Jennifer's Journey Read online

  Jennifer nodded. She wasn’t a huge coffee fan, but some days it was called for, and one of those days was two days before her wedding to a stranger. She ordered the breakfast special, which was some omelet Bob had concocted and claimed was delicious, and looked down at her phone.

  She didn’t have a lot of friends to keep track of on her phone, so she was really just looking at it for something to do. She would play a silly phone game or something to pass the time until her food arrived.

  Then Kelsi was there. “I need you to share your booth if you will.”

  Jennifer looked up and saw Maynard Butts grinning down at her. “Hi.”

  “Hey.” He slid in across from her, not bothering to reach for a menu. “I’ll have a cup of coffee, and whatever special Bob is cooking up.”

  Kelsi wandered off, looking more than a little frazzled, but with three children under the age of two, who could blame her? Jennifer grinned at Maynard. “So I see you’ve eaten here before. Bob makes the best surprise meals.”

  “Bob makes the best everything. Everyone always says not to say that too loudly around here, because Bob will get a big head, but I don’t see it. The man deserves a big head from what I can see.”

  “Thank you!” Bob called, sticking his head out of the kitchen. “Tell Kelsi that, would you?”

  “Sure!” Maynard called back. He turned his attention back to Jennifer. “I’m sorry if I came on too strongly last night. The muffins were a very nice gesture. I’ll drop your basket off at the front desk this afternoon.”

  Jennifer nodded. “I appreciate that.” It was her last day of work, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about that. “I won’t be in tomorrow, so if I don’t get it today, don’t worry about it.” She didn’t want him to know she was marrying, and she knew that was strange. Telling him just felt wrong.

  “You’ll get it today.” Maynard seemed to be groping for something to say, and she watched him for a moment, just waiting. “I enjoyed spending a little time with you last night.”

  “I enjoyed it too.”

  “Do you want to go to trivia night with me then?”

  Jennifer felt her heart flutter again, but she knew she couldn’t. “I appreciate the offer, but I can’t. I hope you’ll have a good time, though.”

  “Why not?”

  She shook her head. “I have a big weekend ahead of me, and I need my rest.” It was a lame excuse, and she knew it was, but she needed to avoid him, and that was all she could come up with.

  Kelsi brought two identical plates and set them in front of them. “Thanks, Kelsi,” Jennifer said softly. “Looks delicious.”

  “Oh, it probably is considering Bob made it, but don’t tell him I said so!”

  “I heard that!” came Bob’s response from the kitchen.

  “Go away, Bob!” Kelsi called back.

  “Can I have some honey?” Jennifer asked, planning to put some on her biscuit. “Some huckleberry honey if you have any in.”

  “I do!” Kelsi hurried off to get the honey and came back a moment later. “You two enjoy!”

  Jennifer carefully spread butter and the huckleberry honey on her biscuit before sinking her teeth into it. “This is delicious.”

  Maynard started to ask her why she wouldn’t spend more time with him, but he decided against it. He was busy for the weekend as well, and he needed to just let things be. He couldn’t start something he couldn’t finish. Instead, he changed the subject. “How do you like working for the ranch?”

  “Oh, it’s an amazing place to work. All the family members treat us like family as well. It’s great working here. I cannot imagine a better work environment.”

  “I figured you’d say that. You seem to really enjoy what you do.”

  “I do.” Jennifer frowned. “Wait…I just met you yesterday.”

  “No, I’ve seen you several times. I don’t think you were ever one of the people I had direct contact with, but I have watched you work some.”

  That felt a little strange to Jennifer. He’d watched her work? Was that as creepy as watching someone sleep? She didn’t think so. “I do love my job.” She’d leave it at that. She wasn’t going to put her foot in her mouth again with this man. She was representing the ranch.

  “I’m glad. What’s fun to do around here? I have a couple of days to kill, and I’ve really only been here for filming. I’m from Nebraska, and it’s pretty different here.”

  “I’d think so,” Jennifer said with a grin. “You should rent a four-wheeler and explore.”

  “You could hunt for Bigfoot!” Kelsi said. “I have a picture of him if you don’t know what he looks like!”

  “Oh, I know what he looks like!” Maynard said with a laugh. “Why do you want me to hunt for Bigfoot?”

  “Because I have three small children, and I can’t go myself. You’ll have to be my eyes and ears on the mountain!” Kelsi looked positively excited at the prospect of him hunting for Bigfoot. She pulled a brochure from her pocket that told how to distinguish Bigfoot from people and bears. “I keep asking Wade to carry these, but he won’t, so I buy them in bulk.”

  “I guess I can hunt for Bigfoot.”

  “I’ll get you a lunch!” Kelsi rushed off toward the kitchen.

  “Why do I feel like I was just maneuvered into doing something very strange?” Maynard asked, his face filled with confusion.

  “You got Kelsified. That girl can talk anyone into searching for Bigfoot. It’s her favorite thing to do, and she hates that she can’t go all the time.”

  He grinned at that. “Well, then I guess I’m happy to go for her. Should I tell her I found something?”

  Jennifer shook her head adamantly. “Her brothers play enough tricks on her where Bigfoot is concerned. You need to just report whatever you find, if anything.”

  “Okay. That’s what I’ll do then.”

  Kelsi came back to the table with a cardboard box. “There’s lunch for you. On the house. You just let me know what you find.”

  “I will!” Maynard said, doing his best to match her enthusiasm.

  When Kelsi dropped off their bill to pay, Maynard scooped hers up with his own. “I’m buying breakfast. You kept me company, and I needed that.” Rather than wait for an argument, he went to the cash register to pay, leaving Jennifer watching him go.

  Jennifer frowned. How she wished she hadn’t committed to a stranger now, but she had.

  As she walked to the main house, she thought about how much she would enjoy a real relationship with Maynard, but she couldn’t have one, and she knew it. Instead she walked into work, and took her spot behind the desk. She had a brief discussion with Jim.

  “We’re going to miss you around here,” Jim said, hugging her. “You’ve been the desk manager since I got here.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate the kind words.” She watched him leave as she set up her work station the way she liked it. Jim was a little too sloppy for her tastes, and she always rearranged things after he left.

  As she worked beside Lacy that day, she couldn’t help but wonder how different her life would be. She would no longer be working at the ranch, that was for certain, but would she work at all?

  “Are you going to the spa tomorrow?” Lacy asked. She’d agreed to stand up with Jennifer as her maid of honor. She would be the only person standing up with her.

  “I am, but I decided to go to the spa at QVR instead. I have a massage scheduled with Raina Quinn and a foot zone with Renae. I thought about doing the crystal healing with Riley, but I’m not sure I’m ready for that much voodoo in one day.”

  Lacy grinned. “I’ve done the crystal healing. It’s certainly interesting!”

  Jennifer grinned. “Maybe I’ll get up the guts to do it and she’ll have an opening. I also want to spend a little time in the hot springs while I’m there. I want to feel as good as I can when I marry my mystery man!” She refused to admit she now saw Maynard’s face every time she thought about the man she’d marry. How pathetic was she being?


  “Well, I think you should do it if you can.”

  “I’ll consider it!” Jennifer turned because she saw someone out of the corner of her eye, and she saw a small envelope on the counter with her name on it. There were tiny little footprints along the back of the envelope. She opened it and looked, and it said, “Your presence is requested at the event barn on September twenty-second, 2018 at noon. Lunch will be offered. Please be there.” There was no signature.

  “What is that?” Lacy asked.

  “I’ve been invited to the event barn on the twenty-second for lunch. No signature or anything. Did you get one?”

  Lacy shook her head. “No, but I feel all left out now. Why did you get one and not me?”

  “No idea.”

  “Will you go?”

  Jennifer shrugged. “I don’t even know if I’ll still be in the area, but if I am, I’ll probably go. I’m curious about who would send such a cryptic invitation.”

  “Me too! You’ll tell me about it if you go?”

  “I will. And if I don’t, I’ll give you my invitation.” Jennifer grinned at her friend. “Couldn’t hurt, could it?”

  “No idea! I don’t know what it is!”

  “Me neither!”

  When it was time for Jennifer to leave work that afternoon, she frowned at Lacy. “I’m going to miss you.”

  “I’ll be at your wedding, so you can stop that right now. I’m not going to stand here and cry, when I can cry when I’m all dressed up and ready to dance.” Lacy wouldn’t even meet her eyes.

  “I’m going to miss working with you. This job has been incredible for me, and a lot of that was because I got to work with you. So thank you for that.” Jennifer gathered up her things, noting that her basket wasn’t back yet. That was all right though. She could always get another. “I’ll see you Saturday.”

  “I’ll be there!”

  Jennifer wandered over to say goodbye to Bernie and Wade before leaving. She hadn’t been particularly close to anyone but Lacy, but this had been her favorite place to be. She felt like she should thank everyone who had given her a happy place to live and work.

  When she was finally headed home, she walked slowly, thinking about what the following day would entail. She had to be in Quinn Valley at ten for an hour and a half massage, and then she’d have a break for lunch. After that she would get her feet zoned and do a foot detox, and then she hoped to feel ready for her wedding. The dress and veil were hanging in her cabin, and her mother would be there to help her get ready. She hadn’t said she would, but Jennifer knew her mother. It would happen.

  She also had a pedicure and a hair appointment on Saturday morning, but she’d do those at River’s End Ranch. It would save her some time, and time would be of the essence on the morning of her wedding.

  When Jennifer got home, she heated up some of the food she’d made the night before. No point in making something else. She would spend the whole evening packing up more of her things. Soon, she’d be someone’s wife.

  Jennifer walked into the lobby of Quinn’s Hotel and Spa, feeling a little out of place. She’d spoken to both Rachel and Roxane during her time at River’s End, but she had not met either of them.

  A smartly dressed woman walked up to her. “Can I help you?”

  Jennifer looked at her nametag and smiled. “You’re Rachel! I’m Jennifer Olson.”

  Rachel looked confused for a moment, but then she smiled. “From River’s End Ranch!”

  “Yes! I feel like I know you, and it’s nice to finally put a face with the name. I’m here for a massage, and I have no idea where to go.”

  “I’ll walk up there with you. We have to stop in and say hi to Roxane, because she feels like she knows you too.” Rachel led her to the elevator, and they went up one floor. “This is where Roxane works. I hope she isn’t with anyone!” Rachel walked down the hall toward a door that was only partially open. “Hey, Roxie. I have someone who wants to meet you.”

  The door was pushed open further, and Jennifer saw a woman around her age sitting at a desk. “Hi! I’m Jennifer Olson.”

  “From River’s End! Have you been here before?” Roxane hurried over and hugged Jennifer, and she realized that these women thought highly of her, which surprised her.

  “I haven’t. I came to get a massage and a foot zone and detox.”

  “You’ll be with my sisters then. Renae and Raina. You didn’t want the crystal healing? Or the witchdoctoring?”

  “Witchdoctoring?”

  “Oh, that’s what I’ve always called what my mom does. She works with bio-meridians.”

  “I have no idea what that means,” Jennifer said.

  “Me neither!” Roxane said with a laugh. She looked at Rachel. “I’ll take her the rest of the way. Thank you for bringing her to meet me!”

  “Happy to do it,” Rachel said with a smile as she headed back to the lobby.

  “How long do you have before your first appointment?” Roxane asked Jennifer.

  “Only about twenty minutes.”

  “Well, let me take you up then. I hope I can introduce you to everyone, but there may not be time.”

  “How’s your dad doing?” Jennifer asked. She remembered that Roxane’s father had a health crisis a couple of months before, but she couldn’t remember what.

  “He’s a lot better. Thinks he can work more hours than he can, and we’re always having to sit on him, but he’s better.” Roxane took them up to the third floor. When the elevator opened, Jennifer could see that the spa was one way, and the hotel rooms were the other.

  “I’m glad he’s doing better. It was a shock for us as well when we heard.” Though what they’d heard, Jennifer still couldn’t remember. She just knew that it was polite to make sure the other person knew you cared. Little things she’d learned about being kind to others were truly helping her now.

  “Thank you so much for asking. We were really worried for a while there.” Roxane pushed open the door of the spa and smiled at the girl at the desk. “Hi, Lori. This is my friend, Jennifer, and she’s having a spa day. She works at River’s End Ranch.”

  Jennifer started to correct her that she no longer worked there, but she decided against it. Everyone would know soon enough. Quinn Valley and River’s End Ranch shared a high school, and all news from one town seemed to always flit over to the other. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  Roxane looked around. “It looks like everyone else is in a session. Lori will take really good care of you.”

  “Thanks, Roxane. It was so good to finally meet you!”

  “And for me to meet you. Have a nice, relaxing time.” With those words, Roxane had hurried off again.

  “I forgot to ask her what she does now. She used to answer my calls a lot, but she doesn’t anymore,” Jennifer said to Lori.

  “She’s our new event coordinator. We all love Roxane so much.” Lori tapped a few keys. “Okay, so you have a massage at ten and a foot zone and detox at twelve-thirty?”

  “Yes, that sounds right.”

  “Go ahead and have a seat, and I’ll get you back as quickly as I can.”

  4

  While Jennifer waited for her first appointment, an older woman dressed in long flowing scarves walked into the spa. “I have a crystal healing appointment with Riley.”

  “Of course, Ambrosia. Have a seat, and I’ll let her know you’re here as soon as she finishes her session.” Lori was very professional.

  Ambrosia sat close to Jennifer. “Would you like me to tell your fortune while we wait? I don’t have my crystal ball with me, but I’m also good with palm reading.”

  Jennifer was unsure what to say at first. “Sure.”

  Ambrosia took her hand and seemed to study it. “You have a mysterious man in your life, but you are not sure how you feel about him.” Ambrosia hummed for a moment. “He is very handsome. You have people who care about you far away. Big changes are coming to your life.” She set Jennifer’s hand down and had a look of prid
e on her face.

  Jennifer blinked a few times, hoping the woman never charged for her palm readings. “Thank you very much.” She wasn’t sure what else to say, and thank you seemed to make most people happy.

  “You’re welcome! If you’d like a crystal ball reading, come by my shop later. Anyone can tell you where it is.”

  Jennifer was relieved when she was kept from having to answer by Lori. “Jennifer, I’m going to show you to the room.”

  “It was nice meeting you,” Jennifer said softly as she ran off. She wasn’t sure how she felt about Ambrosia.

  When she got into the massage room, she saw a young woman. “I’m Raina. I’ll be your massage therapist today. How are you doing?”

  “I’m good.”

  “Anything in particular you need help with today? Or are you just here to relax.”

  “No aches or pains. I’m getting married tomorrow, and I wanted to have a spa day to treat myself first.”

  “Oh, that’s wonderful! I hope you brought a swim suit for the hot springs. They’re perfect after a massage.”

  “Well, I have the massage, then I need to find some lunch, and then I have a foot zone and detox with Renae. I’ve heard foot zones are painful.”

  “They sure can be. It depends what you have going on. I’ll tell Renae to go easy on you. She’s my sister, and she has to do what I say.”

  Jennifer grinned. “I don’t think most sibling relationships work that way.”

  “Well, of course not, but I can still insist this one does.” Raina grinned. “I’m going to step out and let you get undressed. Lay facedown on the table with your face in the hole. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  “Thank you.” Jennifer waited until she was gone and undressed hurriedly. She didn’t want to waste a single minute of her session. An hour and a half just didn’t sound long enough.

  When the massage was over, she asked Raina where she would recommend for lunch. “Oh, you have to eat a taco from Ciran’s taco truck. It’s right out front. You can buy a taco and eat in the pavilion. Or even better, get two tacos, a Lime Rickey, and sopapillas. I would murder my own sister for sopapillas.”