Coffee, Cats and Romance

Chapter 1

Chapter One

Clear Creek wasn’t your ordinary town. It might look ordinary, but it was far from it. It had a long history of oddities, miracles, and strange residents. Most people figured the stories were just hullabaloo and blew them off, but others knew better.

Some folks swore they’d seen UFOs over the valley. There was even talk of alien abductions, though most dismissed it as nonsense.

The museum itself sat inside Doc and Grandma Waller’s old house on Main Street in Old Town.

Their actual names were Abijah and Sarah Waller, and they’d come west on the same wagon train as Cyrus and Polly.

With them were Paddy and Mary Mulligan and Irene and Wilfred Dunnigan.

Paddy and Mary built and ran the saloon, while Irene and Wilfred started Dunnigan’s Mercantile.

Also on that wagon train was Honoria Cooke, her husband Jefferson, and five sons between them.

Both had been widowed before marrying, just before the train headed west. Honoria’s boys were Duncan, Colin, and Harrison; Jefferson’s were Jack and Sam.

Traveling with them were the Turners. Frank, Mabel, and their little boy Tom.

These were the settlers of Clear Creek, the ones who started it all. Visitors can still find information about them in the museum, with old-time photographs of the founders in their later years and even a few pieces of original Waller furniture.

Over the years, other families moved in, some rather interesting.

What made Clear Creek different was its British influence.

Honoria and her three sons had come from England with her husband, Benedict Sayer.

He died in a tragic accident before they could head West. Mr. Sayer had dreamed of starting a cattle ranch out west, but after his death Honoria faced a difficult decision.

To carry on his dream or go back to England. But there were other problems.

To join a wagon train, she had to be married.

Duncan might’ve been eighteen, but the wagon master didn’t see him as a man.

And, given his British upbringing, doubted he’d survive the Oregon Trail.

He was wrong. Duncan Sayer could more than hold his own.

He even came up with the idea to interview potential husbands for his mother.

Jefferson Cooke was the only man who passed Duncan’s scrutiny.

Old Town Clear Creek was—and still is—a delight for tourists and locals alike.

The Cooke family, who’d owned the Triple-C Ranch for generations, bought up most of the old buildings downtown and refurbished them.

The Van Cleet Hotel, a marvel in the 1800s and early 1900s, had fallen into disrepair but was lovingly restored.

The original sheriff’s office and jail still stood, along with Mulligan’s Saloon, the bank, and Dunnigan’s Mercantile.

Even the old church, set off about a hundred yards from the main street, now served as a charming little wedding chapel.

Many of the original homesteads still stood too, still owned by the same families. It was one of the things that made Clear Creek unique. The old livery stable beside the hotel remained, as did the restaurant in the hotel. All restored by the Cookes.

Today, Clear Creek boasts a population of nearly ten thousand. It’s the sort of place you’d expect to find in a Norman Rockwell painting. There are bed-and-breakfasts right in town and even a drive-in theater at the south end that runs in the summer.

All in all, it’s a wonderful place to live. The population has stayed manageable thanks to geography. Clear Creek sits in eastern Oregon near the last of the open prairies, surrounded by rolling hills that rise into the tree line of the mountains.

And of course, there’s the creek itself.

It runs through a canyon about a mile and a half outside of town.

Part of that canyon is still owned by the Cookes, who continue to run one of the largest cattle ranches in the West. Years ago, the family donated a section of land to the town, which became a beautiful public park.

Acres of green where residents still gather for the annual town picnic, just as their ancestors did.

A lot has happened since those early settlers arrived in 1849.

Certain events, however, have remained secret.

If revealed, they’d get someone locked up as a lunatic.

Or worse, dragged off to a military base.

So, those secrets stayed buried deep. After all, when you’re an original settler of Clear Creek that accidentally drinks an alien concoction that extends your life, you tend to be cautious.

And, when you have a chance to visit your hometown 120-some-odd years after you supposedly died, it’s a temptation that’s hard to resist. The little Clear Creek gang of questionable age got to spend some time in modern day Clear Creek the year before, to check on some things.

They were under the guise of innkeepers, restoring an old Victorian house.

And they got a chance to do a little matchmaking on the side.

And that’s where our story begins…

October, Present Day The Clear Creek Inn

Cyrus Van Cleet set his suitcase on the porch of the Clear Creek Inn and rang the bell.

“You could just knock and walk in,” Polly said. “It’s not like Talia and Grayson would mind.”

“They’re the owners now, Polly,” Cyrus frowned. “We can’t just barge in. That would be rude.”

Irene shoved past the others and joined him at the door. “Well, if you ask me, seeing as they’re expecting us, they’d be fine with it.” She brushed salt-and-pepper hair from her eyes, then scrunched her nose and glared at the door.

“Irene, don’t make a fuss,” Grandma said. “Wait… I think I hear something…”

The door swung open. Talia Brody gasped. “Goodness gracious! Grandma! Cyrus! Polly! You’re a day early!”

Cyrus opened his arms wide. “Hello, Talia. Give us a hug.”

She stepped into the old man’s arms and hugged him tight. “Oh my gosh, how we’ve missed you! Grayson will be so excited you’re here!” She laughed in delight and opened the door wide.

Eight elderly people filed into the inn’s foyer. Talia looked them over, her eyes landing on Paddy and Mary. “I don’t believe we’ve met,” she said.

“Indeed not, lass.” Paddy gave her a wink. “This here’s my wife Mary, and I’m Patrick, but everyone calls me Paddy. We’re the Mulligans.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you from the others. Both Grayson and I have been looking forward to meeting you.” Talia smiled, then noticed the pile of luggage. “Oh dear! I’d better fetch him to carry your bags upstairs.”

“No need, lass, we’ve got it handled,” Paddy said. “Now, which rooms are we in? Then we can get to work.”

“My, you’re that anxious to become innkeepers for a few weeks?” Talia teased, eyes bright. “I can’t tell you how good it is to see everyone, and to finally meet you, Paddy and Mary. It’s been an interesting year since we last saw the others.”

Everyone’s eyes (sans Paddy and Mary’s) drifted to her perfectly flat stomach. Irene narrowed hers. “What? Nothing on the way? No biscuits in the oven? What’s the matter with you two?”

Talia laughed. “No, I’m afraid not. Not yet. But maybe a few weeks in Hawaii will cure that. We can’t thank you enough for coming and looking after the inn while we’re gone. It was pure luck our letter even reached you.”

“Yes, wasn’t it?” Polly said with a nervous smile. “Good thing we keep that post office box handy. Not that we get back to the States much with all the traveling we’ve done. This’ll seem like a nice rest.”

“I bet it will,” Talia said. She watched Paddy hoist his and Mary’s luggage and head for the stairs.

“What room, lass?” he called over his shoulder.

“Oh, really, you don’t have to do that!” she called after him as he started his ascent. “Good grief, he’s taking two at a time.”

“Yes,” Cyrus chuckled, “Paddy likes to work out a lot.”

“You’re in room two, but someone will have to bring the key!” Talia called up the stairwell.

“Not a problem, lass,” Paddy shouted back. “Ooh, what a nice hallway!”

Mary shook her head. “You’ll have to excuse him, he’s very excited to be here.”

Talia hurried behind the counter and handed Mary a key. “Here, if you’d like to join him and open the door.”

“Thank ye.” Mary smiled and headed upstairs.

Talia watched her go, then turned to the others. “I didn’t realize they were both Irish. What a lovely couple.” She smiled at the remaining six. “Grandma!” She hugged her, then the rest in turn. When she finished, Talia wiped tears from her eyes.

“Now we’ll have none of that,” Grandma scolded gently. “Land sakes, child, it’s only been a year.”

“Yes,” Talia agreed. “But if not for you, Grayson and I wouldn’t be so happily married.”

Irene eyed her. “You sure you don’t have anything in the oven?”

“Irene,” Wilfred said. “Leave the poor girl alone.” He sniffed the air. “Well, okay, she’s got something in the oven, but not what you think.”

Talia laughed. “It’s a roast! Our dinner. I’m sure there’ll be enough for everyone. I made an extra-big one.”

“Splendid!” Doc rubbed his hands together. “Now, if you’ll give us our keys, we’ll get settled. Then you can give us a tour. I want to see what the two of you have done with the place.”

“I want to see Grayson,” Wilfred said. “Where is he?”

“He’s out back raking leaves. Let me get your keys, then I’ll fetch him.” She hurried behind the counter, pulled keys from cubbies, and passed them out. That done, she hurried off to find her husband. The three couples headed upstairs, Irene and Wilfred bringing up the rear.

“We’d better have a quick meeting, don’t you think?” Wilfred suggested.

“Good idea,” Cyrus said. “We need some ground rules. Last year, while we were here working on this place, we kept to ourselves. This time we’ll be out in public, and that might not go so well if we aren’t careful.”

“You worry too much,” Grandma said. “Besides, we’ll only be going between here and that coffee shop.” She turned to Doc. “What’s it called again?”

“Come now, Grandma, your memory isn’t that bad.”

“I know,” she said primly. “But I have to practice being forgetful, don’t I? Speaking of which, everybody slow down, we’re moving too fast for our age.”

They all exchanged the same knowing look and continued up the stairs at a slower pace. The elixir they drank had not only extended their life span, (by a lot) but they were much stronger and faster. Even if they did still look old.

Everyone dropped their luggage in their rooms, then gathered in Doc and Grandma’s.

“All right,” Doc said, glancing around the group.

“You all know what needs doing. We’re here to help out Talia and Grayson and their friends, Tilly and Jack Comfort.

I don’t know which Comforts they’re descended from, but I’m sure we’ll find out.

Now, four of us can manage the inn while the other four work at the coffee shop.

We’ll rotate so everyone gets a turn working at Pleasant Beans. ”

“Personally, I can’t wait to work in the coffee shop,” Grandma said. “It’ll give me an excuse to bake pies, and we can sell them by the slice.”

“Cookies too,” Irene added. “And maybe some fresh bread?”

“Settle down, ladies!” Cyrus chuckled. “First, we need to find out the rules for Pleasant Beans. I hear it’s something called a cat café.

They’ve got a few critters wandering around the shop.

That’s why we need a meeting with Talia, Grayson, Tilly and Jack.

We want everything to go smoothly while they’re on vacation. ”

“We should go to Hawaii someday,” Paddy called from the hall. “I think it would be grand!”

“I think it’ll be hot,” Mary replied. “But fun.”

“Never mind vacations,” Cyrus said. “We’re here to do a job, the inn and the coffee shop. And if we happen to see an opportunity for a little matchmaking…” He rocked heel-to-toe, hands in his pockets, grinning at the others.

Each knew exactly what he meant. They were masters at matchmaking, always had been. And now, with their new situation in life and a little extra time (okay, a lot of extra time) on their hands, they could play matchmaker for years to come.

“All right, everyone, be on your best behavior,” Cyrus said. “Watch what you say. And stay far, far away from the museum.”

They all nodded solemnly, then headed downstairs to meet up with Talia and Grayson.