Chapter Eight #3
Bailey was really playing her part. She was acting like the perfect plus-one, hanging on to his every word and looking at him as if he’d hung the moon. He didn’t think he had ever felt this sort of rush before.
A few minutes later an attractive woman with long hair and glasses approached them. She immediately gave Bailey a hug. Bailey turned toward him. “Landon, I’d like you to meet my mother, Cheryl Daniels.”
Cheryl was a lovely woman who greeted him with a sweet smile, exuding warmth. She didn’t particularly resemble Bailey, which made him wonder if she took after her father.
“It may be hard to believe,” Cheryl told him, “but the last time I saw you, Landon, you were a little tyke.” She looked up at him. “You’ve grown a lot,” she said, sounding amazed.
“My mother used to always say that my brothers and I ate her out of house and home.” He let out a chuckle. “She’s always been a fantastic cook.”
“Daisy, right? We used to belong to the same knitting circle. We had our meetings at the coffee shop on Main Street. She was a lovely woman.”
“Thank you,” Caleb said. “She actually came back to Alaska recently for my brother’s engagement party.” Landon shook his head, still feeling in disbelief over the fact that Daisy hadn’t been back to Moose Falls in twenty years.
“That sounds really special,” Cheryl said. “I was just saying hello to your father.”
Landon craned his neck, looking around the room. “I didn’t know he was here. I guess the rooms are starting to fill up.”
“It’s awfully nice of Hattie to throw such a wonderful party. She’s always been known for being so warm and welcoming,” Cheryl gushed. “I’m gonna go over and say hello to her. She’s been surrounded by people ever since I got here, but I think I see an opening.”
Bailey touched her mother’s arm as she walked past. The gesture was full of love and connection. They both looked over and watched as Cheryl greeted Hattie. Now that Landon knew the backstory, he could see the tight bond between the women. Time had done nothing to diminish it.
“Do you want to see something?” Bailey asked. “Something I remember from hanging out here as a kid?”
“You hung out here as a kid?” Landon asked.
She smiled. “I sure did. And I know all the secrets of this castle.”
“My brothers did, too, and I’m guessing I tagged along. My memories are a bit hazy, though, since I was so young,” he explained.
“I loved hanging out in Hattie’s special room,” she whispered.
“She has a special room?” His brothers had recounted many a tale about their grandmother’s house and the adventures they had all shared, but he couldn’t remember a special room.
“Come on,” Bailey said. “I’m sure you went in there at least once or twice.”
“Wait a minute,” he said as a distant, murky memory tugged at him.
There had been a room with gauzy curtains and a full-length antique mirror.
He remembered getting yelled at by their mother for being caught in the off-limits room.
“I have a vague memory of a room we weren’t supposed to snoop around in. ”
She tugged at his arm and said, “Follow me. Hopefully I can find it after all these years.”
Landon steered Bailey toward the back staircase that led upstairs. This way, he figured, fewer people would see them dip out. When they reached the second story, Bailey looked around. “I think it was upstairs on the third floor.”
Since he’d been back living at the house, Landon hadn’t done much exploring on the third floor.
The night of Xavier and True’s engagement party, Caleb had gotten stuck up in the attic with Sophia.
Just thinking about that evening made him smile.
They had rescued them just as Caleb ripped his pants off after being bitten by carpenter ants.
The story was so hilarious it belonged in the Stone brothers’ archives.
They went up another flight with Bailey leading the way. “There, that’s it,” she said, pointing to the first door on the right. “Let’s hope it isn’t locked.”
He watched as she gently turned the doorknob. The door gave way, and she let out a little cry of triumph. “We’re in,” she said, beckoning Landon to follow her inside the room.
“I almost feel like a little kid all over again,” he whispered.
“Why are you whispering?” Bailey asked. “We’re all alone up here. No one can hear us from all the way downstairs, especially with the music playing.”
He shrugged. “Force of habit, I suppose. When we were kids, this room was taboo. If I’m being honest, it still feels that way.”
“I guess I’m corrupting you then,” Bailey said, wiggling her eyebrows.
Bailey turned on a lamp sitting on a desk.
Suddenly the room was suffused with light, giving them a glimpse of the setup and décor.
The color scheme was pale pink and gold.
A pink divan sofa sat in the corner next to a plush chair.
A small shelf was overflowing with paperback books.
The chamber looked like a sanctuary, although Landon had the impression it hadn’t been used in quite some time.
Bailey walked over toward one of the curtains and pulled it back. A little hutch was there, and she began tugging at the knobs. It swung open to reveal a small window. “Come look, Landon. It’s just as charming as I remember.”
Landon crossed the room and bent over to look out the window. There was a roof walk outside. “Wait. It might not be safe,” Landon called, grabbing her arm to stop her from going any farther.
“It looks pretty sturdy to me.”
“No, it does not,” he told her, taking his foot and pressing down on the roof walk. A squeaking sound rang out.
“Okay, maybe you’re right. Let’s just sit on the sill and look out over Moose Falls.” She sat down on the sill and moved over to make room for him. She held out her arms.
“From up here you can see forever. With the wind whipping in your hair and a full view of the night sky, you almost feel as if you’re soaring and at one with the universe.”
Landon let out a low whistle and looked around him. Bailey was right. It was a tranquil spot with a clear view of the property and a sky full of stars. He imagined that in the daytime one would be able to see the mountains looming in the distance.
Honestly, he was feeling all kinds of starry-eyed. It was as if he’d been swept away to another place and time. And it had everything to do with being alone in this epic spot with Bailey.