A Wedding in Apple Grove (3 page)

Meg stared at Dan and noticed the tinge of pink on his cheeks.
Was
he
embarrassed?
It made him all the more human in her eyes. Unable to help herself, she gave in to the overwhelming need to tease. “I have a feeling he'll get on famously with his students—especially the troublesome female ones. Won't you, Dan?”

The sidelong look he cast her way had her fighting to hold back a bubble of laughter. Fifteen minutes in the man's company and she felt more alive than she had in months. Deciding to give the poor man a break, she urged, “Why don't you tell your aunt how we met? I'm sure she'd find it humorous.”

Dan's jaw clenched, and Meg wondered if she'd gone too far. Once she started to tease, it was hard to stop.

He drew in a deep breath and rumbled, “Meg was walking on top of the fence and was about to fall off when I came along. I caught her.”

Miss Trudi turned toward Meg. “Really? How providential. Did you get hurt?”

“Not a scratch.” Dan frowned and flicked a glance at Meg. “But if I'd gotten there just a few seconds later, she would have done a header off the fence and knocked herself unconscious.”

It was Meg's turn to frown. “I wouldn't have fallen if he hadn't scared the crap out of me.”

“Watch your language around Miss Trudi,” came a gruff voice from behind them.

Damn, she'd done it again, and after she'd been doing so well lately. It would have to be Sheriff Wallace catching her backsliding into her old habits. Sometimes the eight-year difference in their ages felt like two… and other times…
“Sorry, Mitch,” she answered without missing a beat. She'd been on the wrong side of the man more than once growing up. The last time had been her wake-up call that she wasn't immortal.

The memory of having been caught and, worse—having to be rescued a third time—made her face burn with embarrassment. The sheriff had seemed like a god to her youthful imagination the time he'd climbed up the water tower and reached out his broad-palmed hand to grasp hers, pulling her to safety. She owed the man her life. Since she hadn't come up with a way to repay the favor, the very least she could do was listen to him.

“Sorry, Miss Trudi.” And she was. She liked Miss Philo; she just got carried away every once in awhile and forgot about her colorful language. In her defense, she'd learned most of it working alongside her father.

“Mitch,” Meg said, “this is Dan Eagan, he just moved to Apple Grove.”

“He'll be coaching our soccer team and teaching physical education,” Miss Trudi added.

The sheriff held out his hand while she continued, “Dan, I'd like you to meet Sheriff Mitch Wallace,” she said with a nod in the lawman's direction as he joined their little group. “He's been the law around here for…” Searching her brain, she couldn't exactly remember when he hadn't been sheriff. “How long has it been, Sheriff?”

He chuckled. “You mean you really don't remember?”

She could tell by the teasing tone of his voice that he wasn't bothered by the fact that she didn't. “You're part of the fiber of this town, Mitch. I can't remember when you weren't.”

“How old were you when I plucked you off the water tower railing?”

He
would
have
to
bring
that
up.
She felt her cheeks flush with heat and answered, “Fourteen.”

“How old were you when you climbed up on Weatherbee's barn roof and got stuck?”

She felt her face growing even hotter.
She'd almost forgotten about that time.
“Thirteen.”

“What about the time you decided to climb the ship's mast to get in the crow's nest over at the McCormack farm?”

“Our Meg has an affinity for climbing to high places,” Miss Trudi confided to Dan, “but once she gets there, remembers she doesn't like heights.”

Dan's face was alight with amused interest as her childhood high jinks were being recounted. “Well? Aren't you going to answer?”

She sighed. “Eleven.”

“Your poor momma was fraught with worry that time,” Trudi said. “Caitlin and Grace were just four and three at the time and were starting to follow you everywhere.”

Meg cleared her throat. She didn't want to dredge up any more of her past history. That was enough for one night. Although she enjoyed the odd moments when memories of her mother came flooding back, she didn't like to dwell on them because they always reminded her of mother's untimely death.

As if he sensed the direction of her thoughts, Mitch chuckled, drawing her attention back to him. “Climbing up that ship's mast was my first official juvenile delinquent rescue.”

“Hey. I wasn't a delinquent.”

“Close enough,” he said with a grin. “Every year on the first day of spring, you climbed something.”

She blew out a breath and said, “I didn't get stuck every year.” Her gaze met Dan's and she warned him, “If you stay here for any length of time, the entire town will know your deepest, darkest secrets and will happily pass them along over a cup of coffee at the Apple Grove Diner.”

“Aunt Trudi highly recommended their pecan pie,” Dan said.

If being the subject of morning gossip over coffee at the local diner didn't bother him, maybe he'd fit right in. The points in his favor were rapidly adding up.

“So, Mitch,” Dan said, bringing her attention back to what he was saying, “you never mentioned how long you've been keeping the peace—and Meg out of trouble.” When Dan turned toward her, she added the first check to the negative column. When he started to chuckle, she had the overwhelming urge to stick her tongue out at him. It was a struggle, but she managed to control the urge.

Mitch didn't miss a beat or seem to notice the byplay between Dan and Meg. “Fourteen years. I came back to town with my criminal justice degree and old Sheriff Stuart hired me as one of his deputies on the spot… just like he'd promised.”

“Smartest decision he ever made,” said a familiar female voice.

Meg smiled. “Dan, I'd like you to meet Honey B. Harrington. She owns Honey's Hair Salon over on Main Street, catty-corner to the sheriff's office.” She didn't add that Honey was one year older than her and had been trying to get the sheriff's attention since that night he'd rescued Meg from the water tower railing, while Honey looked on from the ground. Honey had gone for help and lost her heart to the heroic deputy Mitch Wallace that night.

When Dan looked at Honey and smiled, Meg added, “Dan Eagan is our new phys ed teacher at the high school.”

“And their varsity soccer coach,” Miss Trudi said with a smile. “He played on the varsity team in college.”

“Really?” a deep voice called out, joining them. “I like watching soccer almost as much as racing. Can't always find a game on TV, though.”

Dan smiled as Meg introduced him to the latest newcomer. “Dan Eagan, meet Robert Stuart. He owns Bob's Gas and Gears and is the man you want to know if you've got car trouble. He can fix anything under the hood.”

“Nice to meet you, Robert.” Dan grasped the other man's hand and shook it.

“Call me Bob.”

“Bob used to race stock cars, had a winning season back in '81,” Sheriff Wallace told him.

“My dad's a huge NASCAR fan,” Dan said. “I grew up beneath the hood of his '65 Corvette. In my spare time, I like to tinker with engines.”

Bob's eyes narrowed as if he were concentrating. “Big block… carbureted or fuel-injected?”

Dan grinned and Meg's belly did that fluttery thing again. There was something so boy-like about Dan's open smile, as if he hadn't a care in the world and was ready to experience everything all at once. Her dad got that way about cars too.

“My grandfather never liked a fuel-injected engine,” Dan answered. “He preferred carbureted engines; dad still does.”

“Fully restored?” Bob asked.

“Cherry condition,” Dan answered.

“Car talk,” Meg said to Honey B. and Miss Trudi. “Good thing my dad's not here or else we'd never talk about anything else.”

The ladies laughed and made room as the McCormack sisters joined them. “Dan, I hate to interrupt your manly discussion,” Meg said, “but I'd like you to meet Peggy and Katie McCormack.”

He nodded to the sisters. “Owners of the Apple Grove Diner?”

When they smiled, he confided, “I'm real partial to pecan pie.”

Peggy's smile was friendly and flirtatious, a combination that baffled Meg. She herself could never manage to pull off that particular look; Meg was either friendly or she was flirtatious. “I'm sure we can save you a slice if you want to stop by the diner later,” Peggy said.

“We're going to be open later than normal,” Katie added, “on account of closing up for Bill and Edie's wedding.”

Dan smiled at the sisters. “It's good to know there's a place to eat nearby.”

“People come from miles around for a piece of pie and our biscuits and gravy,” Peggy told him.

“But they come back because of Apple Grove,” Katie added. “There's just something about Apple Grove. Even if you've only been here a few years, you feel as if you've always lived here. People care about each other here—always have, always will.”

Dan hung on every word and was quick to agree. “I can see why people would be tempted to stay.” He glanced at Meg and added, “I've met some intriguing people so far.”

Warmth spread from her belly to her heart. It felt good to have Dan pay her a compliment—intriguing wasn't quite what she hoped for, but it was still good, wasn't it? Before she could decide, Sheriff Wallace's sister Beatrice walked over to say hello. “Beatrice runs the library. It's open three days a week,” Miss Trudi proudly proclaimed.

Meg nodded. “We have a huge selection of classics and a first-class reference section.”

“That's right,” Beatrice agreed. “If the book you want isn't on our shelves, we're connected to three other libraries in Licking County and have an extensive online catalogue. We can have the book you need sent over from any of the libraries in our group.”

Dan's brow was furrowed when he asked, “Do you have cookbook and automotive sections?”

His question surprised Meg, but she was encouraged that he was interested in their library.

“Do you want to learn to cook?” Beatrice asked Dan.

He shook his head. “My mom taught me when I was a kid, but I didn't actually start to put those lessons to good use until I was at college and hungry all the time. I'm always looking for new recipes to try out.”

It was nice that he wanted to know more about the library. His interest in her town, added to the fact that he could apparently cook, gave him major points in Meg's book. The way Dan interacted with Apple Grove's townsfolk only added to his appeal. He was relaxed, open, and friendly. She could see that he'd be an asset to their community and had a feeling that the kids at the high school would respond well to Dan. Time would tell, and the gossip chain would keep everyone in town up-to-date on his progress.

When her father and the Widow Murphy walked over, she introduced them. “Dan, I'd like you to meet my dad, Joseph Mulcahy, and Mary Murphy. She owns Murphy's Market in town.” She stumbled over the introduction, unused to seeing her father with a woman.

Mary Murphy was polite as always, and even though Meg wasn't sure how she felt about her father spending time with Mrs. Murphy, she had to admit the woman had a way of making everyone feel comfortable in her presence. “Lovely to meet you, Dan.”

“Nice to meet you, Dan.” Her father took Dan's measure in three seconds flat. She'd have to ask him later what he thought. Of all the folks gathered in Edie's backyard, her father and Sheriff Wallace would have Dan's character defined and dissected most accurately and ready for public consumption by the time the wedding guests dispersed.

“Joseph owns Mulcahy's,” Miss Trudi informed Dan.

“What's Mulcahy's?” he asked.

Meg smiled. “It's our family-run handyman business.”

“You have brothers?” Dan actually scanned the crowd to look for likely candidates.

She frowned up at him. “Two younger sisters, why?”

“Do you have male cousins?”

Was the man trying to irritate her? “No, is there a reason that you think my sisters and I cannot work for my father?”

He looked at her father and then back at her. “I, uh…” His voice trailed off and he stared down at her. “You look like you're about to open up on me with both barrels.”

Her dad smiled. “Megan inherited my temper. It's always best to know about it before she works on your house.”

“I don't need any work done on the house”—he paused—“that I know of.”

Her dad smiled at Dan. “If you bought the Saunders place, and don't plan to keep on top of the daily maintenance on a house that old, you'll be calling me sooner than you think.”

Dan fell silent, digesting what he'd just been told. Meg took that as a good sign that he was at least willing to listen.

She caught herself staring. In her defense, the man was gorgeous—and damn him for waking up those particular thoughts after all these years. She'd been comfortable in her rut… er, routine… working hard all day six days a week, grabbing a cold one when she got home from work, and then watching TV with her dad. If Jimmy was in town, she would spend all of her free time with him until he left town again. Lately her dad went off by himself. She'd heard through the grapevine that he was visiting the widow but she hadn't come right out and asked him yet. It wasn't easy to give her dad the third degree, the way he had done to her and her sisters for so many years. Besides, it wasn't really any of her business, was it?