A Dream of Family

by Jill Weatherholt

  At the end of the counter, her landlord waved. Molly raised a hand. “Hi, Rusty.” She moved toward him. “I wasn’t expecting to see you until tonight.” With a crowd of people milling about, she wouldn’t mention the check she owed him.

  “I had to come and show support for my newest tenant.” Rusty tilted his head in Derek’s direction.

  Molly still couldn’t believe Derek was her new neighbor. For the past several nights, she’d tossed and turned, wondering how in the world this was possible. She could only hope once he opened Insomnia, he’d decide against purchasing Rusty’s property. But then one of those big-city developers could swoop in and kick her out on the street. Her shoulders tightened. Why did Derek have to be the better option?

  “What can I get you, Molly?” Derek called out.

  “I’ll have a large black coffee to go.” The sooner she could make her escape, the better.

  “Late night?” He glanced her way and winked.

  “Not really.” Truthfully, it had been the best night of her life. Wait. Was it her imagination, or did he look more handsome today? The sleeves of the blue Oxford shirt he wore were rolled up to reveal his arms. Had they always been so muscular? She shook off the thought and turned to Rusty. “So, what’s on the agenda tonight?”

  “We have a guest speaker.” Rusty poured a splash of creamer into his brew.

  “Anyone I know?” Molly placed her credit card on the counter.

  “This is on the house.” Derek slid the plastic back to her.

  Molly shook her head and pushed the card closer. “Thanks, but I’ll pay.”

  “Suit yourself.” Derek reached over, grabbed the card and inserted it into the machine. He swiped the plastic and looked up. “To answer your question, the mayor invited me to speak tonight.”

  Oh great. She’d never been asked to speak at the meetings. Of course, she wasn’t the king of coffee, either. Molly looked around. Customers jammed the place. When the payment machine made a strange noise, Molly glanced down at the screen. Declined.

  Derek’s soft glance reflected understanding. “Please, there’s no charge. This machine has been temperamental this morning,” he whispered.

  Molly kept her focus on the counter. Her cheeks burned. How could she not afford a cup of coffee? She’d paid her credit card bill last month. But then she remembered she’d used the card to pay for her furnace service a couple of weeks ago. It wasn’t cold enough to turn on the heat, but she wanted to be prepared. Molly appreciated how Derek handled the embarrassing predicament. She looked to him, smiled and took her beverage. “Thank you.”

  The front door was flung open, causing the overhead bell to ring. Molly spun around and spied Auntie Elsie buzzing across the floor, carrying a plate covered with tinfoil. A sweet aroma swirled in the air. Her auntie had been up early doing what she loved. Baking.

  “Hello, sweetheart.” She placed the treat on the counter and gave Molly a hug. “I wanted to come and say welcome.” She focused her eyes on Derek. “We are so pleased to have you join our family, Derek.”

  Molly looked at the woman. Family? She glanced at Derek, who wore the charming smile he’d always flashed at the girls when they were in college. Family would never do what he’d done to her on the day of her wedding. Ryan and Derek never saw her outside of the church nursery, but she’d overheard their conversation. There was no denying what she’d heard. Derek had told Ryan he shouldn’t marry her.

  “Derek is our town’s newest merchant. And a successful one, I might add. We are pleased to have him join our community.” She turned to Molly. “You know, Whispering Slopes is a tight-knit town. We may not all be related by blood, but we look out for each other like our own. That’s how it’s always been.”

  Molly released her breath. She hoped Derek had no plans to become a permanent resident. He didn’t belong here. This was her town.

  Derek’s lips parted into a slow and easy smile. “Aren’t you the sweetest? Are you the Welcome Wagon?”

  “I’m so sorry, young man. Where are my manners? I’m Elsie Buser. I own and operate Buser’s General Store. If there’s anything you need, drop by anytime. I’m a hop, skip and a jump up the street.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate it.” Derek lifted a brow to Molly. “So you two are related?”

  Mrs. Buser moved closer and locked arms with Molly. “Not by blood, but love. She’s my best friend’s only child.” Her eyes twinkled as she leaned in to Derek. “And she’s single, too.”

  “Aunt Elsie!” Mortified, Molly dipped her chin and stared at the floor. The last thing she wanted was for Derek McKinney to know anything about her personal life.

  “I’ll keep it in mind. It was nice to meet you, Elsie.” He turned on his heel and headed to the end of the counter to tend to the next person in line.

  Aunt Elsie placed both hands on her cheeks. “Oh, if I were thirty years younger.”

  Ignoring her aunt’s swooning state, Molly reached for her cup of hot brew. She closed her eyes for a second. They shot open when she pictured Derek in a dark tuxedo, standing at the front of the church with her fiancé at his side.

  “Rusty mentioned you and Derek already knew each other.” A questioning look flashed across her aunt’s face.

  Molly knew her well. It was only a matter of time before she learned Derek was responsible for ruining her wedding. Aunt Elsie was like an archeologist. She could dig up information no one else would find. “He’s Ryan’s best friend.” Were they still friends? Truth be told, she didn’t care. It had been two years since she’d seen or heard from her ex-fiancé. She’d worked hard to leave the past behind her, but now it stared her in the face. She needed to make her escape. “I have to go open the store.” She hugged Elsie without waiting to see her reaction and bolted toward the door.

  “We’ll see you tonight, Molly,” Rusty announced as she hurried out of the shop before anyone could see her tears.

  Outside, she sucked in a deep breath of the crisp air and wiped her eyes. She sighed. How could she be approved to adopt a child when she couldn’t buy a lousy cup of coffee? Obtaining a loan might be her only hope if she couldn’t turn things around soon.

  * * *

  Later in the evening, merchants from a wide array of businesses in Whispering Slopes filled the library. Derek kept his eyes peeled for Molly. Time was of the essence if he was going to help her business and expand his own. After a successful grand opening yesterday, he believed his coffee shop would continue to produce a generous profit. But what about Molly’s store? If she didn’t turn a profit soon, Rusty might go ahead and sell.

  Scanning the room, Derek recognized a few people who’d come by his store to welcome him after he’d opened his doors. Most had been friendly and eager to ask questions about his accelerated rise to fame as a successful entrepreneur. At times, he couldn’t believe it himself. He wasn’t shy to admit it had all been by the hand of God. Two years prior, after his world had fallen apart following his parents’ divorce, he’d renewed his faith. It had taken some time, but as each new store opened, the blessings multiplied.

  “Derek, I’m happy you made it tonight.” Ben Chadwick approached wearing a wide smile.

  “Thank you for inviting me, Mr. Mayor.” Derek extended his hand.

  “Please, call me Ben. We’re not into formalities in this town.”

  Derek relaxed a bit. He liked this man. “Ben it is.”

  “I’m happy to hear you’ve already been able to meet a few of our members. We have a great group of businesspeople who are always willing to exchange ideas and offer help. I know they’re grateful you’ve agreed to speak tonight.”

  Speaking in front of a group had never been difficult for Derek. It was a trait he’d inherited from his father, although he’d rather not give him the credit. Derek had been honest with God about his struggle to forgive his father. It was wrong to carry that weig
ht, but letting go of the pain his father had caused his family made forgiveness seem impossible.

  “Look, there’s your neighbor.” Ben pointed across the room and waved a greeting.

  Derek turned, and his eyes widened when he spotted Molly entering the library. She returned Ben’s wave but tossed a look as cold as a frozen pond in Derek’s direction. Despite the stink eye, she looked striking. Dressed in cream-colored pants with a matching turtleneck sweater, she turned several heads as she moved toward the refreshment table.

  Derek watched as several townspeople approached Molly to say hello. The past burned in his mind. Would she ever be able to forgive him if she knew what he’d done the day of her wedding? Of course, Derek knew it was a lot to ask. He also knew that if he wanted to expand his franchise, he needed her to agree to accept his help. He strolled to the table to grab a cup of punch and stepped in line behind Molly.

  “Good evening,” he whispered.

  Molly jumped. Splat. The serving ladle plunged into the porcelain bowl, sending red liquid flying in the air. “Oh no!” Molly looked down at her pants now covered with a crimson stain.

  Frantic, Derek sprang into action. He snatched a handful of napkins at the end of the table and raced back to her. “I’m so sorry, Molly. I shouldn’t have snuck up behind you.” He passed her the napkins.

  Molly’s face reddened while she wiped her clothes. “It was my fault. I wasn’t paying attention.”

  “I met George, the dry cleaner, earlier this evening. Please take your outfit to get it cleaned. I’ll pay the bill.” Why had he snuck up on her? Thanks to him, she’d be spending the rest of the night with stains on her once gorgeous outfit.

  “I’m able to pay for my own cleaning.” Molly tucked her chin low and avoided eye contact.

  “Let him pay for it, Molly.” Rusty poked his head over Molly’s shoulder. “I’m going to grab a seat.”

  Derek paused as the man scurried away with a cup of coffee cradled in his hands. “Financial struggles are nothing to be ashamed of, Molly.” His gaze latched on to hers.

  Molly squared her shoulders. “Who said I’m having money issues?”

  A beat of silence ticked.

  “My credit card machine.”

  “All right. Thank you.” She flicked a glance toward Rusty, who’d settled into a front row seat.

  Derek recalled Molly wincing earlier this morning when her payment was denied. His shoulders sank, remembering his conversation with Rusty. He was handling this delicate situation all wrong. “I wasn’t implying you couldn’t afford to have your clothes cleaned, Molly. It’s just...your outfit looked so perfect. I feel bad I ruined it.”

  The grim expression she wore lightened. “I know you weren’t.” She turned her cautious emerald eyes toward him, and Derek’s pulse quickened.

  “The truth is, you’re right. I feel as though I’m on a sinking ship, and the crew has handed out the last life preserver.” She spun on her heel and dashed toward the restroom.

  Derek kept his feet planted to the floor. His heart told him to chase her down. To comfort her and tell her everything would be okay. But he couldn’t. His heart had to stay out of the equation. In order to move forward with his well-charted plan, he had to keep his focus narrowed on the goal at hand. He needed to fulfill his promise and get Molly’s store back in the black. And equally important, he needed to avoid emotional attachments at all cost.

  Chapter Three

  Molly squirmed in the cold metal folding chair. In the front of the room, Derek spoke to the crowd about his rise to fame in the business world. He fielded questions from the audience and was generous with his time. Molly had to admit, his speech was motivating, but even the aroma of the old library books around them failed to calm her nerves. Between the anticipation of admitting to her landlord she was almost broke and couldn’t pay him what she owed, the sad looks Derek threw in her direction after she’d confessed she had no money, and the giant stain covering her expensive pants, she was ready to wave the white flag and call it a night.

  The meeting dragged on longer than she’d expected—unlike her appointment at the bank earlier in the day. It had only taken ten minutes for the loan officer to let her know she didn’t qualify for assistance, and that she was one late charge away from draining her checking account down to the last penny. Molly wasn’t sure he’d needed to be that harsh. In the end, Molly transferred money from her emergency savings, but the account didn’t have enough to cover last month’s rent.

  “Thank you for speaking to us tonight, Derek. Before we conclude for the evening, I have some big news to share,” the mayor said. He gripped the sides of the podium at the front of the room and smiled. “Mountain Ridge Development, a major real estate developer from the Midwest, has its eye on Whispering Slopes and plans to make a trip to our town in the near future.”

  The group responded with a wave of chatter among themselves.

  “What does it mean for us?” Ray Whitfield, one of two car mechanics in town, called out.

  Molly wondered the same thing. Her gaze shot to Rusty, who appeared to hang on every word said. Was he picturing himself and his wife sipping lemonade with crushed ice while cruising the seas and enjoying life as retirees? Was the investor interested in his space as part of Mountain Ridge Development? Or was there even more interest? If Derek got a loan and outbid everyone, could she trust the man who’d ruined her personal life with her career? As difficult as it was to admit, in order to save her business, she might need his help.

  Ben Chadwick cleared his throat. “Since their visit is more of a scouting expedition, we don’t know for sure what it could mean, but if they like what they see, it could result in a lot of positive economic growth for our area.” He ruffled through the papers perched on top of the wooden podium.

  Molly listened as the opposing opinions were flung around the room. Some folks were excited, while others wanted to keep the town as is. Rather than get upset about something that might never happen, she remained quiet. The discussion continued among the crowd, and the more she listened, the more she realized she couldn’t deny the facts. There were already two people interested in purchasing Rusty’s property, and one was in this room, continuing to throw glances in her direction.

  Once the meeting concluded, Molly went in search of Rusty. Like ripping off a bandage, she was ready to get this conversation over and done with. Great. She bit her lower lip when she saw Rusty chatting with Derek. Thankfully, Rusty spotted her approaching and excused himself.

  Relieved, she stood in place. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with Derek for a second time tonight.

  “I’m sorry to interrupt your conversation with Derek, but I’m anxious to get home tonight.” She pushed a strand of flyaway hair from her face.

  “No worries.” Rusty glanced at his watch. “Do you want to go grab a quick cup of coffee?”

  Molly shifted her weight from one foot to the other and shook her head. “I’m good. Listen, I’ve been worrying about this all day, so I’m going to come out and say it.”

  Rusty placed his hand on Molly’s arm. “You need more time for the rent, right? It’s okay.”

  Boy, talk about a hard pill to swallow. One of her oldest and dearest friends in Whispering Slopes didn’t have confidence in her ability to operate a successful business, but she couldn’t blame him. “I’m sorry, Rusty. I thought I’d be in a position to pay you by now. I had a meeting at the bank, but it didn’t go so well.” Her chin trembled. She felt like a complete failure. “I hope this won’t have any bearing on your decision to sell sooner. I just need more time.”

  “I told you and Derek I’m willing to wait, but I can’t hold off forever. I’ll give you the thirty days. Who knows, maybe I won’t feel pressured to sell if your store is doing better by then. In the meantime, you’ll pay me when you can. But I am concerned about anyone other than myself you might owe mo
ney to. I know it’s none of my business, but I promised your mother I’d look after you.”

  A long silence stretched.

  Molly would give anything to have her mother here to confess her troubles to. She’d always been such a good listener. A cup of her chamomile tea and unconditional love were the best medicine. “I know you gave her your word, Rusty. I appreciate it. I do. But I’ll be fine.”

  “Please remember to pay everyone else first. I don’t want you to jeopardize your credit score.”

  Molly gave Rusty a quick peck on the cheek. “I won’t. I’ve got to go. Thank you again for everything.”

  Outside in the parking lot, Molly breathed in the cool evening air scented with fresh pine. She loved autumn in the Shenandoah Valley.

  Molly climbed into her car and secured the seat belt. Her shoulders slumped. Would her financial situation prevent her from making a home for Grace? She released a heavy sigh, and a thickness formed in her throat. She turned on the ignition and headed home to an empty house and to another night alone.

  * * *

  The next morning, Molly dusted off the last shelf in the store and moved to the back office to prioritize the invoices she’d disregarded yesterday. With a list of tasks a mile long, she was excited to prepare for the upcoming Book Buddies meeting.

  She was startled by a knock at the front door and examined her watch. Who would be shopping for books at seven o’clock? She pushed away from her desk, smoothed her hair and headed to the front. Like a tractor trailer hitting the brakes for a railroad crossing, Molly stopped. Through the glass, she saw Derek wearing a dark leather jacket and holding two cups of coffee. The caffeine was welcome, but his company wasn’t.

  With Derek working next door, she’d realized they’d bump into each other more often than she’d like. What she hadn’t expected was for him to come knocking at her door before business hours. Oh right, he was helping his poor, penniless neighbor by providing a free caffeine fix. She unlocked the entrance.