by Barbara Lohr
“Hi, Natalie. Why don’t we fix you a library sampler?”
Natalie smiled while Kate took two minutes to stack the books. Small success but it almost made Kate giddy. Natalie swept the pile into her arms like a favorite puppy and trotted behind her to the front desk. Kate almost felt her chest swell. Yeah, the library was a lot more fun than working at home.
“Mildred, we have a customer who needs a card,” she announced when they reached the front.
“Isn’t that lovely?” Mildred reached for the form.
“Guess so.” Natalie slid three books onto the desk.
“Simple as pie.” The librarian handed Natalie a form and a pen, eyes running over the girl as if she wanted to adopt her. Kate knew the feeling. “My, what a lovely top.”
Natalie’s face twisted. “It was a present.” Enough said. She hated it.
Mildred’s smile remained pasted on her face as her eyes lifted to Kate’s.
Thunder rumbled in the distance, and more rain drummed on the rooftop, but all was right with Kate’s world.
Finally, Natalie pushed the form back to Mildred, who quickly scanned it. “Well, Natalie, I will just add your information to our system. You can take these out today and here is your card.”
“Really? Terrific!” She beamed at the green card.
Kate’s heart broke just a little. Clearly Natalie needed some fun.
The front door flew open with a bang. Cole Campbell stood in the portal, rain dripping from a scowl. Looked like he hadn't shaved that morning. Her tumbling stomach told her that wasn’t a bad thing.
But the scowl loosened with relief when he saw Natalie. “Natalie, honey, I asked you to watch for me.”
Really? Well, of course. Those blue eyes. How had Kate missed that?
“Dad, it’s raining. Now I couldn’t stand out in the rain, could I?”
Mildred’s mouth fell open.
“Suppose you’re right, sweetheart.”
She’d never seen Cole look so confused. He nodded to both Mildred and Kate. “Hope she wasn't any trouble.”
“Your little girl now has a library card. Isn’t that wonderful?” Disapproval darkened Mildred’s words.
Cole’s forehead wrinkled. “Really? Well, great.”
Natalie let out a sigh that rivaled the wind outside.
Mildred reached below the desk and shoved an umbrella in Cole’s direction. “You’ll get drenched. Just bring this back when you can.”
He grabbed the umbrella. “Thank you. Well, Priscilla’s waiting in the car.” His glance slid to Kate, and darn it, her cheeks began to burn.
Natalie tugged on her father’s hand. “Dad, this is Kate. She helped me today.”
Kate’s blush deepened. “I’m a volunteer. First day.”
A glint of mischief sparkled in his eyes. “Kate and I went to school together, Natalie. She’s one smart lady. If you read all the books Kate picks out for you, someday you might be a smart lady too.”
Always great to be branded as a geek. Head tilted, Natalie regarded Kate, whose face still burned. They could have roasted marshmallows on her cheeks.
“Thank you, ladies. Gotta run.” Cole ushered his daughter to the glass door, one hand on her shoulder. Thunder rumbled outside, and water cascaded from the overhang at the front door.
“Dad.” Natalie nodded to the umbrella.
“Oh, right.” Took Cole a few seconds to get it open before they splashed out to the truck. Wrestling the door open, Cole helped Natalie in as if she were a priceless piece of china. Priscilla was seated on the front seat. Jowls trembling with delight, she gave Natalie a sloppy kiss.
“Poor man’s really got his hands full,” Mildred clucked as the pickup pulled away. “And he does so much for this town.”
“Like what?” Kate stiffened, thinking of Cole surveying her mother’s property.
“All these new condos?” Mildred’s eyebrows rose. “Built by his company.”
“I don’t know how I feel about them.”
“Neither do I, but Cole says progress is good for Gull Harbor. He wants to tear down this building and build a replacement.”
Shock razored through Kate. “No way. What a hare-brained idea.”
Mildred lifted a shoulder. “Cole says we need computer stations. Larger reading areas.”
“Looks fine to me.” But glancing around, Kate thought he might be right.
Shaking her head, Mildred went back to her work.
Before she left the library, Kate searched the audio books and picked out a couple by Mary Higgins Clark for her mother.
Kate stopped at Clancy's to pick up a few groceries, including more cheese curls. She needed them to write. Then she headed home. After parking in back of the house, she walked past the spring green shoots of daffodils and narcissus poking through the dark earth. Soon the trees would begin to bloom. Was anything as hopeful as spring? For Kate, it had been a long time coming. The soft moist air caressed her cheek as she carried her bags inside.
After unlocking the back door, she slung her two plastic bags on the counter. Outside, water still dripped from the eaves. When she was putting the groceries away, the sun came out. The wet leaves on the lilac bush below the kitchen window gleamed. In fact, everything outside looked bright and new. Twinkling, in fact.
Like Cole Campbell’s blue eyes when he saw her at the library.
Chapter 7
Writing from home and volunteering weren’t enough for Kate. Not by a long shot. Not enough to stop thoughts of Cole Campbell from popping up way too often.
Today was moving-in day at the care center. She sure hoped her mom would get along with Marie McGraw. Cole's green truck sat in the parking lot when Kate arrived. Didn’t help her tumbling stomach.
Whipping down the visor, she checked her hair and bit her lips for some color. Only here a couple of weeks and her Boston pallor was gone. Scooping up the two audiobooks from the library and an old CD player, she headed for the main door. Crocus brightened the planters with splashes of yellow and purple.
The unofficial doorman looked up and grinned.
“Afternoon, Harold. Still need that winter hat?”
“Summer’s not here yet, I reckon.” Harold might be missing a few teeth but he had a killer smile. “Sure like those sweets you’re sending over.”
“I’ll tell Sarah Wilkins. She’s the one dropping them off.”
“That so? We like ‘em. You’re pretty as your mama, and that’s a fact.”
Surprise made Kate’s skin tingle. Usually people said that about Mercedes, not her.
The hallways smelled of cookies baking, and white narcissus stood in a tall vase on the reception desk, perfuming the air.
When Kate reached her mother's room, Marianne was just leaving. “I think Marie and your mom will make a great team.”
“I sure hope so.”
Kate peeked around the corner. Under Marie’s direction, Natalie was arranging clothes in the dresser. Seated in a chair wearing a tiger-striped top and huge tortoise shell earrings, her mother watched with great interest. A sparkly black shawl was wrapped around her shoulders. Her mother’s sequined splendor made Kate’s navy sweatshirt feel downright dull. Looking totally useless and hot, Cole leaned against a windowsill with Prissy at his feet.
Kate snapped her attention back to the matters at hand. “Hi, Mom. Looks like your roommate has arrived.”
Her mother’s earrings jingled when she tossed her head. “You bet, and I gave her the bed by the window. You remember Cole?”
“My son-in-law,” Marie interjected. “And my granddaughter Natalie.”
“Of course I know Cole from school.” Kate didn’t miss the pride in Marie’s voice.
Sure she remembered Marie’s son-in-law. But the boy Kate remembered had been gangly and brashly overconfident. Now Cole carried a stillness, like the lake after a storm. Didn’t matter. The man was too darn handsome for his own good.
She set the CD player on her mother’s dresser.
“And I met Natalie at the library.”
“Hi, Kate!” Natalie’s face brightened.
“Town feeling pretty small?” Cole murmured as he plugged the CD player into a wall socket.
“Just might be.” Flustered, Kate turned her attention to Marie. Poor thing was hanging onto that walker for dear life, her knuckles forming a white ridge. “Looks like you’ve graduated from your wheelchair.”
“Don’t know as I’m ready.” Marie swayed forward.
Cole was there in a heartbeat, shifting his mother-in-law into the wheelchair. Looked like he’d done this a time or two. “Maybe you should go easy on the walker.”
“But I want to go home. And to do that, I have to be able to walk. You heard what they said.”
“I understand, but let’s take it one step at a time,” Cole murmured.
Obviously relieved, Marie settled back in the wheelchair. “First they get you in hospital just cause you missed a step or two and broke your hip. Then they give you a new hip and ship you off to another hospital.”
The two older women laughed, as if they shared a great joke.
“Like a merry-go-round, right, Alice?”
“Exactly right.” Kate’s mother nodded. “But this is rehab, Marie. We’re breaking out of here soon as we can.”
Cole covered his mouth with one hand.
Marie glanced around the room with satisfaction. “Don’t know how long I’ll be here, but Alice and me, we know how to have fun. Right, Alice?”
“You bet. Can you hand me that remote, Kate?”
Picturing the credit card bill rising, Kate scooped the remote from the bedside table. Her mother gripped it like a lifeline.
“As soon as you can learn how to handle the stairs, you'll be back in your own place,” Cole assured Marie.
“Right, Grandma.” Job finished, Natalie closed the last drawer. “Then I can stay with you while Dad’s at work.”
So that’s how it was. School would be letting out for the summer soon. Was his mother-in-law Cole’s only babysitter?
“Well, well. What a fine group.” Will Applegate stood in the doorway. The smell of his soap freshened the room. “You two ladies look like double trouble to me.”
“Got that right.” Marie cackled boisterously.
Getting up, Prissy gave herself a backward stretch and then sauntered over to give Will a good sniff. Kate didn’t know much about dogs, but Cole’s Great Dane was a real beauty, lean and elegant.
“What have we here? A new resident?” the administrator joked.
Cole shifted in his work boots. “Hope you don’t mind. Marie likes to see Prissy.”
Will fondled the dog’s head. “Pet therapy is great for the residents and word of your arrival traveled fast. Had to come see for myself. Beautiful dog.”
Kate plopped the first disk into the CD player. “Maybe you ladies would like to listen to a book this afternoon?”
“I guess we can fit that in,” her mother said. “I like to nap at three.”
“That thing have a mute button?” Marie nodded to the plastic remote.
“I think so,” Kate answered for her mom, who thumbed the plastic control like it was a genie’s bottle.
Bending over, Natalie laid her head on Marie’s shoulder. “Grandma, I brought home some books from the library. If I bring them in, will you read to me?”
The older woman melted like a popsicle in July. Did Natalie remind Marie of her own daughter?
“Must be nice to have grandchildren.” Longing thick in her voice, Alice watched the two.
A hot flush worked its way up Kate’s neck. When it came to adding to the family tree, she was way behind schedule.
“Gotta run.” Will turned at the door. “Good to see all of you. We're having a family barbecue on Wednesday. Hope to see you all there.”
“Cool.” Natalie's eyes brightened. She looked up at her dad. “Do you think we can come, Dad?”
“I’ll have to check the calendar. Busy week, sweetheart.” He jingled the car keys in his pocket.
Natalie’s face fell.
“I can pick her up, Cole.” Kate turned to Will. “Can I bring anything?”
Will beamed at her. “Only your beautiful smile.”
Oh, my. Kate blushed and Natalie giggled.
Cole stared at his work boots, jaw shifting.
“See you later.” With a parting wave, Will was off, loafers clicking with authority along the corridor, greetings ringing out.
“Your face is all red, Kate,” Natalie teased.
“They keep it pretty warm in here.” Grabbing the AARP magazine, Kate began to fan herself.
“You know us old folks.” Her mother settled the black shawl around her shoulders. “We need the heat up.”
“I’m sweaty.” When Natalie unzipped her navy windbreaker, the fuchsia top spilled out.
“Aw, sugar. You wearing that pretty blouse I gave you for your birthday?” Marie reached up and squeezed Natalie’s hand.
“Yep.” The blouse was the kind of clothing Samantha always wore. In high school Natalie’s mother had been a walking parade of bright colors, tight pants and low necklines. None of the guys complained.
“It’s beautiful,” Kate said. “And you look really pretty.”
Smiling, Natalie ran a hand down the gauzy fabric.
“Katherine, I certainly would like to go for a walk.”
Katherine? Not a good sign.
Kate hurried to help her mother from the chair. Balance would be a problem until her mom regained use of that right leg.
“Do you think this place is getting too crowded?” her mother whispered once they reached the hall. The secretive, self-contained Mom was back.
For probably the tenth time, Kate wished Mercedes were here. Their mother always listened to her older daughter. “Mom, you've been lucky that you haven't had a roommate until now. Besides, you know Marie.”
Her mom played with one of her earrings. “I forgot how Marie used to put on airs.”
Hmm. And her daughter may have been just like her.
When they got back to the room, Cole and Natalie were saying good-bye. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” Marie waved her son-in-law toward the door.
“We’ll be back soon, Nana,” Natalie promised.
“And bring one of your books so we can read together,” Marie called after them.
After settling her mom in the chair, Kate kissed her forehead. “Gotta hit the road, Mom. Got everything you need?”
“Could you turn on the TV, Kate? Do you mind, Marie?”
Marie huffed up her shoulders. “It’s your room.”
Her mother met Kate’s gaze. “Katherine, if you please.”
Grabbing the remote, Kate found the right station and turned it on low. As she went out the door, she could hear the volume rise. For a second, she hesitated but then decided the ladies could work it out.
When Kate reached the reception area, Natalie barreled past her, a box of Russell Stover candies in her hand. “Forgot to give these to Nana.”
Kate laughed. “I hope she shares.” A plate of cookies sat on a corner of the reception desk, and she couldn’t resist that tempting smell. The oatmeal cookie tore off soft and the raisins were still warm and chewy. Almost as good as cheese curls.
“Everyone loves those,” the reception told her.
Cole stood at the front door. “Think Marie and your mom are going to get along?” Next to him, Prissy danced anxiously, eyeing the plate of cookies.
“They have to, and that’s that.”
“Always so down to earth.”
Cole’s crooked grin made Kate feel sixteen again. His sudden moments of insecurity were oddly appealing. The longish hair was pulled back today. “The ponytail’s a nice touch.”
Cole cocked his head to one side. “You taking a subtle shot at me?”
“Of course not. My shots aren’t subtle.”
“Right. I remember.”
They burst out la
ughing. This kind of banter had gotten them into trouble in Debate Club.
“Good to have you back, Katydid.” That nickname really made her mad in high school. Now it tugged her home to Gull Harbor in a comforting way. “How long you going to stick around?”
“Until my mother’s back on her feet.” The last few days had made it clear that it would be a while. Kate felt fine with that.
His gaze fell. Was Cole looking at her bare ring finger? Kate shoved her left hand into the pocket of her jeans.
“Not married?” His brows drew together over laser blue eyes.
“Not anymore.”
Cole’s eyes seemed to soften. “Sorry.”
“No need, but thanks. I'm sorry about Samantha. Natalie seems like a great kid.” No details had been given and this sure wasn’t the time to ask.
Natalie's tennis shoes squeaked as she barreled to her dad’s side. “Grandma says thanks.”
Looping one arm around her shoulders, Cole squeezed. “Pain in the patoot most of the time, but I have my girl.”
“Oh, Daddy.” Natalie socked him gently in the arm and then sniffed. “Boy, those cookies smell good.”
“Have one.” The receptionist nudged the plate closer.
Sweeping a cookie from the plate, Cole held it out to Kate. “You always had a sweet tooth.”
“I already had one.” She sucked her stomach in. These jeans felt tighter every day.
“Since when were you known for restraint?” His warm breath was more enticing than the fresh cookies and those blue eyes knocked every bit of sense out of her head.
What the heck. Kate took another cookie. Oatmeal raisin cookies had never tasted this good. Chewing had never been so slow and sexy. Next to them, Natalie munched away with a pleased smile.
A crash and a screech from the receptionist made Kate turn just in time to see Prissy slurp up a cookie or three and gallop toward the door. Collateral damage, the vase of flowers had shattered on the floor.
“Priscilla Campbell, if you don’t beat all!” Face flushed, Cole looked totally overwhelmed. Kate loved it.
Prissy settled at the door, licking her lips and staring into the distance. Don’t know a thing about it. I just got here.
The receptionist bought out a roll of paper towels. Kate and Natalie each grabbed a handful and got to work.