“Uh-huh.” Piper nodded with enthusiasm before she caught my eye. “I mean, please. And thank you.”
“Well, I hope maybe you’ll have a few treats before you go out to the pasture. I don’t have any girls in my house, you know. So I made us some girly snacks to enjoy. Is that okay?”
Piper smiled. “Uh huh. I like cookies.”
Mrs. Nelson beamed. “Then you’re in luck. Now why don’t you boys go out on the porch while us girls get the trays together, and then we’ll bring them out to you?” Without waiting for an answer, she turned back toward what I assumed was the kitchen.
“We may as well go hang out. Once Mom’s got an idea, there’s no changing her mind. And don’t worry. The cowgirl’ll be fine. My mother’s been so excited about you guys coming over.”
I trailed Alex back to the porch and sat down in a wooden rocker. “Piper’s been beside herself. She’s on an animal kick right now, and horses are it. Last week it was rabbits. I’m just trying to keep up.”
Alex smiled. “I can’t even imagine. I look at you with the pipsqueak and Ali with Bridget, and I think ... thank you, sweet baby Jesus, that I don’t have that responsibility yet.”
“Yet?” I cocked my head. “Does that mean you think it’ll happen one day?”
“I hope so.” He pushed old swing to moving as he held onto the chain. “Things are moving slow with my friend in Savannah, but maybe someday. Who knows?”
“You’re here to see him this weekend?” Alex, who lived in Atlanta, had been seeing an art dealer in Savannah for well over a year now. I didn’t know any details, except what Alex had shared over drinks at my bar. The other guy had come out of a long-term relationship and nasty breakup and wasn’t eager to jump back into the dating pool. It was proof of how much Alex liked him that he’d been willing to wait it out. Meanwhile, his visits to Burton, which was only about thirty miles outside Savannah, had become more frequent, which made his parents and his friends happy.
“Yeah, we’ve got a date tonight. I’m trying to talk him into coming down to The Road Block with me, but I don’t think he’s ready for that yet. Soon though. I hope.”
“I hope so, too. I’d like to meet this mystery man. And I know Ali does, too.” Sam’s sister and Alex had been best friends for many years, and Alex was also close to Flynn, Ali’s husband.
“Girlfriend’s flying the coop to the big apple. So she just might miss out on my friend.” Alex sniffed and pretended to look offended.
“Aww, you know you’re happier for those two than anyone else. Pretty cool that they’re making it work after all these years.”
“Sure is. I’m thrilled. I had my doubts now and then, but deep down, I knew that boy couldn’t stay away from my girl. They were meant to be. Soul mates. Just took them a while to see it through.”
“That happens sometimes.” We sat in silence for a few minutes before Alex stretched out his legs and yawned.
“I was surprised you could make it out here today. Aren’t Saturdays your busiest nights?”
I nodded. “Yeah, but I don’t have to be there until closer to opening. Rocky’s handling set up for me. Shame you’re going to be in Savannah tonight, though. We have a new group playing, and I think they’re going to be big. They got a good sound.”
“Maybe next time.” Alex turned the chain of the swing between two fingers. “Meghan said you’re stopping by the stand today to meet Rilla Grant. Thinking about hiring her?”
I rolled my neck. “Sometimes I forget how fast news moves out here. Yeah, I was planning to drop by and see if we can work something out. I never really thought about anymore advertising for the bar, but Sam had a good point when he said it wouldn’t hurt to beef up the buzz on our new lunch hours. And I like to help someone just starting out.”
Alex flicked his eyes up to me. “That’s decent of you. The girl could use a break, I think. I’ve talked with her a time or two at the stand, but she’s very quiet. Shy. My dad always said I could get a response from a brick wall, but I don’t get very far with Rilla.”
“Kind of strange to be in publicity if you’re too shy to have conversation, don’t you think?” I wondered if Sam might be off-base here, recommending her just out of his good heart. I felt bad for the girl, but I couldn’t afford a pity-hire.
“You know, that’s the weird thing. She’s doing a terrific job at the stand, both with selling and with the advertising she’s done. When she’s talking about that or working with customers, she’s a different person. It’s just one-on-one when it’s not business that she clams up. Ali said she gets the feeling from a few things Rilla’s said that she hasn’t been around many men outside her father.”
“Maybe that’s it. Maybe you make her nervous.” I’d yet to meet the person who couldn’t be comfortable around Alex, but if this chick didn’t know guys, it was possible she didn’t understand his easy charm.
“I make her nervous?” Alex hooted. “Oh, that’s a good one. Well, buddy boy, let me tell you, if I give her anxiety, what’s she going to do when she meets you?”
I shot him a dark look. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Just that you’re you, Mason. Larger than life, both literally and figuratively. You’re taller than me by half a foot, you’re seriously bulked up, and you ooze dangerous charm. Plus, you own a bar, whereas I’m just a downhome farm boy.”
“Since when? You’re citified now, Alex. You live in Atlanta and you’ve got a high-powered exec job.”
Alex winked at me. “That might be true, but I still come off like plain old Alex Nelson, Fred and Ellen’s baby boy.” He paused, and before he could continue, his mother and Piper appeared with a large tray. Mrs. Nelson set down the food on the wooden table in front of us, and Piper climbed up to sit on my lap. Alex scooted over to offer his mother a seat, which she took with a sigh as she spoke.
“Gentlemen, it’s tea time.”
Fred Nelson’s horses were mature, gentle animals, which was why I was okay with Piper climbing over the fence and into the pasture with them. As we drove back up the driveway toward the highway, she described every minute she’d spent in the field, even though I’d been there the whole time.
“Poker is my favorite. Or maybe Rummy. He tickled my hand when I gave him the carrot. Solitaire and Gin were funny.”
I grinned. It was a well-known joke in Burton and the surrounding area that the Nelson horses’ names were Fred’s way of poking gentle fun at his wife’s strict Baptist upbringing. Card games of all kinds had been forbidden in her youth. She still got flustered when anyone brought up gambling, liquor or dancing; I knew she pointedly ignored my occupation and refused to openly acknowledge that I owned an establishment that promoted both drinking and dancing.
On the other hand, Ellen hadn’t blinked when her only son came out to his parents. Her love for him was steadfast and unwavering and trumped anything a church had tried to drill into her head. I had to respect that kind of character.
The Reynolds’ farm was only a few miles down the road from the Nelsons. I knew they shared a boundary on one side, and Ali and Alex had grown up together, running back and forth from one property to the other. I envied that kind of long-running friendship. I was still friendly with some of the guys who’d graduated from high school with me, but these days, I didn’t have time for more than a word or two at the bar. Truth was, Sam was the closest thing I had to a best friend.
The parking lot at The Colonel’s Last Stand was almost full, but I found a spot between an SUV and another truck. I lifted Piper from her seat and carried her toward the small three-sided stand; with all the traffic here, the last thing I wanted was to chase my daughter around cars to keep her safe. She wound her small arms around my neck and laid her head on my shoulder, a sigh from her lips brushing over my neck. I tightened my arms around her, overwhelmed with my love for this kid all over again.
“Mason!” A pretty red head in shorts and a black T-shirt waved to me. “Hey. How’re you doing?”
She made her way through the customers wandering around the tables of fruits and veggies and reaching us, stood on tip-toe to kiss my cheek. “And this must be Piper. Hi there, sweet thing. I’m Meghan.”
Piper barely lifted her head to respond. She yawned hugely, and I laughed. “We just came from the Nelsons’ farm. Piper met the horses, and I think they wore her out. Well, them and Miss Ellen’s tea and cookies.”
“That’ll do it. Bridge loves those horses, too. You should see the pictures she’s painted of them. They pretty much cover the walls of her room.” Meghan bit her lip and took a deep breath that I noticed was a little shaky. “Sorry. They left for New York the other day, and I miss her like crazy already.”
“Yeah, Sam said they were getting ready to head up. Must be pretty quiet for y’all these days.”
She nodded. “You know, when Ali and Bridget lived with us, seemed like I was always looking for some of the quiet. Now that I have it all the time, Sam and I look at each other and wonder what to do.” Her face pinked a little as she looked away. “Well, I mean ... you know.”
I could imagine. When Sam and Meghan were together, the air between them practically crackled with the passion they shared. Yeah, they might be missing his sister and niece, but I was pretty sure filling the emptiness wasn’t a real problem.
“Well, you can always come over to The Road Block if the two of you are so bored.” I winked at her. “You know how Sam loves to get his boogie on.”
Meghan groaned. “I wish I could get him out of the house and down there more. He’s so tired after being in the fields all day, but maybe this winter, when things slow down.” She turned to glance at the crowds milling around the stand. “Though when I see how busy we are these days, I wonder if it ever will slow down. I love what Rilla’s done for us, but with Ali gone, we’re all busting our—” She glanced at Piper and changed the shape of the word she’d been about to say. “Ourselves. Working really hard.”
“Speaking of which, that’s why I’m here. Sam says I need to meet this publicity guru and see about getting her to work for the bar, too.”
“Yeah, he told me you were coming by.” Meghan hesitated. “Mason, Rilla’s really shy. She’s not like Ali and me, you know?”
“You mean she’s not a ball buster?” I smirked.
“Hey!” She swatted my arm. “And watch your language in front of the little one.”
I shifted a little. “She’s out. I felt her snoring against my shoulder a few minutes ago. And she looks little, but when she’s asleep, she’s dead weight. So can you point me in the direction of this shy little girl both you and Alex seem to think I’m going to overwhelm? I promise, I’ll try to tone down my irresistible charm so she doesn’t faint when she sees me.”
Meghan rolled her eyes. “Yeah, irresistible charm. It’s more that you’re just larger than life, Mase. And sometimes you tend to forget it.” She paused. “Alex said something to you about her, too?”
“Yeah. Actually, he said that exact thing. ‘Larger than life.’ Are y’all trying to say I need to lose weight?”
“God, no.” Meghan’s tone was fervent enough to make me grin again. “But you’re tall, and you’re built. And you just have this air, like you’d take someone over and ... consume her.”
I frowned. “Really? I always thought I was just, you know, folksy. Friendly.”
“You are, Mason. Totally. You’re a good guy and a good friend, and I’m glad to know you. I’d happily introduce you to any woman I know, but Rilla’s so different. It’s taken her weeks to open to me even a little, but when guys are around, she kind of freezes. She can handle herself with customers, and she seems to have gotten used to Sam and Flynn. But anyone else and she just stops talking and kind of shrinks.”
“You’re not making a good case for me hiring this chick, Meghan. An advertising expert who doesn’t like people? Yeah, that doesn’t sound like it’s gonna fly.”
“It’s not like that, Mason. First of all, most of the work she does is online, so she’s not even dealing with people. Second, like I said, she pulls it together for work. Rilla’s good at what she does. And you know Sam. Even if he wanted to help her out, he’d never recommend her to you if she wasn’t good.”
“Okay.” I nodded. “But the more important thing right now is letting me meet her, so I can get this kid back to the car and home. She’s drooling, and it’s going down my back.”
Meghan threw back her head and laughed. “Oh, that’s precious. C’mon, big guy. Follow me.”
I walked behind her, careful to avoid bumping into people or produce. As we rounded the corner into the stand itself, I spotted a blonde in a pink shirt and long jean skirt. She was speaking with two older women, and she held a tomato in each hand. As I watched, she leaned forward a little, lifting one hand a little higher, as though she was making a point. When one of the ladies responded, she smiled just slightly, one side of her mouth lifting as she listened.
“Rilla.” Meghan stopped next to the three women. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but when you’re finished here, I’d like to introduce you to Mason. He stopped by to meet you.”
Three pairs of eyes turned to look at me, and I realized I knew one of the women. She smiled and put a hand to her hip.
“Mason Wallace, what’re you doing out here? Gettin’ some food for your mama? And just who is that you’re holdin’?”
I chuckled. “Afternoon, Miss Evelyn. I haven’t seen you since I’ve been back in town. Where’ve you been hiding?”
“Oh, honey, we moved to the coast when Paul retired, ‘bout five years back. I’m just here visiting my sister who lives out in Farleyville, and she said we had to come by the stand and get some fresh veggies for supper.” She laid her hand on her sister’s arm. “This is Ida. Ida, Mason was my star Sunday school pupil, once upon a time.”
“Nice to meet you, ma’am. Sorry, I kind of got my hands full here.” I patted Piper’s back. “I had her over to the Nelsons and their horses just wore her out.”
“Oh, Mason, how sweet she is!” Miss Evelyn came closer and peeked at my sleeping daughter. “I had no idea. I mean, I’d heard you were married, but you say you’re living back in town now?”
“Yeah.” This was always the awkward part of any conversation I had with people who didn’t know what had happened in Tennessee. Awkward for them, painful for me. “Uh, my wife passed about three years ago. I moved back here a year after, and I opened up a place just outside town. Piper and I live with my mom in Burton.”
There were the expected ohs of sympathy. “I’m so sorry, Mason. That’s just heartbreaking. But thank the Lord He gave you this sweet baby. What’s her name, did you say?”
“Piper Susannah. Yes, ma’am, she’s a blessing.”
“I’m sure she is. And how’s your mama doing? I bet she loves having her grandbaby close.”
“She does. Actually, she’s doing okay now, but she’s been pretty sick herself.” I forced myself to say the word I hated. “Leukemia.”
There were more gasps, and I let my gaze slide over to Rilla. I’d not spoken to her yet on purpose, thinking of what Alex and Meghan had said. Maybe if she saw I was harmless and loved by old ladies, she’d be more comfortable talking with me.
She was watching my interchange with Miss Evelyn and Miss Ida, her huge blue eyes moving back and forth between the three of us. When she heard what I said about my mother, the frown on her face deepened, and she brought her thumb to her lips to nibble on it. Fascinated, I watched as just the tip of her tongue darted out, touching the nail, and then vanished again inside her mouth.
“Miss Evelyn, can I finish up with you? Mason’s here to talk some business with Rilla, and I don’t want to hold him up anymore. You can see he needs to get home so his daughter can nap.” Meghan stepped a little closer, insinuating herself between the two ladies and Rilla. The look she shot the blonde clearly said, This is your cue to exit, stage left.
Rilla dropped her hand away from her mouth, and her e
yes grew wide. “Oh, thanks, Meghan. We were just talking about the beefsteak and Romas, and what might be their best choice for one of Miss Evelyn’s recipes.”
“I think we know what we want now, dear.” Miss Ida beamed. “Evie, this is Meghan. She’s Sam Reynolds’ fiancée, and she teaches art in Burton now. She’ll ring us up, won’t you, honey?”
Meghan herded the women toward the register in the front of the stand. I pivoted a little, so that I was facing Rilla fully. God, she really was a little thing. The top of her head barely reached my chest. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, making her look like she was barely in her teens.
But those blue eyes told a different story. They were wide, framed by dark lashes that didn’t match her hair at all. She wasn’t looking at me; instead, she stared down at the two tomatoes still in her hands. As I watched, she sucked in her lower lip and chewed on it. Yeah, nerves, just like Meghan had said. I could see it was going to be up to me to start this conversation.
“So. I’m Mason Wallace. Sam probably told you I own The Road Block. Have you been there?” I knew it was a long shot, but I had to begin somewhere.
“Me? Uh, no. Yes, Sam told me that you had uh, a bar. Owned it, I mean. And you’re maybe looking for some publicity help?” Finally her eyes flickered up to me briefly before they dropped again to fasten somewhere behind me.
“Yeah, well ... the bar part is doing fine. We’re turning people away on weekends. So not so much there, but next week, I’m opening up for lunch hours. That was where I thought you might be able to help me.” Even as I spoke them, the words sounded ludicrous to me. Honestly? I expected this little mouse of a girl to come in and promote my bar? It was never going to work.
But Rilla surprised me. She straightened up, her shoulders stiffening as though she were getting ready for a battle. The shirt she wore was too big, I noticed; it disguised any shape she might have beneath. Maybe that was the point, to hide her curves from evil-minded men like me who’d always be checking out any girl to see what she had.
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