by Kris Jett
Her mom was sitting at the kitchen table in front of her laptop and a cup of tea. “Hi, honey, how was class?”
“Good. It was good. Wynn at work?”
“Yep. Just me and Melody.” Her mom smiled and then her eyes drifted back toward the laptop screen. Luci wondered what she was looking at.
“Melody wants me to hang out with her for a bit. I wanted to chat with you first though.” Luci took the seat across from her mom and smiled. “I found you a man.”
Her mom’s eyes flashed from the screen to Luci’s. “What? You did?”
That got your attention, Luci thought. She had told her mom that she would be helping her out and looking on a dating app but she wasn’t entirely sure her mom understood what she’d meant.
“Yeah, he seems promising. I think you should go on a date and see what happens.”
Her mom shut her laptop and put her elbows on the table, lacing her fingers together and propping her chin on them. She bit her bottom lip and her eyes were wide. “I’m so nervous! Is he cute? Is he smart? Does he have a job? Where did you find him?”
Luci couldn’t help but grin at her mom. She was being so darn cute about all of this. She looked like a teenager waiting to hear what a boy at school had said about her. Luci pulled her phone out of her pocket and scrolled through, looking for Bob’s, the guy she and Evan had picked out, picture.
“You’re checking your messages now?” her Mom said with a sudden frown.
“No, I’m pulling up his picture on this app. Check him out.” Luci handed her phone over to her mom and waited for her reaction. Bob, the man Evan and Luci had deemed “perfect” for her mom, was in his sixties, widowed, and loved skiing. He looked like he was still in pretty good shape. He also still had a head full of brown curls with just some graying at the temple and he wore dark-framed glasses that made him look intelligent. Her mom loved smart conversations so hopefully Bob was a good talker. His profile also said he was a software engineer and currently employed which was a plus.
Luci’s mom studied Luci’s phone, her eyes moving back and forth as she read Bob’s profile.
“Okay,” she finally said. She handed Luci back her phone.
“Okay? That’s it?”
“I mean, he sounds pleasant. And he looks attractive. I’ll meet him. What do I have to do? Do you need to click on something?” she asked, pointing an index finger at the phone.
Luci watched her mother carefully. She seemed so meh about this whole dating thing. Luci thought Bob was a catch and her mom would be ecstatic. She might have just picked out the next love of her life here. But she was so calm about the whole thing. Maybe Bob didn’t turn her on. Maybe she’d already found her own man online.
“What were you looking at on your laptop when I came in?” Luci asked.
“Recipes,” her mom answered quickly.
Uh-huh, Luci thought. “I can make dinner, tonight. I’m going to be home.”
“It’s not for dinner, and don’t worry about cooking for me anyway. I’m going out.” She stood up and crossed the kitchen, busying herself with something at the counter.
“Where are you going? Do you think that’s a good idea? Do Jessie and Wynn know?” Luci fired at her.
Luci’s mom stopped what she was doing and scowled at her. “I don’t need to check in with you girls before my every move you know.”
Luci was stumped. It was true, her mom was an able-bodied adult and could do what she wanted but the three girls had been helping her for months now, ever since she first told them about her diagnosis, and it was kind of hard to pull back.
Luci sat back in her chair. “You don’t. Sorry. I didn’t mean to imply that you did.”
“Don’t worry about it hon’. I’m not doing anything too strenuous. I found a book club,” her mom answered with a smug look.
“You did? When?”
“Today. I found one that meets over in Weslem and they have a meeting tonight. It’s in one of the member’s home. I think I’m going to make a quiche to bring. Do we have bacon?” her mom walked over to the refrigerator, pulled open the door, and examined the contents.
“Hold on,” Luci said. “How did you find a book club in Weslem?”
“I found it on meetup.com and the organizer seems very nice. She said they were happy to have me. I’m excited to go.” She found what she was looking for and set a package of bacon on the counter.
“Do you think it’s a great idea to just show up at some stranger’s house?”
Her mom thought about this. “Well, they won’t be strangers for long and I’m bringing a bacon, spinach, and mushroom quiche so I’m sure they’ll let me in. It’ll be fine, Luci. You worry too much.” She bent over to root through the cabinet of pans, looking for a something to fry the bacon in.
Luci wracked her brain for another argument to make against going to this random book club but she couldn’t think of anything. Her mom was an adult and she couldn’t stop her from going out if that was what she wanted to do. “Well,” she finally said. “Do you want me to go with you?”
Her mom straightened back up and looked at Luci. “Oh, dear, no.”
Luci gave her a wounded look. “Hey.”
“I mean, I love you, darling, but I see you all the time. I want to make some of my own friends. And I’m too old to need a babysitter.”
“Fine. Whatever. I’ll just read my own books. Get my own club.”
Her mom smiled. “Don’t pout, Luci. You don’t want to hang out with a bunch of old ladies anyway. Go out with some people your own age. Have a fun night. You’ve been hanging around here too much, worrying about me.”
Luci shrugged. She didn’t really want to join her mom’s lame old lady book club anyway. But she also didn’t really have anything else to do that night or anyone to do it with, either. Except for her niece. “I’m going to go read to Melody,” she announced as she pushed up from the table. “I’m sure we’ll have our own enlightening book discussion.”
Her mom shook her head. “Oh, Luci.”
Chapter Eight
Evan gripped either side of the Monroe Realty For Sale sign and pushed down hard on the metal post with his foot, shoving it firmly into the ground in front of the Bryers’s house. He stepped back to admire his work. He felt good about this house and knew it would sell fast. It was all brick with a new roof, four bedrooms and two baths, and it had a huge, beautifully landscaped backyard that led down to the lake. He’d already lined up four showings for it that afternoon. After his initial meeting with the Bryers, Evan hadn’t been sure they’d actually sign with him but he was pleased when they’d come into the office earlier that week and actually requested he sell their home. Maybe he was getting better at this whole realtor thing.
Evan climbed into his car and pulled up his schedule for the day on his phone. He had an appointment with the Hatch family in half an hour. They were snowmobile enthusiasts, in town just for a few days, looking for an ideal cabin for their family of four to buy. Evan had set up appointments for five showings and he was sure they’d find one they loved out of the list. He was feeling optimistic that day, more upbeat about everything. Ever since he saw Luci yesterday morning, he’d felt more energetic and positive about everything: work, Snowy Ridge, life in general.
Evan glanced at the time on his dash board. Luci was probably still at MoonBeans right now working on her book, and he technically could stop over to grab a quick coffee before his first showing. But no, he wouldn’t do it. It might come off as strange, stalker-ish even. He did really enjoy her company the day before though.
He hadn’t planned on sitting with Luci for so long, helping her pick out dates for her mother. But it was pretty entertaining. Some of the local older gentleman looking for love on Tinder had crazy profiles with very specific requirements for what they were looking for in a woman. Like one guy said the right woman for him would be a Packers fan, always have nachos and pigs in a blanket at the ready for game time, and not talk during any of the ga
mes. Another said his ideal date must be a strict Coors Light drinker. He didn’t allow any of that Miller Lite crap in his house. One gentleman actually said his ideal mate would love snow shoveling and come with her own shovel. Evan and Luci had a great laugh at that one. Luci wondered why he didn’t just skip Tinder altogether and hire a service or a neighborhood kid to shovel his walk.
Evan felt like he and Luci had made a connection that morning. He liked her well enough that he’d like to hang out with her again. He thought she might feel the same but she was kind of difficult to read. She could just be a naturally friendly person. She certainly wasn’t flirting with him at all yesterday morning, not like she had when he met with her to discuss selling Starlight, so maybe she had zero interest in him. She definitely was taking up realty in his thoughts, however.
“That was the last place on my list of showings for today,” Evan told Mr. and Mrs. Hatch, a few hours later as they stood on the front lawn of a small two-bedroom cabin. “It was the smallest out of what we’ve seen but the view and the price certainly make up for it, I’m sure you’d agree.” He was about to say something else when one of the two eight-year old twin Hatch boys kicked him in the shin and kept running. “Oomph,” he said, startled at the unexpected attack. The boys had been chasing each other in circles for the past two home viewings.
“Boys!” Mr. Hatch bellowed, anger flashing in his eyes.
The boys stopped briefly and looked up at their father, nervously. Then one pinched the other’s arm and they were off running and giggling again.
“I’m so sorry,” Mrs. Hatch told Evan. “I think they may be over tired.”
Yeah right, Evan thought as he leaned over and rubbed his shin. “It’s fine, really. They’re spirited.” Spirited pains in the ass, he thought to himself. He was probably going to have a bruise the next day. He straightened back up and fixed a smile on his face. “A nice big yard like this is perfect for them to burn off energy. Not to mention, you’re really close to some great snowmobiling paths.”
“That’s true,” Mrs. Hatch said exchanging a look with her husband. “And I adored the kitchen in this one.”
“It was remodeled by the owners only two years ago,” Evan said. “And the roof is only five years old.”
“Well, we’ll go back to our hotel and talk it over some more,” Mr. Hatch said. “We’ll give you a call either later today or tomorrow morning. We’re trying to move quickly.”
“Of course. I’m available any time.”
The twins rounded their group once more but this time Evan was too fast for them and moved out of the way before he could be kicked. “Aha!” he said and the little guys glared at him.
“Do you two want to go swimming at the hotel?” their mother asked.
Both boys immediately lit up and forgot all about kicking Evan. “Yeah! Swimming!” they cheered.
Evan watched the family climb into their car and waved them off before retreating to his mustang. Once inside, he rubbed his shin again. Little shits, he thought. Although he hated the thought of drinking alone, he really needed a beer. He’d decided he would stop at Starlight, just for one quick beer. He’d sit at the bar so it wasn’t so obvious he was all alone. And if he so happened to see Luci while she was working, bonus.
Evan pulled into the Starlight parking lot and tuned off his engine. He stared at the front of the charming looking pub with its year-round twinkle lights lining the roof and massive wrap-around porch. The sun was only starting to go down so he couldn’t appreciate the full effect of the lighting. It was a cute place and they did well enough business-wise but he thought it could use an update. Maybe give it more of a sports bar look. Of course, he didn’t think the owners, Jessie and Deidre Foster, would ever go for that.
He pushed through one of the heavy dark blue wooden doors at the entry and glanced around the room. There were a number of families in the middle of dinner and a few couples scattered around the dark wood tables. An older couple sat in the cozy chairs facing the roaring fire in the nice big fireplace. It certainly was one of the more popular spots in town. Evan headed straight for the long bar on the far side of the room.
“I’ll take whatever you have on tap,” Evan told the bartender as he slid on to one of the stools. It felt strange to him, being there. He hadn’t been back in Starlight since that day he’d gone to make his sales pitch to Luci and her sisters. He’d actually told himself at that time that he was never stepping foot in this pub again. Yet, here he was.
The bartender slid a beer in front of him and pushed over a bowl of peanuts.
“Thanks,” Evan told him. He took a long sip and let his eyes wander around the room and caught himself unconsciously searching for Luci.
Why was he so drawn to her? When he’d first spotted her the other morning in MoonBeans, all he wanted to do was get away from her. Maybe it was the feeling of rejection when they were reintroduced that flicked on something in his brain. Not that he’d asked her out and she said no or anything like that but she had rejected in him in a sense by denying ever having met him. It made him want to shove their knowing each other in her face. But then after spending some time together, she didn’t seem at all like he had imagined. She wasn’t vapid or petty at all. She was smart, kind, and funny. And creative. He hadn’t read anything she’d written, yet, but he could just tell from talking with her that she had an interesting mind. He wanted to spend more time with her, get to know her better. The whole pub thing was a thing of the past and he was over it. Still, he’d probably never do business with her again. Evan chuckled to himself.
An attractive woman with long auburn hair approached him. He was pretty sure that she was one of the Foster sisters.
“Hey, there,” she greeted him. “You’re Bets’s nephew, right?”
Evan smiled. “Yes, hi. Evan Monroe.” He held out a hand to Wynn and she took it briefly in her own.
“Wynn Foster. We met a few months ago. But you probably remember that, huh? When my sister, Luci, tried to sell Starlight? Yikes, that was fun. You wouldn’t believe how mad my sister, Jessie got.”
“Oh, I remember,” Evan said. He popped a peanut in his mouth.
“They made quite the scene that day, didn’t they?” Wynn shook her head. “Well, good thing they were able to get over it. It’s been calm in the Foster household since then, thank God.” Wynn leaned one elbow on the bar near Evan and cocked her hip on the opposite side.
“Glad to hear it.”
“How’s the real estate business going for you here?”
“It’s been pretty good,” Evan told her. “I can’t really complain.”
“That’s great,” she said. “Snowy Ridge can take some getting used to. Especially if you’re used to a faster moving way of life. I actually only moved back home myself earlier in the year. It’s been nice. I’m enjoying being with my family again.”
Evan nodded. “That’s good. My family is all in Michigan. But Aunt Bets is cool.”
“She is the coolest,” Wynn said with a smile. “At least you’re just a drive away. Do you get back home much?”
“Not too much. Work is keeping me busy here, which is good.”
“That’s great, really. Well, I don’t mean to stand here all night talking your ear off,” Wynn said, straightening back up. Her attention turned toward the middle of the dining room. “Not to mention, that table over there is giving me the we’re-starving-and-want-to-order glare.” She turned back toward Evan and gave him a grin. “But if you need anything, just give me a shout, okay?”
“Will do,” Evan said and took another sip of his beer. He looked around Starlight again. It was a friendly, cozy kind of pub, and he felt at ease here. It was the kind of place he’d hang out at with his friends back home. Maybe he’d start coming around more.
Evan was finishing up his second beer and feeling pretty good when he found himself eavesdropping on Wynn having a conversation with her other sister, the pub owner, Jessie.
“Cooper’s here
with his friends again,” Jessie said. “Probably looking for Luci.”
“Why would he be looking for her?” Wynn asked, the shock apparent in her voice.
“I didn’t tell you?”
“Uh, no. Talk.”
Jessie smirked. “There’s a thing between them. I noticed it the other night. I’m pretty sure Luci has the hots for him. She was fawning all over him, insisting that she be the one to serve his table. I think Cooper’s into it too.”
“Pssh. That’s just Luci. She loves a hot guy.” Wynn looked from her sister over to Cooper and back. “Although, I can sorta see them together. They’d make a super cute couple. And Luci with someone stable, halleluiah, we’d all be happy about that.”
The two sisters cracked up.
“I know, right?” Jessie said after she’d stopped laughing. “Cooper’s such a decent guy too. Luci had better not treat him like shit.”
“He is easy on the eyes.” Wynn gave Cooper an appreciative look.
Jessie playfully elbowed her sister in the ribs. “Hey, you had your chance. I tried setting you up once.”
Wynn made a shocked sort of sound. “That was a set up? You’d said it wasn’t and we were all just hanging out.”
“We were just hanging out,” Jessie insisted. “But I had hoped you two might have had some sparks. Cade’s oldest brother…my oldest sister, it was perfect.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Wynn said. “I’m more than happy with Bryce, anyway.”
“Bryce-y Bear,” Jessie teased. “Bryce-y Boo Boo Bunny Butt.”
“Stop it,” Wynn said giggling. She swatted at her sister.
“Okay, okay, back to work. Or no Bryce-Bryce for you tonight.”
The two sisters split apart, one headed for the kitchen and one to refill waters for a table of diners.
Evan couldn’t help himself. He slowly turned in the direction Wynn had been staring and examined the group of guys sitting around the back table. He spotted the one who must have been Cooper immediately. Even though he was sitting, Evan could tell he was tall and built like a linebacker. He had dark black hair, a short beard and mustache, and dark eyes. It had to be the guy.