“That will cover the deck. Maybe.” His expression turned troubled. “I didn’t realize Erma was having financial difficulties.”
“She’s not.” Riley looked down at the table, staring at the seventies-style flowers covering the cloth. She’d have to tell him the truth if she was going to get anything done with the house. “I wanted to surprise Mimi and cover the expenses myself.” Technically Mimi would be paying for the repairs, since Riley was using the money she was earning at Knots and Tangles, but Hayden didn’t have to know that.
He didn’t say anything for a long moment. “I think I can make your money stretch a little more. I’ll give you the deepest discount I can on anything we need from Dad’s store, so that will help. Of course the labor will be free, and that will save you quite a bit right there.”
“I can’t let you do that—”
“I’m doing this for Erma.”
She blinked. A dogged look shone in his eyes that she hadn’t seen before, along with something else. Hardness. Gone was the charming glint that had seemed to be a permanent fixture in his gorgeous eyes.
“Right,” she said tightly. “This isn’t about me.”
Hayden sighed. “I didn’t mean it that way, Riley.” He leaned back again, this time keeping his gaze on her. Finally he asked, “What do you think about Maple Falls?”
Talk about a loaded question. She had a lot of thoughts about Maple Falls, almost all of them negative. “Why are you asking?”
“Have you noticed anything off about Main Street since you’ve been back?”
She shook her head. “I tend to stick with Knots and Tangles.”
“Oh.” He rubbed his eyebrow with his index finger. “I was hoping to get your perspective on something, just to make sure I’m not losing my mind.”
His words intrigued her. “What do you mean?”
She listened as he described the downhill slide of the business district and the worn-out appearance of buildings that were almost a hundred years old.
“I don’t think I ever took the time to pay attention to downtown before,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’ve mainly been focused on helping Dad and nudging him toward updating the store. He’s not too open about that.”
Riley could relate. “Have you seen Knots and Tangles recently?”
“I was in there the day before I picked you up from the airport. It’s a little—”
“It’s a big mess. You know it. I know it. I think the whole town knows it.”
“I wouldn’t count on that.” He took a sip of tea. When he set down the glass, he said, “I’m not sure there are many people left who shop locally.”
She thought about that for a moment, then realized he was right. Other than the Bosom Buddies—who, in addition to coming to the shop on Thursday nights, individually stopped by at different times during the week—she hadn’t had more than two customers, and neither stayed very long or purchased anything.
“I’ve been working on the inside of Mimi’s store,” she said. “I want it to be organized and functioning more by the time I go back to New York.”
He lifted his gaze to hers, and she thought she saw a faint grimace. “Does it matter what the store looks like inside if there aren’t any customers?”
He was right, of course. Even if the shop was pristine on the inside, the outside still showed neglect. “Would refurbishing the outside help?”
“It can’t hurt. Knots and Tangles isn’t the only one that needs some TLC. Every building on that street does.” He sighed again, then waved his hand. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to hijack the conversation. We’re here to talk about Erma’s house, not the decline of Maple Falls. Are you ready to draw up that agreement now?”
“What agreement?” The kitchen door swung open as Mimi rolled into the room.
Riley jumped, then spun around in her seat. Mimi had excellent hearing, but she wouldn’t have been able to discern their conversation unless she had been nearby. “Don’t tell me you were eavesdropping.”
“Of course not,” she said, sounding offended. “I needed a drink of water, and I just happened to hear you talk about an agreement.”
“You just happened.” Hayden smirked, but the twinkle reappeared in his eyes. “Did you happen to hear anything else?”
Mimi rolled over to the table. “As a matter of fact, I did. You two shouldn’t talk so loudly.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t park yourself right outside the door,” Riley pointed out.
“Never mind about that.” Mimi moved her gaze from Riley to Hayden. “I don’t like secrets. Tell me what’s going on, or I’ll take my lemon cookies and give them to someone who deserves them.”
“Ouch.” Hayden put his hand over his heart. “You got me right here with that, Erma.”
Riley looked at him, and he turned to her. Her toes curled at the teasing yet genuine smile on his face. She’d never been more attracted to him than in that moment. Something shifted inside her. This wasn’t just physical attraction or appreciation of Hayden’s kind nature. He might be helping her out because he felt guilty over Mimi’s broken leg, but she could see that he cared about her grandmother. That meant more to her than anything. Hayden’s heart far surpassed his handsome exterior.
“Well?” Mimi said. “Spill.”
Riley pulled her gaze away from Hayden. “I want to fix up your house,” she said, knowing it was pointless to skip around the truth when her grandmother was in a demanding mood.
“We want to fix it up,” Hayden added.
“Bless your hearts.” Mimi’s eyes turned soft. Then she raised her chin. “My house is fine.”
“Your roof is fixin’ to spring a leak any day.” Hayden pointed to the ceiling. “About right there.”
Mimi blanched. “It is? I had no idea. I guess I’ll call a roofer in the morning.”
“I can recommend a couple people,” Hayden said. “You should get more than one estimate. We also sell roofing materials at the store. I can get you a good deal once you decide on a roofer.”
“All right,” Mimi said. “Sounds good. What else have you two been planning to do?”
Riley watched as her meeting with Hayden suddenly turned into a powwow between him and her grandmother, with neither acknowledging her as they talked about not only the jobs that needed to be done but also the budget and the timeline. She waited for them to include her in the conversation, but after a few minutes she felt invisible. Normally she would have been okay with that, but suddenly it rankled.
“Hey,” she said, interrupting. “This was my idea. Remember?”
“And it’s a good one.” Mimi patted Riley’s hand, then turned back to Hayden. “Now, what were you saying about stain colors?”
Riley’s gaze darted between her grandmother and Hayden, her fists clenching under the table, her face growing hot. For some bizarre reason she wasn’t thinking about house repairs or business rehab. Instead, painful memories flooded her—feeling like an outsider at every school she’d attended, which had been too many to count until she was in high school. Never fitting in with the New York art crowd or various social events she’d attended with Melody. Although she enjoyed lunch the other day with Anita, Harper, and Olivia, she still didn’t feel like a part of their group. She’d sat in silence as they talked about people she didn’t know or had barely known. And now, even in her grandmother’s kitchen, she was feeling shut out of her own plan.
Worse, she was familiar with the bitter knot forming in her stomach and the hot ache suffocating her head. She’d experienced those sensations over and over growing up. Loneliness. Abandonment. They don’t care what I think. They don’t care about me.
Suddenly she jerked back from the table and jumped up from her chair. Without looking back, she ran out the kitchen door and into the backyard, heaving in gulps of warm evening air until she reached the tire swing.
Hadn’t she put all this in the past? All the pain and isolation she’d felt for years . . . Why was it back now? Over a
discussion of home improvement, of all things.
Why now? Why here? Just . . . Why?
* * *
“Oh dear,” Erma whispered. “I was afraid of this.”
Hayden’s gaze had been pinned to the back door of the kitchen since Riley ran out. Her reaction was so sudden and intense, he was worried about her. Turning to Erma, he saw her eyes glazed with tears. Uh-oh. That wasn’t good.
“Did I do something wrong?”
She shook her head. “No, sweetie.” Then she sighed. “She’ll be okay.”
Hayden wasn’t so sure. She wasn’t just a little upset. She was distraught. Her fleeing the kitchen out of the blue like that confirmed that something was seriously wrong. All he wanted to do was go outside and put his arms around her, which was a terrible idea. But that fact didn’t change his feelings. It only convinced him not to act on them.
Erma rubbed her temple, her fingertip brushing the short silver hair above her ear. Then a faint smile appeared on her wizened face.
“Leave it up to her to want to do something sweet for me,” she said, her bottom lip trembling. “She spent all day working in the shop and insisted that I take it easy. She would handle any customers that came in. We only had two. Hardly a rush.”
Hayden nodded. Her words convinced him that something had to be done about the state of downtown Maple Falls, but right now he couldn’t focus on anything but Riley. He glanced at the back door again.
“You want to go check on her, don’t you?”
He thought about lying, but Erma would see right through it. He nodded. “Just to see if she’s all right.”
She smiled. “I think that’s a good idea.”
Hayden shot up from the chair and dashed out the door. Riley was standing by an old tire swing that was probably as busted up as everything else seemed to be in this town. Her back was to him, and he slowed his steps, not wanting to surprise her. Her arms were wrapped around her body, her shoulders hunched. He took another step forward, and to his surprise, she turned around and straightened her shoulders, her expression as unapproachable as always.
“Did you and Mimi figure everything out?”
The sun had dipped below the horizon, dimming the light to dusk, but he could clearly see her guarded expression. It was as if she had transformed from the vulnerable woman who ran out of the house to someone who was completely in control. He was starting to understand that it was just a mask, that underneath the veneer of calm was a turbulent storm.
“Are you okay?” he asked, knowing full well she wasn’t.
“I’m fine.” She took a step back and bumped into the swing. As he suspected, the tire was sagging in the middle and part of the treads were hanging off. She steadied the swing but didn’t look at him again. “After Mimi and I discuss the budget, I can write up the agreement—”
“Would you shut up about the agreement?” He moved closer to her. “I don’t care about some dumb contract between you and me. I trust your word. I’d like to think you trust me . . . but I can see that’s not the case.”
She glanced up at him. “It’s . . . it’s . . .”
“It’s what, Riley?” He softened his tone. “You’re hurting. I can see that. I just don’t understand why.”
She turned away. “You don’t know me, Hayden,” she whispered.
That was the opening he’d been hoping for, despite everything. He moved closer until his chest was nearly pressed against her back.
“I want to, Riley. I’ve wanted to get close to you since I saw you at the airport. I don’t know why, and I don’t think it matters anyway.” He swallowed. “What does matter is you. And if you want me to go away, I will. Just say the word, and I won’t bother you again.”
* * *
Riley shivered but couldn’t bring herself to face Hayden. She couldn’t believe what he was telling her, even though she’d heard him say the words. He wants to get close to me. How could that be possible? He’d always been in a different league. She’d always been the outsider and still was. He didn’t know her past or her family. And if he found out—
“Riley?”
She closed her eyes at the low, smooth sound of his voice close to her ear. When he put his hands on her shoulders, she couldn’t pull away. Something broke inside her, and she leaned against him. This fantasy would end soon enough, but right now she desperately needed Hayden’s touch.
He wrapped his arms around her and drew her against him. She marveled at how the back of her head nestled perfectly against his broad shoulder, how safe and secure she felt at this moment. When his hands moved down to her waist, then clasped around her, his palms covering the band of her jeans as he embraced her tighter, it was as if he’d given her something she hadn’t known until this moment she was starving for. Closeness. Connection.
“Riley,” he whispered in her ear.
Hearing her name broke the spell, and she pulled away from him, her heart hammering. Embarrassed, she couldn’t meet his gaze. She’d had a moment of weakness, and she couldn’t allow it to happen again. Steeling herself for his anger, she said, “You should go.”
A pause. “Not until you look at me, Riley.”
Slowly she turned around, keeping her distance. Instead of censure, she saw acceptance.
“Thank you,” he said, his smile gentle.
Stunned, she blurted, “For what?”
“For giving me your trust, even for a moment.” His smile widened. “I intend to earn the rest.”
Unable to help herself, she asked, “Why? Why would you bother with me?”
His smile dimmed, but the sweetness in his eyes hit her very core. “Because I want to. The last thing you are to me, Riley McAllister, is a bother. I aim to show you that truth too.” He took a few steps backward. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“What?” she asked, fighting to keep her feet in place so she didn’t make a fool of herself running after him. “Why would you do that?”
“So we can figure out a schedule for the repairs. Operation Erma must go on.” He grinned, then turned around and walked away.
Was he actually whistling? What nerve. If he thought things had changed between them, he was wrong.
She was lying to herself and she knew it. When she remembered how good his well-muscled arms felt around her, the feel of his heartbeat against her back . . . she couldn’t stop herself from smiling.
Chapter 8
The cell phone on Riley’s nightstand buzzed, jerking her out of a dream. A wonderful dream about her and Hayden and . . . Well, she would savor that dream for a long time to come, but right now she had to answer the phone before she threw it against the wall. She picked it up and looked at the screen. Melody. Sitting up in bed, she answered the call.
“Hi,” she said, her tangled hair falling in a curtain around her face.
“You’re up?” Melody sounded surprised. “I figured you’d still be asleep. I was going to leave you a message.”
“What time is it?” She squinted at the old clock radio on her nightstand. Seven a.m. She should have been up an hour ago. “I’m putting you on speaker,” she said as she scrambled out of bed, then switched over the audio. “I’m running late.”
“For what? Why haven’t you called me? I’ve been worried about you and Mimi.”
“I’m sorry.” Riley threw off her T-shirt and sleep shorts and hurried to her suitcase. She was down to her last outfit and would have to do laundry today at some point. “I’ve been making Mimi breakfast every morning.”
“Wait. You? Cooking?” Melody chuckled. “I never thought I’d see that happen.”
“Yeah, well, every once in a while, I go crazy and do something domestic.”
“Anytime you want to do that around here, you have my blessing. What else is going on in small-town America?”
Riley filled her in on her plans for Knots and Tangles and fixing up Mimi’s home. “There’s so much work to do around here.” She slipped on a sports bra, a scoop-neck short-sleeved shirt, and t
hen jean shorts. “I had no idea.”
“Wait, hold up. You’re working at the yarn shop?”
Riley finger-combed her hair into a ponytail, realizing she had a lot to explain to Melody. She decided to leave Hayden out of the updates. If her friend knew about him, or worse yet, how Riley felt about him, she would never hear the end of it.
“Yes, but just until Mimi can work full-time again.”
“How is she doing?”
Riley slid her sandals onto her feet. “Ready to get back to normal. We see the doctor tomorrow and find out when she can use crutches.”
“That sounds promising. So, you’re coming back soon, then?”
She paused, her second foot halfway into its sandal. “Um, I might be here longer than I planned,” she said hesitantly. “Will that be a problem?”
“Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I was going to tell you not to worry about the rent next month. Charlie is still here, and he said he would cover it.”
Riley sank on the bed with relief. “Thank God.”
“I thought you’d be happy to hear that.”
“I totally am. Tell him thanks for me.”
“I will. I’ve gotta go, but give me a call soon and tell me more about everything going on. I miss you.”
“I miss you too. And I promise, I’ll call you when we have more time to talk.” She ended the call and inhaled. Not having to worry about the rent while she was taking care of things here lessened the load on her shoulders. When she went back home, she was giving Charlie a huge hug.
Home. She glanced around her teenage bedroom, which had never looked like a typical teenager’s room. She hadn’t put posters on the walls or kept any kitschy or personal items scattered around. She’d learned long ago that personalizing a space was a waste of time and money, and she hadn’t decorated any of the four New York apartments she’d lived in. This bedroom had been hers longer than anything else.
Riley pressed her fingers against her forehead. What was she doing traveling down memory lane again? Hadn’t last night been enough torture? Her emotions had overwhelmed her, and look what happened. Hayden happened. That thought led to her remembering the best parts of the dream she just had. Those were some images she didn’t mind revisiting . . .
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