Aiden stood at the end of the driveway directing the sign company to the exact spot where he wanted the brand-new sign for the inn to sit. They'd never had a sign on the road near the entrance. Flannery was tucked in his arms purring.

"That's perfect," he said, admiring the placement. It was a beautiful sign about four feet high. It was large, wooden and had The Apple Blossom Inn scrolled in beautiful calligraphy across the top and a shiny red apple painted in the center. Surrounding it were huge baskets with large red glass apples brimming over the top. The apples were attached to the basket by aquarium epoxy. It looked stunning.

This was the last thing that needed to be done to complete the renovation of the inn. When the sign crew left, Aiden walked down the center of the new driveway and smiled. He looked about him and all he could see was the beauty of the inn restored to its heyday, with a few additions.

He'd had the front porch extended and added a beautiful wooden rail. The porch was long enough now to fit four wooden rocking chairs with bright red cushions. The new burgundy painted window boxes were filled with burnt orange chrysanthemums, cardinal red dahlias, and purple tibouchinas. Above the door, the original Apple Blossom sign had been restored too, below the door was a big black mat with Welcome written in red.

Flannery hopped out of his arms and started rolling around in the new grass. She seemed to enjoy the softness of it. He walked into the lodge and heard the dinging of the bells, but still wasn't used to a crew not being there. I'll have to do something about that.

Everything inside the lodge had changed too. His eyes took in the new pictures on the walls, all with rustic themes. The fireplace had been resurfaced so that the entire wall was made of beautiful modern gray stone. The old antler chandelier was replaced by an artistic wagon will with 8 bright globes on the circumference. New rust colored drapes had been hung, open to an expansive view of the mountains. The dated red sofa was replaced by a new black leather set. The remnant smell of fresh paint hung in the air.

"Wonderful," he sighed. Then he walked towards the fireplace and warmed himself. Flannery came back through the pet door and sauntered over to him. The two of them laid down on the bear rug. That was the only thing that remained in the lobby from the old days.

He had a very contented look on his face. The only thing that would have made him happier was if Jas had warmed up to him. She was different ever since the day he and Bruce were in the kitchen. It was as if she wanted to talk, but couldn't bring herself to it. Aiden hated the strain between them.

He never noticed that Jas had been standing on the landing upstairs watching him as he came through the door. Flannery has more sense than I do. Jas was a little jealous of that cat. Flannery simply adored Aiden, becoming his shadow. Jas felt a sting each time she noticed the bond between them.

Even as she was watching them now, from the landing, Flannery was curled under his hand as they lay by the fire. Flannery was the one that got a chance to sit on his lap, to curl up in his arms and to have his soft stroke upon her back. She was the one that got a chance to purr in response being near him and nuzzle against him any time that she wanted to. Thinking about it made her agitated, but why? She'd shot down all of Aiden's advances.

She regretfully began to notice that during the last two week Aiden had stopped coming around her as much. He wasn't stopping by the reception desk. He wasn't following them into the kitchen asking could he help. All his invitations to come sit with him had all but dried up. Maybe I've been too hard on him.

She often watched him, thinking about what life would have been like if things had gone well. The sight of him was addicting and she couldn't get enough of how handsome he was. Nor how beautiful he was on the inside, as reflected by how he'd restored the inn. Yet, Jas always made sure to keep at a distance. Ever since her conversation with Nanna, she'd thought about life a lot.

She also watched how he and Nanna would slip away and go to Nanna's quarters locking the door behind them. She'd give anything to know what the two of them were up to. Yet, she'd resolved to just observe, because every time she thought about knocking on the door, Nanna's voice shot through her head - I'm going to tell you that you need to fix your own life and not worry about mine.

A guest suddenly stumbled out of his room and was laughing. The guest nodded to Jas and headed down the hall. She jumped back when she saw Aiden's eye snatch up at the sound, but it was too late for her to get away. Aiden called her name. She acted like she didn't hear him and quickly began to run down the hall. She'd done that many times when she thought that he'd spotted her watching him. This time she heard the pounding of feet running up the stairs.

"Jas, wait!"

Her legs felt like led. At the sound of his voice they could not move anymore. She was glued to the spot. She didn't even turn around to look at him, but heard his foot falls and the patter of Flannery's feet. Soon he was upon her, he touched her shoulder. She nearly passed out from the singe of it. Her heart beating faster than Niagara could fall. Blood rushed to her head when she felt herself being swept off her feet. His baritone voice was rough in her ear, masculine, turning her insides upside down. She gasped.

"It's been a whole damn month since I've been here. You will talk to me."

Nanna's voice was screaming in her head - You and Aiden need to spend some alone time in room 208. That room and Nanna's quarters were the only rooms in the lodge that were not touched by the renovation. There were too many memories between those walls that could never be replaced. Realizing that her fate was now sealed, she closed her eyes bracing herself for whatever came next. She was beyond the point where she could offer any resistance.

"You're the most stubborn person that I've ever met. I refuse to let you treat me like a doormat any longer, woman!"

She felt the cool breeze of the corridor as he swung the door open to the west wing of the building. Flannery shrieked obviously not being able to get through the door fast enough and was left outside of the entrance.

"I've been keeping company with a cat for four weeks. Can you imagine that!"

Oh, yes, she knew the relationship between him and that darn cat. Jas said nothing – just happily reveled in the fact that Flannery had been momentarily replaced. She was lost in the beautiful scent of Aiden. Aroused by his feel and her blood was already burning. She loved his voice rippling through her ears, even though she was being scolded. They came to an abrupt halt at room 208.

He slipped her out of his arms long enough to get his key from his pocket. Then hauled her into the room and tossed her onto the bed. She sank into the mattress, finding herself quickly buried beneath this breathtaking man. A fever broke lose in her body, as she felt his need her mouth went completely dry.

"Aiden," she whispered.

"What?" His voice was low and thin. He sank his lips around her sensitive throat. Her eyes closed in pure pleasure.

"I'm sorry."

He dragged his lips from her delicate neck, and began feathering kisses over her face. "I know. I'm sorry too, babe."

In that instance, those few words spoken from the man she always adored felt like a balm of healing in her soul. His mouth slid hungrily over hers. She melted into him as he deepened the kiss.

Nanna had been looking all over the lodge for Jas. It was time to prepare dinner for the guests and she was nowhere to be found. She climbed the stairs to the second floor and still did not see her. Since she had noted that Jas and Aiden had still not been communicating she didn't even think to go down the west wing until she heard Flannery's agitated meow.

Nanna started laughing inwardly. It didn't take much to put 2 and 2 together. Nanna did a mock clap. She walked down the hall and picked up Flannery, patting her on the back. As she left, she glanced at her watch. "Let's see how long this will take. Guess I better call Michelle to come and help me."

***

Bruce, Jordy and Samantha were sitting on the bank of the river that were behind their home fishing for rainbow trout. The kids dropped their rods, dashed up the embankment when they saw their mom coming towards them. She was carrying their jackets. They hugged their mother and then put their jackets on.

"The temperatures beginning to drop and I know you all are probably going to be fishing for a while."

Jordy skipped over to an ice chest. "Look, mama." They'd already caught 6 fish.

"That's great Jordy." Michelle strode over to Bruce and handed him his jacket. She leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. "Nanna called and asked if I could come over and help her to prepare dinner at the inn."

"Can we go? Can we go?" Samantha asked as she danced around.

"It's a school night," Bruce said, "We'll take you over to Nanna's on Friday, alright?"

The kids pouted but then ran over and gave their father a hug.

Bruce set his fishing rod aside. "You kids finish fishing. If either of you catch one before I get back, I'll give you $5.00."

"Yes!" they yelled in unison.

Bruce used that to keep them busy while he walked Michelle to the car to get more details. They walked away from the kids and headed towards the driveway. Bruce said, "She's never called you during the week unless there is a large event in town. Where's Jas?"

"I asked her and all she said was that, she hadn't seen Aiden or Jas for a while and thought that they were somewhere together."

"I certainly hope so, but why didn't she just call Jas on her cell phone?"

"That's the first thing that I said. She got snippy and said, can you come or not?" Michelle chuckled.

Bruce reached in his pocket and pulled out his cell phone.

"Who are you calling?"

"I'm going to call Aiden. He normally picks up for me on the first ring or so, every time. If he's with Jas I know he's not going to pick up the phone." He glided his fingers across the phone, he got the voice mail. Bruce burst out laughing. "Well, I'll be damned the Ice Queen is finally thawing."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I've been knowing that boy my whole life. He's a creature of habit. He would have picked up the phone. She's with him somewhere and I'm damn happy about it."

"Me too."

He kissed Michelle on the cheek. She stepped into her copper colored Silverado and drove off.

***

The phone woke Aiden out of a blissful sleep. Jas was sprawled over him, one leg bent over his chest and the rest of her body molded under his arms. How they were able to not rip each other's clothes off during their make out session made him chuckle. It was just like the first time they'd been together on this bed during high school, only this time it was more intoxicating because they really knew each other.

With his free arm, he reached over to the night stand and raised his phone. He saw Bruce's number, smiled and shook his head. When he saw what time, it was, he tapped something else into his cell phone that he knew Jas would appreciate when she woke up.

In this moment, everything in Aiden felt happy. He looked down lovingly at Jas and was so grateful that she was finally in his arms. It felt right, just like it used to be. He lifted her silky auburn hair and let it slip between his fingers. Then he wrapped both arms around her and laid there contented while she slept.

The movie projector went on in his head again. He drifted in to memories. Aiden watched as his past flickered by. He and Jas were sitting in this room on the bed, facing each other.

"I'm not going to be a crop duster like my father, Jas. I told dad I'm not flying anymore."

"It's nothing wrong with crop dusting. Lots of people in these parts do that."

"I'm not going to be like him, ever."

He remembered the hurt look on Jas's face. She'd always hoped that he would make peace with his father for his own sake. In his mind, he saw how she bowed her head as if she were disappointed in him. He lifted her face.

"All my life he and Myra have told me that my mother was a slut. He said that she kept coming around until they got together and that I wasn't supposed to happen. My father regretted me being in his life when he already had a baby coming."

"I know all this. Don't keep saying it, Aiden. It's only going to make you angry. Me and Nanna have enough love for you."

"I know. That is why one day I'm going to give you everything."

"I have you and Nanna. That is everything."

He groaned at that thought as it surfaced. He lay there thinking if he had only truly understood what she meant, they would have been together now. Years later he did exactly as he promised Jas on that day. He gave her everything he thought she wanted – money, cars, expensive clothes, shoes and a beautiful mansion in Thailand.

Aiden was still stroking Jas's hair when he felt her jerk. "Oh, my God."

Instead of waking up peaceful like he did, she was frantic. Especially as she looked out the window and saw the sun setting. Jas started scrambling and he held her.

"Shhh," he whispered.

"I've got to go cook dinner. Aiden, why didn't you wake me up? Nanna can't do that alone."

She was about to get off the bed when he tightened his grip around her. She twisted to get free.

"It took me one month to get you in this room. Don't think for one moment that I'm letting you out of here. I've already taken care of Nanna."

She was about to say something when he silenced her with a kiss, the heat of it sank to his toes. It wasn't long before they found themselves lost in needed passion again.

***

Michelle and Nanna sat at a table in the corner of the cafeteria, eating a meal.

"I set two boxes aside for Jordy and Samantha," Nanna said, as she bit a slice of pepperoni pizza.

"Thank you. They're going to love you for doing that."

They enjoyed watching the guests pass by the table that they'd prepared stuffing their plates with pizza, garlic bread and salad. The air was filled with smells of Italy. She and Michelle were stunned when the delivery guy showed up with 40 pizzas of every possible assortment, courtesy of Aiden.

The guests cleared out after about an hour and a half. There really wasn't a lot to do beside throw out the empty pizza boxes and wipe the tables down. The guests had eaten their meals and drinks from plastic plates and utensils. They placed large waste bins at the entrance of the cafeteria and as the guest filed out they threw their trash away.

"Never since the day we opened the doors of this inn have I used anything plastic," Nanna chuckled as she and Michelle wiped down the tables. "I should have done that a long time ago."

"It is kind of neat not having to load the dishwasher and put things away. I just don't see how you and Jas do it."

"Well, when you've got a routine, it just seems natural. We've done the same thing day in and day out. Perhaps things need to change."

Michelle stopped wiping the table and stared at Nanna. It wasn't what she said, but how she said it. There was a finality in her tone. She tipped her head, and raised her brow.

"What more change could you possibly want? Have you looked at this place lately? It's beautiful. I thought you'd be reeling from all this change."

"I am very grateful for all this change. But I am an old woman and Jas is a young woman. We both need to be thinking about life.

"You both have wonderful lives. Whatever do you mean?"

Nanna just harrumphed. Michelle gave a quizzical look, but didn't press the matter any further, but she did make a serious mental note of it. She dipped her cloth in the wash bucket and continued wiping the tables down.

After everything had been cleaned up. Nanna walked Michelle to the front door and gave her a big hug. "What would I do without you and Jas?"

The hug was a little longer than usual. When they released, Michelle stepped back and gazed at her, "What's going on, Nanna?"

The old woman gave a gentle smile and squeezed Michelle's hand, "Life, it goes on. That's all that is going on, Michelle, life."

Nanna stood in the doorway until Michelle pulled out the driveway. She waved as the car pulled off. Then she walked down the hall to Jas's bedroom. She tapped on the door and after a few moments when Jas didn't answer she stepped inside, smiling. She glanced down at her watch "Six hours and thirty minutes. Thank you, Jesus!"

Flannery appeared out of nowhere, being drawn by Nanna's shout. She kneeled down beside the bed, patted Flannery on the head and then began to pray.

"Dear God, please let things work between them this time. Six months is not very far away. You've got to make this work. Amen."