by Tanya Agler
“I won’t let Justin Decker take away the rest of my life.” That was the easy part. “Caleb Spindler kissed me last night.”
Mitzi laughed and squeezed Lucie’s hands before releasing them. “Honey, no one talked about anything else in that line today. I was wondering when I was gonna hear it from you. We are so doing these mud masks before you leave. When are you seeing that handsome hunk again?”
“Last time I went near a mud mask, the police invaded Georgie’s house and my best friend was arrested. No mud masks.” Lucie shuddered at the memory. “And I have no plans to ‘see’ Caleb anytime soon.”
A rap on the front window stopped her, and she glanced at Mitzi, who shrugged. They swiveled toward the glass and found none other than Caleb there, pointing at a cup in his hand and then tilting his head at the rain and pretending to shiver.
“You’re closed.” Lucie turned to Mitzi, her eyes wide as she tried to telepathically urge her friend to agree with her. Avoiding Caleb might be the most honest way of dealing with this for now.
Mitzi started for the entrance. “I’m going to at least see what the man wants.”
Probably the key. Lucie thumped her forehead. “I forgot to stop by Farr’s Hardware again.”
“Not the usual first stop after a kiss, but if that works for you, honey.” Mitzi threw the dead bolts and opened the front door. “Caleb, as I live and breathe, come inside where it’s nice and warm. You’re in need of a haircut. I’m closed on Sundays, but, for the Hero of Hollydale, I’m sure Lucie won’t mind if I take scissors to that shaggy hair of yours. A little bit off the ends and she’ll find you all the more attractive. There might even be a second kiss—”
“Caleb—” Lucie strode to the front of the shop before Mitzi could have them married and expecting a child “—the closed sign is front and center. Why are you here?”
She popped her hands on her hips and waited. She was done apologizing for herself. She didn’t need anyone in her life who was embarrassed to have her nearby. Her gaze met his, and that was a mistake. Sincerity poured out of his eyes, and she wanted to hold the connection between them for a little longer.
He held out a disposable cup. “I remembered you like hot chocolate with whipped cream on cold days. I overheard Mitzi at The Busy Bean saying you were working here this afternoon.”
Mitzi turned to Lucie and then back to Caleb before fanning her face. “Is it hot in here? I’ll adjust the thermostat before starting that inventory. Caleb, honey, you just say the word and your first haircut will be on the house.”
She bustled away and Lucie pursed her lips. Traitor. Lucie simmered until the squeak of the door let her know Mitzi had reached the storeroom. She traced the outline of the nearest chair with her finger. “I understand, and I don’t blame you one bit.”
“That’s good, but if you want to let me in on whatever you’re talking about, I’d appreciate it. In the meantime, this is yours. You don’t want the whipped cream to melt. That was always your favorite part.” He removed the lid and handed her the cup, the white mound still fluffy.
She’d never told anyone that before, or at least she thought she hadn’t. “How did you know that?”
“You never said it in words, but you’re expressive.” He shrugged and stepped back. “Or you used to be.”
Was it possible to bridge the past with the present? Or was it preferable to be done with the past and make the present and future better for Mattie and Ethan? She blinked and her world came back into focus. “You’re observant. I imagine that’s a good trait for your job.”
She wound her hands around the cup, appreciating the warmth. Mitzi’s offering sat on her workstation, and more warmth filled her that not one but two people had gone out of their way today to make sure she had a spot of happiness. “By the way, thank you for the hot chocolate.”
“You’re welcome.” He moved forward, lines creasing his forehead. “About last night...”
With the cup halfway to her mouth, she halted her progress and held up her hand to stop him. “You’ll be renting the cabin from me. I’m your landlady. We shouldn’t do anything to damage that professional bond between us.”
“You want to keep this on a professional level only?” Disappointment flickered in his eyes.
I’m happy with my bachelor status. I have no plans for getting married. Caleb’s words echoed in her mind, and how he’d sprinted for the hills last night only confirmed what she already knew. A mother with active seven-year-old twins and a houseful of pets would be a bit much for most men. Add into that a depleted bank account?
She forgave him for running. She’d have done the same. “I think that’s best.”
He searched her eyes as though he expected some sort of nonverbal cue that she thought otherwise. He wouldn’t find it. Keeping him at arm’s length was the right choice.
“No more kisses?”
“I can’t speak for Ladybug or Pita, but I have no plans to kiss any of my tenants.” Lucie sipped the hot chocolate, the sweetness teasing her tongue.
“Good to know.” He turned and walked toward the door.
“Wait a second.” She placed her cup on the welcome counter as he halted. “Can you come by tonight to sign the lease and pick up the key?”
He glanced over his shoulder. “Tomorrow afternoon at the center would work better for me. I’m doing something with Jonathan and the girls tonight.”
She gave a quick nod.
“I’ll drop by the center after work. Gotta confess, I already miss Ladybug and Ethel.”
His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. He departed, leaving the bells jangling. The storeroom door opened and Lucie reached for her hot cocoa before facing Mitzi, who was shaking her head. “You heard everything, didn’t you?”
“I heard enough to know that man is smitten with you.” Mitzi shook out two different capes. “Which would work better for your spa? This basic black cape or the gray robe?”
“The gray robe. I think men would like that better, and it’s still feminine enough to appeal to women.” Lucie licked a dollop of the whipped cream. “He told Rachel Harrison he’s a confirmed bachelor who doesn’t want to get married.”
“Like he said, verbal and nonverbal don’t always go together. It’s like when someone says she loves her haircut, but her eyes scream she hates it. I’ve seen it all, and I know when words don’t say everything. You’re not saying everything, Lucie Decker.”
“Huh? Whenever you say my name like that, you call me Lucie Appleby. Why the change?”
Mitzi held up the gray robe and nodded approvingly. “Lucie Appleby may have prattled on sometimes, but she saw more than she let on. That’s the girl I know and love.”
But that was the point. She always used to say too much, and everyone wrote her off—first as a silly debutante, then as a possible accomplice. She’d have to reassess her image to win back the town’s acceptance.
It wasn’t just for her. Mattie and Ethan were depending on her. Family came first. Always.
CHAPTER NINE
ON MONDAY MORNING, Caleb emerged from his car and stretched his back. The gray drizzly day caused a twinge near his tailbone, but it didn’t rise to the same level of pain he’d experienced the morning after he’d arrived in Hollydale. He’d take that as progress. With some physical therapy, rest and luck, surgery might not be in his immediate future.
He reached into the rear of his SUV for his hat and plopped it on his head, whistling as he prepared to start his new job, even if he was limited to desk duty. Butterflies fluttered about his stomach but, compared to the buffalo stampede that had marked his first day on the job at Yellowstone, he could handle this.
“Caleb!” Marcie Williams, one of his mother’s best friends, adjusted the glasses framing her ebony face when he entered the building. “You’re a sight for sore eyes, and your mother called me to tell me her good
news. All the Spindlers returning at once. I’m happy y’all are back.”
Last night his parents had called and said to expect them next Monday night. This afternoon Caleb would have to sway Lucie into letting him move in as soon as he could get a decent mattress delivered. Jonathan’s house was too small for six people. “Vanessa and Izzy are also looking forward to it.”
“I keep forgetting you and Jonathan are cousins. Tina will love spending time with her great-nieces.” Marcie’s computer started making noise and she squinted at the screen. “Owen’s expecting you. We’ll catch up later. Go on back.”
“Thanks.”
Caleb hurried to Owen’s office. While desk duty wasn’t his favorite, he wouldn’t mind any assignment that brought him back to serving visitors again.
The deputy director held up his hand and pointed to the phone at his ear. “Be with you in a sec.”
Just as Caleb took a seat in front of the desk, Owen finished his call and lowered the phone facedown on his desk. “Caleb.”
“My first day here at last.” Caleb smiled. “What’s my assignment?”
“A week off and then desk duty for the next five weeks until your next doctor’s assessment.”
He searched his boss’s face for any sign that was a joke. Seeing none, Caleb leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. “I must have heard you wrong. Every time I report to you, you keep giving me time off.”
Owen frowned. “I had no alternative. You failed your physical. After two days of desk duty, you’ll see Dr. Keane again so he can make sure that working won’t do you more harm in the long run. I can’t have you endangering yourself, let alone our visitors.”
“Should I be worried?” His herniated disk flared up. “Do I need to update my résumé?”
Caleb couldn’t go back to Yellowstone—his position had been filled the second his transfer had gone through. A premium spot like that had more than its share of takers. The Park Service had been his life since graduation, and Caleb had gloried in having nature all around him. What would he do if he had to work somewhere without these trails and paths, without the Great Smoky Mountains? What would he do if surgery cut his career short? An office cubicle would seem cramped and stifling after life as a park ranger.
“Not yet, but you know about the high turnover in our profession. We have to deal with the physical demands of the job, the unpredictability of the visitors and their remarks and actions, not to mention that rangers are assaulted at a rate not found in many other government jobs. It’s a fact of our lives that many who start out in this profession don’t retire from it.” Owen sighed and reached for his coffee mug, taking a long swallow.
After his surgery, Caleb had dreamed of this—guiding visitors, working on forestry projects, sketching the wildlife. His paycheck was a fringe benefit of the job. “But everyone hopes they’re the exception to the rule. Desk duty isn’t that strenuous.”
“The doctor says you need more time off.” Owen tapped the edge of his desk.
“How can I change your mind? Isn’t there anything I can do to make myself useful around here?”
“Hmm. There is a project you could do from home this week.”
“Name it.” Anything to show Owen he could be a team player who’d make a difference at the station. And while he’d loved going to the movies with Jonathan, Izzy and Vanessa last night, he could start becoming more involved in the community on his own. He’d seen a bulletin board of activities at the Busy Bean, and there was always the bar Jonathan mentioned.
“Marcie’s been handling the details of the Sunset Soiree, but I need her for a grant proposal. If anything about the soiree comes up in the next week, you can handle it from home.” The deputy director’s intercom buzzed. “Hold on a minute.” Caleb jerked his finger toward the hallway and Owen shook his head. “You don’t have to leave.”
“Are you sitting down?” Marcie’s voice sounded a great deal more strained than mere minutes ago.
“Yes, Marcie.”
“Howard Otto, the keynote for the Sunset Soiree, is in the hospital. Alligator bit him. Couple hundred stitches and a full leg cast.”
Caleb winced, the picture not pretty. He glanced at Owen, whose face had lost all traces of humor.
“Can he travel by the weekend? The soiree is this Saturday,” said Owen.
“He’ll be lucky to be out of the hospital by then.” Sarcasm dripped from her voice, even over the intercom.
Owen exhaled and flipped his phone over. “I’m checking our backup list now.”
Caleb pulled out his phone. “I have contacts out in Yellowstone who might be able to fly in on a minute’s notice.”
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Marcie’s voice crackled even though she was only in the next room.
“Yes. I’ll get back to you in a few.” Owen switched off the intercom and stared at Caleb so pointedly that the temperature in the room seemed to escalate by a couple degrees.
Caleb tugged at his beige collar. “Something wrong with my uniform?”
“Have you unpacked your tuxedo yet?” Owen’s gray hair glinted under the fluorescent lights.
“I didn’t realize we were that formal here.”
Owen scattered the papers on his desk and pulled out a red manila file folder. “How’s the Hero of Hollydale at public speaking?”
Caleb wished he could unbutton the top of his shirt for some much-needed air. “I dropped my college speech class twice before I finally passed.”
“Surely your experience as a trail guide and in front of the media has paid off, and your fee can’t be beat. Since you’re a public employee, we won’t have to pay you, which means more money for the woodpecker defense fund and the new conservancy Frederick Whitley is planning. With your imposed vacation, you’ll have that much more time to rest and work on your keynote. A win-win, if you ask me.”
“I won’t have to shave my beard, right?” Caleb scrubbed his facial hair. All those years shaving every morning, yet he liked his new look.
“No, don’t worry about that. And there is one perk—a table at the soiree.”
Owen opened the file and studied the paperwork.
“The seats go for fifty dollars each,” Owen continued, “and each table seats eight. Having his own table was one of the original speaker’s requests, and we okayed it. Now, if you want us to sell the other seven seats, we’ll be able to raise even more money.”
Four hundred dollars for a table? In Yellowstone he had no doubt the price would be double, but in Hollydale? The figure seemed pretty high. Then again, most of the people attending were probably business people. Business people who might benefit from team building at the new Hollydale Training and Wellness Center. “I only have one condition to become the new keynote.”
Owen raised his eyebrows. “I can’t, and won’t, go against doctor’s orders.”
Caleb shook his head. “This has nothing to do with my herniated disk. Are the programs printed yet?”
Owen clicked on the intercom. “Marcie, have the programs gone to the printers?”
“I was about to hit Send when I got the news, but the copy has to go this afternoon. We can always add an insert with the new speaker’s info.” The question was in Marcie’s voice even if she hadn’t said it aloud.
“Hold that thought.” Owen flicked off the switch and turned to Caleb. “What’s your condition?”
“I’d like for you to add the Hollydale Training and Wellness Center as a guest.” Caleb held his breath. While he couldn’t officially endorse her business on its website, he could help it get off the ground in other ways. If he were able to procure a ticket for her, she’d have to do the rest of the PR work herself.
Owen tapped his desk, a wistful look coming into his eyes. “Isn’t the owner of A New You one of Lucie’s partners?”
“Mitzi Mayfield? I think so.”<
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“What do you know about Ms. Mayfield? I’ve seen her around town. She speaks her mind and defends her friends. Pretty, too.” While Owen tried to sound casual, there was a definite undercurrent of interest in his voice. “My daughter wants to apply for a job at the salon. Just making sure my first impression is accurate and it’s a good place for Ashleigh to work.”
Caleb searched his mind for what he knew about Mitzi. “I know she was close to Lucie’s mom. The two of them grew up together. Patsy married into the Appleby family, which was the closest thing to royalty around here. After her divorce, Mitzi started working at the salon and then bought the owner out before I moved away.” Caleb laughed. “I only know all that because of Lucie. It was a big story way back when, so much so, even a teenager like me knew all about it.”
Owen’s phone pinged and he looked at the screen. “Mondays. Can’t live with them, can’t live without them. Get Marcie to include the training and wellness center on the brochure list of businesses attending. She’ll also need your bio for the section about the keynote by this afternoon. And you’ve got my okay to do any community outreach you can from home.”
Caleb recognized the dismissal and waved goodbye. Now he had a reason to talk to Lucie as soon as possible. A great reason.
* * *
LUCIE SMILED TO HERSELF as she stacked printer paper in the basement storage room, the last task on her list for this Monday. True to her word, Connie had brought surplus paperbacks, and the library looked downright cozy now with the wingback chairs and shelves of books and games.
She glanced around the storage area with everything labeled and organized to help the staff. Now she had no reason to postpone the inevitable. It was time to head downtown and turn in the mortgage application. For four generations, the Appleby family owned the land and house free and clear of any debts. Her father had nailed the importance of a person’s good name and good credit into Lucie at a young age, and her aunt Rosemary had invested in the center so Lucie wouldn’t have to sell any of the property.