by C A Phipps
Ethan came closer, looking like the awkward teenager she remembered. “When I heard this was no longer a flying visit, I thought it was time we had a talk.”
“Anything in particular?”
He gave a her a steady look. “We’ve managed to avoid each other for years, but since you’re staying put, I thought it was important for us to clear the air.”
“I guess we will see each other around a lot more,” she hedged.
“It’s unavoidable, unless that’s what you’d prefer.”
“Don’t be silly. We’re both adults now, and we’ve had other relationships. Besides, what we had was—”
An eyebrow shot up in that way he had as he waited for her to find the right words.
“We were kids,” she said firmly. “Now, we can be friends again.”
“Friends?”
He thought about that for a minute while she agonized over every word she’d spoken.
“I like the sound of that.” He took a walk around the shop. “The place is looking better than it ever did.”
“Thanks. The Glitter and Gold was vacant for some time, as you no doubt were aware. The owners walked away without cleaning it up. It’s been hard work, so I hope it pays off.”
“I’m sure it will. Poor Mr. Willis got sick real fast, and no one knew. It was a shame, but I’m glad you bought the place. Can I help at all?”
Maddie wasn’t sure how she felt about him being around. Could they really be friends now, even though he’d agreed to it? A lot of time had passed, so maybe it was possible. Like Ethan said, they couldn’t avoid each other indefinitely. Not in a town as small as Maple Falls.
Chapter Seven
She pointed at the walls she hadn’t gotten to yet. “Can you paint?”
“Paint and anything else you need. Some people say I’m very handy. You know, I fixed up my parents’ place after a maple branch fell on the roof. It looks okay and it’s still standing.”
“Good to hear.” She looked at him thoughtfully. “What are you like at making shelves?”
“I could give it a go.”
“Brilliant. Everyone else seems busy.”
He grinned. “Last resort, am I? Don’t answer that.”
“I did notice that there’s a lot of building going on,” she said with a straight face.
Suddenly, he was serious. “Actually, that’s true. Some of our residents aren’t so happy about the type of building. Mickey Findlay’s been trying to develop every square inch he can get his hands on and pressuring people into selling.”
“That would ruffle some feathers.”
“It has, plus it would be nice if Mickey looked at some local firms before he brings in outsiders. Some have had to go work in Destiny.”
“That’s not right. I have heard some rumblings around town about it.”
He shrugged. “I should have known, and I’ve probably bored you, but at least now you have another perspective.”
“Coming from the law, I assume yours is a more valid one,” she teased.
“Whoa. My opinion is my own. I’m just one man.”
“A very important and influential one, so the gossip says.”
He flushed a little. “I guess some people might be swayed by the voice of a sheriff, but I don’t say what I think about political stuff to many people.”
Now, it was her turn to be embarrassed. “I’m pleased you’d trust me enough.”
“Always. Listen, I’d like to clear the air a little more, if you’ll hear me out.”
“I hoped we weren’t going to be doing the whole awkward ‘dance around each other’ thing, but I’m not sure what else we have to talk about.”
“It’d be nice to get some closure and move on.”
Maddie wasn’t sure that was necessary. “You want to do that now?”
“No time like the present, especially since we seem to be alone. That isn’t going to happen much around here, as you know.”
It was true: Maple Falls might be quiet, but being alone was a tricky thing to maneuver. “All right,” she said tentatively. “You start.”
He scrunched the brim of his hat a little and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry for how I reacted and all the things I said back then. When you told me you were leaving, I was shocked. You’d always said it would happen one day, so it wasn’t your fault that I didn’t choose to believe it. Whatever else happened, you were honest with me, and no one can ask for more than that. I should have said this long before now.”
“Well, thank you for saying it now. I guess the angry young man from back then has finally been tamed.” She gave him a wry smile.
“I might have been a bit slow at reading women at the time,” he admitted. “Your turn.”
Maddie couldn’t believe they had got to this point in only a few minutes. Years ago, an acknowledgement, an understanding that her leaving was instrumental for her to reach her goal, was all she’d ever wanted from him. Now, here they were.
“I don’t know what to say. You hurt my feelings when you doubted my reasons for leaving. You know what? None of it matters, because, like I said, we were kids. We grew up, and we know some stuff we didn’t know before. Thanks for the apology, and I’m sorry too for my part in our break-up.”
“It’s not necessary. So, we’re moving on?”
She nodded. “Look at us. We already have. Now, can you help with the shelves?”
“I can build and install them for you.”
“I’m impressed.”
He grinned. “I can’t promise I’ll be as good as the professionals, but hopefully you’ll be pleased rather than surprised when you see them.”
“You always had to be the best at what you did. I’m sure it’s true in this case too. I’d like them over here.”
As she showed him where the shelves would go, their conversation ran around inside her head. Her former boyfriend had filled out rather nicely from the gangly teen he used to be, and that wasn’t the only change. Angry at her for leaving, and unwilling to discuss it civilly, they had avoided each other whenever she came home for the holidays or on a vacation. She’d heard how well he was doing. Caught glimpses of him morphing into the man he was today. People could change.
And, maybe she hadn’t been fair to him. The truth of it smacked into her stomach like a mixer not fixed to the counter properly.
She took a deep breath. Like he said, it was time to clear the air. “I’m sorry that I waited so long to tell you I’d found a job and was staying in New York City. I can see now that I wanted the best of both worlds, because I didn’t want to actually say goodbye.”
“We really mucked things up back then, but we can move on,” he grinned again, surer of himself than she had ever seen.
The uniform, a beige short-sleeved shirt, sat well on his broad shoulders, the black trousers a snug fit around his thighs. His badge gleamed, detracting slightly from the gun nestled in the holster on his hips. He was as handsome as a man could be. Ethan’s sandy-colored hair might need a trim, but that and the hint of a shadow around his jaw only made him more appealing.
“I can come back after my shift and get started. Will you be here?”
She snapped out of her introspection with a blush. “Hah! I’m glued to the darn painting for the foreseeable future. You turning up like this was a good excuse for a break. I was about to make lunch. Would you like a sandwich?”
“If you have enough. What am I saying? The Flynn women always have heaps of food.”
“That’s because Ethan Tanner has hollow legs, and we never knew when you’d be around for a meal.”
They both laughed as they headed out to the small garden. Maddie had set up a cooler and a trestle table so she could make sandwiches, and they had a place to eat. Plastic chairs that had been bought for the shop were in a stack. Ethan pulled them apart and helped her by buttering some bread while Maddie added the filling. Just as she finished, the Girlz piled out of the house with Big Red at their heels.
“I sm
ell coffee,” Suzy called. she stopped cold when she saw Ethan, causing Angel and Gran to pile up behind her. The most eligible bachelor in town surrounded by two pretty, single women was an interesting situation to witness.
“Hello, ladies.” Ethan nodded at them.
Gran pushed between them as they gaped at him. “Come on, Girlz. There’s an apple and blackberry pie for after.”
“We have to wait?” Ethan groaned.
“You know how we do things, young man.”
“Sorry, Mrs. Flynn. I don’t know what I was thinking.” He winked at the other women.
That broke the ice, and soon the Girlz were fussing over him. He was so good with people, natural and relaxed, and children were his forte. Having seen him in action, Maddie guessed this was what made him such a good sheriff.
Even Big Red remembered him, it seemed. Wrapping himself around Ethan’s legs, the cat head-butted his hand. Although he wasn’t friendly with men in general, Big Red always classified Ethan as an exception. Her ex, Dalton, had been wary of the Maine Coon, and she had an inkling that was because her cat had known long before she did that the man was a schmuck.
“Still kicking around, boy?” Ethan rubbed the big head affectionately. “It feels like he’s been around forever.”
“He’s not that old. I should know.” Gran grinned as she piled a plate for him.
“I guess it’s silly, anyway, since he’s been away as long as Maddie.”
She let that be. She’d gotten Big Red from the shelter when she was in high school, and they had been almost inseparable ever since, apart from the time she was at college. After she’d moved to New York, whenever she came home for a week or more, Big Red had made the trip too.
She bit into a sandwich made with fillings from Gran’s garden: fresh tomatoes, lettuce, pickles and homemade mayonnaise. Ethan did the same, with a lot more fervor. His appetite certainly hadn’t diminished. He polished off a few sandwiches and two slices of pie, washing it all down with two cups of coffee, while managing small talk with Gran and the other Girlz. Maddie found it fascinating to watch as they flirted and teased. It was like going back in time.
Finally, he stood up from the plastic chair and burped softly. “Excuse me. I hate to eat and run, but duty calls. Thanks for that delicious lunch and the delightful company.” He bowed to the Girlz. “I’ll see you tonight, Maddie.”
Maddie returned his smile, feeling three more pairs of eyes on her. “See you then.”
He’d barely made it through the shop when they swarmed her.
“Spill! Why is Ethan coming here tonight? Is it a date? That was fast,” Suzy, principal of the local school, rattled off like a machine gun.
Maddie held up a hand to stop the bullets. “Don’t be silly. He’s coming to put up some shelves. The paint should be dry enough by tonight.”
“Hmm. Is that all there is to it? You two used to be an item.”
“It was a long time ago. Besides, I’m sure he has a girlfriend by now.” Maddie willed her voice to not make it a question.
“No, he doesn’t.” Suzy gave her a searching look. “I’m pretty sure I told you that already.”
“Did you? I don’t remember.”
The other women looked at her skeptically, but Maddie ignored them and began to clean up the lunch things.
Gran came to take the dishes from her. “Let me do that. I’m sure you have more important things to do.”
She relinquished them, since it was true. Leaving her smirking friends behind was an added bonus. Even Gran appeared to be having fun at her expense.
“When I’m done here, I might head back to the house,” Gran said. “I’m not climbing ladders and Big Red isn’t happy that he’s been left alone so much.”
“I got that,” Maddie said with a nod. “He’s been very standoffish, even with me, because I keep sending him outside. He keeps getting in the way with his curiosity. Never mind. It’ll all be over soon. I just hope he’ll be happy here.”
“He’ll be happy wherever you are, sweetheart. That cat is like a big baby, and you’re his momma who spoils him.”
Maddie raised an eyebrow. “No one spoils him like you do.”
Gran sniffed. “Well, I missed him nearly as much as I missed you.”
She looked marginally guilty as she packed everything into the basket. They both knew she’d been supplying Big Red a ridiculous number of treats despite Maddie’s protests.
“Well, don’t go feeding him any of these leftovers. In fact, leave the basket, and I’ll bring it when I come home for dinner.”
Gran gave Maddie her innocent look as she clipped a lead onto Big Red. “I wouldn’t have.”
Maddie shook her head and went back to painting the downstairs while the Girlz returned to sanding the walls upstairs, their laughter echoing behind them. Maddie had no doubt that the following conversation would be more about the sheriff than Big Red, and she better off not knowing about it.
They could say what they liked. Ethan was being helpful, just like they were. No difference at all. And if one of her friends wanted to get better acquainted with him, that was none of her business either.
Chapter Eight
Maddie rushed home for the chicken salad Gran had made, then took a shower and tried to get the paint off her face. There was an awful lot of it and after scrubbing her skin until it was tender, she decided to tackle what was left tomorrow since she’d be bound to add to it. If it didn’t come off, that didn’t matter because Ethan wasn’t coming to look at her.
With that in mind, she put the flowing skirt she’d intended to wear back in the closet and slipped on a spaghetti-strap mid-length dress. It was much more practical, but she hesitated before she left the room, checking herself in the floor-length mirror. Then she laughed at her reflection.
It was if she’d had a personality transplant since lunch, when all the reasons to keep not only Ethan but her thoughts of him at bay had slipped from her mind, replaced with how he looked and smelled so great, how kind and thoughtful he was. Apart from the fuss over her leaving, he’d always been that way and it was a shame that the bad things people did often hung around a lot longer than the good.
Determined, she said goodbye to Gran, who was packing a few of her endless possessions, something she’d started prior to Maddie’s return, though strangely the place never seemed to get any emptier.
They’d have to get into some serious packing once the bakery was up and running. Maddie already felt bad Gran had used all her savings; the least she could do was make sure the apartment was comfortable, then help to get the house ready for sale. The problem with the latter was there were simply no spare minutes, let alone hours, despite Maddie working every day as long and hard as she could.
As she went out the front door onto the porch, something thumped her on the head. Big Red was sitting on the back of Gran’s rocker and had taken the opportunity to remind her once more that she hadn’t been paying him nearly enough attention by batting her with one of his hefty paws.
“Sorry, boy. Just a few more days, then we’ll be settled in our own place and be together more often. It’ll be better than New York, because you’ll get to go outside whenever you feel like it. You saw the yard, which is just for you and me. You’ll like it after I fix it up, I promise.”
He turned his head away as if he didn’t believe a word of it, so she kissed between his ears and left him to sulk. There wasn’t much she could do about it and wanted desperately to believe he’d be happy living above the bakery. She also hoped he’d behave himself with her customers. He had enough personality for ten cats, and as many ideas for getting into trouble.
When she got to the store, she opened every window and door once more. The smell of paint was strong, and she worried that the fumes would linger after they’d finished their work. Nothing would be more off-putting in a bakery than the pungent odor of paint.
It wasn’t until she reached the downstairs bathroom that she noticed glass on the floor. T
he window was smashed and ajar. She felt sure she’d closed it properly, but maybe not. The wind must have caught it and smashed it back against the sill.
After fetching the broom, she swept the shards into a pile. Just as she finished, she heard a car pull up out front. The door was open, and she could see through the window Ethan emptying his pickup. He’d already taken some of the wood and his tools out of the back, so she went and helped him carry the rest inside.
“You’ll mess up your clothes,” he warned.
“I could say the same to you.”
“I’m dressed for this kind of work. You’re not.”
“I’m fine,” she called behind her as she led the way out to the kitchen, where he placed everything on the floor beside the things she’d left there.
“What happened here?” He nodded at the pile of glass in the corner.
“A window got smashed. It must have been the wind.”
“Would you show me which one?”
She pointed to the bathroom, a little disturbed over his deceptive casualness.
Ethan didn’t take long. “You’re probably right,” he said as he looked around the kitchen. “Nothing looked touched or was missing?”
“I don’t think so. Why do you ask?”
“Just ruling out a break-in.”
“Thanks. Now I’ll be paranoid.” She looked around her. There was very little to entice a would-be burglar, unless they were after paint and the old sheets they’d used to protect the recently polished floors.
“Don’t mind me. Being suspicious is a by-product of the job. Don’t cut yourself on that.” He pointed to the glass. “In fact, leave it, and I’ll take it with my trash when I leave.”
It was odd to have a man being so caring about her, and it did feel nice. Dalton had always called her independent, and she liked that she was, even though it had seemed like an excuse for him to be unromantic and selfish.
“Earth to Maddie.”
Ethan was looking at her funny, and she realized he had still been speaking.
“Sorry. I was miles away. What did you say?”