Phoebe was doing her best to ease the tensions, though, and she met Sorrow’s eye with a smile. “You deserve the help.” The sentiment notched the woman higher in Marlene’s estimation.

Laura straightened, brightened. “I’d love to transform this place from a dusty old hunting lodge into a cute destination resort.”

“Oh, that would be charming. I’ve always thought the lodge had such potential.” Phoebe’s gaze swept the room, coming to rest on a pair of antlers over the dining table.

Laura laughed, catching her line of sight. “The first order of business would be to lose the animal heads.”

Sorrow sat silently, practically quivering, and Marlene tried to ease the tension. “Some of us like a little local flavor.”

“I’d keep some flavor, for sure. I’m talking to an old friend about designing a Web site, and it’d totally telegraph that gold rush town feeling.”

Sorrow’s mouth tightened. “Have you talked to Dad about this? Because you sure haven’t talked to me.”

“Not yet, not yet.” Laura shooed her hand. “I’m pulling together the marketing plan now. It’ll be comprehensive—addressing new interior design, an Internet presence—and it’ll all tie into what I’ve got in mind for the festival. I thought we could even have a gold rush menu, with Sully’s Prospector’s Pie of course, and maybe even feature a special gold rush dinner that Sorrow could make. How about it, sis? You up for it? You could debut it at the festival.”

Sorrow didn’t get a chance to answer before Dabney came to gather his wife. Once the Simmonses left, she rounded on Laura. “If you haven’t noticed, this dusty old tavern is open for business, so now is not the time to be gabbing about your grand takeover plans.”

“Please don’t—” fret, Marlene was about to say.

“It’s never the right time for you,” Laura snapped. “And I’m not trying to take over.”

Marlene took a big sip of her water.

Sorrow crossed her arms at her chest. “Well it sure looks that way. You go around second-guessing everything I do. Don’t you have enough to do in your fancy job? Do you need mine, too? Don’t forget, you were the one who couldn’t run for the door fast enough.”

“How could I forget when you remind me every time I’m home? What is your problem, anyway? I’m just trying to help.”

“You scheming about how to redecorate is so not helpful.”

Laura pouted. “I thought you’d like my gold rush dinner idea.”

“Sure, of course. It’s cute. And it’s not the point.”

“Then what is the point? You’ve barely got a handle on things around here.” She swept her arm, gesturing to the room. “Why are you so resistant to accepting my help? Like with the festival.” Laura pinned her eyes on Marlene. “Tell her, Marlene. I feel like I’ve contributed a lot to the planning.”

Marlene swallowed. “Oh dear, I…”

Edith appeared in a trice, aware of her girls’ tension like a sixth sense. She gave them a scolding look. “Our dinners are up, and I’m sure Marlene is hungry. I know I am.” She took her elder daughter’s arm, tugging her up from her seat. “Laura, honey, would you help me bring out our plates? Helen is still too shaken up.”

Sorrow and Marlene were left alone. The younger woman dropped her head in her hands. “I’m sorry. It was unacceptable to do that in front of you. I just…I haven’t gotten much sleep, I think, and it’s been a pretty emotional week. I’m so sorry.”

“Oh, hush.” She took Sorrow’s hand. “Whatever are you apologizing for?”

“For me and my stupid sister.” She sat up, but her shoulders remained slumped. “Nothing is going right today.”

“Do you think this is the first sisterly fight I’ve seen? Don’t forget who I live with.” She had to smile. “Don’t give it a second thought. You’re young. You both are. You’ll figure it all out.” She watched Laura standing at the pass-through, balancing plates on her arms. “Consider forgiving your sister. The old cliché is true: life it just too darned short not to. Open your mind to your sister’s ideas. I happen to think a little change around here would be a grand idea. And if Laura decides to stay in Sierra Falls for a while, then good on her for following her heart.”

And, Marlene thought, it was high time she did the same.

Thirty-three

Several days had passed since Billy and Sorrow had received their wake-up call that’d outed their relationship to the town. Now he was back in the Bailey house, sitting stiffly, wondering if it would be expected or frowned upon to grab a beer from the fridge. He’d already erred once, choosing what was apparently Edith’s preferred spot on the couch. Not that Sorrow’s mom was going to be watching any basketball with him and Bear.

When her dad brought up the Colorado/Brigham Young game, Billy had jumped at the chance to join him. He had a thing or two to say to the man, but so far, the bulk of the conversation had gone something like Bear grunting, “Colorado, huh?” and Billy replying, “Yes, sir. Econ major.”

But he couldn’t complain. In fact, he was shocked Sorrow’s dad had even remembered his alma mater, and it made him think that there was more going on in Bear’s head than the old grump let on. It was progress.

Sorrow popped her head in, looking mischievous. “You boys need anything in here?”

Billy let his eyes devour her for a moment. “Oh, I think I’ve got all I need,” he said, but the look that passed between them said something more like, when can we be alone again?

She shot a glance at Bear to make sure his attention was on the TV, then gave Billy a saucy look meant for his eyes only.

He waited a full minute before he sprang up off the couch. “If you’ll excuse me, I think I should see if your daughter needs any help.”

And it wasn’t totally a lie—he’d hoped his presence around the house might help Sorrow a bit, both with the general workload and with the sisterly and fatherly tensions that permeated the air, thick enough to cut with a knife.

He came up behind her where she was wiping down the counter, “I’m here to help.”

“Are you kidding? Watching a game with my dad is above and beyond.”

“Just getting to know the man better.” He swept aside her hair, revealing a stretch of pale neck. Seeing tension in her shoulders, he snatched the sponge from her hand and tossed it aside, easing her arms to her sides to massage away her stress. “You know I’m in this for the long haul.”

“I like the sound of that.” She leaned back against him, releasing a huge sigh like the weight of the world slipping from her shoulders. She was so soft and inviting pressed against him, his body tightened, reaching for her. “Well hello, Sheriff,” she said with a giggle. She nestled back against him. “I like the feel of it, too.”

All rational thought fled his brain. He swooped her up, spun her around, and seated her on the counter. Slowly, he glided his hands up her thighs, separating them, pushing between her legs to stand closer. “You’re lucky your dad is in the next room.” He nuzzled his way up that luscious neck, whispering against her mouth. “Because I’m of a mind to have you right here, right now, on this counter.”

She laughed wickedly, and he loved the sound of it, the sound of her, free and easy. “I thought you were here to help,” she said.

“I’m not helping?” His hand found her breast, and she sucked in a breath.

“You’re evil.”

“Nah.” He leaned close to nibble on her ear. “I’m a force for good. What do you say we head upstairs, and I can show you just how good?”

She grabbed two fistfuls of his hair and pulled his mouth to hers, kissing him deeply.

If he’d thought he was turned on before, the feel of her taking what she wanted from him sent him over the edge. “You’re killing me,” he said, when she parted.

“Now you know how it feels.” She slid from the counter, a slow glide down the front of his body. “And now, I need to get this place in order. We have two parties of two coming in this afternoon. A Big Bear Lodge record.”

The lights flickered, and it took Billy a moment to realize it was the faltering electricity and not some side effect of his desire, like his vision wavering from total frustration. But then there was sudden silence as the power shut down for good.

Sorrow’s hands convulsed, gripping his shirt tight. He could see her eyes pop wide open in the darkness. “What was that?”

He smoothed his hands along her shoulders, easing her. “It’s okay. I’m sure it’s just a simple power outage.” Actually, he wasn’t so sure, and he wasn’t about to take any chances.

She gave a nervous laugh, holding a hand at her chest, looking rattled. “Sorry. Just a little jumpy these days.”

“We all are.” He was attuned to her, but he sent a part of his senses outward, listening. “Where’s the fuse box?”

“Garage.”

That meant she’d be safe inside. “You wait here,” he told her.

Bear shouted from the other room, “What the hell was that?”

“That man,” Sorrow whispered, exasperated. She laughed again, sounding a little more like herself. “Well isn’t this great? We’ve got guests on their way, and now no electricity.”

He planted a kiss on her forehead and stepped from her. He had a hard time believing this really was a simple outage—where the Bailey lodge was concerned, nothing struck him as simple as it appeared. “I’ll go see if you blew a fuse.”

She grabbed the front of his shirt, stopping him. “Hey, rain check on the whole force for good thing.”

“You got it, darlin’.” He swooped in, stealing one last hard, quick kiss. “I will cash that rain check.”