Page 3 of The Perfect Distraction

Chapter Two

When Beth awoke the following morning, it took her a few minutes to remember where she was. Once her eyes adjusted to the morning light, she stretched her arms overhead and smiled, realizing she’d slept better than she had in months. Even though it was summertime, it wasn’t as humid as it was at home, so she’d left the windows open overnight instead of running the air conditioner. Between the gentle rustling of the curtains, the chirping of crickets, and the occasional hum of a car going by, she’d fallen into a deep and restful sleep. Now the entire day stretched before her with nowhere to be and nothing that had to be done. The thought of it made her smile again.

After doing some more stretches, she padded downstairs in search of breakfast. Aunt Jenny had said that she’d asked the housekeeper to stock the refrigerator and pantry with a few essentials to get Beth started. Luckily, Aunt Jenny considered coffee an essential, and Beth prepared the pot to brew. Next, she cracked some eggs in a pan and made some toast, and before long, she was sitting down to a nice, hot breakfast. After clearing the dishes, she took her coffee mug into the sunroom, where she curled up on a chair and called Aunt Jenny.

“Bethany? Is that you?” her aunt answered.

Aunt Jenny and her parents were the only ones who called her by her full name. When Beth was in high school, she’d decided that Bethany sounded too formal, so she’d started asking everyone to call her Beth. Her parents and Aunt Jenny had stubbornly refused to do so, arguing that her full name sounded much prettier.

“Yes. It’s me,” Beth said. “How’s Uncle Brad?”

“Crankier than usual.”

Beth laughed.

“The man refuses to obey doctor’s orders,” Aunt Jenny added. “But tell me about you. Are you all settled in?”

“Well, I haven’t unpacked everything yet, but I’m not in a rush. I’ve just been relaxing since I got here.”

“Good for you, dear. That’s exactly what you should be doing.”

Since the incident, her family had been treating her with kid gloves. While Beth understood their concern, it was time for them to get past it, and she’d have to do the same.

“Thank you so much for letting me stay here,” Beth said to change the subject. “The house is just as beautiful as I remembered it to be.”

“I’m glad you’re there. I hated the thought of it sitting empty all summer long. What are your plans while you’re there?”

Good question. Beth didn’t really have any plans other than to enjoy the getaway. “I’ll probably read a lot and explore the area. If I get really ambitious, I might head over to Mackinac Island for a day or two.”

“It’s beautiful this time of year but crowded too. Personally, I prefer the quiet of Harbor Springs.”

“Me too,” Beth said, but she thought it might start to feel too quiet. Having lived with her family and then with Christopher, she wasn’t used to being alone.

“Have fun, dear, and call me anytime,” Aunt Jenny said.

After they hung up, Beth finished her coffee, returned the mug to the kitchen, and then went upstairs to get ready. By the time she’d showered, dressed, and put her hair in a ponytail, it was only ten o’clock. Grabbing her book off the nightstand, she went back downstairs and out to the front porch to read.

It was Sunday, and Main Street was quiet that morning. Families were either sleeping in or at church, and many of the stores were closed. Sitting down on the wooden porch swing, she reminded herself that this was what she’d wanted—peace and quiet—and apparently, that was exactly what she was going to get. At least for a little while.

Beth had become caught up in her suspense novel when she heard the rumbling noise of a lawnmower nearby. She briefly considered going back inside, but then she decided not to. The lawns around here were the size of postage stamps, and whoever was mowing would probably be done soon.

She dove back into the book and did her best to ignore the noise until the mower and the mowee came into view. Curious about her new neighbors, she kept her book open on her lap, but she glanced over to sneak a peek.

She saw a man she assumed was Joey’s dad, and her first reaction was: He’s hot! followed by: Did I really just think that? It had been a long time since she’d had that kind of reaction to a man, especially a stranger. Sinking down a little further on the swing, she watched as he cut precise paths across the tiny front lawn. Luckily, he hadn’t looked her way, and she was able to study him freely.

The man had close-cropped sandy-brown hair with a bit of a wave to it, and he was of medium height with an athletic build. She couldn’t make out exact details, but he had a clean-cut appearance with no signs of tattoos, piercings, or other ornamentation. While some women liked the “bad boys,” she’d always been attracted to clean-cut men like Christopher. Pushing that thought aside, she resumed her study of Joey’s dad, wondering when she might meet him and the rest of his family.

Suddenly, Joey came racing out the front door, and he bounded down the porch steps, not stopping until he was right in front of the lawnmower.

His dad turned off the mower in a flash, looking none too happy about the interruption. Forcing herself to look away, she picked up her book again, but she couldn’t seem to concentrate.

Since when am I so nosy? When she didn’t hear the lawnmower start up again, she glanced over and stiffened. Joey and his dad were walking straight toward her. Setting her book aside, she stood up to greet them, suddenly wishing she’d taken a bit more time with her appearance. Not that Joey’s mom would approve of that thought…

“Hi, Miss Summers,” Joey said, climbing the porch steps, his dad reluctantly following behind.

She was impressed that Joey had remembered her name, and she greeted him with a friendly smile. “Hi, Joey. It’s nice to see you again.”

“I wanted you to meet my dad,” he said with a determined look on his face.