Summer In Iron Springs Read Free Page B

to give her any money she probably wouldn’t be doing any shopping and since shopping was one of the things she was looking forward to doing in New York, the dreadful thought added one more entry to her ever growing list of cons.
    Norm exited the paved road and headed down a narrow dirt lane where he slowed to a stop after angling the truck into an open space beside a much newer, much shinier, red truck. “Here we are!” he announced. “Your summer home, little lady.”
    Phoebe glanced out the window and studied the log cabin. It was much bigger than she’d imagined it would be. The lower section was built of flat, neutral colored stones in different shapes and sizes and the upper section was constructed of large brown logs with giant wooden pillars supporting the second story’s wrap-around porch.
    Her eyes were drawn to a huge window that revealed the over-sized blades of a ceiling fan whirling in circles. She studied them for a long moment before letting out a long sigh and opening the truck door.
    “I’ll grab your bags; you head on inside.”
    Phoebe swallowed hard to clear the lump in her throat. “I can get my own bags.” Her voice quivered, and Norm gave her a sympathetic glance.
    “Su it yourself,” Norm said.
    Phoebe stepped out of the truck just as Anna Walker, an attractive, slender woman in snug blue jeans, a western style shirt, and leather cowboy boots walked out the front door. She was followed by a golden retriever who limped slowly across the large wooden porch. Phoebe recognized her aunt from photographs but she had no memory of ever having met the woman.
    Norm grinned as he passed Anna on the porch steps. “She’s a pistol.”
    Anna gave Norm a nod and made her way down the stairs. She approached Phoebe and wrapped her arms around her. “What a beautiful young lady you’ve become,” she said, holding Phoebe in a long embrace. Then, pulling back slightly, she stared into Phoebe’s chocolate brown eyes, cradled her cheeks in the palms of her hands and smiled. “You look so much like Bessie.” Anna’s voice cracked and her eyes became moist.
    Phoebe shrugged. The fact that she resembled her mother was not news to her but she wasn’t used to hearing it aloud. She’d also seen enough pictures of Anna to know that the two sisters, though five years apart in age, looked almost like twins. Looking at Anna now, seeing her wide brown eyes, it was almost more than Phoebe could take. She imagined this was what it would feel like to look into her mother’s eyes. She took a step back and stared over her aunt’s shoulder at the mountain side. The golden retriever limped over and nuzzled his wet nose in her hand and she gave his head a pat. His eyes were tired and he looked worn out.
                  “I’m so sorry I couldn’t pick you up from the airport. I had a meeting that I was unable to get out of.”
    Phoebe noted the smile lines on either side of Anna’s mouth and the faint wrinkles around her eyes. There was tenderness in Anna’s words that told Phoebe her aunt was not the wicked witch she had made her out to be when her father informed her that Anna had agreed to have Phoebe live with her for the summer. “Don’t worry about it,” she said coolly.
    Anna nodded and said softly, “Come inside and let’s get you settled. I’m sure you’ve had a long trip.”
    After a moment’s hesitation, Phoebe let out a sigh, retrieved her luggage from the bed of the truck and followed her aunt up the porch steps. They walked through a set of tall wooden doors and into a large open foyer before heading up a towering staircase. “This is where you’ll stay, Phoebe,” Anna said as she opened the last door on the right side of the long hallway.
    Phoebe’s eyes were drawn immediately to huge windows that gave a stunning view of the mountainside. “This is my room? Are you serious?” She raised a hand to her mouth. The words spilled out before she had time to form them, and she