Sammy in England (Single Wide Female Travels #4) Read online

  Contents

  Title Page

  A note from the author

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

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  Preview: Sammy in Ireland (Single Wide Female Travels, Book 5)

  Preview: To Love Again (a sweet romance)

  Preview: Lifeguards and Liars (a cozy mystery)

  Other Titles

  Legal Notice

  Single Wide Female Travels

  (Book 4)

  Sammy in England

  By

  Lillianna Blake

  Copyright © 2016 Lillianna Blake

  Cover design by Beetiful Book Covers

  All rights reserved.

  LilliannaBlake.com

  Dear Reader,

  The Single Wide Female and B.I.G. Girls Club books are written for every woman out there who has struggled with their weight, self-esteem and any number of issues that we all face as we work to become the best versions of ourselves that we can be.

  They are meant to be light-hearted and fun, but I do hope that they will inspire you—to REALLY live your life to the fullest, loving yourself completely as you do so.

  You might prefer to get to know Sammy in the Single Wide Female: The Bucket List series first. You can pick up that first book for free here:

  #1 Learn Pole Dancing

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R334AE4

  If you enjoy Sammy in England, I’d appreciate it if you would take a moment to leave an honest review here:

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ENVRBQ2

  And…

  ** I have a FREE book for you! **

  Wanna know what inspired Sammy to write her bucket list? Visit my website below and get your complimentary copy of “Sammy’s Big Plan!”

  LilliannaBlake.com

  Enjoy!

  Sincerely,

  Lillianna

  P.S. Also be sure to see the previews following this page for introductions to additional series by Lillianna Blake.

  Chapter 1

  I sighed and smiled as Max’s fingertip swirled a lazy pattern along my palm. With the sun just setting, the scenery outside the train window had me captivated. The subtle rhythm of the train, combined with the sensation of Max’s touch, had lulled me into such a peaceful state that I couldn’t be worried about our arrival in London. After what had happened in Amsterdam, what could be worse?

  I glanced over at Max to see him staring at the seat in front of him.

  “Max, you’re missing all the scenery.”

  “Sorry.” He smiled and looked out the window. “It is beautiful.”

  “This entire journey has been amazing, and now I’m looking forward to meeting one of your good friends.”

  “Good friend is a little strong. We knew each other as kids—for a summer.”

  “Hm, I bet she has some good stories about you.” I grinned.

  “Never mind that.” He cut his eyes in my direction. “No teasing.”

  “Why not? I never get to tease you.”

  He leaned close and kissed me on the cheek. “I’m looking forward to having a romantic evening with you—just the two of us.”

  “Me too.” I gazed into his eyes. Valentine’s Day was coming up, and it still shocked me at times that I had the privilege of sharing it—and all the other special events that used to drive me insane as a chronically single woman—with Max. Never did I think that fantasy would come true. But there he was, right before me, smiling at me, as if he felt as lucky as I did. “I love you, Max.”

  “I love you too.” He stroked his palm across mine. “But you’re not getting me back in a storage container.”

  “Don’t worry, I already checked on that. I didn’t want any surprises like what we had in Amsterdam. Poppy has us set up at a lovely bed and breakfast where we can stay for the duration of our visit.”

  “That should be nice. I’m sure it’ll still be a small room, but at least we’ll have a bathroom.”

  “I hope so.” I laughed and leaned into his shoulder. “I’m not sure I’m brave enough to go without one again.”

  “It’s not bravery, trust me.” He chuckled and wrapped his arm around my waist. “At least she’s a little more forthcoming with our plans.”

  “Yes, she’s already e-mailed me an hour-by-hour event plan for the first few days. She even scheduled time for a shower for me.” I grinned. “I don’t think she’s going to be full of surprises.” I bit into my bottom lip lightly. “I do feel bad that I’ve made such a bad impression.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The incident with the hot air balloon…” I cringed.

  “So what? That wasn’t your fault.”

  “Maybe not to you or me, but I think to Poppy, it was. Anyway, I’m not going to focus on that. I can’t let someone’s opinion of me get me derailed. I’m sure we’ll still have a fantastic time in London.”

  Max glanced at his watch. “We should be there in an hour.”

  “I’m going to work on my blog a bit. I’ve been neglecting it. Plus, I want to read back through some old posts. Do you mind?”

  “Not at all.” He kissed the top of my head. “I’m going to get a little rest.”

  I opened my computer, happy to see that the train Wi-Fi service seemed to be working. As soon as I logged onto my blog, I saw a flood of comments. My eyes widened at some of the more colorful ones.

  SWF how many calories were in that cookie?

  SWF when are you coming back to Italy?

  SWF how can you travel so much? Aren’t you working on the next book in the series? We can’t wait forever.

  I laughed and started typing out responses.

  Twenty minutes passed before I even had the chance to look at some old posts. I decided to go back to the first few posts I’d ever made. When I started reading back through my initial plans for my bucket list, I was stunned.

  I’d been filled with so much fear and excitement at that time in my life. More than anything, though, I recognized the extreme amount of determination I’d had. It was clear to me that over the span of my travels I’d became blind to my true passion. A few reminders would be a good way to get myself back on track.

  I titled my new blog post Back to Basics and began typing away. By the time I hit the submit button, the train had rolled into the London station.

  I glanced over at Max to see that his eyes were still open. He hadn’t slept at all.

  “Max?” I grabbed his hand before he could stand up and retrieve our luggage. “Are you doing okay?”

  “Sure.” He smiled at me. “Let’s check out London.”

  Chapter 2

  I followed Max off the train along with several other passengers. Though it was already dark when we stepped out onto the street, the city was well lit. I waved down a taxi. Max tossed the suitcases in the trunk then joined me in the warmth of the back seat.

  �
�Summer Inn please.” I handed the driver the address.

  “Is that where you’re staying?” He looked over his shoulder at us.

  “Yes. Do you know it?”

  He chuckled. “Sure do. That place is booked to the attic.”

  “Wow. Must be a nice place.”

  “It’s because of the rumor about it.”

  “Rumor?” I leaned forward to listen as the driver pulled away from the curb.

  “With Valentine’s Day coming up, people are tripping all over themselves to get a room there. Supposedly a great love story took place there.”

  “That sounds wonderful. I didn’t know anything about that.”

  “It’s more of a local superstition. Anyway, lots of couples like to stay there for good luck in their relationship.”

  “That’s sweet, but how could an inn offer good luck?”

  “It’s not the Inn, it’s the initials. The building is an old Victorian style, and when it was being renovated a few years back, one of the workers discovered a pair of initials engraved underneath the railing of the porch. Historians dated it back hundreds of years.”

  “Oh wow, how amazing. Love does endure.”

  “Yes, I guess the owner thought so too. So she insisted that the wood remain a part of the railing. Then she researched who the couple might have been. There’s no way to prove it, of course, but supposedly the couple was Sarah Martin and Thomas Whittle. Sarah Martin was the daughter of a very well-off and powerful man in England. Thomas Whittle was listed as a farm hand, nothing more than a cattle herder, most likely. The story goes that Sarah tried to get her father to agree to their marriage. Her father refused and had Thomas arrested. Sarah sat outside of the jail until he was released. The two fled and likely holed up in the house to escape her father’s wrath.”

  “And they lived happily ever after?” Max grinned. “That’s my kind of story.”

  “Actually, no one really knows.” The driver looked in the rear-view mirror at me. “The last time either was seen they were on the porch of that house. Sarah’s father hunted for them but never found them. Some people believe they ran off together, others believe Sarah’s father murdered them both, and some suspect that, tired of running, Sarah and Thomas jumped into the river.”

  “Wow, that’s not so pleasant.” Max shook his head. “I despise stories like that.”

  “Really?,” I asked. “Don’t you think it’s beautiful that they loved one another so much?”

  “It’s a story, Sammy. There’s no way to prove if it’s true or not. Such a tragic one at that. I hate to think of anyone being killed, or killing themselves over love.” Max shook his head. “There’s nothing beautiful to me about that.”

  “Not even how deeply they loved each other?” I met his eyes.

  “Love is beautiful, but it’s not meant to be violent.” He frowned. “I never understood those kinds of sad movies. Love should be inspiring and uplifting, not horrifying.”

  “I guess it doesn’t work out that way for everyone.” The driver smiled as he pulled up in front of the bed and breakfast. “Anyway, good luck with the crowd, and have a wonderful time in London.”

  I stepped out of the taxi and waited for Max to collect the luggage. The railing held my attention. I wondered if the story was true. Did two lovers from so long ago leave their mark for everyone to see forever? It was an amazing thought.

  I took one of the suitcases from Max and slipped my hand into his free one.

  “Do you think it’s true, Max?”

  “I kind of hope not.”

  “Why?” I looked into his eyes.

  “The thought of someone having to endure that kind of pain—it makes me feel sorry for them.”

  “But obviously their love was stronger than that pain. Maybe that made it worth it.”

  “Maybe.” Max shrugged and made his way up the steps to the front door. He held it open for me.

  As I stepped past him, it struck me that Max might not believe in that powerful kind of love. I had no problem believing in it, because I experienced it every moment that I was with him. Did that mean that he didn’t experience the same thing? Nonsense, Sammy, Max just has a more logical mind. Don’t ruin things by overthinking it. I willed myself to keep control of my emotions.

  The lobby was crowded, and the woman at the front desk looked as if she hadn’t slept in days.

  “Maybe this isn’t the best place for us to stay.” I frowned.

  “We’re going to have to give it a try tonight. It’s too late to find anywhere else. If it’s this bad in the morning, we can find somewhere else to stay.”

  “Good, logical plan, Max.” I nudged him with my elbow.

  “Thanks…” He grinned. “I’m looking forward to getting some sleep.”

  I walked up to the counter when I saw that the woman at the desk was free. Her name tag said Madison.

  “Hello, I’m checking in.”

  “Oh, Samantha, no need to explain. I know just who you are.” She grinned. “I’m so thrilled to have you staying here. When Poppy mentioned you were going to be in London, I begged her to reserve your room here.”

  “Really?” I smiled. “That’s quite kind of you.”

  “I have to admit that I had a reason—well, other than being your biggest fan.”

  “What’s that?” I signed the logbook.

  “I thought that maybe you’d like to include something about the Inn and its tragic love story in your next book. What better inspiration than a romantic story like that?”

  “Well, I don’t really write romance.”

  “Of course not, but love is always a part of everything, isn’t it?” She smiled. “Just think about it. I don’t expect you to answer me now.”

  “Alright, I will.” I smiled at her and accepted our room keys.

  Chapter 3

  Max cringed as we walked away from the counter.

  “We’ll have to be careful of her.”

  “Madison? Why?”

  “She seems a bit determined to get into your next book.”

  “I think it’s sweet.”

  “Maybe, but there’s no way you could use a story like that in your book.”

  “Why not?” We climbed the stairs to the second floor.

  Max paused on the landing. “Because, like you said, you don’t write romance. You write inspiration.”

  “Romance can be inspiring. Madison is right—love is part of everything. Without love, you can’t really have happiness.”

  Max was silent as he waited for me to open the door to our room.

  I turned to look at him. “Don’t you think so, Max?”

  “Honestly?” He met my eyes.

  “Honestly.” I nodded.

  “No, I don’t think that’s true. Love is great, but not everyone has to have it to be happy.”

  I tried not to let his words skewer me through the heart. He was entitled to his opinion of course.

  “So, if we weren’t together, you’d be happy?”

  “Sammy, that’s not fair. Don’t put words in my mouth.” Max eyed me warily. “Can we just go into the room?”

  I nodded and stepped inside.

  The room was fairly big, with a queen-sized bed, side tables, and a small kitchen table. I noticed right away that there was a rather large painting on one wall depicting a rose in full bloom.

  “Look at that.” I smiled at the image. “It’s breathtaking.”

  Max nodded and set his suitcase down beside the bed. I noticed that he’d barely looked at the painting.

  “Max, really—look at it.”

  He sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed. “It’s a rose, Sammy. It’s just a rose.”

  Something about the way he said it made my eyes widen and my heart flip. Where was my Max that usually shared my passion for everything? Where was the man that, at the very least, supported my views?

  “Max, are you sure you’re okay?”

  “I’m just tired.” He yawned. “I’m sorry.
I guess I’m a little cranky.”

  “It’s okay.” I smiled and sat down beside him. “Why don’t you head to bed? I want to check in on the blog to see if I have any comments, then I’ll be going to bed myself.”

  “Okay.” He yawned again. Then he reached over and wrapped his arms around me. “Don’t be long. I don’t sleep well without you.”

  I kissed him gently. “Not long at all, I promise.”

  I set my computer up on the small table and settled in for some reading.

  One thing that I’d noticed about my adventures with my bucket list was my hesitation and avoidance when it came to physical activity. It was strange to look back on that, because I’d learned to really enjoy being more active. But I hadn’t been that active lately. Maybe that was why some anxiety had begun creeping back into my daily life. I’d discovered that the physical body was meant to be used, designed for far more activity than the convenient lifestyle modern society offered.

  I typed up a blog post about how easy it was to lose sight of the needs of the body. Even while focusing on emotional and spiritual needs, it was easy to overlook the fact that we are physical beings, who need to be exercised just like any other animal.

  When I crawled into bed beside Max, I was determined to show more respect to my physical being, even if being warm and cozy cuddled up next to Max seemed like a much better idea.

  I woke up the next morning feeling more like myself than I had in a very long time. I tickled Max’s neck until he stirred awake.

  “Want to go for a run with me?”

  “A run?” He stared at me with wide eyes. “Seriously?”

  “Yes. I feel like running. Do you want to join me?”

  “Sure do.” He climbed out of bed. “What brought this on?”

  “It’s been so long since I’ve done anything physical. I think I’ve built up some anxiety and aggression because of it. I just feel like running to the ends of the earth and letting off some steam.”