The Way Forward

by Eliana West

  “A man?”

  “Okay, missy, you’ve got the gender pronouns down.”

  “Just trying to help.” Mae shrugged.

  And that was the essence of Mae, she was a fixer at heart.

  “The thing is, what other prospects do you have? Let’s face it, you haven’t met anyone else you’ve been attracted to as much as Dax in a long time.”

  Mae had a point. The few people her age drove to Greenwood or Jackson to hang out at a bar or go to a club, but that wasn’t Callie’s scene. She hated loud, crowded places with overly confident guys trying out bad pick-up lines. Lately the person she was interested in getting to know better was the person she avoided for so long.

  “Don’t try to distract me from talking about whatever that was that happened between you and Jacob. I’ve never seen you lose your cool like that. You better hope your mama doesn’t hear about you sticking your tongue out, acting like a child.”

  “We finally get a man who is sex on a stick living in this sleepy little town, and he turns out to be so stubborn.”

  “Um, pot meet kettle.”

  “It’s different when I’m stubborn.”

  “How is it any different?”

  “I don’t know; it just is.”

  “That’s not fair, Mae. Jacob has been wonderful about helping out, and he’s doing a great job. The store is going to be ready much sooner than I could have hoped.”

  Mae looked down, her cheeks turning a deep shade of pink. “I just want to help, to be productive instead of sitting behind a desk. Senator Weems is a good man but he’s a unicorn, a Democrat in Mississippi, and we can’t accomplish anything. I just want to feel like I’m making a difference.” She spread her hands wide. “I thought Jacob and I would work well together. I had a picture in my head that didn’t match the reality.”

  “Maybe you should try a different approach,” Callie offered.

  “Okay, I admit I can be a bull in a china shop.”

  “I wish I had your gumption.”

  Mae raised her eyebrows. “Gumption? What are we, in a Katharine Hepburn movie?”

  “You know how much I love Katharine Hepburn, but I love you more and I want you to be happy.”

  “We both deserve to be happy and settled in our lives. I want us to be the moms sitting on the steps of the gazebo while our kids play in the park.” Mae pointed to where a similar scene unfolded across the street. “Well, you’ll be the mom. I’ll be the cool auntie.” She grinned.

  They moved toward the window and watched the three little boys and two girls running in circles around the gazebo while their mothers sat on the steps, chatting. “They do remind me of us,” Callie said wistfully, pointing to the two little girls covered in dirt and grass stains who were grinning at each other while holding hands and skipping around the gazebo.

  Callie had no right to tease Mae about being stubborn.

  Chapter Twelve

  “If you keep going, you’re going to pound it through to the other side,” Jacob said.

  Dax and Jacob were working on the second floor of the building all week. Jacob helped out whenever he wasn’t working on the bookstore for Callie. Working together they managed to cut the to-do list in half in less than a month, but today Dax was attacking the work, his hammer thundering against the wall.

  “What’s got you so worked up anyway?” Jacob asked.

  “This building, my mother, Callie…everything I guess,” Dax answered. There were no rules for being attracted to the girl you used to bully, and no book on how to win her over either. If there were, Dax would have checked it out of the library just so he’d have an excuse to see Callie again.

  The hammer suddenly slipped and Dax let out a string of curse words as he hopped around on one foot.

  “Why don’t you take a break?” Jacob suggested.

  Dax looked up at the tangle of exposed wires and wooden support beams, finally ready to admit he was in over his head with…everything. Sam had come by as promised and installed a new electrical panel and he would be back to help install fixtures and outlets once they had the drywall up.

  “We need another person to help with the framing,” he muttered.

  “And a plumber and another carpenter.” Jacob ticked the trades off on his fingers. “But that’s not what’s bothering you.”

  Dax slid down the wall to the floor, resting his hands on his knees.

  “I want to ask Callie on a date but I don’t know if she would agree to that.”

  “Time. You’ve got to give her time to see you as a potential boyfriend instead of a bully.”

  “I don’t know if I’m ever going to be able to convince anyone around here of that. My mother isn’t helping things either.”

  “You’re twisting yourself into knots trying to show everyone around here that you’re not the same as when you left. Give it time.”

  Dax couldn’t shake the feeling that without having Callie as a part of his life, his homecoming wouldn’t be complete; he wouldn’t be complete.

  Jacob stood and held his hammer out to him. “Come on, the sooner we get the work done the sooner we can move in. I don’t mind your uncle’s cabin, but I’m ready to settle in for the long haul.”

  Dax took the hammer and pulled himself up. “Thanks, man, I couldn’t have done this without you.” They were making good progress on the building. The solar panels were going up on the roof in the next week, and it wouldn’t be too much longer before both he and Jacob could move in.

  “I do like Callie, though,” Jacob said. “She’s smart, kind, beautiful.” At Dax’s frown Jacob held up his hands. “I’m not interested in her. It’s just that you two do have a lot in common. You both love this town. You both feel like outsiders.”

  “That’s enough analyzing me. So what about you? When are you going to find someone who’s good for you?”

  “Nope. I’m not interested in taking care of anyone anymore, and I don’t want anyone thinking they have to take care of me. I’m happy just as I am.”

  “Never say never, my friend—did you ever think you’d be putting down roots in a small town?”

  Jacob laughed. “The crazy thing is, I like it here.” His gaze roamed over the loft. “I can see myself being happy here. This is a place I can call home, and I haven’t had that in a very long time.”

  “I never thought I’d hear you say something like that.”

  Jacob shrugged. “Honestly, neither did I.”

  “I thought I knew what I was doing coming home, but I’ve never been so…unsure of myself. It’s been over a month and I still have no clue what I’m doing. I just want to get it right.”

  “You’re doing fine, Dax. As much as I like it here, I won’t lie, this little town, isn’t perfect. And your mom, well…she’s a piece of work that’s for sure, but you’re trying to figure it out and you have good intentions.”

  “Can you let Callie know that?” Dax gave his friend a wry smile.

  “You think she doesn’t see that you’re trying? Come on, Dax, think about it: you bullied her every summer, then you’re gone for years and when you come back, you’re trying to kill her with kindness. It’s a little Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde don’t you think?”

  “I’m not that bad, am I?” Dax wandered over to the window overlooking the park and the library.

  “You could just ask her out on a date,” Jacob said, coming to stand beside him.

  “I have a hard time believing she would say yes.”

  “You’re so hard on yourself.”

  “And you’re not?” Dax shot back only to be met with a raised finger from his friend. “Thought so.” He smirked.

  A movement caught his eye and he craned his neck to watch Callie step out onto the sidewalk with a young boy carrying a stack of books. She leaned over to say something and laughed with his mother for a moment before kneeling and giving the boy a hug. He’d heard of women saying they wanted children so bad their ovaries hurt—what was the equivalent for men? Wanting a kid
so bad your balls hurt? Whatever it was, Dax realized he was ready to settle down in more ways than just moving home. He was ready for a family of his own.

  Callie stood and waved as the mother and son made their way down the sidewalk. He started to wave and then let his hand fall back to his side. He didn’t want to look too eager.

  “I give up,” Jacob muttered at his side.

  “What am I supposed to do?” Dax growled.

  “Just ask her out already.” Jacob threw up his hands and walked away.

  A minute later the buzz of the generator filled the air and the steady thump of the nail gun picked up again.

  Dax caught sight of a flash of yellow, and looked up to find Callie standing in the doorway. She was wearing a yellow dress with ruffles that caressed her shoulders. The afternoon light gave her skin a warm, golden glow. Her gaze swept the room, coming to rest on him. He took a step toward her and nearly tripped over a two-by-four. Fortunately, he caught himself before he fell.

  Dax gave Callie a sheepish look. “It’s one of those days.”

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have interrupted you,” she said.

  “No, it’s fine,” he said.

  “I…I was hoping you could help me.” Her eyes darted toward Jacob. “Could I talk to you for just a minute?”

  “I need to check on something,” Jacob said with a sly smile as he backed out of the room.

  She took a step into the room and then another, stopped, and turned in a slow circle. “You’ve made a lot of progress.”

  Dax tried to slow the beating of his heart back to a normal rate, but his excitement at having Callie on his doorstep couldn’t be contained. He moved closer, making sure to avoid any more obstacles that might make him fall flat on his face. “What can I help you with?” he asked, knowing that whatever she needed, he would figure out a way to give it to her.

  “The fire truck is going to be delivered later today and I was wondering…” She glanced past his shoulder. “I thought you might have a view of the firehouse and maybe I could watch the delivery from here.”

  “Don’t you want to be at the firehouse?”

  “It’s an anonymous gift.”

  “Ah.”

  “It might look suspicious if I just happened to be standing in front of the station when a new fire truck is delivered.”

  Dax nodded. “You’re right.” He gestured toward one of the windows on the other wall. “You should have a good view from this side.”

  She followed him over and they both peered out of the large arched window that overlooked the opposite corner of the park. The light filtering through her curls created a golden halo. He leaned forward just enough to catch her scent. He didn’t know anything about flowers, but she smelled like sunshine.

  “You were right—you can see everything.” Callie put her hand against the glass and wiped away a small circle of dust. She peered out and turned to Dax with a shy smile. “This is perfect. Are you sure you don’t mind if I come back and watch from here?”

  The leaves outside twisted and turned in the soft breeze just like his heart. “Please come back.” Dax winced. He sounded as if he was begging. “I don’t want you to miss this moment. Nate is going to be really happy. You did a nice thing, Callie.”

  Pink spread over her cheeks. “Thank you.”

  “What time is the delivery?” he asked walking her back downstairs.

  “In about two hours, late afternoon they said.”

  “Great, just come on up when you’re ready, no need to knock.”

  Callie nodded and Dax watched as she made her way back across the park to the library. She stopped to smell one of the roses surrounding the gazebo on the way, her slender hand carefully cupping the blossom. Dax couldn’t help grinning when he met Jacob on the second floor.

  “Is it a date?” Jacob asked.

  “Do me a favor? Clean up as much as you can upstairs. I’ve got an errand to run and then, Jacob—can you make yourself scarce later today?”

  Jacob broke into a grin.

  “Don’t, okay. Just don’t,” Dax warned.

  With a quick salute Jacob headed back upstairs. It’s not a date, Dax reminded himself over and over again while making the quick drive to the grocery store for the supplies he needed. That didn’t mean he couldn’t try to make a good impression. If he could get through this without making an ass out of himself, he might have a shot at asking Callie out on a real date. He made one more stop at Uncle Robert’s, thankful that he could quickly grab what he needed and disappear before his uncle returned. Dax could put up with Jacob giving him a hard time, but that was his limit. He didn’t need Uncle Robert to join in the ribbing.

  True to his word, Jacob was nowhere to be found when Dax returned to the Barton Building. He took the stairs two at a time, arriving on the top floor out of breath. Jacob had stacked the lumber in the corner and swept all of the sawdust. The tools were all put off to one side with the extension cords coiled neatly in a pile. He pulled out his phone and sent a quick text.

  Thanks, I owe you one.

  His phone chimed a second later.

  Yes, you do. Whatever it is you’re up to, I hope it ends well.

  Dax checked his watch. He had just enough time to get everything ready. He kept his eye out for Callie while he worked and when he saw a flutter of yellow heading toward the building he raced back downstairs, reaching the door just before Callie did.

  He opened the door for her just as a slight breeze lifted one of the ruffles off her shoulder and his mind went blank.

  Callie looked up at him without any fear in her gray eyes. “Thank you again for letting me watch from upstairs. The trucking company called. He should be pulling up in about fifteen minutes.”

  He realized he was blocking the entrance and jumped aside to let her in. “Come on in.”

  “Thanks again for letting me watch from here.”

  “It’s no trouble. I want to do nice things for you. I mean, I just wanted to make it nice for you.” He gave himself a mental kick. “I’ll stop talking now.”

  They reached the top floor and he stood to the side to let Callie in. The late afternoon sunlight streaming through the windows reinforced why Dax wanted to make the top floor his home. Even though the floorboards were still covered with a light film of dust, they showed their potential and the exposed brick walls glowed red, russet, and brown. Dax hung back, watching Callie make her way toward the window and put her hand on the glass.

  “You cleaned all of the windows,” she exclaimed, stopping short when she noticed the makeshift table he’d made from sawhorses and a sheet of plywood. “Did you do this for me?”

  “I wanted you to be able to see the look on Nate’s face when the truck arrived,” he said gesturing toward the binoculars on the table.

  She picked up the bottle of champagne and looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

  “Just because it’s an anonymous gift doesn’t mean you shouldn’t celebrate.”

  “Thank you, this is really thoughtful.”

  “Would it be okay if I watched with you?”

  Callie scooted over to make room. “No, I don’t mind at all.”

  Dax perched on the windowsill across from her and they both looked out the window waiting for the truck to arrive.

  A few minutes later he caught a flash of red outside the window. “The truck is coming,” he said, thankful for an excuse to change the subject.

  He reached above her and opened the large casement window; the hinges groaned in protest as it swung open. Dax handed her the binoculars.

  “It just pulled up to the firehouse,” she exclaimed.

  Callie looked at him; her eyes shining with excitement. She leaned a little too far out in her eagerness to see what was happening, and Dax grabbed her around the waist to steady her. “Careful,” he said.

  “He just came out,” she continued her play-by-play in an excited whisper. “He’s shaking his head and now the driver is giving him the letter.”
>
  “Letter?”

  “I wrote a letter saying the truck is from a donor, the family of a former fireman who started a foundation to help underfunded small-town fire departments. Oh look, the driver is taking it off the truck,” she exclaimed.

  Her excitement was infectious; from their viewpoint Dax could see that Hank and Sam had joined Nate. They were smiling and slapping Nate on the back. A small crowd formed around the station as the truck was unloaded. The Jewels were there along with Uncle Robert and Jacob. Tillie, with her apron on, stood in front of the café, nodding her head with approval. When the delivery driver handed the keys to Nate a small cheer went up from the crowd. Dax noticed Nate wipe his eyes. Callie pulled the binoculars away to wipe her own eyes.

  “He’s so happy.”

  The look of joy on Callie’s face matched Nate’s.

  She was more cautious than shy, he realized. There was a quiet confidence about her. Callie had grown into a woman of beauty and grace. Her inner qualities attracted him as much as her outer beauty.

  “How many anonymous donations have you made?” he asked, taking advantage of her distraction while she continued to watch Nate show off the new truck to the town folk that gathered around.

  “Well, I buy all the books for the library of course—that’s not a donation really—and the school didn’t have any computers,” she said distractedly, craning her neck out the window. “What the town really needs is a doctor. The clinic’s been closed for a year now. Greenwood isn’t far, but it would be better to have a clinic here for emergencies. I’ve been trying to figure out a way to get another fireman hired, and an EMT who could work with Nate, so he wouldn’t have to rely on volunteers. But I can’t donate that, and the town council won’t approve the funds.”

  Dax had made his own donation to thank Nate after he came and did a safety inspection on the building and made suggestions on improvements. “Do they have money in the budget?”

  Callie wrinkled her nose. “They have enough money to do whatever your mother wants done.” She lowered the binoculars and looked at him. “Sorry.”

  “Don’t be. It’s embarrassing, the way she behaves. It’s…wrong.”