Harlequin Heartwarming May 2016 Box Set (33 page)

“Did you find what you were looking for?” the librarian asked.

“Thankfully, yes,” Grace said. “For Green Meadows. Not for the poor couple and their son.”

Caleb told her, “Both Whitman and his wife died in the winter of 1920, but there was no murder involved.”

“Glad I could help you clear that up. I've seen those fliers around.” The librarian shook her head, then said, “You know, my youngest sister has been talking about moving back to Sparrow Lake from Indianapolis. She'll be in town next week, actually. I was thinking about taking her over to Green Meadows. I know she lives in a new condo complex now, so I bet she would like your community.”

“That's great,” said Caleb, though the woman had been addressing Grace. He looked at Grace. “Have a card?”

She was already digging in her purse.

Caleb said, “Give Grace a call if you would like a personal tour of the place.”

“Thanks.”

Grace smiled but told Caleb as they left the place, “You know I can do my own sales work, don't you?”

“Sure, but I didn't think you'd mind some help.”

“I don't mind. It's...”

“What?”

She really didn't want to complain when she knew he meant the best. “Nothing. Thanks.”

“You're welcome. Amazing, you cleared up the mystery
and
have a potential new client all in one sweep,” Caleb said, as they crossed to the parking lot. “That's a positive outcome.”

“This couldn't have turned out better for me. Thanks for thinking of using the school library.”

“I enjoyed the challenge. And spending some time with you. The highlight of my day.”

“Mine, too,” Grace admitted.

When they stopped at her car, he asked, “I was just wondering if you were free Friday night.”

“Friday?” Her pulse jumped and she had to swallow hard to sound normal. “Actually, I was planning on going to the fund-raiser social being given by the First Presbyterian Ladies Auxiliary.”

“Oh.” The corners of his mouth turned down. “Well, maybe another time.”

“Unless...um...you would consider going with me. I have to warn you, though. Heather recommended I use the event to make more contacts for Green Meadows, so I'll be meeting and greeting.”

“As well you should. You need to get to know everyone.” His mouth relaxed into a natural smile. “Get those new sales going and you won't be able to leave Sparrow Lake.”

Caleb sounded as if he wanted her to stay.

“Then you wouldn't mind going with me?” she asked.

“I would love to be your escort.”

And she would love for Caleb to see her in the new dress she'd just bought from Nellie's Treasures. “It's a date, then.”

The final positive touch on an all-around good day.

CHAPTER NINE

“W
HAT
ARE
YOU
getting all dressed up for anyway?” Angela asked as Caleb walked into the living area buttoning the sleeves of his newest and best shirt, the blue one Angela had given him for Christmas.

“I told you I was going to the fund-raiser.”

“Without me.”

“I didn't know you wanted my company. You haven't exactly been paying me any mind lately,” he reminded her. “Besides, your grandmother wants to spend some quality time with her granddaughter.”

“Gran Maddie already saw me this week.”

True. But Angela had always liked being around her grandmother. Caleb eyed his daughter with suspicion. She'd barely started speaking to him again, so he didn't believe she was eager for his company. There was something else twirling around in her teenage mind. Her eyebrows were pulled together in a huge frown and she was glaring at him.

“So you want me to tell your grandmother you don't want to see her again?” he asked.

“I didn't say that!”

Thinking she looked ready to pop, Caleb asked, “What
are
you saying?”

Silent for a moment, her expression darkening, she said, “You're going out with
her
, aren't you?”

And there it was.

Caleb knew that Angela meant Grace, and of course she was correct, but he'd avoided getting into details of his evening out so as to avoid the argument he'd sensed brewing since he'd arrived home from school.

He was trying to figure out how best to handle the situation when Angela asked, “What's going on with you and Grace Huber, anyway?”

“We're friends.”

He might like to be more, but for the moment, that was a good start. Plus, it was an accurate enough description for his daughter.

“No,” Angela argued, “if you're going out with her tonight—a
Friday
night!—then you're
dating
her. How could you do that now? You need to think about
me
, Dad.”

As if she hadn't been the only thing he'd thought about for the past fifteen years.

He tried to lighten her mood.

“You want to come along on the date?” He raised an eyebrow as he met her sullen expression.

“No! I don't want you to date her at all! What about my mother?”

A question that shot tension straight through him. Angela might be talking to him again, but he knew they weren't through with this particular topic. Not after the fight with Lily that his daughter had witnessed.

He kept his voice even. “Lily? What about her? What does she have to do with anything?”

“She's back and you're keeping me from seeing her.”

“I don't even know where she's staying.”

Truthfully, he'd been looking over his shoulder the past few days, wondering when Lily was going to pop up again. Also, truthfully, he didn't want his daughter seeing her mother right now, not with Lily threatening to take Angela away from him. She could legally assert her rights as a biological mother even though she'd never done a thing for her child. And what if Angela wanted to live with Lily and not him? The idea made his gut go tight.

Angela crossed her arms over her chest and challenged him. “You don't want my mother in my life. Just admit it.”

But he would never say that, not to her. “I don't want Lily in
my
life. And please note that she hasn't done anything positive to connect with you.” Which he had to admit had been a relief under the circumstances. “That's not my fault.”

“Well, I don't want Grace Huber in
my
life,” Angela told him.

“I'm sorry, sweetheart, but I do want to get to know her better.” Caleb fought the stress suddenly multiplying in him. He didn't want to argue, didn't want to give Angela a reason to feel justified. “I like Grace. She's a good person. Whether or not you realize it, she could have pressed charges against you when you painted that mural in Green Meadows, but she didn't even consider it. She was more concerned about
you
. That's why she came here, to make sure that you were okay.” The initial reason he'd been drawn to her.

“If you take up with her, where does that leave me?”

The touch of panic in Angela's voice made his chest squeeze tight. He couldn't love his daughter more, and there was no way he would leave her out of any equation, not even if Grace turned out to be far more important to him than a good friend. Which of course was likely, considering he couldn't stop thinking about holding her and kissing her.

But to reassure his worried daughter, he put an arm around her and pulled her close enough that he could kiss her forehead. “Why are you getting so worked up over my having a date? I've gone out with several other women and it never seemed to bother you before. Grace and I are not at any place where you need to be concerned. I'm just getting to know her.” He tried joking to lighten the atmosphere. “I swear I haven't offered to pay her father six horses for her.” But Angela's down-turned mouth told him she didn't appreciate his humor. “I simply enjoy being with Grace. We're interested in the same things. That's not anything to worry about.”

But obviously Angela
was
worried, because she struggled out of his arms, yelling, “If you loved me, you would try rebuilding a relationship with my mother, not with some stranger!”

“A relationship?”

He wasn't even receptive to being friends with Lily. But was that a mistake on his part? If so, he didn't want it affecting his daughter's future.

Car lights flickered through the front windows then went dim as the engine cut off. His mother was here to pick up Angela.

Swallowing hard at his daughter's unhappiness, Caleb knew he was going to have to rethink the Lily situation.

* * *

H
AVING
SPENT
MORE
than an hour getting ready for her date with Caleb, Grace felt her nerves escalating until the moment she heard the knock at her front door.

He was here!

She took a deep breath to calm herself and called, “Coming!” as she quickly moved to let him in.

After opening the door, she simply stood there for a moment, staring. Wearing trousers and a cobalt blue shirt open at the throat, Caleb was more formally dressed than she'd ever seen him. His long black hair was tied back from his clean-shaven but clearly rugged face. High forehead. Broad cheekbones. Straight blade of a nose. He was breathtakingly handsome. His dark eyes swept over her and his full mouth curled into a warm smile.

“Wow,” he murmured.

“Wow yourself.”

The words were out of her mouth before she could think about them. His smile deepened to a grin. As did hers.

“Are you ready to go?”

She felt as if she'd been ready for this all day. All week.

“I am. Just let me get my purse.”

Which gave her a minute to steady her nerves. She fetched the small navy crossbody bag from the sofa. She wished she'd thought to buy a purse and shoes with a little more delicacy to go with the pretty dress, but the bag and a pair of navy work pumps would have to do for tonight. And from the way Caleb was staring at her, he didn't seem to notice. Or care.

They left Grace's apartment and walked down the single flight of stairs. Her rental was a half block off Main Street and located over a stationery shop, a three-minute walk from her office. Very convenient, but there were days when she wished she'd taken a condo unit in Green Meadows, just to enjoy the beautiful surroundings. If Phase 2 got the green light, perhaps she would consider moving.

“First Presbyterian is on the other side of town, so I'll drive,” Caleb said. Once they were settled in his truck and he pulled away from the curb, he asked, “So what kinds of things will they do to raise money tonight?”

“Other than the entrance fee, I'm not sure. I would think there will be things to buy. Or some kind of auction.”

“Hmm. I wonder what they would auction off in this small town.”

“Things people donate, I guess.”

“Grass seed or a bag of feed? How about a car?” He laughed.

“I doubt if they could fit a car in a church basement,” Grace said seriously, then noticed his grin. “You're joking.”

Caleb smiled. “Just trying to keep things light.”

“You have a good sense of humor.”

“Thanks. Glad you appreciate it.”

As they drove on, at his urging, they tried to think of other amusing things one could buy at a small-town auction.

“Special crocheted socks,” suggested Grace with a giggle.

“The kind with separated toes,” added Caleb. He glanced at a house bordered by statues. “Extra lawn ornaments?”

“Homemade cookies.”

“Actually, that sounds pretty good,” said Caleb.

The ride across town took less than five minutes. The church lot was already half full when they arrived. Grace checked her watch. The doors had opened about ten minutes before.

She said, “It looks like they're going to have a good crowd tonight.”

“The locals usually turn out in support of each other when there's some kind of fundraiser. Or anything, really, that brings residents together. People from surrounding towns, too. Most get tired of doing the same thing all the time. And we don't have a lot of entertainment venues in this neck of the woods. No movie theaters. No arcades. No nightclubs. We have to drive to Kenosha or Milwaukee to have a real night out.”

Things that Grace wouldn't miss if she decided to stay in Sparrow Lake. She took advantage of city entertainment occasionally, but she didn't mind the drive to Milwaukee to do so. Thinking that Dad would have a lot of negative things to say about the idea of her living here made her sober a bit. She forced the thought away. She wasn't going to let anything ruin her evening with Caleb.

Since she'd invited him, she meant to pay their entry fees into the social, but he wouldn't let her. He took over, saying, “My town, my treat.”

“Does that mean I have to take you to Milwaukee if I want to return the favor?”

They entered the church gym. High tables were set in one area and a bunch of people were already gathered around, standing while eating and drinking. Behind them were more traditional tables with low chairs, but that area was still mostly empty. People milled about, some looking over items carefully placed on display tables at the other end of the room. Items for auction? She didn't see any bags of feed or power tools. No crocheted socks with individual toes, either, though there seemed to be a couple of beautifully made afghans and a lovely quilt. There weren't many people she knew well, either. Which was good since the original objective of the evening for her was to meet new townies who would support Green Meadows.

The woman Caleb paid said, “We're having a big raffle to help raise money. One dollar per ticket. All the items are set over there.”

So no auction, Grace thought. “I'll take twenty,” she said, and handed the woman her money.

“Twenty for me also.” Caleb set down another bill.

The woman beamed at them as she gave them their raffle tickets. “Just fill these out and drop them in this,” she said, indicating a large glass bowl that already had a bunch of raffle stubs. “And thank you both!”

Caleb slipped an arm around Grace's waist. “Let's get some refreshments. Then I can introduce you to some of these folks, and you can give them your business card. Actually, you could give me a bunch of cards and I can hand them out for you.”

“You don't need to do that.” She preferred finding out who people were and then sending them a brochure unless they specifically asked for a card. “I didn't mean for you to work tonight.” Or to work in that way herself.

“How about if I want to? The more business you get, the more likely you are to stick around for a while.”

Pleased that he wanted her to stay, she nevertheless discouraged him. “Well, thanks, but I have ideas as to how to approach them.” More indirectly.

“You should feel free to use other people's ideas, too.”

He seemed to forget she was the person with the sales experience. She didn't say so, however.

He went on, “If you really want to return the favor of the entry fee, you could always make me dinner sometime. I would appreciate a nice home-cooked meal that I didn't have to make myself.”

Grace laughed. “If you survived my cooking. Not one of my best skills. I keep mealtime simple.” And when in the city, she ordered out. A lot.

“Then I'll have to teach you some tricks. We can start on the campout next weekend.”

“Ah, so cooking is part of your skill set. I always hoped to meet a man who knew his way around the kitchen.” At the refreshment table, they took small plates and gathered together a few appetizers. “So your mother taught you to cook?”

“Actually, Mom is a great cook, but she was usually too busy working to do much other than on the weekends.” Caleb stopped at one of the high tables. “Is this okay?”

“Sure. Easier to meet people as they walk by from the refreshment table,” she whispered. “So how did you learn to cook?”

“When I got tired of hot dogs and burgers, I started experimenting on my own out of sheer desperation. Bought a couple of books. Tuned in to the cooking channel. I'm no chef, but Angela doesn't complain...at least not about my cooking.”

She heard the note of discouragement in his tone. And his expression darkened, as well. He must still be having problems with his daughter.

Trying to lighten his sudden mood shift, she asked, “Is there anything you
can't
do?”

He grinned at her. “Don't ask me to sing. It'll attract all the coyotes in the area.”

Grace snorted loudly, garnering the attention of the people nearest them. She didn't care. “More like a howl, huh?”