After Hal dropped Caroline and Libby at the church to retrieve their cars, he drove around the town visiting places he remembered from his younger days. Not much had changed, yet everything had changed. The buildings looked about the same, but most had new owners or tenants or younger family members now in charge.
The many improvements made by Woody as mayor testified to his love for the town. That’s why his plan to fool around with Founder’s Cottage still remained a mystery to Hal. No matter what else Woody planned for the future, if this one project didn’t turn out well, he’d have no future in Bloomfield.
Half an hour later he found himself in front of the mayor’s house just as Woody pulled into his driveway. Hal lowered his window. “Got time for a visit?”
Woody waved him on up. “Yeah, always for you, if you can be civil. Come on in.”
A few minutes later they sat in the living room. Hal raised his eyebrows at the antiques and traditional décor. “I figured you’d be streamlined and modern. This is nice.”
“Most belonged to my mother, but we picked up a few pieces of our own before Estelle died.” He settled in his recliner and leaned back. “Now what can I do for you?”
“I’ve been thinking about something that’s been chafing the back of my mind all week and it really irked me as I rode around town this afternoon.”
Woody cocked his head to one side and a gleam appeared in his eyes. “And what could that be my friend?”
“It appears to me that you’ve done a lot of good for Bloomfield, and this latest scheme of yours just doesn’t taste right. Now that I’ve driven around today, it’s occurred to me that this is not something you would ordinarily do.”
For a moment something gleamed in Woody’s eyes before a veil slipped down and covered it. “You take care of your end and get that new plan created, and let me handle the rest of the business.”
“If that’s what you want, but I still say some things don’t add up. For example, seeing you and Winnie at Bert’s today came as a surprise.”
“I know she’s being nice just so I’ll lighten up a little and Caroline probably put her up to it, but to tell the truth, I actually enjoyed Winnie’s company.”
Hal slumped back into the cushioned sofa. “Of course you did. You two make a nice couple, and I know you really do care about her.”
Woody nodded. “Yes, I do, and I’m letting her think whatever she and the girls cooked up to get me to soften up is working.” He thumped his recliner upright and leaned forward. “You have to promise not to breathe a word of this to anyone. I’m afraid if Winnie gets an inkling that I do care about her and want to be with her, she might drop me like a hot potato, and I don’t want that to happen.”
“I promise I won’t, but it seems to me that as smart as Winnie is, she’s probably already on to you.”
“Let’s simply say that I hope to win her heart before that happens.” He thumped the chair back to the reclining position with a smirk covering his face. “Like I said, you come up with a good idea, and I’ll give it consideration. Remember, my friend, not all is as it seems.”
That last statement slammed into Hal. Whatever Woody was up to, he would give Hal a chance to be heard. Now to make sure those plans looked better than the rough sketches he’d shown Caroline.
Chapter 12
Caroline stood back and gazed at the table before her. Fresh-baked pastries from Helen’s shop sat on silver platters along with finger sandwiches Lida Mae and Caroline had prepared earlier in the morning.
Roses from Libby’s garden and from the florist in town adorned the main table as well as any other flat surface Libby could find for an arrangement. Caroline nodded in approval and went to the kitchen to join Lida Mae in filling the reserve platters.
“You and Miss Libby have done a beautiful job for Hal. I sure hope he appreciates all this work. And I’m sure glad to hear he’s helping you fight Mayor Woody. Nobody ought to mess with land your own family donated.”
“Nobody’s going to mess with it. Hal will make sure of that.” Even as she arranged the sandwiches, the idea that Woody was holding back on something would not leave her. His increased attention to Winnie and their constant companionship the past week added to her suspicions. Of course all Winnie had to say was that she was doing exactly what Caroline had asked.
The doorbell rang and all thoughts of schemes fled as she hurried to the foyer to meet Hal and greet his guests. He’d asked her to play hostess to his host, and she’d agreed because he promised to have the finished sketches to give to her for the garden club’s inspection early next week.
As the guests arrived, they exclaimed how wonderful it was to have someone in the McKenzie family finally living there again. If she and Hal heard that statement once, they heard it at least two dozen more times. He’d done a wonderful job with the repairs and improvements. The new kitchen shone with stainless steel appliances and granite countertops. What a joy to work in such a beautiful place.
When Woody arrived with Winnie, conversation came to a halt as all eyes turned to the mayor. “Good afternoon, neighbors. It’s great to see such a good turnout for the return of one of our favorite sons.”
A few polite murmurs followed with some shaking heads before they returned to their own individual conversations. The mayor shook Hal’s hand, and in all that time, Winnie never let go of Woody’s arm.
Winnie wore another of her less gaudy outfits that suited her age and coloring to a tee. “Woodrow tells me that the plans for the July 4 celebration are well underway. I even rented a space myself to show off and sell some of my silk flower arrangements.”
Woodrow? When had she started that? What had happened to the old friend who spoke her mind and frowned whenever she saw Woody?
Woody patted her hand. “Yes, and I saw some of them. Winifred is quite talented with those silk flowers.”
Caroline blinked her eyes, not believing what she heard. Winnie couldn’t grow a live flower if her life depended on it and had taken to adorning her yard with silk posies instead. She’d done a few arrangements that had been pretty, but selling them in a booth at the festival was something else.
“Um, that’s wonderful, Winnie.” She jabbed Hal in the arm with her elbow. “Isn’t it, Hal?”
“Why, uh, yes, it is. Anything to help with improvements to the youth center will be greatly appreciated.” He waved toward the refreshment table. “Now get yourselves something to eat and enjoy the afternoon.”
When they were out of earshot, Hal said, “If I hadn’t seen that and heard it with my own ears, I’d never believe what just happened. Woodrow and Winifred. Did you ever?”
Caroline giggled. “Remember how we teased them in high school about being Winnie and Woody? Maybe they’ve decided they don’t want it to be like things were then.” If Caroline was any judge of character and behavior, Winnie no longer played nice with Woody for the cottage’s sake, but for her own pleasure. And that really wasn’t a bad thing.
After all the guests arrived and mingled with each other in conversation, Hal pulled Caroline aside. “When is your next garden club meeting?”
“A week from Tuesday, but I talked with Sherry and Pamela and they’re willing to have an emergency executive committee meeting right away if you have something for us to see.”
“Good. If you can get them together Tuesday after the tearoom closes, I can bring the blueprint over to you and explain what I want to do.”
“Oh, our committee for the festival is meeting then. Let me see if I can change that to Monday and then the other group can meet Tuesday.”
“All right. Just let me know what time to be there.” He nodded toward the living room. “Now it’s time to visit more with my guests. Do you want to accompany me?”
“Not now. I see some of the plates need refilling. I’ll take care of that and join y
ou later.”
She left him and picked up two empty plates to return to the kitchen. Lida Mae grinned and pointed to the refills. “Those are all ready for you. Your friends sure like to eat.”
“I think many of them may have skipped lunch just to have plenty of room for our fare.” She removed plastic wrap from the reserves and headed back for the dining room. After setting them down, she poured herself a cup of punch.
“I must say everything looks beautiful. You and Libby did a wonderful job.” Winnie reached for another pastry.
Caroline almost choked on her punch. “Winnie Simpson, don’t sneak up on me like that.”
“Sorry, friend, I didn’t plan to sneak up, as you put it.” She popped a pecan tassie into her mouth. Her eyes sparkled like the Fourth of July had already arrived.
“I see you and Woody . . . Woodrow . . . are getting along well. Thank you for being nice to him until this is over.”
Winnie quirked an eyebrow. “Who says I’ll quit when this is over?”
Caroline’s mouth gaped open. Had she heard her friend’s words right?
“Close your mouth before you catch a fly. It’s all your fault, you know.”
“What do you mean it’s all my fault?”
“If you hadn’t persuaded me to be nice to Woodrow, this never would have happened. We found out that we enjoy each other now as much as we did when we dated in high school.”
“I’m not believing this. After all these years of treating Woody like he had the mange, you suddenly decide he’s a nice guy after all?”
“Something like that, and don’t go being all surprised. If he hadn’t gone off to college, we might have become engaged, and that’s all I have to say about it.”
And that’s all she would say, knowing Winnie. Caroline sighed and blew out her breath. Sometimes God did such strange things that it left her flabbergasted. Then she remembered Hal’s earlier suggestion.
“Winnie, Hal is going to present his blueprints to the garden club at a special meeting on Tuesday if I can work it out. Do you want to come and see what he’s come up with for the courthouse?”
Winnie’s hen cackle burst forth. “What? Me at a garden club meeting? Those ladies would fall over in a faint. Nah, I’ll just wait and let him show them to me later. Whatever he comes up with will be good.”
She set her plate on a tray with others already used. “Got to join Woodrow now. I’ll say it again, you and Libby know how to throw a good party.”
Winnie sashayed from the dining room and left Caroline shaking her head. No matter how things turned out with the cottage in July, her heart gladdened at the renewed joy and contentment of her old friend.
While Caroline and Winnie were engaged in conversation, Woody stepped to Hal’s side. “Right nice turn out.”
“Thanks to Libby and Caroline. Couldn’t have done it without those ladies.”
He’d have to do something extra special for the two of them. He’d send flowers, except that it would be like taking coals to Newcastle with Libby and Caroline and their prize-winning gardens.
Woody leaned toward Hal. “You haven’t mentioned our um . . . little secret, have you?”
“Of course not, but I still say you’re taking a big chance of alienating Winnie by letting her think she’s helping the cause. She might end up pushing everyone against you with even more bitterness than she has in the past.”
“That won’t matter now since it’s not an election year, and by the time the next one rolls around, all they’ll see is the good that’s been done through this.”
“I hope you’re right, and I’m hoping the ladies will approve the plans I’ve drawn up. I’m meeting with them Tuesday afternoon if Caroline can rearrange the schedule. She’s going to speak with Pamela and Sherry today about it.”
“Good. If they like them and you give them to me, that’ll buy me a little more time.”
“A little more time for what?” Hal’s mind groped around for the meaning behind Woody’s statement.
“You’ll see when this is all over. And if you play your cards right, you’ll get what you really want out of this yourself.”
Woody was probably the only one who knew how much Hal liked Caroline. Woody had kept the information to himself then, but could Hal trust him to do the same now?
Thinking about Caroline reminded him of the one thing he had neglected. He hadn’t truly sought the Lord’s blessing on the whole project . . . a fact he planned to remedy that very evening.
Winnie grasped Woody’s arm. “Woodrow, if you’re finished talking with Hal, Libby wants to see you for a few minutes.”
He patted her hand. “Sure thing, Winifred.” He glanced at Hal. “If you’ll excuse us, I’ll speak to you more about this matter in a few days.”
As soon as they departed, Caroline joined him along with Pamela Jasper whose bangle bracelets and rope necklaces jangled almost in tune as she gestured and pointed her finger at Hal’s chest. “Caroline here tells me that you’ll have the plans ready for us to look over on Tuesday.”
“That’s right, and it’s why I wanted to have a meeting with you ladies, so I can get your approval before I present them to the mayor.” He shifted his gaze in an attempt to determine the color choice for Pamela’s hair today, but the oversized flower garden on her head covered most of it.
“If he doesn’t, then he’s going to have a lot of explaining to do to all of us. I told Caroline that if it was my family’s donation being messed with, I’d be madder than all get-out. I don’t know what gave him the idea he could put one over on us like this.”
Hal suppressed a chuckle. “I’m sure the mayor will be open to any and all suggestions after all the flak at the council meeting. He knows it’ll hurt his bid for reelection if he does anything foolish.”
“Humph, if you ask me, he’s already done something more than just foolish. It’s plain outright dumb.”
Caroline eased her arm around Pamela’s back as she was several inches taller than Caroline. “Now don’t get yourself all worked up. Hal’s a good architect and whatever he’s designed will most likely be approved by everyone, including one Woodrow L. Hansen.”
“She’s right. This will all work out and Bloomfield will be better for it. A little prayer never hurt anything either, so we can all pray for a good end.”
Andy Barnhardt joined the trio. “Looks like you’ve done a fine job with your remodeling and upgrades, Hal. Can’t see any fire code violations at all.”
Hal grinned at the fire chief. “Taking a busman’s holiday, are you? I didn’t expect you to go looking for those things.”
“I know, but it’s in my blood. However, that’s not what I came to say. I was looking for Pamela here so we could enjoy more of that punch. I’m assuming Lida Mae made it.”
“Yes, she did and a few other things besides. Which reminds me that I need to go and check on the table. Food’s disappearing faster than Gnorman did last year.” Caroline chuckled at the memory of the garden club’s trophy holder escapade the year before. What a time that had been trying to track down the little garden gnome when he kept showing up in different yards with different clues. She patted Pamela’s shoulder. “We’ll talk again later.”
Andy and Pamela followed Caroline into the dining room. Hal glanced around the room and found his friends laughing and talking with one another like they hadn’t seen each other in weeks instead of only a few hours in most cases. The concern for each other’s well-being was one of the things he loved about Bloomfield. The people cared about each other and wanted what was best for the town even though they often complained about changes and progress.
A group huddled around Woody, most likely talking to him about the changes he wanted to make in the city hall. The sly old fox may have pulled off the sneakiest trick ever in getting the people of the town
to be concerned and riled up over some proposed improvements. The next week or so until the festival might prove to be some of the most interesting yet since his return to Bloomfield.
At moments like this, his heart swelled with gratitude for his parents and their insisting he keep the family home and not sell it. Yes, moving back to Bloomfield may have been one of the smartest moves he’d made in recent years. Now if only Caroline could trust him again and accept him as a true friend, or more, his life would be complete.
Chapter 13
After the garden club executive committee assembled in the tearoom, Pamela Jasper brought the group to order. Today her nails again sported tiny flowers on each, the petals matching her bright floral top. Even her hair had a dark golden hue to it. She rapped the gavel on the hostess stand serving as a makeshift podium. Her bracelets jangled with each tap of the gavel, and the flowers on her hat trembled.
“We have a very special guest with us today and he’s the reason for this called meeting.” With a broad smile, she turned to Hal. “Welcome, Hal McKenzie. We’re eager to see what you have for us.”
Hal stepped to the front with a length of rolled-up paper in his hands. He held it up as he spoke. “This, dear friends, is a plan to improve the courthouse and expand City Hall while keeping all but a small portion of land and Founder’s Cottage intact. As soon as you ladies approve the plan, I’ll present it to our mayor for his consideration.”
Victoria stood and said, “I’m sure anything you have for us will be a far sight better than the crazy idea Woodrow Hansen has.” She glanced around the room. “Is there a place we can spread out the plans so we can all see them?”
“Libby, if you’ll help me get the cloths off these two tables, we can put them together and gather around it.” Caroline snapped up the vases of flowers from each table and set them aside then grabbed the sugar caddies and salt and pepper shakers.
Best Laid Plans Page 9