Love in a Small Town

by Betty Jo Schuler

  "No, but he has decided to renovate first."

  "Good. That gives you time to work on him. If he's smart, he'll stay in Browning and take a wife."

  "You're a schemer," Lily said, smiling. "How's old Bill?"

  "The same, but we're just friends, and at our ages, that's enough. People as old as Bill and I are happy just to see another day, but seeing someone look at you as male or female is a plus." She peeked in the sack Lily brought. Jodie had given her some brownies the day before to bring.

  Instead of taking one, Jenny closed the bag again. "I have something to tell you. I found out by accident--okay, so I was eavesdropping--this place is in the red financially and may have to close."

  Lily gasped. If Jenny was forced out of Country Care, she'd have no place to go, thanks to Lily's carelessness in the kitchen. "What happened?"

  "It could be poor management, but from what I overheard, the administrators think someone's dipping their hands in the till." She wove her thin fingers tightly together. "You got the funding for this place, and I can't stand to think someone may be stealing it."

  "Pilfering money that would leave people with nowhere to go is unforgivable." Lily rose to pace. Her job in nursing home management taught her how to handle the paperwork involved with obtaining funds. She'd had no experience with having them disappear. Jenny looked flushed and Lily pressed her water glass into her hand. After she'd taken a swallow and handed back the glass, Lily leaned forward and took her hand. "Did you hear what's being done about the problem?"

  "They want to have their Springfield accounting firm do a special audit, but if the pilfering is an inside job, that might alert the guilty party they're on to him or her. So they don't know what to do." She squeezed Lily's hand. "If word of this gets out, it will look bad for the town and will work against your campaign to grow Browning."

  That was true, but it wasn't long-term effects they had to deal with now.

  "If this place closes," Jenny fretted, "Margaret, my favorite aide will be out of a job, and so will all the others who are so good to me and the rest of the patients. That reminds me." Jenny reached over to open a drawer in her bedside table. "Today's her day off, but she left this here so you could see Mark and Luke."

  A tiny African American woman with two-year-old great-grandsons who broke the sixty-year, all-girl streak in her family, Margaret entertained Jenny with tales of the twins, and she'd repeated them for Lily until she felt like she knew them.

  Lily's heart melted as she gazed at the picture. The two little boys looked like angels with heads full of dark curls and big brown eyes that shone with impish delight. "They're adorable."

  "They're little devils. She brought them to see me." Jenny tented her fingers and smiled. "They spilled my water and ate all my cookies, but I didn't care. Margaret spends every dime she can spare on them, which isn't much. She's a widow." Jenny's smile faded, and she looked her age for a moment.

  "Listen to me." Lily laid a hand on Jenny's fragile arm. "She won't lose her job. Everything will be okay. Trust me. I'll find a way to save Country Care."

  Lily meant what she said but didn't know how to fulfill her promise. Jenny might have suspected that, but she'd eaten one of the brownies after that, which meant she trusted the friend who'd carelessly set her house on fire.

  Lily mulled the matter over on the way home. She had to do something, and the first step would be to find someone who'd audit the books on the sly. She could set that up if she knew where to find a qualified person. The next step would depend on what they found.

  When she got out of her convertible, she was surprised to find Sam sitting on the front porch in one of two white rockers with striped cushions and a green wrought iron table standing between them. Overwhelmed, she dropped a kiss on top his head. "It's perfect."

  She took the other chair, and he leaned over to kiss her on the lips. "We had a good plan, didn't we?"

  We. She nodded. "The yard looks great too, and that was all your idea."

  He preened like a peacock on steroids. "I have more to do, but it's better."

  "Much." He was really into this homeowner thing, and she was glad. She took a deep breath. "Something's come up, Sam." She told him about the delay on her house. "You may have a houseguest a while longer."

  "No problem." He kissed her hand and smiled broadly. "You can stay as long as you want."

  How about forever? He sounded almost pleased, and she loved the gentle warmth of his mouth on her skin. She enjoyed just sitting on the porch with him. He made everyday things special.

  "I took a break, hoping to see the look on your face." He shifted in his chair and she knew he was getting ready to attack another of the jobs he created for himself.

  She put her hand on his wrist. "There's something else. I visited Jenny today."

  "Lily, could this wait?" Sam tapped the face of her Cinderella watch. "I rented a garden tiller and electric hedge clippers in Richdale, and I have to return them by noon tomorrow. If I don't get busy, I'm not going to finish. Go with me to take them back tomorrow, and we'll talk about Jenny then. Deal?"

  Those bluer-than-blue eyes worked their magic. Country Care wouldn't be affected by one day's wait, and time together would be fun. "Deal."

  After watching him walk away, she dropped her gaze to a magazine he'd left on the table, and chuckled. Home Improvement.

  Sam Whozit was turning into Mr. Fixit, and Lily perceived that as a good sign.

  * * *

  When Lily watched Sam fix breakfast Sunday morning, she'd almost stopped fretting about Country Care. Jenny might have been needlessly alarmed. It was easy to mishear when eavesdropping. Besides, there was nothing Lily could do on Sunday.

  As he deftly flipped an omelet, she admired the rippling of muscles in his sunburned arms. He did everything with the utmost care. She'd watched him the day before--trim a bush, back away, and then snip a little more, repeating this ritual again and again.

  He'd worked until dark the night before and after a beer and a couple of sandwiches, headed for bed, leaving her to the waterfall CD that failed to lull her to sleep. She'd have to try some of the ones she'd gotten in at the shop.

  "Almost ready," he murmured and she looked up to see him garnishing her golden omelet with a lemon slice. He added a sprig of mint from a patch he'd found growing in the yard near the bench, and turning the plate, checked it all the way around. "An orange slice would be better."

  "Do you want me to paint a picture or eat it?"

  "Some appreciation I get." He ran his fingers through his hair.

  "Let me know when you want me to make your appointment at the Pink Poodle," she said, mercilessly.

  "You're awful. You know that?"

  She nodded, laughing, and dug in. "You could be a chef."

  "If all else fails, I might try that."

  She didn't know what he was thinking but afraid of ruining the harmony of the morning, she didn't ask, and after Sam loaded up the equipment to return, they departed in high spirits.

  On the edge of Richdale, Lily excitedly pointed out a long wooden building with playground equipment in the yard. "The Richdale Day Care Center is breaking ground to add on, and it was new just two years ago. They offer preschool classes and take latchkey kids before and after school, and their success is phenomenal."

  Sam craned his neck to take a look. "Day care centers are going in all over the place, including our Phoenix campus, but does Browning have enough children to support a daycare program?"

  Lily told him the numbers she'd come up with from the spring census. "And farmers don't make enough money to support a family nowadays, so their wives work outside the home, plus there are crossroad villages that should bring in kids. I visited this center last spring, learned what sort of grants they obtained to get started, and I've already submitted applications."

  He shot her a surprised glance, and excitement rising, she continued. "The building would have to be multipurpose like I mentioned, but there are enough ki
ds for full-time operation."

  "Its success would depend on location, layout, and good management. Do you have a location in mind?"

  "I've narrowed it down to two, each with its own advantages. The decision would come down to which one we could afford." She described the locations. "I have a brochure with photos of the Richdale Center interior. Their layout might work for us with a couple of minor changes."

  "I'd like to see them and if you could use another opinion, I'll be glad to ride by the locations and take a look."

  "I'd appreciate that." She'd had been fired up over the project, and having Sam express interest made her day, so that even performing such mundane chores as returning lawn equipment failed to dampen her spirits.

  It wasn't until she'd picked up Jenny's favorite cinnamon bread at an Amish bakery that she remembered she hadn't talked to Sam about Country Care. But he was already pulling into a Lowe's parking lot to shop for patio bricks to replace the broken ones.

  It took him forever to find the right color, and she grew impatient, but when they were leaving, he spotted a wooden porch swing and bought it. Lily, picturing them sitting on the porch at night with a full moon lighting the sky, waltzed a few steps in the sales lot while Sam put it in the van. He turned and seeing her, chuckled.

  "I think someone's ready to swing, but I forgot something," he said, and making a trip back inside returned with a manual, The Homeowner's Guide To Repairing Almost Anything.

  The sun was high in the sky by the time they headed back to Browning, stopping on the way to eat Coney dogs at a Quik-Mart. "I meant to take you someplace nicer for lunch, but I got carried away, shopping," Sam said.

  She didn't care where they ate, but she wished he'd lighten up on some things. Pushing the thought from her mind, Lily reveled in the beauty of the day on the drive home. The aroma of Jenny's cinnamon bread wafted through the van, and with the breeze from the open windows ruffling her hair, and Sam whistling under his breath, the only thing that could make the day better was his touch.

  Almost in answer, he rested his hand casually on her knee, giving her a blue-eyed smile that took her breath away. Heaven.

  * * *

  Twenty minutes later, Lily's rapture took a nosedive when Sam, realizing he'd bought the wrong size gidgets to hang the swing, headed for Schube's Corner to see if they had what he needed.

  "I'll bet he was an overachiever in school," Lily said, and Brandy who'd heralded their return with excited barking, seemed to sigh as she nuzzled Lily's hand. "You need to remember. You're my dog, not his."

  Brandy slunk off, leaving Lily to deal with rejection, and since she didn't want to face Jenny without at least one idea for saving Country Care and she hadn't been able to ask Sam's advice yet, Lily set Jenny's bread on the kitchen counter and traipsed upstairs to her computer. She had to find Jack Ryan and Tina Grusinger.

  "Pay dirt," Lily said, when she finally got a hit on the Internet. Five minutes later, she'd found an address for Jack, and he lived just a few hours away. "Evansville, Indiana," she murmured, continuing her search until she found a phone number.

  He answered on the second ring. "This is Lily Madison." She told him about the reunion and explained why she was calling instead of mailing an invitation.

  "I remember you," he said, and she could hear the smile in his voice.

  When she didn't say anything, he chuckled. "I can tell by the pregnant pause you don't remember me. Our paths didn't cross much. You were an honors student, college-bound. I took vocational ed classes, and we were bussed to the school in Brownstown for those. You ran track. I played trumpet."

  Carla played in the band. "I remember now. You're tall, dark, and—"

  "Handsome?" He laughed heartily this time.

  "I was going to say 'slim.'"

  "Skinny and you do remember. I received an invitation to the last reunion, but I was in the middle of… Things have changed, and I've moved since then. Are a lot of class members coming?"

  Middle of a divorce? Stop it, Lily. "Quite a few." Was he wondering about Carla? "Shall I put you down for one or two for the dinner dance?"

  "One. I'll be coming alone."

  Yes! Triumphant, Lily hung up, and wrote "one" by Jack Ryan's name on the reservation list. She wasn't matchmaking, but her fingers were crossed. This reunion could be the best.

  Hearing Sam's van, she turned off the Internet and hurried downstairs. She'd look for Tina later.

  She helped him hang the porch swing, but when he moved on to laying brick instead of swinging, Lily went shopping. She'd removed the dust covers from the furniture and cleaned the windows, but she owed him for letting her stay with him, and since she would be forced to stay longer, she was going to brighten his home.

  He'd like it when she was finished, she hoped.

  Lily could remember when Browning stores closed all day Sunday, but they'd joined the rest of the world by the time she came back to the town where she'd grown up.

  She liked to buy locally and was thrilled to find everything she had in mind. She bought yellow canvas chairs for the back porch, brightly printed throw pillows for every room, and crisp white eyelet-trimmed valances to replace the yellowing kitchen and bathroom curtains—all at Dollar Discount. She found red geraniums for both porches at Schube's Corner and some rag rugs. She had other ideas, but it was his house, and she thought she'd better test the waters a little at a time.

  She could use the stuff at her place later, if Sam went through with selling, but her goal was to make it a home he wouldn't want to leave.

  She dumped her packages in the house and went outside where she found him on the brick patio, dousing the cracks with weed killer. He'd taken off his tee shirt, and she was struck by the broadness of his chest and the rippling muscles in his back and arms. A fine line of dark hair crossed his chest and made its way down the middle into the damp waistband of his dark shorts. Sweat lent a sheen to his body.

  Lily stood awestruck. He was a beautiful male specimen; at least, what she could see of him was, and she'd bet the rest of him wasn't bad. She watched as he wielded a trowel, dislodging a dandelion with six-inch roots from the middle of a rose bed.

  Apparently sensing her presence, at last, he looked up to give her an endearing grin. "I could use a swim about now," he said, rubbing the sweat from his forehead with the back of his arm.

  "So that's how you got those muscles."

  "I also work out with weights." He bent his arms to display a pair of grimy, sweaty biceps.

  "Very nice." Lily walked closer, pretending to examine them. "The condos where you live must offer a lot of conveniences."

  Sam shrugged, an apparent end to the small talk. "Do we have anything cold to drink?"

  "I'll make some lemonade and you can take a break."

  He nodded, but when she returned with a glass, he downed it in three swallows. "You call that a break?" she asked.

  "Lots to do." He tugged a strand of her hair gently. "And that drink refreshed me." He beamed her a toe-curling smile. "Thanks, Lily."

  Overachiever or not, she loved having Sam around.

  Chapter Ten

  Sam worked until dark and then grilled steaks. After eating, they sat on the front porch and watched fireflies do their flickering dance in the night sky. His body ached, but a shower had left him temporarily refreshed. The guy at Schube's was mistaken. Lily was a lady, and she savored her beef filet just as she had the rotisserie chicken. She loved and enjoyed everything, making her easy to be with.

  "This is nice," she said.

  Better than nice. They sat in the porch swing, swaying gently, his arm around her. She felt soft and warm and smelled like heaven. He smothered a yawn, thinking how good it felt to be physically tired from using his body to accomplish something tangible. On the outside, his place was beginning to take on the impressive appearance it deserved. He was eager to start work inside, but the way he felt, might not be able to get out of bed in the morning.

  "Sam?"


  He squeezed Lily's shoulder to let her know he was listening, and she told him about finding the guy she'd been searching for--Jack Ryan. "He's coming to the reunion."

  Sam didn't remember Jack, but she seemed to have placed him and thought Carla might be thrilled, for some reason. When she mentioned how soon the event was coming up, he realized with a start he'd put off something he should have done before now. The most beautiful girl in his senior class was sitting next to him, he was going to be in Browning for the reunion, and he wanted her to be his date. "I…thanks for the invitation."

  He'd never felt comfortable, laying himself open to acceptance, or rejection. Feeling like an outsider at high schools he'd attended, he seldom asked girls for dates. He'd challenge one to a round of tennis or offer to pick one up for a basketball game or movie, acting as if it was a casual, spur-of-the-moment invitation. With Elizabeth, it started the same way, but she'd grabbed the initiative, making their relationship easy. So easy, he'd stayed in it, even when he knew it wasn't going anywhere.

  He swallowed again and started low key. "I missed a lot of simple pleasures, growing up. Sitting in a porch swing. Hanging out with a crowd. Going to dances. I blamed it on moving so often, but part of it was my own fault. I guess I was shy."

  Lily smiled and he thought how lovely she'd become. In high school, she was pretty. Now, she took his breath away. He tightened his arm around her. "I wanted to ask you to the senior prom, but you wouldn't even look at me."

  She laid her hand on his thigh. "I wish it had been different."

  Sam swallowed hard. Why couldn't he let Lily know it was important to him? "I…we…" He touched her face and whispered. "We can't go back, but we can go forward. I'd love to…would you…be my date for the class reunion?"

  She looked up at him, and he nearly drowned in her eyes. They were so green, so clear, and inviting.

  She gave him a tender smile. "Yes."