The Spring at Moss Hill (23 page)

After another twenty miles, Daphne yawned, sitting up straight. “I had a light breakfast. I hate traveling on a full stomach. Did you eat?”

“Coffee, eggs, toast.”

“Alone?” She waved a hand. “None of my business, I know. I'll whine if you open an office in that old hat factory and leave me, but I'll have Marty to visit—until he gets rich and famous. And there's a guy interested in me. I haven't told you about him. He's been to the bar a few times. He's about my age. Always pays in cash. I don't think he's using his real name, but you don't need to investigate.”

“That's good.”

“I think I worked with him when I first came to Hollywood.”

“Actor?”

“Director. I think he's got his eye on Marty as talent. If I recall correctly, he's been married a few times himself. I don't need true love at this stage in my life. I want a guy who likes to travel, laugh and doesn't need me.” She was quiet a moment, her deep green eyes narrowed on Russ. “That's Kylie, isn't it?”

“She's not an old Hollywood director with a bunch of ex-wives.”

“I didn't say he was old and I didn't say ‘a bunch.' My point is that Kylie doesn't need you. She knows who she is, she can support herself, and she has a circle of friends and family—even if she also enjoys and needs solitude for herself and her work. What she wants is to allow herself to say yes to falling for you and for you to do the same.”

“Say yes to falling for myself?”

She rolled her eyes. “Say yes to falling for her and working out the issues you face. Knights Bridge, California, those badgers of hers.”

“We've only known each other a week.”

“You both were ready for love. A week is a start.”

“It is,” he said, then winked at her. “Be satisfied with that, because it's all you're going to get out of me.”

As the Boston skyline came into view, Knights Bridge farther and farther behind them, Russ could see that Daphne had shrunk into her seat and was pale, clutching her hands tightly in her lap as if she might fall apart if she let go.

Damn.
She
was
going to cry.

He eased the car from the left lane to the middle lane. “Marty and I both took piano lessons. He lasted longer than I did.”

“How many years?” she asked him.

“Years?” Russ grinned. “Marty lasted three or four months. I lasted two lessons.”

“You were incorrigible little boys, weren't you?”

“Just not cut out for piano lessons. Marty took trumpet in high school. He got pretty good at it. I've never been...creative.”

“I believe we're all creative. It just comes out in different ways. For you...” She hesitated. “It comes out in the way you approach your work. You wouldn't be half as good at what you do if you weren't creative.”

“If you say so.”

“I do. And I say you're a damned decent sort. You threw me a lifeline just now. I was sinking, going deep.”

“You were Debbie Sanderson again.”

“I'm Debbie Sanderson every day. That's what I realized being back here. I never banished her. I never became anybody else. As Marty would say, it's good.” She shut her eyes, some of her color coming back into her cheeks. “All good.”

Twenty-Four

A
fter her encounter with Russ at the spring, Kylie rode her bike out to Echo Lake without stopping. When she arrived back at Moss Hill, she was breathing hard, sweating and closer to sorting out her feelings about revealing she was Morwenna Mills. That surprised her. She'd thought she'd need more time. She'd kept the secret for months and months, but now that it was out—it was fine. Simple as that. She didn't feel aggrieved that she'd basically been forced into it. It was bound to happen, and now it had. She'd sent out emails last night, after dinner at Carriage Hill, and she had a few calls to make today.

She might be closer to sorting out Morwenna but she was no closer to sorting out her feelings for Russ Colton.

She climbed off her bike, pulled off her helmet and acknowledged a surge of emotion. The wind and cool air on her bike ride had whipped tears out of her eyes. She could feel them on her cheeks and fought an urge to cry.

Would she ever see Russ again?

She wiped her tears with her fingertips. Yes, she would see him again, she thought. Somehow.

She mounted the stairs to her apartment. Instead of tears, she could feel Russ's fingertips on her cheek that morning. She smiled, letting her mind drift to the feel of his hand in hers, his strong thighs under her fingertips, the taste of his mouth—his erotic touch.

She groaned. How was she supposed to work?

When she reached her apartment, she noticed a small package at the base of the door—a sheet of Moss Hill letterhead folded around an acorn, with a quick note:

Your squirrel pelted me, too. I think he was jealous. Soon, Russ.

Kylie laughed as she went inside and placed the acorn next to Sherlock Badger. She made tea and sat on her new couch, looking out at the river as she called Lila, her parents and a few close friends. She had to leave a voice mail for Lila to call her back, and her parents took the news about her pseudonym in stride—her work as an illustrator was a mystery to them, anyway. So long as Morwenna was good for her, fine with them.

Her illustrator friend in Chicago wasn't surprised. “You were on my short list of people who could be Morwenna. It's awesome, Kylie. I love those badgers. A loft in a renovated hat factory in a little New England town suits you, too, more so than a loft in Paris, even.”

Kylie thanked her, and they moved on to other things.

Afterward, she was able to work. It helped that she had a good feel for what she was doing with
Little Red Riding Hood.

When her phone rang that evening, she assumed it would be Lila, wanting more information about Morwenna, checking on her older sister, but it was Russ. “Marty and I just dropped Daphne off at her house,” he said. “She was happy to be back home. How are you, Kylie?”

Just hearing his voice stirred her, as if he were there with her, touching her in all the right places. She jumped to her feet and stood at the slider onto her balcony. She cleared her throat. “Great, thanks. A little bleary-eyed. I've been working. And you, Russ? How are you?”

“Marty's buying me a beer.”

“He's a good big brother.”

“Yes, he is.” Russ paused. “It was a long flight. I kept thinking about you. Tell Sherlock hi for me.”

“Will do.”

And with a soft chuckle, Russ said good-night and was gone.

Kylie went out to her balcony and breathed in the chilly evening air, listening to the river rush over the old dam, imagining—trying to imagine—Russ in California.

When she went back inside, she sat at her worktable. She wouldn't sleep for a while yet.

She sighed at Sherlock. “Russ Colton, PI, says hi.”

And it was as if Sherlock shook his head, wondering what she was getting herself into this time.

* * *

On Monday morning, Kylie biked into town, arriving at the library as it opened. Clare Morgan had already heard about Morwenna from Maggie Sloan, who'd heard it from her twin sisters, now back at school in Boston and New York. “But we'll all keep Morwenna a secret if that's your wish,” Clare said with a smile.

“It's not a secret any longer,” Kylie said.

“This will be a good opportunity to explain pseudonyms to the older kids. I'm not sure the younger ones will get it, but they love the Badger family and their friends. If you're interesting in doing a presentation...”

“I'd love to.”

“We'll talk more, then.”

Clare returned to work, and Kylie joined Samantha Bennett at her favorite table with her pirate books. “If you decide your badgers need some pirates, buried treasure and sunken ships, we'll have to talk,” Samantha said.

“I'm sorry I didn't say anything until now.”

“It's okay. We're still getting to know each other. I have lots yet to tell you about the eccentric Bennetts and their adventures. I get why you didn't say anything about Morwenna at first. Then you painted yourself in a corner. You really love your work, don't you?”

“I do, Sam.”

She shut a book on pirates. “Speaking of
I do
, Justin and I have finally set a wedding date. We're still working on having the ceremony in England, but I think we can pull it off. You're invited, of course, and not because I now know you're a famous children's author and illustrator.”

“I'm so happy for you and Justin.”

“Thanks. If you'd told me a year ago I'd be sitting here in this little library, engaged to a carpenter, I'd have told you that you were out of your mind. Life can take the strangest twists and turns, can't it?” Samantha didn't wait for an answer, leaning in to Kylie. “Did I notice something between you and Russ Colton, or is that none of my business?”

“Maybe. It could have dissipated now that he's back in Los Angeles.”

“You were a momentary distraction, you think?” Samantha sounded skeptical. “That's not what Justin says. Not that we should trust a Sloan on matters of the heart, at least under ordinary circumstances, but Justin is tuned in these days. I'm meeting him for lunch at Smith's. Join us?”

Kylie smiled. “I'd love to.”

* * *

When Kylie returned to Moss Hill late that afternoon, she found her sister waiting for her at the front entrance to Moss Hill. Lila explained she'd driven to Knights Bridge from Boston to make sure Kylie was okay now that she'd revealed that she was Morwenna Mills.

She held up a bottle of champagne. “Let's grab two glasses and celebrate.”

“Celebrate what?”

But Lila insisted on waiting until they were in Kylie's apartment. Her younger sister's hair a darker shade of blond, her eyes a deeper blue, and she was a marathon runner and a top veterinary student, but she was without question Kylie's best friend.

Lila nodded to the balcony. “Let's have our champagne out there.”

Kylie grabbed glasses and a corkscrew and followed her sister outside. Clouds had moved in, and Kylie could see where a few drops of rain landed in the millpond. There'd be more rain as the evening wore on.

Lila opened the champagne and splashed some into the glasses. “It was almost shirtsleeves weather in Boston today,” she said. “It's chilly here, but I imagine we'll be getting this rain, too. Anyway...” She raised her glass. “To Morwenna and the Badgers of Middle Branch. Congratulations, big sister.”

They clicked glasses, and Kylie smiled. “Thank you, Lila.”

Her sister looked out at the view. “Wow. Pretty. I could get used to this lifestyle. I love Boston, but I'm a country girl at heart. Have you thought about buying a place here?”

“The house I rented is for sale. I could have gardens, dogs, chickens.”

“And a guy and kids?”

Kylie's mind went straight to Russ—who was in Southern California on the other side of the continent, where he had family, work, a life. Even if she'd been on his mind last night, would she stay on his mind once he got back into his routines?

But she didn't want to get into her romantic whirlwind over the past week. “One never knows,” she said simply.

Lila eyed her suspiciously. “Whatever makes you happy, Kylie. You're the type who can juggle a variety of interests and priorities, get inspired by the fun and the chaos of a family. Singular focus on work can be productive for a while, but it can't last. We need to live life.” She shrugged, downing more of her champagne. “Otherwise, what's the point?”

“Are you talking to me or to yourself?”

“Both of us. I'm en route to Vermont. I'm seeing a guy who wants to take me fly-fishing. Don't laugh. I stopped here to give myself a chance to come to my senses, but it could be a fun couple of days. I have a car, so I'm not trapped in case I hate it.”

“You're always good with contingency plans.”

“You do beautiful work. I'm proud to be your kid sister. I can now tell my friends that my father inspired Dr. Badger.”

“Your friends won't care.”

“No, they'll care. I gave them
The Badgers of Middle Branch
for Christmas. Vet humor.”

“Christmas? But how—”

“I stumbled on your badger books in a vet waiting room, for kids while they're waiting for their puppies and such. I looked at it and knew it had to be your work. I started reading, and that was that. Case closed. I didn't say anything, since it was obviously your secret. Always a matter of time before it got out, wasn't it? Some good has come from when you used to study flies on the ceiling in algebra class. I remember you sketched a fly squad that would swoop in and save children.” Lila grinned, then held up her glass. “What are you working on now?”

“I have some ideas for
Beauty and the Beast
.”

“Ah. Do you have a beast in mind?”

Kylie smiled. “He has to be his own self. Enjoy your fishing.”

“It's not the kind of fishing where you end up with something to throw on the grill. You toss your fish back into the water. People probably fly-fish around here. Anyway, Kylie, you do live in an interesting little town.”

Lila left Kylie with most of the opened bottle of champagne. Kylie followed her back downstairs. Lila pointed out that she'd only had a few sips of champagne and was good to drive up to Vermont. She got in her car, shaking her head about the prospect of her fly-fishing.

When Kylie returned to her apartment, she noticed she had a text message from Russ.
Your cover is blown out here, too. Marty is handing out copies of your badger books to his friends.

She laughed, typing a quick response.
Tell him thank you.

He says to tell you he paid full price.

Double thank you. Are you with him now?

Yes, and Daphne. Says to tell you she adores Sherlock's style.

Kylie laughed, told him to thank Daphne and went out to her balcony. The few drops of rain had increased to a deluge, a gray wall of water pelting onto the river. She put out her hand, catching a rush of raindrops. Nothing had changed with her announcement about Morwenna, except she could be less reclusive, less secretive and protective of her identity. She didn't have to worry anymore about people making the connection. They knew, and what they did with it was up to them.

She finished her glass of champagne and went inside, corking the remainder and tucking it in her refrigerator. She wasn't drinking most of a bottle of champagne by herself.

She sat at her worktable. Sherlock Badger stared at her from his perch on her task lamp. “I know, Sherlock. It's quiet here. I miss Russ, too.”

The rain continued through the night and into the morning, nixing a bike ride. Instead Kylie drove out to Carriage Hill for coffee and muffins with Olivia McCaffrey. Kylie showed Olivia her sketches for the grandmother's house in her version of
Little Red Riding Hood
. A graphic designer, Olivia could see how her house had served as inspiration but also was Kylie's own thing. They talked graphic design and illustration, which somehow turned to furniture painting.

“Maggie and I have a new find,” Olivia said. “It's a wardrobe Maggie discovered in the attic of her fixer-upper house in the village.”

A “gingerbread” house off the common, Kylie knew. Given her pregnancy, Olivia could only do so much to refurbish the wardrobe. Kylie volunteered to help. Sanding and painting furniture would get her out of her apartment, and it was past time to go from acquaintance to friends with people in her adopted town.

“Knights Bridge is your home,” Olivia said, as she walked out through the kitchen door with Kylie. “It's not a place that cares about celebrity. Dylan and Noah feel the same way, but at the same time, we can't pretend we don't have to see to security.”

Could Russ fit in here, make a place for himself?

Kylie shook off the thought.

Dylan came around from the back of the house and greeted her. “I'm heading to LA tomorrow with Noah. He and Phoebe just flew in. She's staying with her mother for a few days to discuss wedding plans. Noah and I are flying back to LA together to take care of a few things. I hear you're due to head that way. Care to join us on our flight?”

“I have meetings in LA I've been putting off. I probably could arrange a few on short notice. If you're sure—”

“We're sure. Noah's jet is an experience,” Dylan added with a wink.

“I'll attest to that,” Olivia said.

Kylie did well with her badgers, but private jets were out of her league. But who'd told Dylan she was due to go to LA?

Russ.

She smiled as she got into her car. As she pulled out onto the rain-soaked road, the sun bursting through the last of the clouds, she glanced back and saw Dylan put his arm around Olivia. Olivia leaned into him.

Two people deeply in love, Kylie thought.

They waved to her, and she waved back.

Word was out about Morwenna, and she was more than okay with it.