Page 43 of Easton Island: A Wedding to Remember

“A favor?”

“I have a special delivery arriving later tonight and was wondering if I could have it dropped off at your place. Will you be home?”

“I don’t have any plans. What is it?”

“A secret.”

“You won’t tell me?”

“Nope. It should arrive around six thirty.”

“Chester and I will be here. I’m expecting a delivery, too.” Morgan told him she’d ordered a housewarming gift for Quinn and was waiting for it to come in.

“Good. Hey, gotta go. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” Morgan told him goodbye and motioned to Chester, who was sprawled out on the floor. “It’s time to tackle the attic. If I remember correctly, we have a box of almost brand new toys upstairs I bet Can-dee would like.”

She swapped out her good clothes for sweatpants and an old T-shirt. Grabbing a broom and dustpan, Morgan tromped up the stairs and lowered the attic ladder.

Chester pawed at the bottom step and let out a low whine.

“It’s dusty up there,” she warned.

Undeterred, her pup gave her “the look.”

“Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Morgan grabbed an empty backpack and returned to where he stood waiting. “You’ll have to ride up in the backpack.”

She nudged Chester inside and lifted the bag, noticing that it sagged under his weight. “You’re getting a little chunky, buddy. It might be time to cut back on the Treatos.”

Reaching the top she let Chester out and turned the lights on, surveying her surroundings.

The pungent aroma of mothballs lingered in the air. Faint streams of light filtered through the grimy window. “Stay here. I’ll go get the cleaning stuff.”

Making her way back down again, Morgan grabbed what she thought she might need and returned to the attic.

First things first, she sifted through the stack of boxes neatly lined up against the wall. She found the box marked “Chester” and began emptying the contents.

Chester watched for several long moments before grabbing one of his “like new,” barely used toys and making a run for it.

“Hey!” Morgan lunged forward, but Chester was too fast and easily moved out of reach. “You don’t even play with these.”

She took the toy and placed it back on the pile.

Chester, thinking it was a game, swiped another one, leading Morgan on a merry chase around the room.

“Fine.” Breathless, she gave up and let him keep it. “I’ll win this battle, one way or another.”

Setting the rest of the pile off to the side, she tackled cleaning the window, scrubbing and polishing it until it sparkled.

While she worked, she mulled over Edward Ryze, the protesters and Priscilla’s promise not to write a story.

The woman seemed eager to turn over a new leaf. Maybe she’d come to the realization that life was too short to hold grudges. Hopefully, Elizabeth and her sister-in-law had enough years ahead of them to mend fences and salvage their relationship.

Her thoughts drifted to her conversation with Mrs. Arnsby, who had asked if Wyatt had proposed. Along with her reluctance to wed again, thanks to her ex, there was another problem looming on the horizonifmarriage was in their future.

Wyatt had purchased his family’s home and was content to live there while Morgan would never sell Looking Glass Cottage. Not in a million years.

Although the cottage oozed coziness, it was spacious enough to accommodate a family, boasting three ample sized bedrooms and two full bathrooms.

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