A Wildflower Summer

by Caroline Flynn

  Once they’d left, he retreated inside the shop and headed straight for the phone in the office. He had known what was coming when he faced Branch, therefore he put off his friend’s assumptions by calling Benji back. The phone call hadn’t taken long enough for Branch to get sufficiently distracted by his work, evidently.

  ‘You’re out of your mind,’ Jason grumbled, passing by him. ‘I called Benji. He’s not coming in tomorrow. He’s got an appointment with the bank about buying McGee’s farm.’

  Benji Carson worked at Forrester’s Auto part-time on paper, but the kid—he was in his early twenties, but both Branch and Jason referred to him as a kid regardless, being the youngest in their trio—had been working full-time hours since Jason’s other mechanic quit last fall. It had been a blessing when Branch returned to Port Landon last December and decided to stay permanently after rekindling a relationship with his high school sweetheart. His mechanical aptitude was welcomed and desperately needed in the repair shop. Not that Benji couldn’t keep up. Quite the contrary, actually, but the kid was still working through his automotive technician apprenticeship, and he still had one more semester of trade school to complete in Lansing. Benji had big dreams though, for a man his age, and he had every intention of staying in town. If and when he was ready to make his full-time employee status official, there would be a place for him at Forrester’s Auto.

  ‘Good for him,’ Branch replied, grunting as he tugged hard on a wrench. The rusted bolt relented under the force. ‘The more power to him. The more power to you, too, by the way. About time you noticed somebody else. After Natalie—’

  ‘Branch.’ He turned what he hoped was a withering look on his friend. ‘Trust me, you’re reading way too much into this.’

  ‘I’m just saying, no one would blame you for getting back out there and trying to meet someone.’

  Jason sighed heavily. Branch made it sound like he needed to put together his résumé and cover letter and start submitting applications to worthy individuals or something. Like there was a vast pool of candidates beating down the door to meet a single father with a four-year-old daughter. Like there was a market for men who had forgotten how it felt to trust someone openly and completely with their heart. Hell, maybe there was, but he wouldn’t know about it since he had purposely steered clear of the dating world since Carlie’s mother left him two years ago. But if there was such a market, Jason wasn’t interested in being tagged as available.

  ‘You’re barking up the wrong tree.’ Picking up the tools he had discarded when Lily showed up, he ducked back under the chassis of the car he’d been working on. ‘I’m helping someone who’s car broke down. That’s my job.’

  When his friend didn’t respond, Jason thought maybe he had gotten the hint and let the conversation drop. That was, until he peered out from beneath the wheel well and saw Branch standing there, staring at him with raised eyebrows as he wiped his hands with a rag.

  ‘You showed her the Panther,’ he said easily. ‘That’s got to mean something.’

  Jason pointed toward the white Corolla in the next bay. ‘She calls her own car Cruella. I showed her the Panther because they had the same name, nothing more. It’s a joke.’ The last sentence tasted horrible on his tongue. Branch was well aware that there was nothing regarding his grandfather’s car that Jason would joke about.

  ‘That’s why you gave her kid the toy car?’ Again, more disbelief clouded his friend’s gaze. ‘And offered to call Nancy for her?’

  ‘What would you have done?’ Jason snapped. Not out of anger, but frustration. This conversation was going nowhere, as were Branch’s allegations. ‘I told her I’d wait until I heard from her to fix her car. Money’s tight. So, yeah, I offered to talk to my mom’s friend for her. To help her out. They’re in a town they’ve never been in before.’

  Branch dropped the rag on the toolbox beside him and tossed his hands up in surrender. ‘And is that what you’re going to do? Wait until you hear from her before you order those parts?’

  Jason stared at him. Damn him for knowing him so well. Too well.

  ‘That’s what I thought.’ Branch reached for the work order he’d been working on. ‘I never said you made the wrong call, man. All I’m saying is that I think you saw something you liked in Lily, and that’s not a bad thing. Even if your mind can’t admit it, maybe you’re more ready than you realize to give someone new a chance.’

  ‘Thank you for that riveting inspirational speech. Can we get back to work now?’

  Leave it to his best friend to find a second chance at love with his old flame six months ago and then think he was some kind of relationship expert on all matters of the heart.

  The part Branch was forgetting was that Jason’s ex-fiancée, Natalie, hadn’t just uprooted the life he’d had with her. She had uprooted the life he had with his daughter. His pride and joy. Seeing Carlie every second weekend wasn’t nearly enough time to be the father he wanted to be for his child.

  Natalie had admitted to herself, and then to him, that Port Landon wasn’t enough for her, that she wouldn’t ever be happy in the small town. Which, through Jason’s eyes, meant he wasn’t enough for her and that he would never make her happy, either. They just weren’t looking for the same things in life, she’d said. She loved him, she’d said, but couldn’t hide their incompatibility. Then, she had taken with her the one thing that meant everything to him and moved to North Springs. It wasn’t like they’d crossed state lines and he never saw Carlie again—Natalie wouldn’t do that to him, or to Carlie—but there was nothing that compared to coming home to his exuberant little girl every night, without fail, and having her under the same roof.

  Natalie had taken that reality and made it a dream that would never come true.

  The worst part was that he didn’t have a clue what he could have done differently to change the outcome of their three-and-a-half-year relationship. She had been born and raised in the city, and had tried and failed to pretend that she didn’t want to be a part of that world again. Natalie said numerous times that it was no fault of his own. That there was no blame placed at Jason’s own feet for what happened between them. She had said it as though she was giving him some kind of gift. Like reminding him that he was a good man who sadly wasn’t good enough for her would make it hurt less.

  But Natalie was wrong then, and two long years after walking away from him and his small-town life, she was still wrong.

  Jason Forrester was not looking for love, in any way, shape, or form. He had everything he needed—his own business, his weekends with Carlie, his own house, and his hometown.

  All the things that no one could take from him, just the way he liked it.

  Branch, thankfully, took the less than subtle hint and backed up a step. ‘Just think about what I said, will you?’ He snaked an arm behind his shoulder, rubbing his neck. ‘You had a boatload of advice for me back in the winter when I was unsure what to do about my feelings for Kait,’ he reminded him. ‘I’ve been there, and I get that it’s sometimes easier to give advice than to take it. All I’m asking is that you don’t stay closed off from the idea of moving on forever, all right?’

  ‘I’m not closed off,’ Jason replied quickly. Too quickly.

  ‘You’re definitely closed off.’ Branch nodded toward the worn front brake rotor Jason was in the midst of replacing. ‘Get back to work. You’ve got to call Nancy and make a deal with the devil in the name of the woman you don’t give a damn about.’ His friend trudged back to his own garage bay, snickering under his breath.

  ***

  He waited until Branch had gone home for the day before Jason made his way into the office and lowered himself into the ancient office chair behind the desk. He really needed to get this place organized.

  It was funny; each garage bay was neat and organized. He knew where every tool was in the shop, and everything had a specific place. But the office, now that was another story. Somehow, paperwork and office supplies didn’t rate nearly as
high on Jason’s radar to warrant spending a Sunday—the only day he took off from the garage whether he had Carlie or not—sorting through and organizing it all into a well-oiled administrative machine.

  At the moment, it seemed like a much better idea than calling Nancy. He loved the woman to death, and she had been a godsend when his parents moved to North Springs and sold their three-bedroom bungalow to Jason. Nancy had supplied them with enough cold cut sandwiches and casseroles to feed a small army while they piled boxes into the moving truck. Which was good, because a small army of Port Landon residents is what accumulated at the Forrester house on moving day. She had also been a well-needed shoulder to cry on and ear to be lent for his mother when her diagnosis was confirmed, and Jason was thankful for her devotion to Bettina every day since.

  What he struggled with, however, was Nancy’s inquisitive nature. The woman wasn’t scared to probe about tough topics or someone’s romantic affairs. Or their romantic affairs that were tough topics. She was as sweet as honey and as solidly reliable as an old oak tree, but Nancy Bergeron loved love, and she sometimes saw it in places it didn’t actually exist.

  It wasn’t hard to see the similarities between her and her sister, Sonya Ritter.

  ‘Jason, sweetheart, it’s so good to hear from you,’ Nancy gushed by way of greeting. ‘I’m afraid Lily’s not here at the moment—’

  ‘That’s actually who I’d like to talk to you about,’ he interjected, knowing he wouldn’t get a word in edgewise if he let the woman get on the topic of her current houseguest. He figured Lily must have decided to take him up on his suggestion and check out Main Street. The mere mention of the Portside Coffeehouse’s dark roast coffee was enough to send her heading in the right direction. He didn’t think the idea of taking Eden on a walk along the docks or down to the ice cream shop near the pier was a hard sell, either. It was a serene suggestion in an otherwise chaotic time. Jason was glad she had decided to give herself a few hours of reprieve. ‘Lily’s car is going to take a few days. I won’t get it up and running until next week.’ At least, he added silently.

  ‘As I told the lovely girl already, Jason, she’s the only one counting down the days until she leaves.’

  Something twisted in Jason’s gut. He stamped down the unexpected wave of disappointment, not wanting to think about someone—anyone, not just Lily—counting down until they got to escape Port Landon. ‘I’m not sure if she mentioned it, but she’s having a bit of trouble with the cancellation from the hotel she’d booked a room at. Until they issue her a refund—’

  ‘She’s short on funds,’ Nancy finished for him.

  He winced. ‘Sounds that way. Though, she’s assured me she can pay to stay at the bed and breakfast if you—’

  ‘Jason—’

  ‘—have the room for them.’ He cleared his throat, convinced he sounded more involved in their well-being than he should. Maybe Branch was getting to him, after all.

  A long pause followed his statement. As Jason leaned back in the rickety office chair, feet up on the disorganized desk, he swore he heard the woman’s smile slowly spread across her face.

  ‘I won’t let her leave, Jason,’ she replied. ‘Perhaps that’ll give you time to give her a reason to want to stick around more permanently, hmm?’

  Jason swallowed down a sigh. Was everyone convinced he was so desperate that he had to cling to the first new person in town that he came across?

  ‘I’m just trying to help her out. She needs her car and a place to stay. I can handle the car. I’m just asking if you’ll supply the roof over her head while we figure everything else out.’

  A haughty chuckle sounded in his ear, and it was a beat too late that he realized he had said we, not she.

  ‘That, I can do,’ she said. ‘Depending on how long she is staying, perhaps Lily could help me out around this big old house. It wouldn’t be full-time or anything, but I’d love the company. Almost as much as I’d love for you two to figure everything else out.’

  The emphasis on the last four words made Jason regret his choice of phrase immediately. ‘That’s up to her, I suppose.’ The way the conversation was going, he figured he had better start tossing the ball in Lily’s court and remembering to stay on the sidelines where he belonged. Although, he wasn’t sure it mattered what he said; folks seemed to be hearing what they wanted to hear lately. ‘Do you want me to broach the subject with Lily?’

  He couldn’t be sure, but Jason swore the woman covered the phone mouthpiece and let out a delighted squeak, making him wish he hadn’t offered at all. ‘You just leave that up to me. I’ll handle everything. You’ve got an ally in me, my dear.’ Nancy hung up before Jason could get past the sputtering phase of his disbelief.

  He had no idea what she thought she was his ally against, or why he would even need one in the first place, but something niggled at Jason’s brain. Nancy Bergeron might be his ally, but he was pretty sure they weren’t fighting the same battle.

  Chapter 7

  Lily

  The small town of Port Landon was beautiful at the end of June.

  Lily couldn’t remember the last time she had taken a moment to herself and stopped to smell the roses. Literally. The flowerbeds in the front yards and along the brick sidewalks of Main Street were magazine-worthy. They beckoned to Lily with their vivid bursts of color. Before she realized she was doing it, she had bent down and inhaled the vibrant blooms.

  ‘They’re so pretty.’ Eden couldn’t stop staring at the flowers, either. Her little fingers touched the velvety petals, her infectious grin lighting up at their silky softness.

  ‘They really are, baby.’

  The whole town was, to be honest. Lily hailed from a small town of her own—mind you, it was slightly bigger and less geared toward tourism since Sherman wasn’t actually on the way to anywhere—but Port Landon reminded her of the bygone-era towns she saw on television. The ones where Mom and Pop shops lined the picturesque streets and everything looked like something out of a postcard. The ones where everyone knew everyone’s name and no one was ever on their own when it came to hard times or mishaps.

  The ones where dreams came true and people found happiness. Found themselves.

  Ugh, you’re doing it again.

  Lily guided her daughter away from the abundant flowers that leaned toward the warm sun and walked further down the sidewalk. Judging by the shadows starting to stretch across the cement, they had been playing tourist for longer than she had intended. Lily needed to get back to the bed and breakfast, back to reality, and talk to Nancy. Nothing was going to get solved by meandering the downtown street and strolling along the boardwalk while boats motored to and fro in the harbor. Eden loved watching them, though, pointing excitedly and staring in wonder as the boaters waved to her and the water churned in their wake.

  But it was all a smokescreen, she reminded herself. Her mind was playing tricks on her. This little town was no different than any other. Still too small, still too isolated, and far too laid back for the life she planned to give her daughter and herself. This was a stepping stone, albeit a picturesque one. Her journey didn’t end here. It couldn’t.

  The universe must have decided she deserved a break last night. In hindsight, she should have seen the car troubles coming. She didn’t remember the last time Cruella had an oil change let alone a full service. But, for the vehicle to break down outside of Port Landon, for her to find Forrester’s Auto on Google and wind up talking to Jason, a man who was so overwhelmingly willing to extend a helping hand …

  She thanked her lucky stars for that. For him.

  ‘Ready to head back toward home?’ she asked Eden. The little girl’s face screwed up, confused, and Lily quickly recanted her choice of words. ‘I mean the big white house, with the big comfy bed. You okay if we stay there again tonight?’ If Nancy has the room for us, she silently added. Planning to settle some of her debts with her gracious hostess when they arrived there, Lily hoped it would be enough to show some good
faith and secure a few more nights of accommodation.

  ‘Yeah.’ Eden shrugged like it was no big deal. ‘Can we go see Jason again tomorrow?’ The slight lisp her daughter spoke with made his name come out almost as Jathon, and it put a smile on Lily’s face every time she heard it. Between that and the fact that Eden hadn’t let go of the toy car yet, clutching it in her tiny fingers as she’d dawdled along the docks and licked at an ice cream cone—which had forced Lily to part with almost five dollars of her only cash, but Eden’s excitement to taste the bright pink bubble gum flavor had been worth it—from the Old Port Ice Cream Shoppe. She would bet double or nothing that the little girl would curl up in bed and tuck the car in beside her.

  Hand in hand, they took leisurely steps down the brick sidewalk, glancing in the storefront windows as people strolled by them, just as unhurried as they were. ‘I’m not sure. He’s really busy working on people’s cars so they can go places and do things.’

  ‘Like our car?’

  ‘Yes, eventually. But we have to wait our turn, and we have to wait for the money to pay for the repairs. We might be here for a little while.’ Lily had been about to say they would be in town for a few days, but Eden was so smart, so observant, she didn’t want to commit to a timeline that might not hold up. A little while was safe; maybe a few days, maybe a few extra. A week at most.

  She hoped.

  ‘We get to stay?’ Her daughter’s curls bobbed with the swift turn of her neck. She stared up at Lily, surprised.

  ‘Not forever.’ She squeezed Eden’s hand. ‘But for a little while.’

  The little girl lit up like a midday sun. ‘Okay.’

  ‘You like it here, huh?’ Lily kept her tone nonchalant, casting glances at the bank and then The Port Diner as they passed. Inside, however, she was tied in knots. She had dealt with her daughter’s tears for the first hour and a half of the trip out of Sherman yesterday, and she didn’t relish the idea of tearing her from a place she’d taken a liking to again.