed.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Rose

  What do you think?”

  Rose stood back and evaluated the colorful paper lanterns she and Dahlia had hung from the lower branches of the juniper and aspen trees around the pond.

  “It’s beautiful.” Her sister reached up to touch a bright pink one. “I can’t wait to see them all lit up after sunset.”

  “I know. It’s going to be absolutely magical.” Rose admired the space they’d decorated. At first she’d thought they could have Sassy’s surprise party in the barn, but the outdoors was the heart of the Juniper Springs Inn.

  To dress the place up for the party, Rose had placed four banquet tables in one long line right near the pond’s sandy shoreline. She’d decorated them with linens and glass lanterns and fairy lights. Eventually they would set the food there—she checked her watch—if the catering staff from the Crazy Moose ever arrived.

  “Everything is going to be perfect,” Dahlia told her, as if sensing her stress level had started to rise again.

  “It has to be perfect.” This wasn’t simply a surprise birthday party. This was a tribute to their aunt.

  Rose walked to the opposite side of the table, where she’d set up picture boards on easels. It had taken hours of poring through the old boxes and filing cabinets in Sassy’s attic, but she’d managed to document her aunt’s history at the inn, and thanks to Nolan, she’d even been able to add pictures of the Clearys enjoying the new and improved spaces.

  “I don’t even want to know how much time this took you.” Her sister studied the black-and-white pictures displaying the inn’s earliest days.

  “The Juniper Springs Inn has a history of giving people a refuge from the chaos. I don’t want to forget that. I’m planning to hang these in the barn after the party.” That way everyone who came to stay could see the history and become part of the legacy.

  Rose focused in on one of the pictures from their last summer at the inn when they were young. Their mother and Sassy stood behind her and Dahlia and Mags with their arms around each other. “You’re still okay with going to pick Mom up before the party starts?”

  “Yes. I told her I would pick her and the kids up at four o’clock so we could do something fun.” Her sister winced. “I hope this works, Rose. She’s not going to be happy when she finds out Sassy has been here the whole time.”

  “And she’s also too concerned with appearances to make a scene.” This was their last chance to bring Lillian and Sassy together. Their mother was supposed to leave on Monday. “We promised Sassy she would have a chance to talk to her. And at least with other people around, Mom won’t get nasty.”

  Commotion broke out up the hill as the Cleary family returned from their hiking excursion and parked all six of their SUVs near the cabins.

  Nolan climbed out of one and waved at Rose. She felt her sister watching while she waved back.

  “So Nolan seems nice,” Dahlia commented slyly.

  “Yes, he’s nice.” Rose started to rearrange the glass lanterns on the table, moving her way down while avoiding that smirk on Dally’s face.

  “I know how you feel about Colt, but he’s leaving.” Dally kept the statement gentle, but it still nicked her.

  “I’m fully aware he’s leaving.” Her voice was not nearly as tame as her sister’s. She couldn’t help it. Thinking about Colt made her insides knot up, and the tension had to find a way out.

  She couldn’t forget him turning his back on her when she told him he was good enough for her. It was like he didn’t believe her—like he thought she assumed she was too good for him too. Last night Colt had sent her a benign text informing her that he wouldn’t be around this morning but that he would still take Sassy out for lunch in Salida so he could bring her to the surprise party. That was it. No Hi. No You’re good enough for me too. No Are you thinking about me as much as I’m thinking about you? Because not seeing you is killing me.

  “Do you remember what you said to me last winter when Ike started coming around?” Dahlia nudged her shoulder to get Rose to turn around.

  “Nope.” Yes, she was being stubborn, but that’s what thinking about Colt leaving did to her. It made her sad, and she would much rather be mad. “I don’t remember what I said to you at all.”

  Uh-huh, her sister seemed to say with a raise of her eyebrows. “You said it was okay to have a little fun, that it was good to put myself out there. And it really was.” Her eyes held a motherly concern. “You and Gregory broke up eight months ago. Colt is leaving. What would be the harm in having a little fun with Nolan while he’s staying here?”

  She’d said almost those same words to Dally about Ike. She remembered every bit of advice she’d given Dahlia last Christmas, how she’d encouraged her sister to let herself have fun, to let herself live. But the problem was that Rose felt ready for more than a little fun. Maybe because her feelings for Colt ran deeper.

  Rose went back to rearranging the flowers on the table, but her sister tugged on her arm. “Have you told Colt you love him?”

  “I couldn’t.” He’d walked away from her and he hadn’t even looked back. If he’d turned, she would’ve tried to tell him how she really felt. But he hadn’t. “I don’t think telling him would make much of a difference.”

  “Then maybe you should move on—”

  “Hey, ladies.” Nolan interrupted their chat, and Rose immediately put her smile back on. She couldn’t let paying customers see her mope.

  “I thought you could use some help setting up.” He had his camera around his neck as usual.

  “That would be great!” Dally answered before Rose could tell him they were nearly done. “We still have to hang the birthday banner and a few more lanterns.”

  Rose shot her sister a loo
k. They could easily handle the final touches themselves.

  Dahlia didn’t look in her direction, smiling at Nolan instead. “In fact, I have to call the restaurant to make sure the food will be here on time.” She started to walk away. “So if you could help Rose, that would be great.”

  “Not a problem.” The man removed his camera from around his neck and set it on the table. “The picture boards look awesome.” He seemed to take time to study each one. “What an amazing history this place has.”

  Rose softened a bit. It wasn’t his fault Dahlia was giving her paybacks for her matchmaking antics with Ike last Christmas. “And thanks to you, we have a good record of the inn’s present too.” She pointed out the pictures he’d taken. “I had to rush the printing, but they turned out beautiful.”

  “It’s hard to take a bad picture of this place.” He shot her a sideways glance. “And of you. You’re quite photogenic.”

  And he was quite the charmer. Rose waited for a spark or glimmer or even a flicker of something, but nothing came.

  “I can’t believe how you captured the reflection of the peaks in the pond. It looks like a painting.” She pointed out the picture in the middle. “This one is my favorite. The one with the canoe pulled up on the shoreline.”

  Nolan turned and glanced at that place where the canoe still sat. “I’ve never been canoeing, believe it or not. I’ve been skydiving and bungee jumping and whitewater rafting, but never canoeing.”

  “That’s crazy.” What kind of person had never been in a canoe? “It’s pretty peaceful. Especially in the mountains. I can take you out a little later. I mean, not that you couldn’t figure out how to take it out yourself or anything, but—”

  His laugh interrupted her. “It sounds to me like canoeing is more fun with someone else. I’d love it if you took me out there later.”