Free The Way Home by Katherine Spencer Page A

definitely time to get back to work.
    If only those dark, laughing eyes were not so firmly stuck in her mind. Avery shook her head, trying to dislodge the image. She definitely did not need Mike Rossi in her life. But she knew that if she was honest, she had to admit there was a part of her that wouldn’t mind seeing him again.

Chapter Four
    C LAIRE met Jamie’s train on Friday morning at nine. He had been in Boston since Tuesday, packing his things and doing whatever a young man his age had to do before leaving town for the summer.
    He waved when he hopped off the train and walked over to meet her, carrying a large duffel bag and a knapsack over his shoulder.
    â€œHey, Claire. I made it.”
    Claire was so happy to see him. She wanted to give him a hug but restrained herself. “Yes, you did. Right on time.”
    She had honestly been afraid he might oversleep and miss the train, which had left the station in Boston before seven. She was relieved to see he was responsible enough to keep his appointments.
    They walked to her Jeep, which was parked in front of the old-fashioned station house. Jamie had on the same pair of jeans and black sneakers she had seen on Monday, but he wore a plaid cotton shirt with short sleeves and a stand-up collar that must have been brand-new. The fabric was still stiff and creases in the front showed where it had been folded in its package.
    He had also gotten a haircut. A chunk of dark brown hair still flopped across his eyes, but was not nearly so long. He was trying to make a good impression. That was a good sign.
    â€œI need to make a quick stop at the store, then we have to hurry back. Several guests are checking in this afternoon. The rooms are ready,” Claire explained as she started the Jeep and headed toward the village. “But there’s still plenty to do.”
    Jamie nodded. “Okay. Whatever you need me to do, I’ve got it covered.”
    She smiled at him briefly. It was so good to see him again, sitting beside her in the car. Once or twice this week, she had wondered if she’d imagined the entire thing—Jamie coming so far to find her and Liza giving him a job at the inn.
    But here he was, back on the island, and would remain for the rest of the summer. Enough time for her to make amends for abandoning him so long ago. Enough time to win his trust and be a positive influence in his life.
    The drive to the inn passed quickly. Claire pointed out a few local sights on the way.
    â€œWhere are those cliffs you used to tell me about?”
    â€œThe cliffs are on the other side of the island,” she explained. “I’ll take you there sometime—maybe next week when the inn empties out again.”
    They drove up to the inn and found a large shiny SUV parked on the curve of the drive that circled in front of the entrance.
    A group of guests had arrived, though it was barely ten. Check-in time was twelve noon, but Liza never had the heart to remind anyone of that. Liza had come out to greet their new guests—two middle-aged couples who were traveling together.
    Claire parked on the side of the inn and grabbed the shopping bags as she got out of the car. Jamie reached in back for his duffel and knapsack.
    â€œYou’d better leave those for now. Go help the guests with their luggage and see if Liza has anything else to send up to the rooms.” There were often requests as soon as guests walked in the door—extra towels and pillows, tea or coffee, hair dryers and ironing boards.
    â€œOh, right.” Jamie dropped his own bags in the backseat again and loped toward the SUV.
    One of the men tugged at a large suitcase stuck in the trunk. The bag was large enough for a month’s vacation, Claire thought, with a smile.
    â€œHey, mister, hold up. I’ll help you with that.” Jamie trotted across the gravel to the car.
    Claire winced a bit. “Hey, mister” was not the most cordial address. But the guest