Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (8 page)

“It’s
ok
.
It
covers
my
bell-bows.”

Rolling
her
eyes
at
the
mental
picture
of
“bell-bows,”
Aggie
shut
the
door
behind
them,
shivered,
and
went
to
clean
up
her
mess
in
the
kitchen,
hoping
the
water
was
finally
boiling.
She
grew
so
engrossed
in
stirring
the
Jell-O,
pouring
it
into
the
pans,
and
scrubbing
the
cutting
board,
she
didn’t
even
notice
the
song
she
sang.

“I
am
so
telling
Luke
that
I
caught
you
singing
There
Is
a
Fountain
Free
after
hearing
about
his
pipes.
You’re
busted!”
Vannie
laughed
at
what
Aggie
knew
must
be
a
comical
expression
on
her
face.

“K
ind
of
like
his
pipes,
eh?”

Thursday,
November
20
^th

Laird
burst
through
the
door
at
eight-thirty,
calling
her
name.
“Luke’s
outside.
He
can’t
stop,
but
he
thought
you
might—”

She
dodged
the
coffee
table,
rounded
the
couch,
and
stuffed
her
feet
into
the
mud
boots
on
the
porch.
It
took
three
steps
to
realize
they
were
Vannie’s
and
her
heel
hadn’t
made
it
to
the
sole.
Aggie
ignored
the
awkward
lumbering
movements
the
boots
created
and
hurried
to
Luke’s
truck.
She
opened
the
passenger
door
and
crawled
in
the
cab.
“Can
you
circle
the
drive
two
or
three
times
while
you
give
me
an
update?”

She must have said
just
the
right
words,
because
the
tension
filled
expression
on
his
face
softened
a
little.
“I
like
hearing
and
seeing
you
happy
to
see
me,
Mibs.”

“I’ve
been
worried
all
day.
Is
the
damage
better
than
you
thought?”

“Worse,”
he
admitted.
“But
according
to
Laird,
who
got
it
from
Vannie,
you
were
blissfully
unconcerned
about
my
mess
as
you
hummed
about
free
fountains
.
”

“Oh,
I’m
so
gonna
get
them
!
I
made
Vannie
promise
not
to
tell
you.”

Luke
grinned,
turning
back
into
her
driveway.
“That’s
what
Laird
said.
Actually,
I
think
he
said,
‘
I
don’t
know
if
Aunt
Aggie
will
ever
figure
out
that
she
can’t
leave
things
open
ended.
We’re
too
good
for
that.
’
”

“What!”

“Yep.
I
didn’t
bother
to
remind
him
that
I’ve
got
my
resume
in
for
the
job
of
husband
slash
father,
and
he
is
giving
away
all
their
secrets
to
the
‘enemy.’”

Short drives in Luke's truck had an advantage over leisurely chats in her living room—
he
couldn’t
see
her
blush.
“How
long
will
it
take
to
repair
the
damage?
Do
you
have
to
take
it
off
the
market?”

“Yes.
I
called
Amber
so
she
could
cancel
her
showings.
I
won’t
get
it
back
on
the
market
before
the
New
Year
now.
Things
don’t
dry
in
winter
like
they
do
in
warmer
months.”
He
sighed.
“They’ll
deliver
a
rolling
dumpster
tomorrow.”