Hometown Hope: A Small Town Romance Anthology

by Zoe York

  I’d been so caught up in my own thoughts I hadn’t noticed she had on her black suit, the one she usually wore to church events. “Oh, sorry. Please give my condolences to…” I tried to remember who’d passed. With Daddy being the local pastor, my mom was always following him to a funeral, a wedding, a baptism, or a variety of other gatherings.

  “It’s Patsy’s husband, Duke.”

  “The ones who own the Lovebird Café?” The café was an icon in downtown Swallow Springs. It was where I’d first met Jake when I’d moved to town as a high school sophomore.

  “That’s right. It was a blessing he didn’t suffer, but I don’t know what poor Patsy is going to do now.”

  An ache of longing bubbled up inside my chest. Patsy and Duke had been together forever. Theirs was the kind of love story people talked about when they needed an example of what true, long-lasting love looked like. The kind of love story I hoped to write with Jake.

  I had to see him. He’d always been a sucker for mama’s lemon tarts. I’d finish up a batch and take them over. If I showed up with baked goods he’d have no choice but to talk to me.

  Jake

  “Oh, hell no.” I ducked into the open doorway of my co-worker Haney’s office. Either my eyes were playing some nasty tricks on me or I’d just caught a glimpse of Misty Greene chatting up the admin at the front desk.

  “Can I help you with something?” Haney shuffled some papers into a pile and set it on the corner of his desk.

  “Yeah, um…” As I racked my brain, trying to come up with a plausible reason for darting into his office, I peered around the edge of the doorway.

  Haney cleared his throat. “Everything okay?”

  “Of course.” I straightened, turning to face him. “I wanted to make sure everything was on target for the fundraiser this weekend.”

  “Nothing’s changed since you asked me about it an hour ago.” The old chair squeaked as he leaned back and clasped his hands behind his head. His office could have been lifted right out of the 60s. That was probably the last time the city had updated any of the furnishings.

  “Great. Just making sure.” The sound of footsteps click-clacked on the tile in the hall, heading our way. I ducked behind the doorway.

  “Jake?” A frown creased the middle of Haney’s forehead. “You sure you’re okay?”

  “Shh. Don’t say my name.” My pulse thundered through my veins. I wasn’t prepared to see Misty. Not yet. Probably not ever. The last time I’d seen her she’d cut out my heart and left me sitting in our favorite booth at the Lovebird Café.

  “What the heck is going on?” Haney leaned across his desk, craning his neck to look through the doorway.

  I waved my arm, motioning him to sit down. “It’s Misty. She’s back.”

  “Misty Greene?”

  “Shh. She’ll hear you.”

  “Haney, is that you?” Misty stepped into Haney’s office. She only stood about five-foot-five, even in heels, but her presence filled the doorway. Sucked all of the life out of the room and all of the breath right out of my lungs.

  “Well hi, Misty. What brings you back to town?” Haney stepped around the desk and offered her an awkward half-hug.

  She hugged him back. “Just back for a quick visit.”

  I tried to disappear, fade into the peach-colored cinderblock wall. My feet wouldn’t move. I knew I’d run into her eventually. Her parents still lived in town. Of course she’d come back at some point. But I figured by then I’d have moved on, started a life with someone else. Someone who looked nothing like the woman who’d shot me down and hulled out my chest cavity.

  She pulled back first. “It’s nice to see you, Haney.”

  “Nice to see you, too.”

  Then she turned her gaze on me. “Jake.”

  “Misty.” As I forced her name through my lips my voice cracked.

  The edges of her eyes softened, just like they had the last time we’d been together. When she thought she was letting me down easy.

  “So…” Haney rocked back on his heels.

  Heavy silence shrouded the room. I wouldn’t speak first. Didn’t want to give her the satisfaction.

  “How have you been?” Misty asked.

  “Fine. I mean, great. Yeah, I’ve been doing fantastic.” The lie spun out before I had a chance to consider my response.

  “Good. I’m really happy to hear that.”

  Damn, why did she have to look so good? Her long, dark hair fell around her face in waves. Bright-blue eyes peered up at me through those thick, dark lashes. And her lips. Rosy red, and plump as a ripe strawberry, just begging to be kissed.

  “How about you? What have you been up to?” I didn’t want to know. Didn’t want to hear about her new life in Omaha—the life she had to have.

  “Things have been, well, good. I got a promotion.”

  “That’s great.”

  “Uh, congratulations,” Haney offered.

  I’d forgotten he was even in the room. Misty had that effect on me. Or at least she used to. Those days were over though. Like hell I’d let her see how she still made my heart rev.

  “I brought you something.” She held out a plate wrapped in cellophane, tied up with a sparkly red bow.

  My mouth watered at the sight of the platter she held in her hands. I hadn’t had a taste of her mama’s lemon tarts since Misty moved away. But it would take more than a plate of sweets to make up for the way she left things. “No thanks.”

  She looked down at the platter, her tentative smile turning into a frown. “They used to be your favorite.”

  “Yeah, well, things have changed around here since you left.” My heart seized. I couldn’t believe those words had come out of my mouth. She might have broken my heart, wrenched it right out of my chest, but I couldn’t stand to be the reason for her frown.

  “I was hoping we could talk.” She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, suddenly not so sure of herself.

  Haney prodded me with his eyes, glancing back and forth from me to Misty. I shook my head.

  “Thanks for stopping by, but I’m really busy.” I slid my hands into the pockets of my jeans, doing my best to appear unaffected by her sudden appearance.

  “Maybe tonight then?” The way her lower lip caught on her teeth, making her look so unsure, so vulnerable, made me want to pull her into my arms. But she’d played me before like a fucking fiddle, and I wasn’t about to let her get to me again.

  “Wish I could, but Haney and I have plans.”

  “We do?” Haney asked.

  “Yeah, happy hour at the Dive Inn, right?” He’d been asking me to join him for the weekly Wednesday night happy hour for weeks. Karaoke had never been my style, so up until now I’d declined.

  “Oh, right.” Haney nodded, apparently catching on.

  Misty tilted her head, assessing me with those blue eyes that could go from warm and welcoming to frosty as an Alaskan iceberg. Right now they lingered somewhere in between. “Maybe I’ll see you there.”

  “Oh, it’s guys’ night,” I said.

  “Not really.” Haney shrugged. “We’d love to have you stop by.”

  My jaw clenched. Why did I get stuck with such a moron for a friend?

  “Great. I’ll see you later on tonight.” Misty made a move toward the doorway. Before she reached it, she turned back. “Say, Haney, do you want some lemon tarts?”

  I tried to catch his eye before he reached for the platter. “Thanks, Misty.”

  “You’re welcome. I sure hope you enjoy them as much as Jake used to.”

  My mouth watered, anticipating the tang of lemon nestled into the perfect shortbread crust as she made her way down the hall. Her hips swayed from side to side in the clingy dress she had on. Reminded me of days gone by when the sight of her sashaying away would drive me to catch up to her, dip her into a deep, slow kiss, and run my hands all over those soft curves. No more. I waited until she disappeared through the double glass doors, wanting to make sure s
he was really gone.

  “Give me one of those.” I reached for the platter as Haney snatched it away. He’d already slipped one of the tiny tarts into his mouth.

  “These are really good,” he said, trying to talk around a mouthful of what should have been my lemon tart.

  “I know they’re good. Give me one.”

  “You didn’t want them. She gave them to me.” He stepped behind his desk and set the platter on the credenza behind him.

  “Fine. I didn’t want one anyway.”

  “Right.”

  I could tell he didn’t believe me, but I didn’t care. As long as I’d made it clear to Misty that her tarts had no hold over me anymore, that’s all that mattered.

  Except they did.

  So did she.

  And she knew it.

  “See you later, Haney.” I had work to do. Work that went beyond stuffing down any lingering feelings I might harbor for Misty Greene.

  “Want to head over to the Dive Inn around six?” Haney asked.

  The Dive Inn. Dammit. I had no intention of wallowing in my beer tonight while I tried to figure out what brought Misty back to town. Haney would have to handle the wild karaoke crowd on his own. “Maybe next time. I feel a headache coming on.”

  A headache that stood about five-foot-two with pouty red lips and curves that went on forever.

  Misty

  I pressed a tissue to my lips, blotting my signature red lipstick. A quick glance in the rear view mirror showed a woman full of confidence. Deep down, I was anything but. The run-in with Jake this afternoon had thrown me for a curve. Granted, I hadn’t expected him to melt into a puddle of emotion, forgive me for shattering his heart, and welcome me back into his life with open arms. But I’d also been a little taken aback by the frosty reception. Which is why I’d primped and stuffed myself into one of my most flattering dresses to give it another shot.

  Jake might not be looking forward to seeing me again, but Haney had definitely extended an invitation. So what if it was guys’ night? The Dive Inn was a public place. It was just too bad I didn’t have a girlfriend left in town who I could con into meeting me for a drink. No, I’d have to handle this on my own.

  I pulled open the thick wooden door and peered into the bar. Twinkle lights surrounded the edges of the room, making it seem festive all year round. Swallow Springs wasn’t known for being a hot spot of social activity, so this was just about the only place to go out on a Wednesday night.

  My gaze swept around the room, while my eyes adjusted to the dim interior. A few couples swayed to a slow song on the small dance floor. The rest of the patrons sat at bar-height tables or on stools at the massive bar that stretched from one end of the building to the other.

  I didn’t see Jake, but Haney had folded himself over one of the stools at the bar. Taking in a deep breath, I pasted on a friendly smile and headed his way.

  “Hey, Haney. Fancy seeing you here.” I hung my purse from the back of the stool and slid onto the seat next to him.

  “Oh, hi, Misty. Did you come for karaoke?” He twisted his torso to face me. Tall and lanky, his body was made up of angles and long limbs. He’d been a year ahead of us in high school and hung out with a different crowd but did play on the same baseball team with Jake in high school. While Jake had always been athletic, Haney looked like a colt trying to take his first steps anytime he stepped onto the field.

  “Not to sing, that’s for sure.” I rested my arms on the bar while I signaled to the bartender. “But I figured I’d stop in and watch you and Jake perform.”

  Haney’s head hung. “Jake’s not feeling well tonight. Said he was getting a headache.”

  A mixture of disappointment and slight relief swirled in my gut. “So he’s not coming?”

  “Doesn’t sound like it.” Haney took a swig of his long neck then lifted his head. “What’s going on between the two of you anyway? No offense, but he didn’t seem too thrilled to see you this afternoon.”

  I pursed my lips. “Nothing’s going on. Just thought it might be nice to catch up. We have a history, you know.”

  Haney sputtered a sip of his beer onto the bar in front of us. “That’s a good one. Now by history, you mean the two of you were joined at the lips, right? Heck, everyone thought you woulda gotten married right out of college and had a brood of babies by now.”

  I swallowed the lump rising in my throat. That was exactly what everyone had expected us to do, and exactly why I’d had to get out of Swallow Springs. I’d loved Jake with a wild abandon—with an intensity that scared the living daylights out of me. But I’d never been one to bend to convention or rely on others to figure out my path. That’s why it had seemed so important to strike out, away from Swallow Springs.

  “So you and Jake work together now?” May as well pump Haney for info since clearly Jake wasn’t going to show up.

  “Yeah. He’s in the city inspector’s office. I work more with parks and rec.”

  “Do they keep you busy? I’m surprised Swallow Springs has enough going on to have someone working full-time on parks and recreation.”

  “I also help out in the DOT.”

  Before I had a chance to ask what that meant, he lifted his beer and tipped it my direction.

  “That’s the Department of Transportation.”

  “Oh, like road construction?”

  “Mmm.” Haney wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. “Nah. I scoop up any roadkill that gets in the way of traffic.”

  “Oh.” My stomach flipped around at the thought. “Speaking of killing, who do I have to threaten to get a beer around here?”

  Haney put his fingers in his mouth and let out a whistle. The bartender came right over.

  “Need another?”

  “How about a beer for my friend, here?” Haney asked.

  I ordered the same as Haney even though I would have preferred a Manhattan. But I wanted to try to fit in as best I could, especially if I wanted to remind Jake I was the same gal I’d been when I left.

  The band continued to play and Haney and I ran out of things to talk about. I’d just about finished my beer when a few guys I recognized entered the bar. They made their way over to where we sat, surrounding Haney on three sides. Jake had played baseball with one of them back in high school—Logan Richards.

  Logan put his hand on the back of my stool and spun me around to face him. “Misty Greene. Damn, girl. What are you doing back in town?”

  Before I knew it, he’d pulled me into a bear hug. My cheek pressed against his chest, and I inhaled the scent of soap, shaving cream, and an underlying mix of gas and oil.

  “Hey, y’all, look who’s here.” Logan signaled to the bartender as he released me. “What brought you back?”

  “I’ve got too much vacation accrued. Figured I’d take some time off to visit the folks.” I wasn’t about to tell anyone the real reason I’d returned, especially not some of Jake’s friends.

  “Welcome home.”

  “Thanks. So are y’all here for karaoke?” I asked.

  “Nah. We’ve got business to discuss,” Logan said.

  “What kind of business?” These men had grown from the boys I used to know. But the idea of them talking about anything beyond girls, baseball or beer seemed as foreign to me as hearing they’d be doing an operatic karaoke tonight.

  “We’re raising money for the baseball team to play a big tournament in Columbia,” Logan said.

  “Oh yeah?”

  “Yeah. We’ve got to get the details ironed out. Bonehead here botched the dates of the car wash we were planning, so we’ve got to come up with a plan B.” Logan flicked Haney on the back of his head.

  “Hey, it wasn’t all my fault. Jake was the one who talked to the guy down at the station.”

  “So what do you need?” I asked. If they were doing something that involved Jake, maybe I could pitch in and come up with a reason to spend some time with him.

  “We need a space to host the event, access to
a couple of hoses, and plenty of parking.”

  “Have you thought about using the church lot?” The suggestion flew out of my mouth before I’d had a chance to think it through.

  “No,” Logan said. “But they’d definitely have enough space. You think your dad would be up for having a bunch of shirtless baseball players soaping up cars in front of his church?”

  I swallowed, hard. “Um, sure. I can’t see any reason why not.”

  “That would be great. We were hoping to set it up this weekend. Start around ten on Saturday morning and wrap up by three or four. You sure you don’t mind asking him for us?”

  “Of course. Should I just coordinate with Jake then if he’s the one who’d been setting up the site?” If I had a reason to interact with him, he wouldn’t be able to brush me off so easily.

  “Or you can call me.” Logan held out his hand. “Why don’t you give me your phone, and I’ll put my number in for you?”

  I hesitated. The whole draw of trying to wiggle my way into their plans was to have a reason to chat with Jake. “Um, sure.” I didn’t want to make a scene or give him any reason to think my intentions were anything but honorable, so I dug my phone out of my bag and handed it over.

  Logan tapped on the screen then passed it back. “Glad we go that settled. Now, anyone other than Haney got the balls to get on stage and sing tonight?”

  His gaze landed on me. Prickles of heat marched across my cheeks. “Don’t look at me. My singing days ended with that choir concert senior year.”

  “Wait, wasn’t that the one where—”

  “No need to talk about that.” I slid off the stool. If Jake wasn’t coming, there wasn’t a reason for me to hang around. I’d done what I came to do—find a way to get him to talk to me.

  “Heading out, Misty?” Logan asked.

  “Yeah. I’ll talk to my dad tomorrow about the car wash.” Who knew how my dad would react to that request. He’d always been a bit of a prude when it came to things like people running around his church parking lot without all of their clothes on. But I’d find a way to make it seem appealing. I had to.