The Inn at Rose Harbor Read Online Free Page B

reached for a pen and paper, quickly compiling a list of things he wanted to collect from the house. His mother’s Bible was the first item he noted, along with her cameo. He’d give that to his daughter, if he were to have one. He also wanted to retrieve his letterman jacket and his high school yearbook from his senior year, both of which he’d paid for himself. He’d been unable to take them when Richard had kicked him out of the house. His stepfather wouldn’t allow it.
    An hour after his phone call with Michelle, Josh rang the doorbell to the Nelsons’ house.
    “Josh?” she asked, greeting him with a welcoming smile.
    Surely there was some mistake. The person standing on the other side of the glass door couldn’t be Michelle. The woman who stood before him was tall and slim and … strikingly attractive.
    “Michelle?” he asked, unable to disguise his shock.
    “Yes,” she laughed softly, “it’s me. I guess you haven’t seen me since I lost the weight, have you?”
    It was all Josh could do to close his mouth and not stare.

Chapter 3
    Josh followed Michelle into her parents’ home, still trying to assimilate the fact that the beautiful woman in front of him was Michelle Nelson. It was difficult to believe that the overweight teenager he remembered and this svelte woman were one and the same.
    “Coffee?” she asked as she headed into the kitchen.
    “Ah, sure.” Josh’s head continued to buzz. He wanted to ask her what had happened, but realized it might be rude.
    Michelle filled a mug and handed it to him.
    Josh had a difficult time keeping his eyes off her. He suddenly realized why he hadn’t seen her at Dylan’s funeral—he simply hadn’t recognized her. She could have been standing directly in front of him, and for all he knew they might even have spoken. Heremembered briefly talking to several people, a couple of whom he hadn’t been able to place.
    Josh continued to stare at her from above the rim of the coffee mug.
    “Are you so shocked?” she asked, grinning widely. She stood on one side of the kitchen counter and he remained on the other.
    He nodded, hardly knowing what else to say.
    “I’m not the same girl I was in high school,” she assured him. “And frankly, I’m glad.”
    “Clearly, you’ve changed.” He pulled out the stool and sat down.
    “We all do, don’t you think? You’re not the same as when you left Cedar Cove, are you?”
    Josh conceded the point. “No, and like you, I’m grateful.” As a teenager he’d been hotheaded and angry. He’d just lost his mother and his stepfather had rejected him. He didn’t want to think about those days, and was glad he didn’t need to repeat them.
    “What can you tell me about Richard?” he asked.
    She took a moment to consider the question. “Not much has changed about Mr. Lambert, personality-wise,” Michelle said.
    “You mean he’s still cantankerous, stubborn, unreasonable, proud, and difficult?” Although Josh made it sound like a joke, he was serious. That was the Richard he remembered. If anything, Josh assumed Dylan’s death and old age had probably intensified his stepfather’s negative traits, although he hoped otherwise.
    “Basically, yes,” Michelle laughed, holding on to her coffee mug with both hands, halfway to her mouth. “He should be in a nursing home or some other care facility, but he won’t hear of it.”
    “Same old Richard.” Josh knew his stepfather must have put up quite a fight to remain in his own home. He couldn’t fault Richard for that—he would have done the same.
    “Same old Richard,” Michelle echoed.
    “What about hospice?”
    Michelle lifted one slender shoulder. “He’s refused to discuss it. He told me he doesn’t want a bunch of people drooling sympathy, hanging around waiting for him to die.”
    Josh shook his head. He’d expected that Richard would be difficult even though he was close to death. Why change now?
    He took one last sip of his coffee and set the