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popping it into her mouth.
    “Chicago.”
    “Ooh, that’s a long drive from there to here. Are you going to be in Canyon Creek long?”
    “No, just passing through on my way to the coast. I need a place to crash for the night.”
    “That’s no problem. We have lots of space. And my place is not like the floral potpourri bed-and-breakfasts you’ve seen before. I think you’ll like it,” she assured him.
    The drive was short, only a few blocks—Canyon Creek consisted of little more than that—and they were pulling up in front of a blue house with white shutters. The driveway was lined with boxwoods, and a large evergreen took up most of the front yard.
    “Here we are,” Ambrose said, getting out of the car. West grabbed his things and followed her up the front steps and into the house. She was right. West hadn’t been in many bed-and-breakfasts before. None, in fact, but this wasn’t anything like he thought it would be. The exterior of the house was much like the other houses in town—old but well maintained and full of character—but the inside was so much more than that.
    “Did you do all the decorating yourself?” West asked, impressed. The interior held all the character of the exterior but with modern updates. The colors were bright and vibrant and created a warm, welcoming environment. West felt immediately at home, despite the fact that the décor was the polar opposite of what he’d chosen for his home and office.
    Ambrose nodded. “I did. Ever since I was a little girl, I loved this house. It sat empty for years, believe it or not, so when I finally was able to make the purchase, I was over the moon. I spent two years renovating and updating, but I think it was worth it.”
    “I agree. And real estate is always a sound investment, especially when you put so much into increasing the value of it. I don’t know what the market around here is like, but I would hazard a guess you’ve doubled your investment.”
    “Huh. I’ve never thought of it like that before. I loved the house, and now I live here and run my business. I’m pretty happy with how everything worked out. You must be tired, though. I’ll show you to your room,” she said.
    “That would be great. Thanks.”
    She led him up the stairs to a bedroom on the left of the landing. She unlocked the door and then handed him the key. They stepped inside, and West was pleased with what he saw. The modern comfort from downstairs was translated perfectly into the sleeping spaces.
    It would do more than nicely for the night.
    “Yell if you need anything, but I think you should have everything in here. There are more linens in the closet, towels and travel toiletries in case you’ve forgotten anything….” She paused, looking like she was trying to remember what came next. “You’re actually our only guest at the moment, so breakfast is at whatever time you prefer.”
    “I don’t normally eat breakfast.”
    “Well, then tomorrow will be a real treat for you. You can’t have a B and B without the second B. Nine o’clock sound all right?”
    “Sounds perfect,” West replied.
    She bade him good night and closed the door behind her. West knelt, unzipped his suitcase, and grabbed his bag of toiletries from the side. He made quick work of teeth brushing and face washing before he stripped down and climbed into the oversized bed. He closed his eyes and listened to the sounds of the house settling. Gentle pops and creaks were the only thing that split the silence of the night. It was something West wasn’t used to, all that quiet. Chicago was always moving, even in the middle of the night. It was a nice change. It was peaceful here.
    Before long, West fell into a deep sleep.
     
     
    AFTER THE sun rose the next morning he awoke to the smell of bacon frying somewhere in the house. Glancing at his watch, he saw it was a quarter to nine. How long had it been since he’d slept past six? He couldn’t remember. College? He climbed out of bed