When Grace Sings (33 page)

Instead of calling her mother, she set the phone aside and then rested her elbows on her knees, slumping forward and closing her eyes. “God …” Before the prayer could take shape, the doorbell rang. Alexa zipped out of her room and clattered down the stairs, calling, “I’ll get it, Grandmother.” She yanked the door open.

Mr. Plett from church stood on the porch with his hat in his hands. He
greeted Alexa with a sheepish smile. “I’m sorry to bother you, but I picked up a couple and their daughter on the highway. Their car broke down, and it’ll be an hour or more before a tow truck gets here. They’re tired and need a place to stay the night. I remembered you have rooms, so I brought them out. But if you don’t take people unless they make a reservation, I’ll drive them on into Pratt.”

“I have a room, but it isn’t set up for more than two people. How old is the daughter?” If she was very young, she might be able to sleep on a pallet on the floor.

The man shrugged. “It’s hard for me to tell. Girls today—the way they dress sometimes, they look older than they should be. But she isn’t a little girl.”

Then the pallet was out.

Grandmother wheeled up behind Alexa. “Who is it?”

“Mr. Plett is here with some people who are stranded. He wondered if we had rooms.”

“Did you tell him yes?”

“Not yet.” She wished she could have this conversation with Grandmother privately instead of in front of one of the church members. At least the stranded people weren’t listening in. They must be waiting in Mr. Plett’s car. “Since Anna—Grace is here, I only have the one room, and he said there are three of them.”

“A man, his wife, and their not-so-little daughter,” Mr. Plett said.

Grandmother gave Alexa her no-nonsense look. “So put the couple in 2 Corinthians 9:8, give your room to the daughter, but ask if they’ll share their bathroom with her. Then you go in with Anna—Grace for the night. The Ruth 2:10 has the twin beds, so there’s a bed for each of you.” She held out her hands as if to say,
Problem solved
.

Alexa swallowed a groan. Stay with Anna—Grace?

Mr. Plett turned toward the porch steps. “I’ll go get them then.”

Apparently it was all settled. And this was supposed to be her B and B, not Grandmother’s!

Grandmother reached out and bopped Alexa on the arm, making her wonder if she’d read her thoughts. “Weren’t you saying you needed to bring in more money? Well, here are some guests. Don’t turn them away.” Her voice softened as she added, “Besides, it’s the right thing to do. If they’re stranded in a strange town, they need hospitality. Show them a little of Christ’s love by meeting their needs.”

Alexa hung her head. Her thoughts had been of herself—all selfish thoughts. She nodded. “I will.”

“I know you will.”

She stepped out on the porch as Mr. Plett led the trio of travelers up the walkway. The adults each dragged a rolling suitcase, and the not-so-little daughter carried a guitar case.

Mr. Plett gestured to the couple. “This is Curtis and Kathy Kirkley, and their daughter, Nicole.”

They seemed so stressed, Alexa’s sympathy stirred. She offered a genuine smile. “Hello. Welcome to Grace Notes B and B. I’m Alexa Zimmerman.”

The man and woman greeted her wearily, but the daughter just looked Alexa up and down in the snooty way the popular girls at school used to behave. Alexa had never let those girls in school bother her, and she wouldn’t let Nicole bother her, either. “Please come in.”

They all trooped into the house, deposited their bags near the door, then stood in an awkward group near the piano. Alexa introduced them to Grandmother, then said, “Mr. and Mrs. Kirkley, I have a room ready for you, but I’ll need to go up and change the sheets on the bed”—and grab her clothes from the closet—“in the room for Nicole.”

Nicole sent a disparaging glance across the front room. “Is this really a hotel? It just looks like an old house.”

“Nicole!” Her mother sounded mortified. “Be polite.”

The girl slumped her shoulders and folded her arms over her chest.

Alexa decided it was best to ignore the girl’s theatrics. “Mr. and Mrs. Kirkley, your room has its own bathroom, but the room for Nicole has to share the
bathroom with another room. Would you mind letting her come in and use your bathroom since I already have a guest”—technically, Anna—Grace wasn’t a guest, but the Kirkleys didn’t need to know everything—“making use of the shared bath? She’d probably feel more comfortable sharing with you than with a stranger.”

Nicole made another sour face, but the adults nodded in agreement.

“Thank you.” Alexa inched toward the staircase. “If you’d like to join my grandmother and our other guest in the dining room, we’ve got cookies and tea.” She looked at Nicole. Despite her trendy, mussed-looking haircut and abundance of oversized jewelry, Alexa guessed her to be around twelve or thirteen. “Or milk, if you’d prefer.” The girl rolled her eyes. Alexa almost mimicked her. “Make yourselves comfortable, and I’ll let you know when the room is ready.”

“Come with me.” Grandmother led the way, and the Kirkleys followed her.

Mr. Plett approached Alexa and lowered his voice. “I didn’t mean to cause you trouble. If you want me to, I’ll tell them it won’t work for them to stay here.”

Alexa smiled, hoping to reassure the man. “It’s fine. That’s what I’m here for—to provide a retreat for travelers.”

He nodded. “All right then. Thank you for making them welcome. I’ll come out tomorrow morning and check on them. Good night now.”

She closed the door behind him, then darted upstairs. Within twenty minutes she’d finished remaking the bed, performed a quick dusting and sweeping, and transferred the clothes to Anna—Grace’s room. She hurried back to the dining room to let the Kirkleys know their rooms were ready. Surely by now Grandmother was ready to wring Nicole’s skinny little neck. Old Order children were taught better manners than this one seemed to possess.

Soft chatter—lighthearted, relaxed—greeted her as she rounded the corner from the staircase. As she drew closer, she realized the one doing the talking was the Kirkleys’ daughter. She stopped in the doorway rather than interrupting so she wouldn’t chase the smile from the girl’s face.

“… long shot, but Mom and Daddy said if it’s what I really want, then they’ll help me as much as they can.”

Steven said, “You’re lucky to have a mom and dad who support your dreams. I hope you let them know how much you appreciate it.”

Nicole hunched her shoulders and flicked a sheepish glance at her parents. “Probably not as much as I should. But I am thankful.”

Grandmother looked up and spotted Alexa. She waved her into the room. “Nicole here was telling what she and her folks are doing on the road. There’s a talent contest in Branson, Missouri, and she’s going to compete. She sings and plays guitar.”

“Is that right?” Alexa moved to an empty chair and sat. Anna—Grace offered her the cookie plate, but she shook her head. “What do you sing, Nicole?”

“Country-western tunes mostly, but sometimes I add a little bit of pop.” She tossed her head, sending her floppy bangs away from her dark black eyelashes. She must have used an entire bottle of mascara to get her lashes that thick and gloppy. “Depends on the audience.”

Her eyes wide, Anna—Grace leaned toward Alexa. “She’s been performing since she was six years old. She even sang ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ at a professional football game.”

“Not the pros, just college play-offs,” Nicole corrected.

“Even so, with all those people in the stadium?” Anna—Grace shook her head. “I would have been scared to death.”

Nicole shrugged. “You get used to it.” Her eyebrows rose. “Wanna hear a song? I didn’t get a chance to practice this afternoon.” She didn’t wait for a reply but scampered to the front room and retrieved her guitar. She slung the strap around her neck and stood at the head of the table. “You all are religious people, so I’ll sing ‘Jesus, Take the Wheel.’ It’s a country song, but it’s kind of religious.”

Without further preamble Nicole positioned her fingers on the strings and broke into song. For someone so young she had a strong, sure voice. Alexa
didn’t know a great deal about music, but she knew a pleasant sound when she heard it. She joined the others in enthusiastic applause when the girl finished.

Nicole beamed a smile across the group. “Thanks.” Then she sighed. “I hope our car gets fixed fast so we can get to the competition. I don’t want to miss it. Agents and producers come to these things. It could be my big break.”

“Well, we will pray you make it on time if you’re meant to be there,” Grandmother said.

The girl turned a scowl in Grandmother’s direction. “What do you mean, ‘if’?”

Grandmother chuckled. “What I mean is you have a gift, just as Alexa here has a gift for cooking. When God gives people gifts, He has a special purpose for the gift. If your purpose is to become a performer, the way you said you want, then God will make it happen for you.”

Nicole stared at Grandmother as if she’d lost her senses. “But—”

Mr. Kirkley pushed away from the table. “Since our rooms are ready, I think we’ll turn in.”

His wife also rose. “Yes. It’s been a very long day.”

Alexa rose. “I’ll take you up.” She carried Mrs. Kirkley’s suitcase and led the family to the upstairs bedrooms.

Nicole bounced on the edge of the bed, then flopped backward across the mattress. Alexa hoped she wouldn’t pop any of the careful hand stitches on the patchwork quilt. The girl raised one hand as if conceding defeat. “This’ll do. Close the door, Mom.”

Mrs. Kirkley pulled her daughter’s door shut and then turned a weary smile on Alexa. “Thank you for the refreshments this evening and for opening the rooms to us. We appreciate it.”

Alexa smiled. “You’re very welcome. Breakfast at seven thirty?”

The adults exchanged a look. Mrs. Kirkley said, “How about eight thirty?”

She’d have to fix two batches—Steven and Briley ate earlier—but she nodded. “That’s fine. Do you have any food allergies?”

“Kathy and I are vegetarians, and Nicole is a vegan,” Mr. Kirkley said.

Alexa would have to do some quick research before she cooked breakfast. “Okay. Well …” She inched toward the stairway opening. “If you need anything, just knock on this door.” She pointed to the door of the Ruth 2:10.

“I’m sure we’ll be fine. Good night.” Mrs. Kirkley ushered her husband into their room and closed their door.

Alexa started down the stairs, and she met Anna—Grace who was coming up. The other girl offered her a sympathetic grimace and spoke in a near whisper. “Aunt Abigail said you moved your things into the room you gave me. I’m sorry you got ousted from your room.”

“It’s okay. It’ll probably just be one night. I’m sorry I had to invade your space.”

“It’s no invasion.” Anna—Grace’s smile grew hopeful. “It’ll give us a chance to really talk. Get to know each other better. I’d like that.”

Why did Anna—Grace always have to be so nice? Under other circumstances the two of them would probably be great friends. But trying to keep secret Anna—Grace’s parentage left Alexa on edge. Being overly friendly would lead to spilling things she wasn’t supposed to spill. She didn’t know how to respond.

The girl’s smile faded. “Or … if you’d rather, I can take my things to Sandra’s in the morning.”

Say something!
“You don’t need to do that. As I said, they’ll probably be here only one night. I’ll be back in my own room tomorrow.”

“Okay.” Anna—Grace lifted her foot to the next riser but didn’t climb the stairs. “Steven went home. I feel so bad for him, sleeping on a mattress on the floor and having to use an outhouse. He bathes in the barn!” She cringed. “I wish he could stay here once a room is available. I asked Aunt Abigail, and she didn’t say no, but I could tell she had apprehensions.”

The door to Nicole’s room flew open. The girl pounded across the landing on bare feet and banged her fist on her parents’ door. “Mom! I need to brush my teeth!” They let her in.

When it was quiet again, Alexa spoke. “She’s probably concerned about
what people would think or about what it might tempt you to … to …” She didn’t want to say anything disparaging, but Anna—Grace and Steven were published. She’d seen the looks flying between the two of them. They loved each other, and their impatience appeared to be growing. Mom and Paul Aldrich had given in to temptation, and their choice carried consequences still today. “Grandmother is trying to protect you.”

“I know.” Anna—Grace ducked her head for a moment, then offered Alexa a shy smile. “And she’s right. We shouldn’t be alone.”

Alexa swallowed a knot of jealousy. What was it like to be so in love?

Anna—Grace grabbed Alexa’s arm and tugged. “Let’s go to my room. We can talk there instead of on the stairs.”

A part of her wanted to resist, but she let Anna—Grace propel her up the stairs and into the room. She clicked the door closed, sat at the foot of the closest bed, and draped her elbow over the top rail of the footboard. An impish grin appeared on her face.

“I’ve been dying to ask you something, and now that we’re finally alone, I can do it.”

Alexa sat on the edge of the second bed and braced herself.

“Are you and Briley Forrester, um, you know … interested?”

“Interested?”

“Yes.” Anna—Grace shrugged one shoulder. “In each other.”

“What? No!” Heat exploded in Alexa’s face. She fanned her flaming face with both hands. “Gracious sakes,
no
.”

“Oh.” Anna—Grace looked surprised. “The way you tease each other, I just thought—”

“I only give back what he gives me.” Alexa’s tone clipped out more briskly than she intended. “When you’ve been around him more, you’ll discover he flirts with any female who breathes. I could
never
be interested in someone like Briley Forrester.”

Anna—Grace fiddled with the brass finial on the footboard. “That’s too bad. That he’s a flirt, I mean. I’ve never seen a better-looking man.”

“Did you really just say that?”

The girl had the audacity to giggle. “Well, you have to admit, his looks are kind of hard to miss.”

Sandra had said something similar. Sitting there with her blond hair tucked under her cap, her innocent expression unable to mask the ornery glint in her eyes, Anna—Grace even resembled Mom’s youngest sister.