Hometown Love (3 page)

Tony laughed before opening another beer. “Did you forget the Fourth of July already? I thought Mrs. Mitchell would have a heart attack when Charlene showed up on the Common wearing that dress. And with the little peep show she gave Father Perkins when she bent over to pick up her purse.”

Grace had gotten sick while waiting for the fireworks so they’d left early—a fact Mack hadn’t been happy about until just this minute. “Sounds like I missed quiet the show that night.”

“Forgot about that.” Striker shrugged. “Guess that only leaves you suitable material, Mack.”

Right now Mack wasn’t sure he wanted any woman in his life. He had his hands full with a growing daughter. “All set. You’ll have to find someone else to play matchmaker with.”

“Bet he has a hot piece of ass in Boston.” Tony nodded Mack’s way.

Before Mack could confirm or deny that—not that he planned to—the doorbell chimed. 
Saved by the bell.
He wasn’t up for the ribbing his buddies would give him if they learned he hadn’t been out with a woman in eight months.

Leaving his friends to finish their pizza he made his way around the maze of unopened boxes to the door.

The minute he opened the door, Grace rushed in, grabbing him around the waist. “Daddy, look what Grammy bought me for my new room!” Grace pointed at the lamp his mother held in one hand while she clutched a large shopping bag from the mall in the other. “And she got me a new comforter that matches the lamp. Can we go put it on right now?”

Mack took the items from his mother. “You didn’t need to do this,” he said even though he realized his words were falling on deaf ears. His parents spoiled their two grandchildren and nothing he could say would change that fact.

“I know that.” His mom closed the door then hugged him with her typical kiss on the cheek. “But I wanted to and Grace wants her new room to match Brianna’s.”

Brianna, Grace’s cousin and best friend, seemed to be the defining entity on anything and everything in Grace’s world these days.

“So can we go put it on my bed?”

Mack placed the items on the couch. “I haven’t put your bed together yet. As soon as I do, we make it with all the things Grammy bought you.”

“Let’s put it together now!” Grace grabbed his hand and pulled.

His daughter might have gotten her looks from her mother, but she’d gotten her impatience from him.

“In a few minutes. I’m almost done eating.”

Just as he expected Grace pouted, but didn’t argue.

“Did you get everything moved in?” His mother ruffled his hair something she’d done for as long as he could remember. “If not, I can bring Grace back later.”

“We got everything off the truck. Now it’s just a matter of unpacking.” Grace had spent last night and all day with his parents so he could move everything into their new house. “She’s fine here.”

“If you’re sure. I don’t mind if she stays with me a little longer. Or I can stay and help you unpack.”

“We’re all set, Mom. The guys will be leaving soon and then Grace and I will tackle the unpacking. The two of us can handle it. Right, buddy?” Reaching out, he ruffled his daughter’s hair and instantly a smile replaced her pout.

“Right,” Grace answered with the kind of determination and enthusiasm only a five-and-a-half-year-old could muster.

“Okay, but if you change your mind, call me.” His mom gave Grace a hug and kiss. “Will we see you tonight at the block party?”

“I don’t—”

“I want to go. Please,” Grace said before he could finish his sentence.

“It would be a great way for Grace to meet more children her age before school starts.”

Mack looked from his mother to his daughter’s expectant face. The very face she knew he couldn’t say 
no
to.

With an audible sigh, he nodded. “Okay, but only for a little while. I want you in bed on time tonight.” He looked back at his mother. She always claimed Grace went to bed around her normal time, but he knew better—not that he would ever fault her for it. As a kid, when he’d stayed over his grandparents’ house, he’d never made it to bed on time either.

“Great. Then your father and I will see you there. Don’t forget to call if you need anything.” After giving them both a kiss, Rose left.

Reaching down, Mack scooped Grace up so that their eyes met. “Did you eat already? We have some pizza in the kitchen.”

Grace hooked an arm around his neck. “Grammy took me to lunch. We met Auntie Erin and Brianna.”

“Okay then, let me finish my pizza, and then we can start on your room.” He carried Grace into the kitchen where his friends were hanging out.

“Hi, Sean. Tony.” Grace sat in the seat next to Striker when Mack put her down. “Hi Striker.”

“You remember them?” Although he kept in regular contact with his friends, he could only recall a handful of times when Grace had been around them.

“Your parents take her all over town when she visits,” Sean explained before Grace answered. “She probably knows more than half the people in North Salem already.”

When he’d first decided to move back, he’d worried how Grace would handle it. She’d lived in Watertown in the same condo complex her entire life. Evidently, he’d had nothing to worry about.

***

Music from the Town Common greeted Mack as soon as he pulled open the front door. The town always arranged for live music at each block party. Most of the time they hired local bands, but occasionally they’d pull in someone from Providence or Hartford. At the moment, he was still to far away to see who was in the bandstand tonight.

“Don’t forget. Only one special treat tonight,” Mack said as he and Grace crossed the street. In addition to food from the many grills, there was always an abundant supply of sugary snacks on hand at this gig. As a kid, he’d once managed to consume cotton candy, ice cream, and a bag of mini homemade donuts all in one night. He’d then proceeded to spend the remainder of the night sick in bed with a stomachache.

Next to him, Grace nodded, but although she hadn’t argued with him, it didn’t mean she wouldn’t try to get more than one treat later on.

Cutting through Saint Mark’s parking lot, Mack led his daughter toward Main Street. As they got closer, the air around them changed as the smell of burgers on the grill mixed with the scent of popcorn in the old-time popping machine the senior center brought over for every town event.

At the edge of the Common, Mack paused, his daughter’s hand still clasped in his, and he took in the view. The scene before him looked like every block party he remembered. Everywhere he looked, people he’d known all his life interacted. Some danced to music performed by Gage Larson’s band while others sat at the tables enjoying food and conversation. A sense of coming home washed over him, and he realized how much he’d missed this place and these people.

“Can I try the games?” Grace asked, shaking him from his thoughts. “I won the ring toss with Grammy.”

“Lead the way.” No sooner did he speak the words, then Grace started off as fast as her legs would carry her toward the carnival games the elementary school’s PTA had set up.

“Which one first?” Each one already had a short line of children waiting their turn.

Going by the look on Grace’s face as she considered the booths, one would’ve thought he’d just asked her how she’d solve the government’s national debt.

“The ring toss,” she answered after several moments.

As they joined the line, Mack pulled out his wallet. He knew the PTA used the games as a fundraiser, so dishing out a few dollars didn’t bother him.

“Mack Ellsbury.”

At his name, Mack looked up at Kenny Adams. They’d graduated high school together. Back then, they’d hung out a lot, but had lost contact since.

“I heard you were moving back. You bought the Kerry place, right?”

Mack nodded. “Moved in today.”

“Welcome back. Is this your daughter?”

“This is Grace.” Mack and Grace stepped forward as the line moved.

“She looks about the same age as my son, Gabe. He’s starting kindergarten this year.” Kenny put a hand on his son’s shoulder.

“Me, too.” Grace pointed toward herself.

“Then I guess we’ll be seeing you around.” Kenny clapped him on the back and then led his son toward the food tables.

The next hour or so went much the same way as people came up and welcomed him back. Over the years, he’d kept in contact with some of his childhood friends, like Sean and Striker, but others he hadn’t seen in years despite his regular visits back to see his family. Most looked like they did in high school, but there were others he barely recognized.

“So are you ready for a snack?” Mack asked as Grace climbed down from the bounce house the Parks and Recs department had set up. She’d already gone in the thing three times since they’d been there, each time coming out with the name of a new friend she’d made while inside.

“And something to drink,” she answered with a pink face.

Pleased that she’d agreed without any fuss, he took her hand. “Sounds like a good idea. What do you feel like tonight?” Together they crossed the makeshift dance floor, which was empty at the moment while the band took a break. “The ice cream truck is still here.” During the summer the ice cream truck still made daily runs through town. He didn’t think there were many that still did that. At least, he’d never heard one in Watertown.

“Nope. I want a donut.”

He liked the way his daughter thought. The homemade donuts the church sold were better than the ones from the store or popular coffee shops. “A donut it is. Let’s go.”

Weaving through the crowd, they headed for the table where Mrs. Mitchell and Mrs. Quinn manned the electric pan fryers cooking up homemade doughnuts and fried dough on the spot.

“You did make it tonight,” a female voice called out as he passed a table.

Mack turned, ready to reply, but his daughter let go of his hand and rushed forward before he could speak.

“Jessie!” Grace called out with glee as she rushed toward Jessie, then proceeded to hug the woman.

With no hesitation, Jessie’s smile widened and she hugged Grace. That afternoon, she’d mentioned she knew Grace, but he hadn’t realized they were so friendly.

“Jessie, I live here now.” Grace released Jessie and bounced up and down as she shared her news.

“I know. Your father told me today.”

Jessie smiled at him briefly, but then turned her attention back to Grace, giving him a chance to give her a once-over. Now, like earlier, he was surprised by how much he liked what he saw.

“How do you like your new house?” Jessie asked.

Grace shrugged her little shoulders. “It’s okay. I don’t like the color of my room. It’s light green.” She pouted before she continued. “Daddy promised we’d paint it.”

“Let me guess. You want it pink?”

“Or purple. Daddy said we’d see.”

Grace sighed and Jessie looked back up at him as she tried to hold back a laugh.

“I promised we’d stop in the store and decide on a color we both like.” Mack put a hand on Grace’s shoulder

Jessie turned back to Grace again. “We have a lot of nice colors at the store. You’ll find something you both like.”

“Will you help us look?” Grace asked. “Daddy’s not a girl, and girls are better at picking out colors.”

“You got it.” Jessie gave one of Grace’s pigtails a playful tug. “What do you think about the rest of the house?”

“It has a big backyard.” Grace’s voice went up an octave. “Daddy promised to get me a swing set and a dog.”

Grace had been asking for a dog since her fourth birthday, and he kept telling her a dog needed a yard, something they didn’t have in Watertown. When she’d seen the backyard of their new house, it had been one of the first things out of her mouth. “I said I’d 
think
about the dog.” He didn’t want Grace getting her hopes up.

“But Da—” Grace started.

“We’ll talk later, Grace. Besides, I thought we were getting donuts.” Perhaps a minor distraction would get her mind off a dog, if only for the night.

Grace’s pout disappeared as if just remembering their initial destination. “Oh, yeah. Can I wait here with Jessie while you get them? My feet are tired.”

He didn’t believe her feet were tired for a second. She just didn’t want to wait in line. “As long as Jessie doesn’t mind.” They would have to sit down and eat somewhere anyway.

Jessie pulled out the seat next to her. “She can stay. I don’t mind.”

“Can I get you anything?” Mack asked as Grace zipped into the chair.

“Just finished some popcorn, but thanks.”

“Okay, I’ll be right back.” Alone, Mack joined the line for donuts. Every once in a while he glanced behind him to check on Grace—not that she noticed. His daughter was too busy talking Jessie’s ear off. The little girl loved to tell stories. And she’d talk to just about anyone, even complete strangers in supermarket checkout lines.

“Decided to join everyone tonight?” Striker asked as he joined the line.