Chapter 9
Valerie Masterson
The golden afternoon sun warmed my skin as we walked back to the inn.
We basked in the glow of the day’s light, and my arms glistened with perspiration.
The warmth here is nothing like back home, and it would take some time to become accustomed to it.
I looked at Emily, and it was no surprise that she was tired after our day at the festival.
Watching Emily enjoy herself today reminded me of my youth, running through the sprinklers on a summer afternoon and waiting for the sound of the ice cream truck coming around the corner.
It’s funny how life is when you’re young and have no responsibilities.
Today, surrounded by the festival’s infectious energy, I lost track of time.
I suppose I was swept up in the joyous moments and laughter around me. Before I knew it, my job was the last thing on my mind. Tomorrow, I’ll be ready to refocus and dive back into my responsibilities and inquire about available real estate. Hmm, why wait until tomorrow?
“Mr. Woods?”
“Yes?”
“Do you know whom I can speak to about property for sale?”
He paused and shot me a glare sharp enough to cut like a knife. “There’s nothing quite like having someone ruin a lovely day by draining all the fun out of it.”
“Pardon me?”
“You heard me.”
I was appalled at his rudeness. “There’s no reason to be a jacka…lope.” I stopped my self from calling him a jackass. I took a deep breath to calm myself. I didn’t want Emily’s tender ears to hear what I thought of her father.
“Daddy, what’s a jackalope?”
“It’s a jackrabbit with antelope horns, known as a mythical creature.”
“Sounds cute, but dangerous.” He stood there with an air of self-satisfaction, nodding as though I had complimented him, which was certainly not the case.
I glared back at him. “If you’ll excuse me. Thank you for allowing me to join you both today. Emily, it was a pleasure spending time with you.” I didn’t wait for a response and stormed back toward the inn.
There was no way that I was going to let some man get under my skin like a tick.
Before I knew it, I quickly made it to my room.
I opened the door and slammed it behind me.
I paced back and forth, unable to calm down.
In frustration, I grabbed the pillow, placed it over my face, and screamed.
If there were a gym nearby, I’d use a punching bag to release the anger I’m feeling in my gut.
I can’t help it; this man is driving me insane. It’s like hanging out with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. They say women have ridiculous mood swings when they’re on their periods. What about men? This guy is so frustrating. He’s lucky I didn’t punch him in the throat and wipe that smug grin off his face.
I don’t know why he’s not with the mother of his child, but I have a pretty good idea of what drove her away. The man would drive any woman crazy. I huffed out a breath; my decision was final. I decided I no longer needed Wyatt to help me. What he can do is kiss my ass.
I take a deep breath, hold it for a count of four, exhale for another count of four, and repeat this process until the stress I’m feeling levels out and my breathing becomes calm again. My cell phone rings, interrupting the calm I was experiencing. I pulled the phone from my dress pocket.
“Hello?”
“Valerie. I wanted to see how you’re settling into town?”
“Mr. Graves, things are going a little slow right now.”
“How so?”
“I’ve already run into a few of the townsfolk and they’re not keen on outsiders.”
“I’m sure there are others in town that will fall under your charm.”
“Thank you for your vote of confidence, Mr. Graves.”
“Keep up the good work Valerie and let me know if you need any assistance.” He hung up before I could go into detail about the obstacles that we were running into.
I think I’m a little bit more disappointed in myself than he is.
It’s nice to see that someone has that much trust in me.
Gosh, I’d give anything for a drink right now.
However, there’s no way I’m going to go alone looking for a place to drink. As I glanced at the bedside table, the clock caught my eye, its hands boldly declaring it was 5:45 PM. The warm glow of the afternoon light spilled into the room, hinting that the day was well on its way to winding down.
My stomach rumbles, but I don’t know if I can eat right now, although I know I should. I scroll through my phone to see if there are any missed calls or messages and see none. I’m sure Devin is still sleeping off this virus he caught. I message him to ask if he wants me to bring back any food.
I walked downstairs and proceeded to the dining area, aiming to avoid Wyatt and Emily and any further confrontation.
Carrying a tray, I navigated through the buffet, yet nothing appealed to me.
I yearn for the familiar comfort of soup served in a sourdough bread bowl, reminiscent of meals I find in San Francisco on Pier thirty-nine.
“Valerie?’ I turned my head to see Mrs. Woods standing in the doorway. She looks as exhausted as I feel, but I doubt that she’s tired from dealing with Wyatt’s attitude. “Would you care for some company?”
“I’d like that.” I fill up my plate with a salad and dressing and grab another piece of garlic bread. We agreed to sit down near the window, and she joined me with a cup of tea. I noticed the aroma of the tea had hints of floral, fruit, and honey.
“How did things go today?” I bite my lip trying to think of how to answer her. “That bad, huh?”
“It started well, but honestly, I don’t think I accomplished much today.”
“Well…if you’d like, I can take you to meet a couple of people in town on Friday.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to be a bother.”
“It’s my pleasure.” She took a sip from her cup. “I get to visit with everyone, and it gives me an excuse to take a break from working.”
“That would be lovely. Thank you.”
She looked at my plate, and her expression slid into a frown. “Did you not like the available food choices?”
I waved my hands. “Oh, not in the least. I just didn’t have much of an appetite. So I decided to eat something light.”
“Don’t let work or other matters affect eating properly.”
“I’ll do my best to remember that.” I smiled back at her.
“What do you say we meet here in the lobby, say after nine-thirty?”
“That would be perfect.”
∞∞∞
The morning weather was heating up nicely. After hearing from Devin a few minutes ago, I’m eager to meet more of the townsfolk, especially since he’s feeling better. His task this morning was to head to the library for research.
Meanwhile, I’ll be looking into the surrounding property and making an appointment to see the mayor. With a little pep in my step, I make my way to the lobby after breakfast. Its design reminds me of a log cabin with its warm tones and wood accents.
I waited at the window facing east, the view, an open field of wildflowers. It was quite beautiful.
“Good morning, Valerie. I hope you haven’t been waiting long.”
“Not at all. I was enjoying the view.”
“That old field, there ain’t nothing to see there.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, what are those flowers called? They have a beautiful shade of blue.”
“Those are bluebonnets. It’s not the scientific name; however, they are the official flower of Texas.”
“Really? They’re quite lovely.”
“Normally, they don’t flower at this time, but you know we’ve been having unusual weather lately. The flowers are probably confused, thinking it’s still spring.” I chuckled to myself about her reasoning for the flowers blooming. “Come on, let me show you the true beauty of this ole town.”
She was prepared to go, dressed in a pair of jeans, a white button-down blouse, and cowboy boots. I followed her outside to an older pickup truck. She rounded to the driver’s side and climbed in. Upon entering the vehicle, she leaned over and pulled on the latch mechanism to unlock the door for me.
We drove around town, and she pointed out places of interest and told me about the city’s history. She pulled into a space in front of the town square. The square was adorned with beautiful flower beds, creating a welcoming and picturesque scene.
A gentle breeze carried the scent of freshly baked bread from a nearby bakery, and the sound of a street musician sitting in front of a record shop playing a cheerful tune, added to the lively ambiance.
As we walked along the sidewalk, Abby greeted each person we passed by.
I would have guessed she’s well respected if I hadn’t known it by now.
We stopped in every store from the beauty salon to an antique store to the bakery, where I purchased a pecan pie, and a dessert called kolach.
I was told that kolach is a pastry filled with cream cheese and dried fruit.
It reminds me of a Danish pastry, which is buttery and made of a puff pastry.
I must leave soon before I purchase more unnecessary desserts.
“Is there anything else I can get you?” The young lady waits patiently as my eyes gaze at the display case again.
“No, I think that’s everything. Thanks.” She’s diligent about packing my desserts to go. After ringing me up, I thanked the store owner, Ms. Hansen, for her hospitality and for making time out of her day to meet me.
Our next stop is the furniture store on Maple. The sign on the door says it was established in 1968. The store is filled with what looks like handcrafted furniture. All with gorgeous curves and lines. We’re met by an older gentleman whose eyes sparkle upon introduction.
“Good morning, ladies. I take it the baked goods are not for me? What can I help you with?”
“Howdy, Harold, how are you? Remember, I told you I was coming by to introduce you to Ms. Valerie Masterson of Phoenix Construction? Well, Valerie, this is Harold Welch, owner of Welch and Sons Furniture.”
“It’s so nice to meet you, Mr. Welch.” I put out my hand and waited for him to reply, but he didn’t reciprocate the gesture. I slowly bring my hand down back to my side. “The furniture you have here is beautiful.”
“Did you wanna buy something?”
“I would love to. However, I doubt you’d ship to California.”
His eyes lit up. “We can ship anywhere.”
“That’s awesome. Perhaps after I’m done with my current job assignment, I’ll take you up on that.”
“There are rumors you want to close businesses down.” He studies me. The corners of my lips curled into a smile.
“No, sir. That’s the last thing I’m here for. Can we have a seat somewhere?”
He waves towards a dinner table with seating for six.
I place my bag down on the ground and pull out a chair.
We sat across from each other, and I explained to him my employers’ ideas.
He listened intently and never interrupted me.
He just nods as I let him know that we’re in the business of building and not tearing down.
I then asked him questions about what kind of changes he would like to see. Most of the residents I’ve spoken to complain about how far it is to the nearest hospital. His response is no different. However, there seems to be something the residents are holding back, and I can’t put my finger on it.
“Thank you for your time and honesty, Mr. Welch. I’ll be going now.” I stand and gather my things, then he walks us to the door.
“Ms. Masterson.”
I turned back to see his face. “Yes?”
“It was a pleasure to meet you.” He holds out his hand, this time waiting for me to reply. I shift my bag to my left side and shake his hand. “The pleasure was all mine, Mr. Welch.”
Abby and I make one more stop at the deli for a sandwich. We sat in the park and had lunch together. A cedar elm gives us shade from the sun as clouds hover out in the distance.
“You did well.” Abby says before she bites into her sandwich.
“How so?”
“I think you may have won over old man Welch.”
“I hope so. You know, he reminds me of a science teacher I had back in high school.”
“Did he act like an old mule?” I laughed out loud at her description.
“He sure did. However, I wouldn’t call Mr. Welch an old mule. I think he was more open to change than my teacher was.”
“I think Howard thought you spoke eloquently about your company and so do I.” She winked at me, and it spurred me to continue on the path I was headed.