Second-Chance Sweethearts

by Cindy Caldwell

  Second-Chance Sweethearts

  Cindy Caldwell

  Copyright © 2018 by Cindy Caldwell

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

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  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Epilogue

  Chapter 1

  Allen Hamilton slowly closed the recipe book, its dog-eared pages covered in stains of butter and tomato sauce from its many years of use.

  “We’ll be right there, Dad,” his daughter Olivia said when he answered the ringing cell phone. “Can we bring anything?”

  “Nope. I’ve got it covered.” He patted the top of the cornbread he’d started when Olivia’s sister Opal had left with her boyfriend earlier in the afternoon.

  “I can’t believe this. It’s so exciting. Opal must be over the moon.”

  Allen’s lips tugged up and he took a deep breath. “They both are. And I’m thrilled for them. I’m sure she can’t wait to tell you all the details.

  An image of Olivia and Opal when they were little making a fort in the living room of extra sheets shot through his mind. Their mother’s voice—God rest her soul—telling them to go to sleep and stop whispering shot through right behind it. The waiting must be killing Olivia, and he smiled at the thought.

  “Just hurry. Opal and Bernard will be here any minute. And bring Gillian and Aaron.”

  “They’re already on their way. And we’ll be there in a minute.”

  Allen ended the call and shook his head. He took a look at the pot of chili simmering on the stove and inhaled deeply. It was the perfect meal for tonight—their mother’s special recipe—and he carefully placed the lid back on the Dutch oven that his wife had used nearly every day when they were back in Texas. A long time ago.

  Allen busied himself setting out bowls of chips and salsa, guacamole and diced onions and tomatoes for the chili. He opened the bag of Frito’s—another old family tradition in chili—and poured them into the colorful ceramic bowl on the counter. He ran his finger along the side. It had been a wedding gift to him and Mary, one of her most cherished possessions. He’d spent over an hour searching for it in the boxes they’d yet to unpack from Texas, knowing that Mary would be so excited to be at Opal’s engagement announcement—and that the girls would be glad she was there, too, if only in spirit.

  He turned as the door burst open and Opal ran straight into his arms. He hugged her tightly, and when she stepped back, he softly wiped her tears away with Mary’s handkerchief, the one he always kept in his pocket.

  “Dad, I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.” She rested her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at Allen.

  He rolled his eyes as he reached for her left hand and held it up to the light.

  Bernard walked in the door and stood behind Opal, wrapping his arms around her waist.

  “Honor among men, don’t you think?” Bernard asked as he winked at Allen.

  “Absolutely. I would never have ruined Bernard’s surprise, and I have to say I’m very happy for you both.”

  “Aw, thanks, Dad,” Opal said as she threw her arms around her father’s neck for another hug. “I can’t believe it.”

  “I can. You two are a perfect couple,” Allen said softly as he kissed his daughter’s cheek.

  He reached for Bernard’s hand. Instead of shaking it he pulled him in for a bear hug, which Bernard heartily returned.

  “Congratulations, son. I know you’ll take good care of my little girl.”

  “I sure will, Mr. Hamilton. And thanks for your blessing,” Bernard said just as the rest of the family rushed through the door.

  “Dad, you knew?” Olivia asked before they’d all gotten through the door.

  Allen shook his head as his daughters admired the ring. He turned toward the refrigerator to get out the champagne he’d chilled while Opal and Bernard shared the good news.

  The commotion in the kitchen of the small cabin he shared with Opal made it appear smaller than it was. Since he and his daughter Opal had arrived at River’s End Ranch, they’d spent most of their time at Opal’s sister’s house. Family gatherings were much simpler there, with the large kitchen in the house Olivia and her husband shared with Allen’s brother and his new wife, Gillian.

  Allen popped the cork on the first bottle as the squeals died down to more of a steady murmur of glee.

  His brother, Aaron, clapped him on the back as he reached for the champagne glasses in the top cabinet of the small kitchen.

  “Well, that’s pretty big news, brother,” Aaron said as he reached up to help with the glasses. He set them down and leaned up against the counter, folding his arms over his chest.

  Allen poured seven glasses of champagne and handed the eighth glass to his brother, who put it back up on the shelf. He glanced at the women—even Gillian, his new sister-in-law was giggling now and holding the diamond up to the light—and then to his brother.

  He quickly glanced over to the mantle, the pictures of the girls’ mother tugging at his heart. She should be here. It wasn’t right that she wasn’t. He pulled his attention back to the party at hand and smiled at his brother.

  “Yeah. Big news,” he responded when he was able, his emotions back under check.

  “I miss her, too,” Aaron said quietly, his arm around his brother’s shoulders. “We all do.”

  “I know. And I know she’s here with us, to celebrate.” He nodded at Aaron and they handed everyone a glass of champagne to toast to the future bride and groom.

  Dinner was a jumble of ideas about wedding plans. Opal and Bernard wanted to get married as soon as possible, so that they could be settled in their own place before primary shooting happened on the new TV series and Bernard got too busy.

  “We can have the reception at our house,” Gillian said, covering her husband’s hand with hers and giving it a squeeze. “It’s beautiful in the springtime and the garden would be lovely.”

  “We could,” Fred said as he smiled at his sister-in-law. “Where do you want to have it, Opal?”

  “We don’t really know a ton of people,” Opal said with a shake of her head. “We haven’t had a lot of time to talk about it, but I was thinking maybe a small, private ceremony would be nice. And then a party afterward? Doesn’t even need to be on the same day. Just kind of family?”

  Allen cleared his throat and stood, collecting empty bowls of chili and setting them in the sink.

  “Even with a small family ceremony, there’s loads to think about,” Olivia said. “I had no idea until I got married.”

  Opal looped her arm through Bernard’s. “This is all kind of new, but I think we do know we want something small.”

  “Yes,” Bernard agreed. “I haven’t spoken to my mother yet, but I imagine she’ll want to come.”

  Quiet fell over the room, and Allen looked away as Opal an
d Olivia exchanged quick glances. He looked back to the mantle and then back to his girls.

  His eyes met Opal’s and she stood, putting her arm around him as she entered the kitchen.

  “Thanks for putting out Mom’s bowl, Dad. And making her chili. I know you wish she was here as badly as we do.”

  He pulled Opal in tight. “I’m very sorry she’s not, little one. I truly am.”

  Olivia set a handful of bowls in the sink as she stood by her father and sister.

  “Do you remember when we were little and used to play dress up in Mom’s clothes?” Olivia asked, a smile spreading across her face.

  Opal laughed and said, “I sure do. We got in trouble until she told us which things were off limits. No fancy dresses and especially not—”

  “Her wedding dress,” Olivia and Opal said at the same time.

  “Well, that’s only because she wanted to keep it safe for one of you girls to wear when you got married,” Allen said. “It was a beautiful dress.”

  “Yes, it was,” Olivia said. “Unfortunately, there’s no way on this earth it would have fit me, so I didn’t even think about it.”

  “But it might fit me,” Opal said quietly. “And I’d really like that. Then she’d be here with us.”

  Allen coughed and wished he could change the subject, but he just couldn’t.

  Bernard crossed over to the mantle, holding up a picture of Allen and Mary on their wedding day.

  “Is this it?”

  “Yes,” Allen said. “She was a beautiful bride.”

  “It’s lovely, Opal, and I think it would be a special honor for you to wear it,” Bernard said as he rested his hand on Opal’s shoulder.

  She squeezed his hand and said, “Thank you. I would love to.”

  Allen cleared his throat. “Only problem is I have no idea where it is.”

  Opal laughed and pointed at the stacks of boxes in the corner of the room that they’d yet to unpack.

  “Somewhere in there, and I aim to find it.”

  Olivia laughed. “That’s a grand idea. But there are lots more details besides the dress. How about if we all head to the restaurant for dessert and we can make a plan?”

  “Sounds great to me,” Opal said, and everybody murmured agreement as they reached for their coats.

  “I think I’ll clean up here first.” Allen pointed to the pot of chili and the dirty dishes. He hated to leave them, but he could also use a moment or two to gather his thoughts.

  Aaron’s eyebrows rose at him in question. “You sure?”

  “I’m sure. I’m fine, just want to clean up,” he said as lightly as he could. He didn’t want anybody to worry, or to ruin the moment for Opal.

  “Okay, Dad. I’d offer to help but I know you won’t let me. Come over as soon as you’re done, all right?

  “Okay. See you all in a little bit,” he said as he smiled and waved them out the door.

  He sat in his recliner and rubbed his temples. He glanced at the pictures on the mantle as he thought over how much had changed since they’d all arrived at River’s End Ranch.

  If anyone had asked, he’d say he was happy here at River’s End Ranch, and he’d have meant it.

  The world was changing around him so quickly, and sometimes he just did what he was doing now—shaking his head and sitting in his brown leather recliner.

  Now, with his bachelor brother and oldest daughter married to their true loves and his youngest daughter about to do the same, it almost made him dizzy. As if the world was in fast forward—for everybody but him.

  Chapter 2

  Corinne Baker pulled her car into the parking lot of Kelsey’s Kafe, the address that her niece had given her. She parked, turned off the ignition and took a deep breath, her fingertips dancing on the steering wheel.

  What had she been thinking? Well, clearly she hadn’t been thinking at all when she’d agreed to drive halfway across the country. But her niece Tamlyn was her favorite—almost like the daughter she’d never had—and she just hadn’t been able to bring herself to say no.

  She turned and looked in the back seat at the small crate tucked into the suitcases she’d hastily thrown together. Nothing was stirring. In fact, Thor hadn’t meowed once the entire day, and she said a quick prayer of gratitude. He’d meowed for hours on their first day’s drive and by the time she’d stopped at the motel, her nerves were pretty shot.

  She shouldn’t have expected much different, she supposed. What cat would be thrilled about being thrown in a crate and then into a car for two days with no warning? Not that she’d know how to warn a cat, anyway.

  But the cat was all she had, and if she was going to go to some place in Idaho to help her niece, the cat had to come, too. Team player and all that. She’d made sure it was all right with Tamlyn and hadn’t given it much thought since then. Especially after he’d finally fallen asleep, resigned to his temporary fate.

  She cracked the windows in the car and whispered to Thor that she’d be back shortly. She’d given him food and water not long ago and would get him all set up when they got to Tamlyn’s, but for now, she was supposed to meet her at the cafe. She quickly texted her niece that she’d arrived and threw her phone in her purse.

  She’d been in a diner or two in her day, but the aromas that met her when she walked in this one were decidedly different. Not the usual ones of greasy fries and ketchup and her stomach growled as a pretty—and pregnant—blonde lady approached with a smile.

  “One?” she asked as she reached for a menu.

  “Two,” Corinne said quickly as she slung her bag over her shoulder. “I’m meeting my niece, Tamlyn.”

  “Oh, Tamlyn.” The young waitress waved for Corinne to follow her. “She mentioned you were coming. I’m glad you made it. She’s still hobbling even though her cast is off and we’re all glad she’s getting some help.”

  Corinne followed the waitress to a booth by a big, plate glass window that looked out over soaring mountains that she noticed for the first time. She’d been so intent on making good time, she’d barely glanced at the scenery. Not like her normal trips at all.

  “My name’s Kelsi. Can I get you anything while you wait?”

  “I’m Corinne, and it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ll just have coffee, thanks, until Tamlyn gets here. I’m sorry to hear she’s still hobbling, but I’m glad I could come and help.”

  “Me, too,” Kelsi said as she smiled and nodded. “I’ll be right back with your coffee.”

  Corinne took a moment to look at her new surroundings. The diner was quite full, with customers ranging from cowboys, business people, families with young children, a woman in a lovely purple dress with gray hair who kept looking in her direction—even a sheriff.

  Tamlyn had described it as a quaint guest ranch, and had been thrilled when she’d been hired to be the assistant wardrobe supervisor for a possible new TV show. They were deep into things and suddenly short-handed, so that combined with Tamlyn’s inability to maneuver very quickly had necessitated the SOS.

  She peered out the window, wondering if she should have gone to Tamlyn’s studio where she worked on the costumes. She’d wanted to come when Tamlyn broke her leg in the car accident, but Tamlyn’s sister had taken care of her for a while, when she really needed it.

  Now, it was time for Tamlyn’s boot to come off and she’d told Corinne she was having some balance issues and wasn’t sure how she was going to manage. Between basic navigation and piles of costumes to take care of, her first thought had been her Aunt Corinne. Sure, her roommate Alicia had been very helpful but Tamlyn had never wanted to be a burden to anyone and now was no different. Besides, Corinne had been the one to teach Tamlyn to sew, so she could help at home and with the costumes at work.

  When Corinne had gotten Tamlyn’s phone call, she knew it had taken her niece quite a bit of gumption to even pick up the phone and ask for help. Tamlyn actually didn’t even need to ask—Corinne had just offered.

  And now she was here, loo
king forward to seeing Tamlyn on lots of levels—just because she loved her, but also to check on her.

  She spotted Tamlyn out the window, walking as best she could with a big boot on her foot. Her heart warmed at the sight—after the alarm of seeing her limp so badly—and she jumped up and rushed to help her niece up the steps and into the booth. After a big hug, of course.

  She brushed an errant corkscrew curl from her niece’s forehead and pinched her niece’s cheek.

  “Tamlyn, you’re as gorgeous as ever,” she said to her niece’s giggles.

  “Aunt Corinne, you’re a little bit biased, don’t you think?” Tamlyn let her aunt help her up the stairs to the cafe, her arm sturdily around her waist.

  “I don’t think so. Family is never biased,” Corinne said, a twinkle in her eye.

  Tamlyn and her sister were incredibly beautiful, real jaw-droppers. Corinne wasn’t exaggerating at all, and felt she wasn’t biased because they didn’t look remotely alike. Tamlyn looked like Disney’s Jasmine and Corinne looked more like...well, not that. Her bright red hair and freckles didn’t exactly belong on a Disney screen.

  She helped Tamlyn into the booth and Kelsi was there to take their orders right away. In the commotion, Corinne had forgotten that she’d skipped breakfast, and now the wonderful smells coming from that kitchen had her salivating.

  “I’ll just have whatever it is that I’ve been smelling since I got here,” Corinne said. “I don’t even want to know what it is. Surprise me.”

  Kelsi laughed and glanced over at the cook through the window.

  “Bob’s got a winner today. Well, they’re all winners, but today’s is different.”

  “How about you, Tamlyn?” Kelsi asked.

  “I guess I’ll have the same,” Tamlyn said as she handed Kelsi the menu.