Sunsets (25 page)

“I mean medications,” Kyle said with a smile.

“No.”

“Good. May I bring in your luggage for you?”

“It’s buried under all the furniture,” Brad said.

“I’m sure I have an extra sleep shirt, if you want to borrow it,” Lauren said to Alissa.

“That would be great. All I want to do is climb into that tub.”

“I’ll be right back.” Lauren bounded down the stairs with a spring in her step. Alissa recognized it as the gait of a woman in love. If Brad didn’t approve of Kenton, her guess was Brad would have a hard time convincing his sister to dump the guy. But then, if he was anything like his brother, Kyle, Alissa felt certain it would be a unanimous vote in Kenton’s favor.

Lauren returned with a folded stack of fresh clothes and the bottle of lotion Kyle had sent back up with her. “Can I get you anything else?”

“No, this is great. Thanks.”

Lauren lingered by the doorway. “I hope we have a chance to visit some while you’re here. I know you’re really tired tonight, but maybe tomorrow.”

“Sure.”

“I’ll see you in the morning,” Lauren said, smiling at Alissa. She tried to smile back, but her sore lips made it a challenge.

After following the instructions of the resident medic, Alissa slipped into Lauren’s extra large T-shirt and tucked herself between the crisp sheets. She barely noticed the decor of the room. All she wanted to do was sleep.

Sometime in the late morning, when the bright sun had flooded her room, Alissa rolled herself out of bed. A look in the bathroom mirror showed that the rash still raged. She repeated the bath procedure and reapplied the lotion. No way did she want to go downstairs and face her host again. She put on the nightshirt and crawled back into bed.

Outside, she could hear a truck starting up and lots of voices. She went over to the window and pulled the sheer curtain to the side for a better look. Brad was pulling out with the trailer, and two other trucks were following. Perhaps he had enough help with Kyle and Kenton, and they didn’t need her.

Alissa sneaked back into bed and was trying to decide if this would be a good time to invite herself to a pity party. She felt as if she were falling apart. A prayer came to her swollen lips before she could plan the words. It was a prayer of surrender and a plea for mercy. As she was finishing her communication with God, there came a gentle tap at her door.

She didn’t know who was left to call on her. A maid perhaps? Alissa padded to the door and opened it slowly. A petite woman with short, blond hair stood in the hallway. She smiled at Alissa, and a noticeable scar curved up on her top lip. “Hi. How are you doing? I hope I didn’t wake you.”

“No, I was awake.”

“I’m Jessica. Kyle wanted me to bring you this medication. Can I get you something to eat?”

“No, that’s okay. Maybe later.”

“It’s no problem. We have french toast and soft-boiled eggs left over from breakfast.”

“That would be fine,” Alissa said, assuming Jessica was the maid. “And could you bring me some salt for the egg?”

“Sure.”

Alissa closed the door and thought of how Chet had warned her to carry a packet of salt in case she had to eat her words about Brad. The way this nightmare was playing itself out, Alissa was certain she wouldn’t have to worry about that. She would be doing well if Brad even spoke to her after this trip.

A few minutes later, the maid tapped on the door. Alissa answered and gratefully took the breakfast tray from her. It contained a vase with a big lavender hydrangea blossom in it, a cup of steaming water with several packets of tea and instant coffee beside it, orange juice, french toast, an egg in a china egg cup, and individual-sized salt and pepper shakers.

“This is great, thanks,” Alissa said to Jessica. “I’m sorry I don’t have my purse with me, but I’ll make sure you get a tip before we leave. What was your name again?”

Jessica gave her a quizzical look before saying, “It’s Jessica.” Then she laughed a soft, charming laugh as if Alissa had just made a joke.

She was still standing there when Alissa closed the door. It almost seemed to Alissa that this gentle maid wanted to come in and watch Alissa eat. From all her traveling, she was used to staying in fine hotels and tipping well for room service. Perhaps this small-town bed and breakfast wasn’t used to its guests being strong tippers.

The food was excellent, and it recharged Alissa. As she ate, she looked around the elegant room. Everything was in creams with subtle, pink rosebuds as the accent in little details like the
teapot on the end table by the overstuffed chair. The room had a rich, classic look. By the overstuffed chair, which was covered in an ivory damask fabric, was a built-in bookshelf. It was angled in the corner and added to the room’s charm.

The adjacent bathroom was also decorated in creams and soft pink rosebuds. Alissa decided this would be a wonderful place to recommend to her clients. That is, if any of them had plans to go through the middle of nowhere, which is where Alissa felt she was.

She left her tray in the hallway and noticed how quiet the place was. There must not be any other guests, or else they were all out enjoying the gorgeous weather.

Lauren had included a pair of slip-on shorts and a top with the clothes she had offered Alissa when they arrived. She put them on, pleased that they fit, even though the label indicated they were a size smaller than she usually wore.

Alissa decided to go for a walk in the extensive backyard. She loved the huge trees and rolling green lawn that made this place so typical of Oregon. A swing hung from the large apple tree to the right, and on the left was a white hammock, inviting Alissa to surrender to its embrace. She slipped into it and instantly felt relaxed.

About ten minutes later, she heard a car pull up in front of the house. She watched to see if anyone would come around to the back and discover her there. A few minutes later she heard the screen door open, and Lauren came toward her, two glasses of iced water in her hands.

“How are you feeling?” Lauren asked.

“Fine,” Alissa said, taking the glass of water from her. “Thanks. I love this hammock.”

“I do, too. I have one at my new house. My old college roommate, Teri, used to rent the same house, and she put it up. I think Kenton is going to get one right away for his place, too.”

“They can be addicting,” Alissa said. “Are you all moved in? Sorry I didn’t help out this morning.”

“Oh, no problem. We had plenty of help. The guys are still over there. I told them I’d pick up some food. You want to go back over with me?”

Alissa wasn’t ready to face the world yet. The swelling had gone down considerably, and the lotion and medicine had taken care of the itch, but she was still red all over. Then it occurred to her that she couldn’t stay in hiding the whole weekend, so she reluctantly agreed. The two women hopped in Lauren’s Taurus and drove down the tree-lined streets.

“I appreciate your loaning me the clothes,” Alissa said.

“Sure. No problem. I’m thankful you were willing to come all the way up here with Brad. He thinks very highly of you.”

It could have been Alissa’s imagination, but Lauren’s delicate face seemed to take on a curious expression as she shot Alissa a sideways glance. Lauren’s hair was pulled back, exposing her fine features. Alissa decided Lauren didn’t look at all like Brad. She was fair, blond, and pretty. Alissa didn’t think she looked like Lauren either, but she remembered Brad saying Alissa reminded him of his sister.

“He’s a good friend,” Alissa said. “If you’re wondering if any kind of a romance is going on, it isn’t.”

A little smile played across Lauren’s mouth as she turned the corner onto a street dotted with cute, one-story bungalows. “I know my brother,” Lauren said. “And in his book, you take up a whole chapter. No other woman has done that before.”

Alissa assumed she should be flattered. But she couldn’t imagine what she should say in response.

Lauren pulled up in front of an old house painted mint green with ivory trim. “The painters are coming next week,” Lauren said before Alissa could comment. “I can’t stand the color.”

“I’ve seen worse,” Alissa said. “It’s a cute place.”

“Beats all the apartments I’ve ever lived in,” Lauren said.

The guys stepped out of the house when they heard Lauren’s car. Kenton jogged over to her open window before she could get out. He was tall with dark hair like Kyle’s. The brothers resembled each other around the jawline, and they both had broad foreheads. Both were handsome men.

“We’re done here. We decided to go to Kyle’s where it’s cooler. I’ll come back with you tonight and help you unpack.”

“Okay,” Lauren said, reaching into the bag on the backseat. “You thirsty?” She handed him a can of 7-Up.

“Thanks, Wren.” He kissed her softly on the cheek and then looked over at Alissa. “Glad to see you’re feeling better. I heard about the poison oak and losing your cat.”

She smiled her acknowledgment of his sympathy. She couldn’t help but feel ridiculous, being covered with spots. At least Brad’s sister and all her friends were being nice to her regardless of her unappealing condition.

Brad came around to her side of the car and said, “How are you doing? You’re looking better.” She knew she didn’t really look better, but it was sweet of him to say that, especially in front of his sister and her boyfriend. “Do you want to ride back over with me in the truck?”

Alissa didn’t particularly want to, but she guessed it would leave the front seat of Lauren’s car available to Kenton, and he would probably appreciate that. She changed cars, and as they drove back, Alissa said, “Well?”

“Well, what?”

“Do you like him?”

“Kenton?”

“Of course, Kenton!” Alissa said.

Brad flipped his hair back from his face. “He’s perfect for her, and I can’t believe I’m admitting that to anyone.”

“So you think maybe she made a good choice?”

Brad nodded.

“Are you guys starving?” Alissa asked.

“Not too bad. How about you? Did you get any breakfast?”

“Yes, the maid brought it up.”

“The maid?” Brad repeated.

“I think her name was Jennifer. I told her we would tip her before we left.”

Brad looked at her incredulously. “You told Jessica we would tip her?”

“That was her name, Jessica. Could you do me a favor and give her five bucks for me? She was very kind.”

Brad looked at Alissa and then back at the road. Slowly and deliberately, he stated, “Jessica is Kyle’s wife. They live in that house. We are their humble guests. No, I will not slip her a five-spot.”

“Oh my!” Alissa felt her face turn redder than it had been, and she slumped against the door. “What an idiot I was.”

“You won’t hear any argument from me.”

“Can we just leave, and maybe they’ll forget I was ever here?”

Jessica was sitting in the porch swing when they arrived at the house. Alissa went up to her and quietly said, “I’m so sorry about the way I treated you this morning. I was mixed up and—”

“Don’t worry about it,” Jessica said. “You didn’t know.”

Alissa was relieved that Jessica graciously didn’t explain to the others what the apology was about.

“You’re looking a lot better,” Kyle said, taking a seat next to his wife.

“Did you meet Kenton yet?”

“Yes, sort of,” Alissa said.

“And this is junior.” Kyle patted his wife’s tummy.

“You’re going to have a baby? That’s wonderful. Congratulations! When are you due?”

“March. Hopefully sometime after the nursery add-on is finished.”

“It’ll be done by Christmas,” Kyle said.

Jessica gave her husband a tender, teasing look that seemed to say she sure hoped so.

The rest of the afternoon the six of them sat on the wide, cool porch, visiting and rocking as if none of them had a care in the world. Alissa enjoyed the company of these two couples. But she found it hard not to see herself as part of a third couple, made up of Brad and Alissa. Lauren certainly seemed to view them as such.

After dinner they all pitched in and unpacked boxes at Lauren’s two-bedroom home. Everything seemed to just fit, and Alissa got to admire the antique oak dresser with the beveled mirror.

“I bought it at a garage sale,” Lauren told Alissa. “I love to restore old things.”

“Is that why you fell for my brother?” Kyle teased her just as Kenton walked into the room.

“Did I miss something?” Kenton asked.

“We were just talking about Lauren’s dresser, here,” Kyle said with a wink at Lauren.

“I heard about this one,” Kenton said. “She did a great job fixing it up, don’t you think?”

“Definitely,” Kyle said. “Lauren is a restoration specialist in my book.”

Lauren and Alissa picked up on Kyle’s double meaning. Alissa didn’t know much about Lauren and Kenton’s relationship other than it was almost all by mail. It was clear, though, that his brother was pleased with the arrangement.

Alissa liked these people. She liked the way they were
involved in each others’ lives and showed in tangible ways how much they cared. She realized the appeal of Glenbrooke and these friends had become as real to her as it must have been to Lauren. Alissa wanted a slice of this small-town life. She wanted to live in a house like this with restored antique furniture and to eat wild blackberries every morning. She wanted to be a permanent part of this small circle of genuine friends.