Not the One Read online

  “Yeah, just in the morning,” she said, waving her off. “With Ms. Neil passing and the new owner getting up to speed, things have been a bit crazy.”

  Gen’s stomach dropped. “No. Huh? What? When?” she stammered in shock.

  Delaney’s eyes widened. “You didn’t know?” she asked slowly, shaking her head while Gen braced her hand to the desk. Memories flooded Gen’s mind as she watched Delaney take a deep breath. “Yeah, it was quick, a heart attack.”

  Tears rushed to her eyes. “I hadn’t known. When?”

  “It’s been about four years now, right after the last time you were here.”

  “What? Really?”

  “Yeah, I sent you a notice for her funeral. I was bummed you didn’t show.”

  “I never got it.”

  “Well, that’s too bad. It was a town affair, you know how we do around here.”

  Gen nodded as she drew in a breath. She hadn’t been expecting that, but then, it was stupid of her to assume everything would be the same. “So are you running the place now?”

  Delaney waved her off once more. “Oh no, girl. I only work here when I’m needed. You know I have like eight jobs.”

  Gen laughed. Delaney was insane. The girl didn’t have to work like she did, but ever since Gen had met her, she’d kept so many jobs. Delaney hated being bored and sitting like her mawmaw. So she worked, and she loved it. “You’re crazy.”

  “No, me?” she joked, and they shared a laugh.

  “How’s your mawmaw?”

  “Good, crazy.”

  Gen smiled. That was good to hear. “Your sister?”

  “Great, doing big things up in New York. You hear she’s gonna be on True Love Seekers?”

  Gen scoffed. “No.”

  “Yes,” Delaney said, rolling her eyes at the popular reality show for people who were looking for “the one.” “Pathetic.”

  “But funny.”

  Delaney laughed before grabbing a key and holding it out to Gen. “This is true. So here you go, the Zoe Jayne suite.”

  Her brows shot up. “What?”

  Delaney just grinned. “Oh yeah, we have a suite just for you.”

  “When did that happen?” While she was completely taken aback by the sentiment, it did please her to no end. Made her feel all kinds of special.

  “A couple years back. The new owner found the books you had dedicated to Ms. Neil and decided that the room you always requested would be yours. Did you not get the announcement about your room?”

  Gen shook her head. “What? No?”

  “Your mail sucks.”

  “It does,” she decided, taking the key. “But holy crap, that’s so nice,” she gushed, leaning on the desk as she rubbed her thumb along the key. “Who’s the owner? Do I know them?”

  Delaney just shrugged, not making eye contact for the first time since Gen had known her. “I think so, but they don’t want me to tell you.”

  Her brows pulled together. “Not tell me? Why on earth?”

  “Yeah, I don’t know, girl,” she said, rolling her eyes. “S-she’s weird.”

  “She?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Hmm.” Gen thought that over. “I have no clue.”

  “Yeah,” Delaney laughed. “But yeah, why don’t you go get settled? The porch is open for you, and just let me know when you want dinner.”

  They hugged once more, and then Gen smiled. “Thanks, Delaney.”

  “Of course, and by the way, you owe me a drink.”

  Gen laughed, nodding her head. “I feel you owe me.”

  “Probably. But we need to go out while you’re here, to catch up too.”

  “Do we still have to go outside of town?”

  Delaney grinned. “You know it. We’re still drier than a nun’s cooch around these parts.”

  Gen exhaled as she kept in her laughter. “Depressing.”

  “It is. We make whiskey but can’t even drink it here.”

  Both women laughed before Gen waved, heading up to her room with a grin on her face. Man, she loved this town. Her heart ached for Ms. Neil, and she wished she had known. But then she remembered there was a room just for her. That was insane and amazing. She just wished Ms. Neil were here to share it with her.

  Once she got to the room, she unlocked the door and pushed it open as her grin grew. The room, which used to be called the Hummingbird and was a soft pink, was now a bright yellow with dark furniture. Yellow was Gen’s favorite color. A painting of the lake was on the wall, along with a big framed print of the cover of her first book. Breathless, she walked in, shutting the door behind her as she took in the room, the classiness of it. It blew her away.

  But when she noticed a table that held all her books, she covered her mouth.

  “Wow,” she breathed as she took out her phone and took a picture. Without thinking, she sent it to her mom and then to Montgomery. Her mom wrote back automatically.

  Mom: Oh, Genny. That is amazing! I’ll need to go stay!

  Before she could write her mother back though, Montgomery wrote back.

  Montgomery: So they have a room with your books, and because of that, they’re naming it after you?

  Rolling her eyes, she tucked her phone into her back pocket.

  She wouldn’t let him ruin this.

  No.

  Because this room, the people here, this place, were the start to a trip she needed more than she ever could have realized.

  Chapter Five

  The air was crisp and fresh as Gen stood in the middle of what Spring Grove called their town square. In the middle of the square was the fountain showcasing small children playing in the most epic water battle. It was supposed to be modeled after Old Man McElroy’s three boys and his daughter. They were trouble growing up from what she’d heard. Though now, they were all pretty successful but maybe still a bit crazy. She hadn’t seen them yet, but she was sure she would. She always did, and boy, were they gorgeous. Which reminded her that she really needed to go on up the hill and check out the distillery. Old Man McElroy would be upset if she didn’t check in with him.

  But for now, she would explore. With a grin on her lips that was as wide as Kentucky Lake, Gen took in the splendor that was Spring Grove. Around the town square were all the brick buildings that made up downtown. It was almost like an old Western town, all the buildings side by side. The post office, court, and jail all sat together. Though Gen was sure no one had been in that jail in years. As she walked by, she looked ahead at where the stores began. Big windows gave a peek inside, but usually, they were full of whatever the store was selling. Big beautiful flowerpots were everywhere, and in the trees were lights that she knew shone brightly at night. It was all so beautiful, and nothing had changed.

  Just like she’d hoped it hadn’t.

  “Well, holy crap, is that the town celebrity?”

  Gen turned and almost came out of her skin when Delaney’s mawmaw grinned back at her. Pearl Abbot held her arms open, and Gen went into them, hugging the short, round lady hard as her eyes fell shut. Within seconds, Gen realized she had missed Pearl more than she should have. But how could she not? As they parted, Gen drank in her honorary mawmaw. She had aged in the years that had passed, but her blue eyes were blazing. Her puffy white hair was in a high bun that was probably held together with loads of Aqua Net. She had bright red lips and an even brighter red jumpsuit.

  “Mawmaw,” she gushed as Pearl held her face in her hands.

  “I swear, you’re even prettier than the last time I saw you. How long has that been? Five years?”

  “Around that,” Gen said, covering the older woman’s hands with her own. “How are you?”

  “Alive, kicking, driving my grandbabies crazy.”

  “They wouldn’t want it any other way.”

  “Tell that to Delaney. I’m sure she’s about to kill me.”

  “Never,” Gen said, waving her off as they parted.

  “I have a bone to pick with you, though. Wh