Smoky Mountain Sweethearts

by Cheryl Harper

  Janet turned to Sam’s mother. “You busy tomorrow? We could go to Asheville, check out some restaurants. Might have a kitchen supply store over there I could wander around in for inspiration.”

  Avery’s off-the-cuff plan was working. She was a genius. With digging, she could find out more about Janet and Regina’s covert business operation, too, and then spring that knowledge on them when they least expected it. If they brought up the matchmaking again, she’d lean heavily on the betrayal of her mother keeping a secret. Her mother’s acting skills were so good that Avery had managed to pick up a few pointers along the way.

  “I could join you in Asheville. Tonight, I’ll go home and do some searching.” Regina shook her head. “So much I don’t know about investors, girl. It’s like you tried to find the biggest challenge and then pointed me at it.”

  Avery smiled sweetly. “It always worked with Sam. It might work with you, too.”

  Regina’s rolled eyes so perfectly matched her son’s exasperated expression that it was hard not to miss him. If he’d been at that table, he’d have ruined any chance she had of making it all work out through enthusiasm and the inability to bite his tongue, but if he was here, their celebration would have been twice as satisfying.

  “Here you go, missy,” Odella said as she plopped a plastic container on the table. “One brownie. Now, when you come back, make sure you got a good contract for your mama.” Odella shook a finger. “Wouldn’t want to go into business without one, don’tcha know?”

  “A contract,” Avery repeated slowly. “But I’m not a lawyer.” She studied the smug smiles on the women across from her. “You could find something good and basic on the web.”

  Odella wagged her head from side to side, wispy white hair flying as she did so. “Could, but wouldn’t it be better to have you do that? Make any adjustments we might need.” She nodded at Avery’s mother. “Janet and I, we think you’re close enough to a real lawyer for this business, don’t we?”

  With a sinking feeling, Avery watched her mother nod slowly, her smug grin hard to swallow. Regina was stirring cream into her coffee as if salvation had all sunk to the bottom of the cup.

  “Fine. I’ll see what I can come up with.” She gave her mother a big fake smile. “Hope you can afford my fee.”

  “Another brownie. That’s all I’m paying,” Odella snapped as she hustled away.

  “I couldn’t have planned that better myself,” Avery’s mother said slowly. “What’s that saying? Hoist by your own petard? I don’t know what that means, but I do recognize it happening.”

  Avery’s reluctant chuckle was strangled, but it felt good. “Collateral damage, but I can deal with it. A boilerplate contract is all I have to come up with. It’s the two of you who’ll be working.”

  “Sure, sure,” her mother agreed easily. “You might have forgotten, but I have not, that time you called me fresh out of your first contract law class. Remember what you told me?”

  Avery studied her own coffee, desperate to stir up some distraction.

  “‘Mama, I’ve found it, the thing I was meant to do.’” Janet Abernathy turned to Regina and repeated, “‘Meant to do.’ I thought she meant drawing up contracts, but no.”

  “Well, what in the world, then?” Regina drawled.

  “It was an employment contract, unfairly written.” Avery sighed. “I named three different defenses to any attempt to terminate employment. My first contract class, and I was ready to take the case to court and win.”

  Regina reached over to cover Avery’s hand, which was slowly shredding a napkin. “What happened to that calling, hon?”

  “She fell in love,” her mother said softly. “This girl always did do things out of order. Degree, job, husband, kids. That’s what we always talked about.”

  “But she fell in love.” Regina pursed her lips. “I know one or two other ladies who might have gotten their plans shaken up by love, too.”

  Janet nodded. “Yep. You can’t let it pass you by when you find it, that’s for certain.”

  “But when you get a chance, you make new plans.” Regina dipped her head. “Or you let other people, nosy kids and such, make them for you.”

  Avery wanted to feel guilty about pushing them into this experiment with Smoky Joe’s. But she so did not feel guilty at all. In fact, even with the minor hiccup of being dragged into it in their wake, she felt clever. So clever.

  As Odella hustled past, Avery held out her hand. “Miss Odella, I changed my fee.”

  The small woman’s frown was scary enough that Avery pressed back against her seat. “Ain’t made of money, missy.”

  Avery gulped. “No. Sure. I just...” After she cleared her throat, she added, “I’ll come up with the contract if you can send one of the Pace men over to meet me at the library.” Avery smiled sweetly. “I think we have something important to talk about.”

  Odella tipped her head to the side and shot Avery’s mother a shrewd look. “Happy to do that for free, girl.” Then she was gone and Avery’s mother was fuming in her seat. Regina’s expression was set on “cat that ate the canary,” so Avery knew she was on the right track.

  “I have to go to the ladies’ to put on my lipstick. Avery, are you coming?” her mother asked, her purse already hooked on one arm, her lips a tight, disapproving line.

  “No, ma’am, I don’t have any lipstick.” Avery was still laughing when both ladies scrambled up out of the booth.

  “Replace the booths with chairs, for starters,” her mother muttered as she walked past on her way to the restroom.

  Avery pulled out her phone and scrolled through her contacts. She realized she’d never gotten Sam’s cell number, so she couldn’t text him, not without drawing the mothers’ attention back to them. Besides that, he was under the impression that she was taking one for the team by suffering a setback. He didn’t do guilt well, but he’d always repaid every favor and kindness generously.

  When Sam returned, he’d keep his promise to get her moving.

  And he’d have the pleasant experience of watching his mother tackle something new.

  Maybe he’d call her a genius, maybe not, but Avery would always know she had what it took to mastermind with the best.

  CHAPTER TEN

  WHEN SAM REALIZED he was staring down at his phone again, he cursed and shoved it back in his pocket. Instead of flight delays and late arrivals, his plane had managed to land ahead of schedule, so he was pacing outside baggage claim, waiting for his mother.

  Nothing explained this restless urge to get back home.

  He’d talked to his mother twice since the interview. Neither time had she mentioned she might be late. She had talked excitedly for at least fifteen minutes about the new project she and Janet had started. Revamping and brokering a sale of Smoky Joe’s would be a good thing for the town of Sweetwater, but if he had to listen one more time about the gift show in Atlanta that they’d managed to shoehorn admission to, he’d... Nothing. He’d listen even if he could repeat every word she said from memory.

  Did his mother need a new project? Definitely. If it meant listening to her plotting and planning how to get a Sweetwater brand to splash on souvenirs for the rest of forever, he’d...endure. That was what he’d do.

  He was anxious to hug his mother, but even more than that, he wanted to talk to Avery. Going away without getting her cell number had been a miscalculation. If he’d been able to call her before the interview, he might not have been stuttering nervous when the team leader had come out to shake his hand. A nervous firefighter didn’t inspire much faith.

  And after he’d managed to collect his nerves and get through the interview, he could have celebrated the invitation to the crew’s fitness evaluation. Was he worried about completing the hike, carrying all the equipment, at a new altitude?

  Maybe,
but Avery would have handled those nerves.

  He’d endured the hike, although it had been a bigger struggle than he’d anticipated. The gear was what he’d expected. The impossibility of taking a deep breath would take some adjustment, but he’d held his own in the group and helped carry one guy down when chest pains had stopped him.

  He should have slept like a confident guy who was going to get a shot at doing what he wanted, because Sam was nearly certain he’d get an offer to join the Highland team.

  Instead, after a sleepless night of staring up at the ceiling, he’d had to come to grips with the fact that he was thinking about Avery Abernathy Montague entirely too much for her to be an old friend. She was a new friend, too, and possibly something even more special.

  She might be the kind of woman a man never forgot.

  A short horn beep drew his attention. Instead of his mother’s Caddy, Janet Abernathy’s SUV was slicing through the traffic to slam to a stop at the curb. Avery rolled down the window. “Sorry I’m late. I had to wait for story time to finish.”

  The shot of adrenaline that raced through him was a complete surprise. While he’d been muttering to himself about his mother’s tardiness, it had seemed nearly impossible to remain standing for one minute longer. The cramped seats of the plane, the constant noise of the terminals and the endless “what if” loop in his head had made it impossible to sleep.

  But seeing Avery, her mirrored aviator sunglasses such a blast from the past, filled him with energy. Sunshine shot through the driver’s-side window, highlighting her gold curls and driving away the years. This Avery? She was healthy and bright, and her wide smile replaced images of nursing her back to health with the weird thought that kissing her would spread that smile from her to him.

  “Nice glasses, Maverick,” Sam said as he dropped his duffel in the back. “To what do I owe the honor?”

  Avery checked over her shoulder, her curls flapping in the breeze. It wasn’t quite a sloppy ponytail, but at some point, her hair had relaxed. How long had he been gone? Sweetwater was working wonders already. “You owe this honor to my pure genius, that’s all.” She hit the gas hard and shot out into traffic, one arm dangling over the door, the cool October breeze lifting her curls again.

  “Pure genius,” Sam said slowly. “That’s what brought on this sudden fit of investing fever?” Sam stretched his legs out and checked to make sure his seat belt was secure. The wheels squeaked as Avery took the ramp to the freeway too fast. “And are you in a hurry?”

  Avery glanced over at him. “Am I making you nervous, Sam?” She accelerated to merge into traffic. “It’s been way too long since I drove a car regularly, and I remember how much I love it.” She tightened her grip on the steering wheel. “These curves? It’s a blast.”

  “I bet you’re glad I decided against becoming a commissioned ranger. Imagine me as law enforcement.” Sam smiled at her double take. “We were both pretty sure I’d be the one who needed a good lawyer first. Fighting fire is definitely more my speed.”

  “Right. You were going to be my first case as a criminal defense attorney, as I recall.” Avery grinned. “How long were you prepared to wait to start your life of crime? Because that would have taken some time.” She toyed with the radio before turning it off. “Tell me about the interview or...conversation.”

  Sam thought about refusing to drop the law thread, but decided he could come back to it. When she could concentrate. He was afraid to distract her too much as he glanced over the guardrail at a long drop. “It went pretty well. I think they were impressed with all my volunteer search-and-rescue hours, my continuing education.” Talking to her about everything increased his confidence. He was going to get a shot at making the move to Colorado. “I made it to the next step. They’re doing a fast track since several crews are short, so they did a quick physical fitness evaluation. I made it near the top of the pack.” Sam sighed. “But my conditioning at high altitude can use some work.”

  Avery smiled at him. “As if I ever doubted you’d knock them out. Since you’ve been gone, my mother and your mother have been regaling me with tales of your heroism and bravery. All those volunteer hours, Sam? Of course they were impressed. Who wouldn’t be? You work in one of the busiest areas in the state. It’s not like you have no background.”

  Some part of him knew that she was saying what he wanted to hear, but he did want to believe everything she said. If they offered the job, he wasn’t sure what he’d do, but he would like the chance to make that decision.

  “They’ll have a lot of guys with good experience,” Sam said, “but I did everything I could. I must have mentioned half a dozen times that I was single.”

  Avery dipped her chin to stare at him over her sunglasses. “They can’t ask you that information.”

  “I volunteered it. It should help,” he said. He shrugged. “Every web search I’ve done brings up stories of families who are devastated when a wildfire fighter dies. Since I’m single, I should be a solid choice.”

  Avery’s quiet might be the result of concentration, but Sam was immediately sorry he’d been the one to bring up the danger of the job. No one had forgotten it. Was he trying to talk her into talking him into changing his mind? Could she do it?

  He’d like to say he knew the answer, but he wasn’t sure.

  “Sam, whatever your family situation, you will be thinking of the people you love, and you better be sure the people who love you will be devastated if anything happens to you, so don’t even mention that to your mother again.” Her sound of disgust carried loud and clear even over the wind whipping her hair.

  Did she count herself in that number? Sam had no trouble recalling the way she’d left his talk at the library. Avery worried about his safety.

  “Seriously, your training makes you a solid choice. I know for certain that when you go out into danger, you won’t be foolhardy. You called in a favor, built a debt that you’ll have to repay, to keep your mother from fretting for two nights. If you ever once step out into the fire without seeing her face in your head, I’ll be shocked.”

  Sam watched her confidently take the turns that would lead them up to Sweetwater. “Two days has made a difference in you, I have to say.”

  Avery made tight fists on the steering wheel. “It has, but I’m glad you’re back. I’m not sure how much longer your mother could be distracted. Did you know they’ve been flipping houses? I mean, that’s my guess. No one has told me that.” The glare she shot him made it clear he was at the top of her list of people to set straight.

  “They’ve done two houses. I’m not sure that’s a business,” Sam said as he tried to recall anything else they might have gotten into. “I don’t know about this restaurant thing. How big is the market of buyers for a run-down coffee shop in a town way off the beaten path?”

  “If anyone can figure that out, it’s your mother. And the run-down part? You would not believe how many ways there are to display cookie jars. My mother is going to work wonders on the decor of that place. All three of you will owe me for pushing them into it. You won’t know when I’ll come to collect, but I will.” Avery’s ominous growl sounded so much like the pirate’s voice she’d used every time they’d battled in imaginary ships across her front yard that Sam laughed.

  “Plus, I found out there’s a romantic angle for my mother. I haven’t met the senior Mr. Pace, but when I do, I’m going to flex my own matchmaking muscles,” she said, smiling. “Now, when this is over, your mother is going to go back to making a list of ways to keep you in Sweetwater, so you’d do well to encourage her interest in the business and any new guy that draws her eye.”

  The weight of guilt curled in his stomach. “A list to keep me here? What’s on it? Forewarning might help me prepare.”

  “A girl.” Avery smiled. “And since they know I’m too stubborn to be persuaded, it isn’t me. Then your
mother is plotting to break something. Like a leg.”

  Sam closed his eyes. “Seriously?”

  “Hard to say.” Avery made the turn that led into town. “I have a hard time reading them when they’re together, your mother and mine, but it seemed sort of serious.” She pointed over her shoulder into the back seat. “I have the list. Imagine my excitement when their number one candidate was scheduled for story time today. And she was awesome, by the way. If you are in the market for a beautiful date, I’d give my endorsement to Winter Kingfisher.”

  Sam groaned. “Ash’s sister? My boss’s boss’s sister. That’s who they think they can make me fall in love with so I’ll stay in Sweetwater?”

  Avery rolled to a stop at the four-way leading into the square. “She’s gorgeous, Sam. Young. Seems to have everything together.” Her tone was teasing, but it was hard to tell what she really thought, thanks to the sunglasses.

  “She’s a year younger than us, Avery, not in pigtails.” While she was distracted by traffic, Sam reached over to pull the glasses off. “Where did you find a pair of these, anyway? Everything old is new again, I guess.”

  “Those are mine. My mother boxed them up with all my awards.” Avery’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “They belonged to my father. Must have been on the dresser when she decided to wipe away my bedroom in one of the remodels.” She took the glasses and folded them carefully. “I was glad to get them back. They are the perfect accessory for a sunny day.”

  She’d said the same sort of innocent comment to him more than once when they’d been running the roads or jumping into creeks or doing a million other things that kids do because they think nothing can hurt them.

  “Yeah. Perfect.” Sam rolled his eyes. “Dating Ash’s sister, though? Career suicide.” He grunted. “The guy’s not anyone I’d want to tangle with, not without backup, even with the bum leg.”

  “What’s wrong with his leg?” Avery asked as she hit the road out of town.

  “Accident. Doctors weren’t sure they could fix it, but Ash insisted. The guy is hard to argue with.” Sam tried to imagine what would happen the first time he had a fight with Winter. “Doesn’t slow him down much.”