“If you want to talk to Addie Pearl,” Bailey said, “then you’re going to need those hiking shoes.” She motioned through the clearing of trees directly behind the house. “She’s down with the sheep.”
Hannah strained to see where Bailey was pointing, but from where she stood, all she could make out was thin air.
“Yeah,” Jake began, “my dad is—”
“Oh, you can’t see her,” Bailey broke in, talking over Jake. “But she texted me when we were driving up to say she was heading down to look at the old well we found, so I wouldn’t wonder where she was.” She sent Jake a quick look that Hannah couldn’t interpret, but Jake just shrugged and nodded at her and Hannah, agreeing with Bailey’s assessment.
Hannah sensed the undercurrent but couldn’t have said what they were up to. They looked as innocent and earnest as church mice at the moment. “Well, I don’t want to get in the way,” she replied instead, knowing if it mattered, she’d figure it out at some point. “Looks like she has her hands full.”
Bailey sighed briefly and shook her head in resignation. She looked at Jake and said, “Adults. Always making things so complicated.” She arched her eyebrows in a knowing look and added, “Where have we seen this before?”
Jake let out a small, surprised burst of laughter at that, then blushed bright pink as his gaze whipped apologetically to Hannah.
All of which baffled Hannah completely. Clearly she’d been right that there was a very specific secondary plot thread running through this little tableau, one that Hannah was not privy to, but that didn’t matter.
Bailey jogged over to the front porch and up the steps, propping up the lid of a big storage chest. She fished around inside for a minute, then came out with a beat-up pair of boots. She grabbed one of the many walking sticks that had been jammed into a beautiful, hand-thrown glazed umbrella stand that filled the space between the bin and the front door.
Bailey trotted back to Hannah. “These should work.” She held out the boots and leaned the walking stick against the Jeep. “Addie would be upset if she thought you’d left without talking to her. You could leave the poster up here.” Bailey flashed a sudden, wide grin, and it so completely transformed her usually serious, study-the-world face, that it made Hannah almost catch her breath. “Besides, if you think my goat babies are cute, wait until you see my lamb babies.”
Hannah’s heart started to lean, even as her head warned her not to get more involved. “That’s really kind of you,” she began, but Bailey took off again before Hannah could say more.
“Be right back,” Bailey called over her shoulder. “You’re going to need socks.”
As Bailey disappeared into the cabin, Hannah just stood there staring, wondering when, exactly, she’d lost the ability to control her own life.
“She means well,” Jake said, as the screen door slapped shut behind Bailey. “If you really don’t have the time, I can give Addie the poster. I know enough about the event from talking to Avery and Miss Vivienne. I’m pretty sure I could get the gist of it across. You could call her later, if you want. I have her cell number if you need it. I know she’d like to talk to you anyway. She’s been saying how much she wants to come out and see more of the place. She’s super proud of what you all are doing out there. I’ve heard her mention it more than once to folks at the guild. She said you mentioned maybe selling some of the lavender things you’re making at the mill.” He smiled encouragingly. “That would really be great if it works out. The guild is like a big family to her and she’d want you all to be part of it so you feel like you really belong here.”
“Oh,” Hannah said, feeling a bit chastened, though she knew that hadn’t been his intent. “That’s truly nice to hear. That’s our plan, too. And I’d love to show her around the farm. I’ve been wanting to invite her out. I’ve been wanting to invite a lot of people out,” she added with a laugh. “I can’t believe how many folks I’ve come to know in such a short period of time. I just kept thinking we weren’t ready for company yet.”
“Oh, Addie wouldn’t mind about the construction,” Jake said. “Nobody would. In fact, you’d probably find yourself with more help than you need.”
“Oh, I would never presume—”
“Folks out here don’t expect anything in return. We all need help from time to time. Snow needs to be plowed, something needs fixing, someone needs a few meals cooked if they’ve been sick or in the hospital. There’s always plenty of chances to repay a kindness.” He shrugged. “It’s how we all get along.”
Truly abashed now, Hannah nodded. “I think that’s pretty much the loveliest thing I’ve ever heard. I’ve already fallen in love with Blue Hollow Falls, but if any part of me had still been on the fence, that would have pushed me over.”
Jake beamed, nodded, and Hannah thought she saw a little bit of a crush forming. It was sweet, more than anything, but it did make her redouble her resolve to step back, put a bit more space between her and the McCall men.
She knew Jake was telling her the truth regarding the people in the Falls, though. Vivi, Avery, and Chey had all made multiple comments on how everyone they’d met had been so kind and generous. Six months in and Hannah still hadn’t gotten used to such genuine warmth. Not that there weren’t nice people—lots of them—back where she’d lived in Alexandria. The city was just an entirely different pace, with different energy. Everyone was in a rush, hurrying here or dashing off there. Folks didn’t stop to talk like they did out here in the mountains.
If a passing acquaintance in the city asked how you were doing, it was usually just a polite gesture. Out here, folks waited for you to honestly respond. Could be you’d met them once, maybe just a wave and a nod, but a simple “fine, and you?” wouldn’t suffice. And everyone said hello, whether they knew you or not. Hannah hadn’t realized how isolated city life was, despite constantly being in places packed with people. She’d typically gone about her day without truly interacting with any of them. Other than a polite “please” or “thank you” when shopping or running errands, people didn’t even really acknowledge each other. She hadn’t ever thought of it as being unfriendly; it was just how life was.
Not in Blue Hollow Falls. Out here where the entire population amounted to fewer people than typically worked in a single high-rise in DC, she’d found herself in constant contact and conversation. Everyone greeted her like a friend she just hadn’t met yet. Hannah had discovered she liked that. A lot, in fact. But it had taken some getting used to. She was one of those very folks who’d always rushed around, trying to get more done in less time. Stopping to talk with every person she encountered took a lot of time. It was lovely, was so kind, but boy it could take a chunk out of a person’s day.
Now she found she wasn’t in such a hurry anymore. And she was the one stopping to chat, asking sincere questions and waiting for the answers. She really wanted to know how Anna, the postal clerk at the Falls’ lone post office, was coping now that her only daughter was old enough to go to sleepaway camp, and whether or not the Jenkins family was going to get their cidery open in the fall. And somehow, she still managed to get the things done that needed doing and felt a lot less stressed while doing it.
“Truth is, they’re nosey,” Jake offered with a grin. “Everyone is dying to see what you all are doing out there with the old March place. Folks are truly happy you’re turning it into something special. I don’t even remember anyone living there, not since I’ve been here, and that’s most of my life. All of it that I can remember, anyway.”
Hannah was tempted to ask him about his life before moving to the Falls, but that wouldn’t help with that whole “putting some distance between her and the McCall men” thing she’d just decided was for the best not five minutes ago. Of course, she’d be lying if she said she hadn’t kept her ear a bit more finely tuned when she was running errands, in the hope she’d pick up some tidbit of information about either McCall. She’d even shamelessly worked mention of Will into a conversation here and
there, commenting on the great work he was doing at the farmhouse, hoping maybe that would prompt some revelation about his past. Unsurprisingly, she’d heard nothing but praise for his work, and many wonderful comments about Jake. But every time the conversation started to take a turn toward something a bit more personal, someone would invariably interrupt, or the person she was talking to would get called away, leaving her even more curious than before.
“Here you go,” Bailey said, breathless from her dash back across the yard. “I texted Addie and told her we were on our way down. Made her happy.”
Hannah took the socks, and looked again at the hiking boots, and thought, well, you can start distancing yourself tomorrow. She really did want to talk to Addie about the mill and her desire to sell her own work. She’d already started making a mental list of the places she was dying to sketch. The more she thought about it, the more excited she’d become. She’d loved being an illustrator, but the joy she’d taken in it had changed after the accident. She was glad she’d found her way through to the end of her contract, and the work had been cathartic in many ways. But she’d been content to leave that part of her life behind when she’d packed up and left Alexandria. It had been the right time to make that change, along with all the rest of the life changes she was making. But she never intended to leave painting or sketching behind. This would be the perfect way to keep her true passion alive and maybe pay the bills while she was at it.
“Fabulous,” Bailey said a few minutes later, when Hannah had finished lacing up the calf-high boots.
“They feel pretty good, actually,” Hannah said, surprised, considering they looked like army boots. She looked at Bailey and Jake. “Maybe I’ve been shopping in the wrong part of the store all along.” She did a little turn, letting the hem of her long cotton skirt swirl around the top edges of the boots. “I’m sure this will be trending in no time.”
“I think you look great,” Jake said, then blushed again when Bailey rolled her eyes and he realized he might have sounded a bit too gushy.
“Thanks, Jake,” Hannah said kindly, remembering her own schoolgirl crush on her high school science teacher all too well—knowing it was silly and obviously destined to be unrequited, but crushing nonetheless. Yet another reason it would be smart for her to nip things in the bud.
Bailey led the way and Hannah was proud of herself for making it all the way down the entire rocky, rutted, and very steep trail without landing on her fanny, or worse, even once. Mostly due to the fact that she’d spent the entire descent silently freaking out about her ability to make it back topside again, without benefit of tow rope. Or crane. By the time they reached the bottom, she’d already come up with a plan to tell them all to go on back up without her, and claim she was going to take her time climbing up so she could take some photos, do some plant research for Avery, plan some future illustrations, or some such. A few hours to make it up the half-mile incline should do it. Maybe.
“Welcome,” Addie Pearl called out as they cleared the last of the tall pines and stepped out into an incredibly bucolic, little high-mountain pasture.
“Oh,” she gasped, stopping right in her tracks as the vista spread out before her. “Just when I think it can’t get any more spectacular,” she said on a hushed, almost reverent whisper. The pretty little meadow was framed with tall pines and cedars on either side, not more than a few acres deep and wide, and lined in the distance with a rocky outcropping, before the mountain slope continued its steep descent toward the valley below. She wondered if she walked to the tumble of boulders at the far edge of the field, whether she could spy the Hawksbill River wending its crooked way through the valley floor, maybe see the sun glinting off its surface at every horseshoe-shaped curve. From where she stood, the mountains rising up again on the far side of the valley provided a spectacular backdrop to the vista, with blue skies above.
She had to curl her fingers into her palm against the itch to grab a sketch pad right then, and her watercolors, wondering if she could capture even a hint of the majestic beauty before her. But oh, she wanted to try.
Hannah managed to pull her gaze away as Addie made her way over to her. “How do you ever get anything done besides staring at that all day?” Hannah asked her, then took Addie’s proffered hand in a quick shake.
“I’d like to say you get used to it after a bit, but that wouldn’t be true,” Addie Pearl said. “I’ve spent many an hour pondering that landscape and my place in it. Puts the world in perspective.” She smiled. “I call it time well spent.”
“I’d have to agree,” Hannah replied. “I haven’t had time to paint a single thing since coming here, but I’ve a number of views in mind when the time does come.” She looked at Addie. “In fact, that was something I wanted to talk to you about. But first, would you mind very much if I came down here from time to time, different seasons perhaps, or times of day? I know I couldn’t do it justice.” She turned and looked out across the valley again. “But I’d sure like the opportunity to try.”
Addie Pearl’s lips curved to a very satisfied grin. “Any time. All the time you want. Don’t bother calling ahead. Just come when the spirit moves you.” She leaned closer. “Those are always the best times.”
“Be careful what you offer,” Hannah told her with a grin. “You might find me down here living out of a tent.”
Addie hooted at that. “Well, if you don’t mind watering and feeding a few sheep while you’re at it, we might just have a deal.”
Hannah laughed with her. “I’ve heard a lot about these sheep. Can I see them?”
“I imagine you’ll do more than that,” Addie said. “You didn’t think Bailey would drag you all the way down here and let you get off without feeding a lamb or two, did you?”
Hannah’s heart melted. “Could I?”
“Of course! We’re working on restoring an old well I uncovered when the kids and I were cutting some willow for one of the Bluebirds to use for a basket weave idea she had. All these years, never knew it was there.” Addie grinned. “Buried treasure.”
She knew the Bluebirds were what folks called the members of the guild. “I’ll say. Is it still functional?”
“Seems like.” Addie turned and Hannah finally pulled her gaze away from the vista and looked to see where Addie was pointing.
“Will,” Hannah said, stopping, surprised to see him there.
He didn’t hear her, of course. He was a good thirty or forty yards away, working on the small, stacked stone well. It was right at the tree line, in the shadow of the mountain face soaring overhead, so it wasn’t that surprising she’d missed him. But still, as much as she’d thought about him in the past week, shouldn’t she have felt him nearby? Or something?
“Yes,” Addie said, glancing from Hannah to Will, then pausing and looking back to Hannah again. “He’s just started doing some work on that old thing and it already looks better than I thought it could.”
“I know, he does beautiful work,” Hannah said, the tiniest rasp tinging the words. She managed to pull her gaze away from Will, only to discover a speculative look in Addie Pearl’s unusual lavender-colored eyes. Hannah had no idea what Addie had seen in Hannah’s expression. Longing, perhaps . Abject desire. Unbridled lust? And not just because the T-shirt Will had on today was plastered to his torso like a second skin. At least you managed to keep yourself from panting and drooling. Barely.
“Hannah,” Bailey called out, “come on over and see!”
Hannah wasn’t ashamed to admit her relief at being saved from having to say anything about . . . well, anything. She looked over to see Bailey standing by the open door of a small stone building that was just beyond a fenced-in paddock. “Coming,” she called back. She looked at Addie Pearl. “I wanted to talk to you about the guild, and Seth said you might be willing to post the notice for our upcoming community event at Lavender Blue.”
Addie nodded. “Definitely. Seth already mentioned it to me. Great idea, you two teaming up,” she added. Her en
thusiasm was sincere, but those eyes of hers didn’t lose an ounce of their penetrating power. “You go on and play with Bailey’s wee lambs, then come on up and join us for supper. We can chat about all the things you’ve got on your mind.”
“Oh, I couldn’t put you out,” Hannah said, knowing for absolute certain now that the last thing she needed was more up close and personal time with either of the McCall men. Not with Addie now eagle-eyeing her every reaction to Will. “But it’s very kind of you to offer. When you can find the time, why don’t you come on out to the farm. I’d love to give you the full tour. Such as it is, at this point,” Hannah added with a laugh. “I’d really like a chance to talk to you in more detail about some of our ideas for products and what would be the best way to handle getting a space at the mill. We’re definitely interested in applying to become guild members, if you’ll have us. And I’d like to talk to you about maybe selling some of my own work there. I’d be willing to demonstrate or give classes. I’ve been there numerous times now and I just love the place. Very inspiring to be in a place with so much creative talent.”
Addie laid her hands on Hannah’s forearms and squeezed. “A hearty yes to all of that. I’m so pleased to hear it. Now I really must insist you stay for dinner.”
“Oh, I—”
“If you don’t have other plans, this would truly suit my schedule perfectly,” Addie said. “I’ve got so much going on, what with getting the amphitheater ready for its big opening, I’m afraid my time is pretty full. Stay and have a bite and we’ll get it all sorted out before sunset. Good?”
Hannah could only nod. “Good,” she said. “Great,” she added with a smile that wasn’t entirely sincere. Still, she was truly appreciative of the offer, and she knew Vivi and Avery especially would be thrilled to get this all sorted out so quickly. Her gaze trailed over to Will, who was in the middle of lifting a large, flat piece of stone, which had the effect of bunching and rippling every last muscle he had in his back and shoulders. And there were so, so many of them.
Lavender Blue Page 9