Small Town Boss

by Cheryl Michaels

  “That depends,” she said, tipping her head back to look at him. “Are you still interested in her?”

  “Are you kidding? There’s no one else for me, girl. Just you.” He punctuated his point with a kiss.

  “Then I’m not mad,” she said, smiling against his lips. “That doesn’t mean you can’t dial back the flirting a little.”

  He winced. He really was an idiot sometimes. “Consider it dialed back.”

  “Good,” she said, looking smug. “You know what this means, don’t you?”

  “No. What?”

  “I’m developing more and more faith in you… and us.”

  “That is music to my ears,” he whispered, brushing his lips against her ear.

  Claudia was helping Brady’s mother hand out cotton candy to all of the little kids lined up at the booth when she realized she didn’t feel a sharp pain in her chest every time a smile lit up one of their faces.

  “Are you okay, dear?” Mrs. Wright asked, touching her shoulder.

  Claudia didn’t even realize she’d gasped until Brady’s mother drew her attention to it. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Wright. I was just—”

  “Sharon, remember?” She smiled, wagging a finger at her. “You promised.”

  “You’re right,” Claudia said, laughing self-consciously. “Sharon.”

  “Lynn,” Sharon said, reaching for her friend’s hand, “Claudia and I are going to get a cold drink. Do you think you could fill in for a few minutes?”

  “Of course,” the white-haired woman said, smiling at them. “You need a break from the hot sun. You’ve been at this for a while now. Take all the time you need.”

  Sharon led Claudia to a recently abandoned picnic table where the aroma of hot dogs still lingered. When they were seated, she said, “I hope you won’t be upset, but I heard about what happened… the accident.”

  Landon was a small town, and given the horrific circumstances surrounding her past, Claudia couldn’t say she was surprised people were talking about it. “I’m not upset.”

  “I didn’t even think about what I was asking when I suggested you help me with the booth.” She shook her head, looking distraught as she removed her cotton sunhat and slapped it against her leg. “That was so insensitive of me. I’m sorry, honey. I just wanted a chance to get to know you better. It’s obvious you’ve become very important to my son, and I thought—”

  “It’s okay,” Claudia said gently. She glanced at the booth they’d left, smiling at the kids who were jumping up and down and giggling. “Actually, I’m really glad you asked me to help. That was my first real test since I quit teaching, and I feel like I passed.”

  “You do?” Sharon asked, sounding hopeful as she reached for Claudia’s hand.

  “Yeah.” She pushed her sunglasses up on her head as she turned to face Sharon. “When I was teaching, going to work every day was torture because it reminded me of everything I’d lost. But looking at those kids now makes me think maybe it is possible for me to go back to teaching someday.”

  “Oh, I hope so,” Sharon said, smiling. “We need all the devoted teachers we can find around here. Um, assuming you intend to stay on here?” She glanced at her son at the beer tent, enjoying a cold one with his brother. “I know that’s what Brady is hoping for, but—”

  “Brady has talked to you about me?”

  With a mischievous wink, Sharon said, “I popped in to see him at work a few days ago. I brought him some of his favorite cookies. I swear, bribing them is the only way I can get my boys to tell me anything.”

  Claudia didn’t want to pry, but she was dying to know what had been said about her.

  “I can’t say I’ve ever seen him like that,” Sharon said, grinning. “I mean about a woman. He’s been excited about the inn, but at the end of the day, that’s still an inanimate object. It’s nice to see him loving someone who can reciprocate.” Wide-eyed, she slapped her hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to put any pressure on you. I know you’ve been through so much. I can’t even imagine…”

  “It’s okay. Given my past, you must have a lot of questions and concerns about where things stand between me and your son. I’m sure you don’t want to see him get hurt.”

  “Well,” Sharon said, picking a piece of invisible lint off of her fuchsia cotton shorts, “I don’t want you to think I’m meddling, but—”

  Claudia touched her hand. “If I were in your shoes, I’d want to know too.” Her gaze swept to Brady, who was watching them with open curiosity and maybe a little concern. “I know it may seem like this happened way too soon, but I do love your son.”

  “Really?” Her eyes lit up as she clasped her hands under her chin. “Oh, honey, that’s wonderful! I got a sense of how Brady felt about you when we talked, but I was worried that it was one-sided.”

  “It’s not.” Since no one would have better insight on his thoughts about family, Claudia had to ask, “Has he ever talked to you about the possibility of getting married and having kids someday?”

  “No,” Sharon said, pursing her lips. “I’m always the one to bring it up, and he tells me it’ll happen when it happens.”

  “Then you don’t think he’s in a hurry?” Claudia couldn’t get their conversation about the inn out of her head. He wanted a partner, someone who could help him run the place he loved. “To get married or start a family?”

  “You’re asking because you’re not sure when or if you’ll be ready to try again?” Sharon guessed.

  “The last thing I would ever want to do is lead him on.” Claudia felt guilty for having this conversation with Sharon instead of her son.

  “That’s a legitimate concern,” Sharon acknowledged. “Especially given the way he feels about you. But if there’s one thing I can tell you about my son, it’s that he’s patient and understanding.”

  Claudia had already seen evidence of that. “But what if I’m never ready to take that step again?” Her biggest fear was talking herself and Brady into believing she could plan their future only to realize she couldn’t go through with their plans because she was paralyzed with fear.

  “No one would blame you, that’s for certain,” Sharon said. “I can’t even begin to imagine the heartbreak you’ve endured. My husband and children were—are—the center of my world.”

  “Mine were too.” Claudia cleared her throat. “Being a mom and wife was everything I ever wanted.”

  “Me too.” With a sad smile, Sharon said, “Do you think it’s possible for you to love like that again, with your whole heart?”

  She’d asked herself that so many times prior to meeting Brady and the answer had always been no, but the way she felt about him made her question if it was possible. “I’m not sure. I’d like to believe it is.”

  “You know when you have your firstborn, you can’t imagine ever loving someone as much as you love that little person?”

  Tears stung Claudia’s eyes as she nodded.

  “But then your second child is born, and miraculously your heart just seems to expand, so you have enough love for both.” Sharon patted Claudia’s knee. “It’s funny how that happens, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah, I guess it is.”

  “I have a feeling, if you give yourself a chance, you could experience that all over again. Your heart has enough love to give, honey. Both to Brady and any kids you might have. And that wouldn’t take anything away from how much you loved your husband and babies.”

  That had been one of her deep-seated fears, that getting married and having a second family would somehow dull all her beautiful memories. She didn’t want that to happen.

  “I still miss my husband every day,” Sharon said, smiling when Chase raised a bottle of beer, toasting her with a smile. “There are so many things he should be here for: getting to know Nick, Chase and Shay’s wedding next month, meeting you.”

  Claudia was touched that Sharon had included her in the mix. “Do you think it ever gets any easier? People say that time heals wound
s, but do you really believe that?”

  “Do I believe that?” Sharon asked, tipping her head as she considered her response. “Yes, I do. When we first lost him, dragging myself out of bed in the morning took all of my energy.”

  “Hmm, I know exactly what you mean.”

  “But every day gets a little bit easier, doesn’t it?” Sharon asked. “Before you know it, you’re spending time with old friends again, doing things you never thought you’d do again. You’re even laughing.” She grinned. “I remember the first time I laughed after my husband passed, it sounded foreign to my ears.”

  Sharon was a lovely, vibrant woman who exuded positive energy, and while Claudia knew the question may be inappropriate, she had to ask. “Do you ever think about the possibility of falling in love again?”

  She surprised Claudia by giggling like a girl before she shrugged. “Who knows? It could happen. I’ve even started going to some singles dances at the senior center.”

  “Good for you!” Claudia said, hoping she would be around to see Sharon fall in love again.

  “I may not ever feel about another man the way I felt about my husband, but that doesn’t mean I can’t find friendship and companionship with another man.”

  What Claudia felt with Brady was so much more than that. He lit her up. “What I felt with my husband was easy and comfortable. We just fit together, like best friends.”

  Sharon smiled. “It’s nice when that happens, isn’t it?”

  “It is,” Claudia agreed, choosing her words carefully. “I never really considered the possibility there could be more to a relationship than that. I thought if you were married to your best friend, you were beyond blessed.”

  “I tend to agree.”

  “But what if you meet someone who really gets you?” She touched her stomach, feeling that familiar fluttering sensation she experienced whenever she thought about all that Brady had brought to her life. “A man who is your best friend, but so much more too? Who makes you laugh and shares your interests? Who inspires you to hope and dream and makes you feel alive again?”

  “Oh my,” Sharon said. “I know if I found someone like that, I’d hold on and never let go.”

  Smiling at the man in question, Claudia nodded slowly. “That’s excellent advice, Sharon.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  On the ride back to the inn, Brady couldn’t help asking, “What were you and my mom talking about?”

  “We talked about a lot of things,” Claudia said, linking her hand through his as she looked out the window. “Life. Love. Marriage. Kids.”

  “Then you told her about your family?”

  “She already knew.”

  Brady grimaced. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I swear I didn’t say a word to her about it.”

  “It’s okay,” she said, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. “At first, I was horrified that people might find out. I didn’t want anyone to pity me. I just wanted to feel normal again. But I’ve realized that loss is a part of life everyone has to face sooner or later. Having people to share that loss with just makes it a bit easier.”

  “But you said that’s why you left Brockville, because you couldn’t handle sharing your grief with your friends and family anymore.”

  “Because they were grieving too.” Claudia had given it a lot of thought over the past few weeks as she tried to figure out why sharing her grief with strangers had been so much easier than sharing the burden of grief with her family. “They couldn’t help me because they were trying to figure out how to help themselves.”

  “Make sense.”

  “I think it was so hard for my grandparents and parents to watch me, knowing what I was going through, and feeling so helpless.”

  Brady had felt that way when his father died. He wanted to be there to help his mother, but he didn’t know how to ease her pain.

  “Putting a little distance between us, allowing them to grieve their way and me to grieve my way, has probably been good for all of us.”

  “I’m sure you’re right.” Brady kissed her hand.

  “And it’s nice to be around people who understand what I’m going through. I know it’s not the exact same kind of loss, but you lost your father. Your mother lost her husband. Helen and Ray lost their son. The people in my grief counseling group have all lost someone they loved. It makes me feel that I’m not alone.”

  “You’re not alone,” Brady said with conviction. “You never have to be alone again. Whether you need someone to talk to, someone to listen, or just someone to hold you when you feel like crying, I’m right here.”

  “I love you,” she whispered. “More every day. There was a time admitting that would have scared me, but now it feels really, really good to be able to say it.”

  “I love you too.” Summing up the way he felt about her in three little words seemed inadequate, but he hoped over time he would be able to show her how much she meant to him.

  “Are you nervous about coming back to Brockville with me next weekend and meeting everyone?”

  She’d have enough on her mind without worrying about him, but he didn’t think it was fair to hide the truth from her. “A little. But it’s not about me. It’s about honoring your husband, son, and daughter. And even though I never knew them, I want to do that. I want to honor them because they were all a part of you. They always will be. They made you happy. They filled your life with joy. For that reason alone they should be celebrated.”

  “I don’t know many men who’d be willing to do what you’ve agreed to do. I mean, it’s nerve-racking enough meeting a girl’s family, but under these circumstances? I can’t even imagine.”

  “You are just about the bravest person I’ve ever met. If you can endure all that you have, I can certainly put my best foot forward when I meet the people who mean the most to you.”

  “They’re going to love you.” She leaned in to kiss him when they stopped at a stop sign. “Especially my parents and grandparents. They’ve been so worried about me. When they see that I’ve found someone like you, who makes me smile again, they’ll be so relieved.”

  Brady wasn’t so sure her family wouldn’t meet him with skepticism, but he had no intention of raining on her parade if she was convinced the meeting would go off without a hitch. “I’ll do everything I can to prove to them that your happiness is the most important thing in the world to me. Because it is.”

  Claudia was sitting in front of the old farmhouse she’d grown up in. A quarter of a mile to the right was the house she’d shared with Trevor and the kids. A half a mile to the left was her grandparents’ house.

  “You okay?” Brady asked, cutting his truck engine. “If you need a little more time—”

  “No, it’s okay.”

  Her parents stepped out on the porch. Her father stood behind her mother, his hands gripping her shoulders as though he sensed she needed the support.

  “Come on,” Claudia whispered. “Let’s do this.”

  When they rounded the front of his truck, she plastered on a smile as she reached for Brady’s hand, trying to reassure him and her parents that she was fine. Of course it was a lie. She was a nervous wreck, but she didn’t want the people who loved her to worry.

  “Hey, Mom, Dad.” She gave them both a lingering hug that brought tears to her eyes. “I’d like you to meet Brady Wright.” She didn’t introduce him as her friend or boyfriend, though she knew the question would come up over the course of her stay.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Brady,” her mother said, closing her hands over his. “Please call us Susan and Jerry.”

  “These are for you,” Brady said, handing her the large bouquet of flowers Ainsley had helped him select while Claudia was packing.

  “Oh, aren’t they beautiful,” her mother said, touching her cheek. “Thank you so much.”

  “My pleasure.” Brady shook hands with her father, who offered him a warm smile.

  “I’m glad you were able to make it this weekend,” Jerry
said. “I’m sure our daughter is grateful to have you here.”

  “I am,” Claudia said, linking her arm through Brady’s as they followed her parents into the house.

  The traditional two-story farmhouse opened to a living room and separate dining room. The kitchen and powder room were at the rear of the house, and three bedrooms and two more bathrooms were upstairs. The house wasn’t new or large or decorated to impress, but it was the one place on Earth where Claudia felt she belonged. She’d baked alongside her mother in the kitchen, did her homework on the back porch, and learned to ride a tractor while sharing the seat with her father.

  It was home, and being back flooded her with memories. She glanced into the living room, picturing the large tree grazing the ceiling while they all crowded around, passing out presents on Christmas morning. If she closed her eyes, she could hear her kids oohing and aahing over their gifts while they ran around the room delivering kisses and hugs to delighted relatives.

  “Uh, Brady,” her father said, his eyes lingering on Claudia. “Why don’t you and I take a walk around the property? I’d love to show you what we do.”

  “Sounds great.” Brady looked at Claudia. “You don’t mind?”

  “Of course not,” she said, patting his arm. “Go ahead.”

  They all walked into the kitchen, and her mother rushed to grab a couple of waters for her husband and their guest as they walked outside through the kitchen door.

  “Well, he seems like a nice young man,” her mother said, gesturing to her favorite family heirloom—a dark-stained walnut table she’d inherited from her grandmother.

  “He’s wonderful.” Claudia’s eyes locked on a familiar drawing her mother had kept on the fridge since the day she received it—a crayon-drawn stick-figure family with parents, grandparents, and two little kids.

  “I’m sorry,” her mother whispered, reaching for the picture. “I thought about taking it down. I should have. I just—”

  “No!” Claudia cleared her throat when she realized her tone had been sharper than she’d intended. “Don’t take it down. I remember when they gave it to you for your birthday. They were so proud of it.” She smiled. “They’d spent all day working on it, and for the two of them to get through an entire day without fighting, that was a blessing in itself.”