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“That’s all you have to say after breaking into my grandmother’s home?” She raised the toaster higher, ready to take whatever action would be necessary to defend herself and her sister. It might have helped if she’d unplugged it first, so she reached over to do so. She’d taken a self-defense class years ago, and the advice that had been drilled into her repeated in her mind now, just in case she needed it.
He raised one dark eyebrow over his gray green eyes. “I didn’t break in.”
“Are you saying you used a key?” The man was delusional. Hot, yes, but definitely certifiable.
“Yes. Mine.” He dug into his front jean pocket and brought out a silver key ring with a familiar gold key hanging from it.
Grammy was giving out keys to strange men? She’d obviously missed a lot being gone all this time. He leaned on the counter, watching her as she put the toaster down. But she kept her eye on him as she poured her own cup of coffee and added cream and sugar to it. He grimaced. She looked down at the creamy color. “Problem?”
“Good coffee doesn’t need all that stuff. And this is good.” He saluted her with his mug.
She rolled her eyes and sipped from her mug. Steps behind her alerted her that Megs had joined them. “Oh, good. You’ve met,” her sister said.
She glared at Megs. “Who is this guy? He let himself in with his own key.”
Megs put a tea bag into a mug and poured water into it before putting it in the microwave and pressing a few buttons. “Grammy told you she was having work done on the house. This is Sam.”
The way Grammy had spoken about him, she’d think he walked on water as he fixed things at the bakery and at home and had maybe even repaired her grieving heart. She’d mentioned that this Sam was good looking, but Kelly had expected older. Much older. Like Grammy’s age. And her grandmother hadn’t mentioned the muscles. Or those gray-green eyes that reminded her of a river with sun sparkling off the surface. Or the smile that sent shivers down her spine. “Sam the Saint? You don’t look like you’re in your seventies.”
He smiled at that. “Maybe because I’m not.”
“Grammy said she had a new man in her life. But I didn’t expect someone so...” Gorgeous. Mouth-watering. “Young.” She put her mug down. “You’re not what I expected.”
“I could say the same about you, Kelly.” He finished his coffee then placed his mug in the kitchen sink and ran water in the cup. “It’s been fun, but I’ve got to get to the job site early.” He nodded at Kelly, then pointed at Megs. “You’ll let me know about tomorrow?”
Megs agreed and retrieved her steaming mug from the microwave. “I’ll know more tonight. Dinner at Rick’s tonight, say seven?”
“You bet.” He winked at Kelly. “Nice to meet you.”
Of all the nerve. And if he didn’t make her stomach flop, she would swear she was coming down with the flu. She turned to her sister. “Does he come over every morning?” She narrowed her eyes. “Is there something going on with you two?”
Megs shook her head and walked to the refrigerator. She pulled out a carton of eggs and a tub of butter. “Sam is just a friend. And he lives in the apartment above the garage. When he runs out of coffee there, he comes over and uses Grammy’s. It’s no big deal.”
Kelly took a seat and watched her sister crack eggs into a bowl and whisk them together. Next, her sister got out a frying pan and melted butter in it over the stove before pouring the beaten eggs into it. She retrieved a loaf of homemade sourdough and cut thick slices, then dropped them in the toaster, which she plugged back in.
“Seems like a big deal if you and Grammy couldn’t tell me that he was living here,” Kelly said. Her mouth watered as the eggs cooked golden yellow. “By the way Grammy talked about him, I thought she was half in love with him.”
“Maybe she was. In a grandmotherly way.” Megs took down two plates and brought them to the stove. “Sam is a great guy. Not that you gave him much of a chance this morning.”
“He startled me.”
“Mm-hmm.” Megs placed a piece of toast on the plate then spooned the cooked eggs over it. She put another pat of butter on top, then handed it to Kelly. “Can we discuss this while we eat? I’m starving.”
Kelly normally didn’t eat breakfast but her stomach growled loudly at the sight of the eggs and toast. “Grammy made this for us the first night after Mom left.”
“I know.” Megs took a seat on a stool at the kitchen island. “Seemed appropriate.”
Kelly took a seat across from her. She picked up her fork then laid it back down next to her plate. “I don’t know what to do without her.”
“I don’t, either.”
* * *
SAM STEERED HIS pickup truck into the driveway and followed the curve until he had almost reached the lake. His potential client hadn’t arrived yet, so he got out of the vehicle and walked to the truck bed and got out his red tool box.
He took a deep breath, reveling in the scent of pine and water. When he’d first arrived in Lake Mildred, he hadn’t expected to find this sense of home. He assumed he’d take on a few well-paying jobs then move on to the next town, always searching for something.
Home.
And he thought he might be able to find it here in this sleepy lakeside town. A big part of that had been Adelaide Sweet, and he swallowed at the lump in his throat the reminder brought. Come on, Addy. What am I going to do?
Memories of Addy brought the image to mind of meeting her granddaughter that morning. Her worn nightshirt with a cat on it, plus the long blond hair in braids and huge blue eyes gave her an air of innocence. The way she threatened him with a toaster only added to his impression of her. Petite and cute, she was also strong, independent. Definitely a young woman raised by Addy. But something remained, which he couldn’t put his finger on, that made him want to get to know her a lot better.
The appearance of a silver pickup truck in the driveway broke Sam from his thoughts. The truck pulled up and parked behind his. He shielded his eyes then waved at Rick Allyn, the mayor and hopefully his next, future client. Rick hopped out of the pickup and approached him. “I got stuck in a budget meeting.” He made a face, and Sam squelched a grin.
The men shook hands then strolled down to the dock. Sam sighed and put his tool box down. He tugged the small notebook out of his back pocket and nub of a pencil. “I had a look at the supports, and they’re still good. It seems to be the boards on top here that are causing problems.”
Sam crouched and peered at the rotting boards of the dock. He could remove the old ones, replace them with solid planks and then treat them so that they’d last for years. He mentally calculated the cost of the materials. He stood and made some notes on his pad. “It’ll take me about a week to do the work, and I can get started on the job in a day or two.”
Rick nodded. “And the price?”
Sam gave him a figure to which the mayor whistled.
“More than I’d hoped, but still it’s half of what another company quoted me.”
So he had competition for the job? Not that he expected less from a man who ran the town with a fair, but frugal hand, despite his dislike of budget meetings. Sam shifted his weight on his feet. “I can guarantee my work. I’ll give you references if you need them.”
Rick held up one hand. “You forget that I’ve seen your work at the Stones’ house. I’m convinced. You’ve got the job.”
They shook hands to seal the deal. Sam made more notes. “I’ll get the contract and itemized materials list to you by the end of the day.” He looked up at Rick as they walked back to their trucks. “Megs mentioned that you and I are pallbearers tomorrow for the funeral.”
“It’s my honor.” Rick stopped at his truck and rested a foot on the back tire. “It’s a real blow to the town. Mrs. Sweet was the cornerstone to a lot of charities besides providing all the pastries and desserts for town celebrations. She’ll be missed.”
Sam nodded, but couldn’t say anything. He’d breezed into town over two years ago, looking for a job and a place to stay. Mrs. Sweet had opened up her home to him as well as introduced him to people who had brought work his way. She had encouraged him to find his dreams when he’d been ready to walk away.
She’d given him the kick in the behind when he’d needed it, too. Said the words he hadn’t wanted to hear, but ought to understand.
What was he going to do now? He cleared his throat. “An amazing woman. One of a kind.”
“Megs said they’re meeting with Gene this morning at the funeral home.”
He knew they would make the right decisions for Addy. She’d had a lot of love and pride in her granddaughters, but he’d seen little of Kelly to know if Addy’s belief in her granddaughter had been warranted. She’d spoken often of her amazing voice and how she was trying to pursue her singing career in Nashville. He knew firsthand what that could cost. He hoped she’d returned home before it had changed her.
The fear in her eyes this morning when she’d discovered him in the kitchen told him that it might be too late. He realized that was the difference between the sisters. Megs trusted everyone while it seemed her sister was wary of them.
Sam took a deep breath. “I need to get moving to the next job.” He held out a hand to Rick who shook it. “I look forward to restoring the dock.”
“Not as much as I do. Maybe my wife will finally scratch it off my honey do list.”
Although it sounded like a complaint, the twinkle in the mayor’s eye told Sam that he didn’t seem to mind. In fact, that he enjoyed it.
Sam took his leave. He wouldn’t mind having a woman in his life that put that kind of twinkle in his own eye. But he needed to focus on work instead of the absence of one woman and the appearance of another.
* * *
“JUST COME WITH US. It’s only dinner.”
Megs tried to hand Kelly her jean jacket, but she refused. “I’m not hungry. I’ll stay here.”
Megs folded her arms across her chest. “And mope and feel sorry for yourself? You’ve done enough of that already today.”
That wasn’t what Kelly had been feeling. She had missed her grandmother so much that the ache in her belly didn’t make food appealing. “I’ll be spending enough time with people over the next few days. I want to be left alone for a while. Is that too much to ask?”
Her sister opened her mouth, as if to say something, but shook her head. She tossed Kelly her jacket. “Fine. I’ll be back later. Call me if you want me to bring anything home for you.”
“I’ll be all right.” Kelly walked Megs to the door and glanced at Sam who sat in his pickup, staring at them. “You’re sure you two aren’t an item? He seems awfully attentive and concerned about you.”
“It’s called friendship.” Megs walked out the front door and down the steps to the truck and got in on the passenger side. Kelly held up her hand before Sam put the truck in reverse and backed out of the driveway.
Kelly shut the front door and leaned against it. Closing her eyes she listened to the night sounds of the house. The tick of the grandfather clock in the living room. The hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen. She lingered for another moment, and trailed her fingers along the smooth wooden banister as she stole up the stairs to her old bedroom. Once there, she flopped on the bed and stared up at the ceiling.
Grammy. The deep blue eyes that twinkled as she spoke of her life with Pop Pop. The white hair that she kept long and pinned on top of her head. Her tiny body wearing T-shirts and jeans underneath a pink apron with ruffles and pockets. She had often smelled of honey.
Grammy had grown up in Lake Mildred, and her own father had built the house she’d lived in until now. She’d married Pop Pop right before he shipped out to the Pacific during World War II and waited for him to return. Once Pop Pop was stateside, they tried for over a decade to have a child. She’d told the girls that their father had been a miracle baby because Grammy had given up hoping when she found herself finally pregnant. As much as she loved the bakery, she loved her son more and doted on him. When he died, a light dimmed inside Grammy, though she kept telling the girls that she was fine. Kelly remembered the look on her face each holiday as she stared at the empty chairs around the table.
And now hers would stay vacant, too.
Kelly flipped over onto her belly and sank her head into the pillow. She gave in to the despair she’d felt all day and sobbed.
Then there was a hand on her back. She shrieked as she found Sam sitting on the bed next to her. His voice was low, meant to be comforting. “I don’t mean to keep startling you.”
She propped herself up on one elbow and observed him. He looked as if he’d showered and changed since their meeting that morning. She could smell the faint but enticing traces of soap coming from him. “What do you want?”
His serious green eyes bore into hers. “You need to come to dinner with us.”
She shook her head. Didn’t they get the hint? “No. I already told Megs that I’m not hungry.”
“It’s not about the food. It’s not even about you, although I get it that you’re hurting, too. It’s about being there for your sister, who won’t insist that you come with us, even though it’s killing her not to.” He eyed her from head to toe. “She needs you right now. And if that means you paste a smile on that pretty face and pretend that going out to dinner with us is the best idea you’ve ever heard, then you do it.”
He thought she was pretty? She squelched the pride that compliment rose in her chest. “You’re wrong. She doesn’t need me.”
He shook his head. “The woman she loved like a mother is gone, and no one can ever replace her. But you’re a close second. So go wash your face and meet me downstairs in five minutes. And do it because you love your sister enough to be there for her. Understood?”
He made it sound so easy. But what did he know about losing the woman who had meant the world to her? He had been friends with her grandmother, sure. But Grammy had been her everything.
Just like she’d been for Megs.
Her refusal to go to dinner started to sound hollow in her ears now. Maybe she should go. Her sister appeared to be doing well, but what if she was as messed up as she was? What if the carefully constructed outside only covered up the grief and turmoil on the inside? She glared at him. “I may not have been around lately, but I love Megs.”
He picked up her jacket from where she’d hung it over the back of her desk chair. “Prove it by coming to dinner with us.”
She looked at the jacket, then snatched it from his hand. She stood. She thrust her arms into the sleeves. “Why does it matter to you, anyway?”
“Because I loved Addy, too. And tonight I want to be around people who loved her as much, if not more. I want to hear stories about her and remember the good times. I didn’t get enough of them, and I want to hear your memories.” Sam took a deep breath as she buttoned the jacket, then grabbed her purse. “Thank you.”
“I’m coming to dinner for Megs, not you.” She pulled her hair out from underneath the jacket.
“At least you’re coming.”
She followed him down the stairs and to the pickup truck. Megs sat staring out the passenger side window. When she saw Kelly joining them, she scooted towards the center of the seat. “I didn’t think you were coming.”
Kelly glanced at Sam’s figure as he walked around the truck and got in on the driver’s side. “Changed my mind.”
She kept her gaze fixed on the passing landscape as they drove the five miles from the countryside into town. Sam parallel parked the truck on Main Street, then hurried around to give a hand down to both of them. They strode down the street to the diner and entered. The overwhelming scent of grease in the air made Kelly’s knees buckle and wish she had more of an appetite. Instead, she followed Sam and Megs to a back booth and squeezed in next to her sister.
A waitress brought them menus, but Sam and Megs laid theirs aside. Obviously they knew what they wanted while she had no clue. A salad? Probably should, but it didn’t appeal to her. A burger? She remembered that Rick made the best, but she wrinkled her nose at the idea. She thought of Grammy and the dinners that she used to make for them when she was growing up. Grammy’s roast chicken with stuffing had been her favorite hands down, although her meatloaf was a close second. And real mashed potatoes.
She sighed. Comfort food wouldn’t heal her hurting heart, but it wouldn’t harm it, either. She skipped to the dinner section and settled on her choice. Meals ordered, Kelly sipped her ice water and tried to think of something to talk about. She glanced at Sam briefly, then settled her gaze on Megs. “Is anyone else feeling lost, or is it just me?”
Megs tried to smile. “I was thinking the same thing. We brought Grammy here every Tuesday night for their all you can eat spaghetti and meatball special.” Megs’s eyes misted. “Doesn’t seem right that she’s not here to tell the waitress to keep those plates coming.”
Sam chuckled. “Or that the shaker of parmesan cheese better be on the table before the spaghetti arrived. And the garlic bread—”
“Better be fresh.” Megs nodded and smiled. Her voice quavered. “She’s really missing out.”
Kelly tried to smile in return, but she felt at a distance from the conversation, like usual. With Grammy and Megs, she’d felt as if she was intruding on their cozy group of two. They were more alike than Kelly was and her grandmother, and she’d felt like an outsider watching a family, rather than being a part of it. And now Sam and Megs had a routine they followed, and she felt as if she had intruded on that, as well. She played with the wrapper from her straw, and wished Grammy could be here, too.
Sam cleared his throat and glanced her way. “I wish you could have been a part of it. We had some good times.”
Right. Times she hadn’t been a part of. Could never be now. Instead, she’d chosen to pursue a dream.
She’d left for Nashville the morning after her twenty-first birthday with a kiss from Grammy, five hundred bucks in her pocket and a promise that she’d make it big. But after years of rejection, she’d wanted to give up. So many times, she’d been close to packing her bags and heading home. But a call from Grammy would convince her to stay. Her grandmother believed in her, in her talent. And she hadn’t wanted Kelly to give up on it. She shrugged. “I have my own memories of Grammy.”
She sat back as the waitress set down their salads and the parmesan cheese. Megs picked up the cheese and stared at it. Her sister looked across the table at Sam and they shared a smile, then she bowed her head and cried. Kelly put her arm around her sister and rubbed her shoulder. Maybe coming here hadn’t been a great idea.
Megs leaned into Kelly and took several breaths. “Thank you for coming out with us. I don’t think I can get through these next few days without you.”
Again, Kelly was struck with how little her sister could see her own strength. “It’s me who can’t get through this alone. I’m sorry I didn’t come home sooner.”
“Grammy would have packed your bags and sent you back to Nashville if you’d tried.” Megs sat up straighter and wiped her eyes with her paper napkin. “She really believed in you. She was determined that you make it as a singer.”
“I was just as determined.” Kelly glanced over at Sam as she picked up her fork. “And I guess I should thank you for insisting that I come tonight.”
Sam didn’t say anything as he speared a piece of tomato. Instead, he chewed and gave her a wink.
She attributed the flip in her belly to the food, rather than the man sitting across from her.
* * *
SAM STOOD AT the diner’s cash register and paid for their meals, then turned and watched the sisters as they gathered their jackets and purses. He thanked their waitress and gave her a tip, then walked to the front of the diner and waited. Megs reached him first, but Kelly lingered behind. Glancing around the diner, seeing something in her mind that he could tell was related to Addy. The sadness in her eyes threatened to spill over on to her cheeks, so he approached her and put his arm around her shoulder. “It’s okay, kid.”
She looked up at him and sniffed, but nodded. On Main Street she glanced over at the department store. “What time does Roxy’s close? I need a couple of things.”
Why did any emotion bring out the shopping urge in some women? He gave a nod. “We have about a half hour.”
Megs wrinkled her nose. “You two go ahead. I’ll wait in the truck.”
Sam used the key fob to unlock the door. He watched as Megs walked to the truck, but followed Kelly into the store. Bright lights and the scent of heavy perfume assaulted him. Kelly headed off to the right, and he trailed behind her as she approached the women’s section. She frowned. “It’s years since I’ve been in here. I have no idea where anything is anymore.”
Not that he frequented Roxy’s that often, but he knew the basic layout. “What are you looking for?”
“Grammy always said a lady wears panty hose with a dress, and I don’t have any.”
“Ah.” He had no clue where they were kept since he didn’t shop in that section. “We could ask someone.”
Kelly shook her head and moved on. He stayed behind her, noting how she kept her head up and her back straight. Addy had trained her well as she appeared confident and strong. Only he’d guess the inner mayhem she felt.
She found the right section, and he stood in the aisle as she flipped through her different choices. She peered up at him once. “I’m sorry that I almost attacked you with a toaster this morning.”
“I think I would have been able to defend myself.”
She looked him over slowly, and for a moment he hoped that she approved. “I’m sure you would have.” She returned her gaze to the panty hose and pulled one out a package, turning it over to scan the back. “Got it.” She pulled out a second to go with the first, then brushed past him toward the cash registers.
Again, he followed her, noting how petite and fit she was. He could probably lift her without a struggle. Not that he had plans to do so, but still he wondered. What would she feel like in his arms?
The cashier rang up Kelly’s purchase as she pawed through her purse. When the cashier told her the total, Kelly sighed. “Never mind. I left my wallet on my dresser back at Grammy’s.”
Sam pulled out the wallet from his back pocket. “I got this.”
“I can’t ask you to do that. You already paid for dinner.”
He handed the cashier a twenty-dollar bill. “It’s no big deal. You can pay me back at the house.”
“That’s not the point. I don’t need you to save me.”
He put the change in his wallet then handed the plastic bag with the panty hose inside to Kelly. “Just say thank you, and we can go.”
She thrust the bag back at him. “I pay my own way.”
“Don’t make a big deal out of this. You’ll pay me back.” Didn’t she have anyone in her life down in Nashville who looked out for her? By her reaction, he doubted it. And that was a shame because Kelly looked like a woman he wanted to help and protect. The fact that he wanted to volunteer for the position made him pause. Something to think about later. To lighten the mood, he leaned down and nudged her shoulder with his. “Besides, I know where you live, remember.”
She snatched the bag from his hand, but stood still, staring at him. He considered that he might have to pick her up after all and carry her out to the truck if she didn’t start moving soon. She swallowed several times, and then gave a nod. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
She turned on her heel and started walking quickly to the front of the store. He had to lengthen his stride to keep up with her.
CHAPTER THREE
PEOPLE EVERYWHERE. NO matter which direction Kelly faced at the funeral home visitation the following evening, there were more people. Long-time customers. Friends. Grammy’s fellow business owners. Kelly’s cheeks felt as if they were going to crack if she had to keep the smile pasted on one more minute and thank another person for coming.