Page 69 of Mountain Bean Dream
“Your castle with outdated wood panelling?” Jeremy said, laughing with a teasing lilt to his words.
“It’s calledvintage charm,right, Grandma Jesse-Marie?” I shot back, sliding the chamomile tea in front of her.
As it was, I couldn’t tap into my trust fund for another couple of years, so until then, I was making do at the motel. Truth of the matter, I actually enjoyed it—the serenity of the location, the close proximity to the small town, and to how close my Jeremy was—but when the time came, it would be tough to find something so close to the water with the mountain view allaround.
Grandma’s laugh was soft but genuine. “Well, I’m glad you’ve made yourself at home. And I hear the band’s been keeping you busy?”
My chest warmed. “It has. We’ve got our first autumn concert coming up next month. Playing in the band has been one of the best parts of being here.”
I tossed my gaze to community board at the entrance to the Coffee Loft. Per Elliot’s request, I had posted a flyer about the upcoming events.
Jeremy leaned back in his chair, grinning. “You should’ve seen her at rehearsal last week, Grandma. She nailed the solo, and half the room got misty-eyed. Including me.”
“That was allergies,” I said, although a ribbon of pride wrapped itself around my heart.
The door opened again, and I glanced over to see one of Jeremy’s students holding Elmer Pinewood, the trusty wooden truck we’d won in the auction, tightly in his arms. The kid’s grin stretched ear to ear as he headed toward us.
“Miss Molly! Miss Molly! Look what Mr. Jeremy gave me this morning!” He held the truck with pride.
“Well, look at that,” I said, throwing a quick smile to Jeremy. “Elmer’s found a new home.”
Jeremy rose and walked over to the boy and his parents, giving the child’s hair a gentle ruffle.
“Thank you, Mr. Wentworth,” the mom said. “He worked so hard on reading over the summer that we’re now frequent visitors to Pages and Dreams.” She sent a quick wave to Sage, who was sitting just inside Elliot’s office.
Sage poked her head out briefly. “Reading is a novel idea so it was bound to happen.”
The dad shook Jeremy’s hand.
A faint blush tainted Jeremy’s cheeks. “I heard fromMiss MacMillian that he’s moved up two grade levels with his reading.” There was more than a hint of pride in Jeremy’s voice. “So, yes, he definitely earned it. Turns out, Elmer Pinewood makes an excellent incentive.”
The boy’s parents ushered him to a table, his excitement still bubbling over.
My heart swelled. It was moments like this that made Jasper feel like more than just a town. It felt likemytown.
Grandma turned her sharp gaze back to me, her tone shifting slightly. “And how’s everything going with the lawsuits, dear? The ladies on that talk show were talking about some sort of settlement.”
Jeremy shot me a look, checking to see if I was okay. I smiled softly at him before turning back to Jesse-Marie. “It’s been a whirlwind, but I think things are finally settling down. Two of the network executives are facing criminal charges, and several actresses have spoken out. It’s…” I hesitated, choosing my words carefully. “It’s a relief to see justice being served.”
“And you?” Her voice held a maternal edge as she reached lovingly for my hand. “How are you holding up, my dear?”
The warmth in her question unraveled something in me, and for a moment, I let myself be vulnerable. “I’m good,” I said, my voice steady. “Better than I’ve been in a long time. Being here—being part of this community—it’s given me a sense of purpose I didn’t know I needed.”
“And what of your family?”
I inhaled slowly and calmly. “They’ve reached out,” because of course they had. My mother wanted more of the money she thought she was entitled to. “But I’m not at the point where I can say all the fences are mended.” Not even close.
At least my brother had put forth a wee bit of effort with what I believed was a genuine apology for his behavior the last time we spoke. However, I still didn’t trust that therewere ulterior motives behind his words. He’d tried to break into show business once upon a time, but he didn’t have that certain factor they were looking for. After the storm exploded, unless he changed his name, he’d be locked to me, and that wasn’t good for his budding acting career, so until he got an injection of unearned cash, he was stuck being unemployed.
“Well, it’s clear you’ve made quite an impact here,” she said, patting my hand. “And if you ever get tired of room sixteen, there’s always room in Jeremy’s place.”
I stifled a laugh by covering my mouth.
Jeremy’s eyes widened in response. “Grandma, you’re going to scare her off.”
My laughter escaped the weak hold I had on it. “It’s going to take more than that to get rid of me.”
Grandma’s tsking sounded sharp on the tip of her tongue. “Jimmy, dear. I’m not getting any younger. I want to be able to hold any great-grandchildren before I’m called to my everlasting home.”