Finding Promise (The Promise Series, A Small Town Romance) (6 page)

Caroline remembered the handsome man who’d kindly offered to
assist her the day before but she’d been too preoccupied with thoughts of the
house and too tired from traveling to fully notice him. She had a full view now
and her hormones sky-rocketed. Running her eyes quickly over him, his shoulders
appeared as broad from the front as it did from the back. His plain, black
t-shirt hung over a pair of jeans, hugging his lean hips and not disguising the
muscles beneath it. His excellent physique was perfectly matched with a
gorgeous face. He had a ruggedly handsomeness to him with a Romanesque nose, a
lower lip slightly larger than the upper and a strong, determined jaw. Dark
grey eyes, stared at her waiting for a response, held warmth and a sense of
playfulness in it. His skin, like so many of the people she’d seen in Promise,
had a tinge of bronze to it as though he spent a lot of his time in the
outdoors. Unlike his sister’s blonde hair, his was as dark as hers and as
straight as a pin. He kept it long on the top but short at the back and sides
and she felt herself wanting to run her fingers through it.

Momentarily stunned, she found her voice. “Hi” she returned,
taking the hand he offered. It must be the wine, she thought as a buzz ran from
her hand and up her arm.” Caroline Lowell, I’m pleased to meet you too. It was
really sweet of you to stop and offer assistance. I found the town very easily,
thank you.” She responded, suddenly shy.

Looking straight at her, making her pulse leap, he
continued, “Rachel’s right. Other than Brady, I’m the only other builder in
town. Brady is my competition and you’ve no reason to believe any of us about
his work or mine. But, I can give you a list of references for work I’ve done
as well as work that I’ve done to fix the messes that Brady’s made. So, if you
want any work done, building, plumbing and that type of thing, my sister can
give you my number. I’d be happy to come and take a look at the place and we
can take it from there. I gather you bought a house here? Is it a vacation
home?”

“I’m busy buying the old Whittlesea place just outside of
town and no, it’s not a vacation house. I’m planning on living in Promise.” She
took a deep, calming breath and continued, “I would like to talk to a builder
and thanks for the offer, but I can’t do anything yet until the sale is
through. I’m staying at the inn, while getting all the legal requirements in
order, so there’s no big rush. Would it be okay if I called you in about a
week’s time?”

““Sure. That’ll be just fine.” Latently embarrassed about
the whole affair, from Brady to his pitch, Luke replied, “I hope you don’t
think that we’re all desperate people here in Promise, bad-mouthing each other
and making pitches in bars. If you live here, you know what’s going on and
unfortunately, you do get people in every town that takes advantage of new
additions. Faith was trying to protect you and we all jumped on the
band-wagon.”

“I don’t think so at all. I appreciate the warning and know
you all were just trying to protect an out-of-towner.”

“That makes me feel better. I must admit that I was a bit embarrassed
for a moment. I allow Brady to bring out the worst in me.”

Caroline couldn’t believe that a man actually admitted to
feelings, especially potentially humiliating feelings like embarrassment! With
her dad, brothers and James, it was all about false bravado, about showing no
weakness – even if it was with perfectly manicured hands. Caroline smiled at
the thought.

Seeing that smile, Luke misinterpreted the reasoning for it.
He was used to women finding him attractive. He wasn’t vain about it. He just
took it for granted. And so, thinking with his libido and not one to miss
spending an opportunity with a pretty woman, Luke looked at Faith. “Where are
your manners? Why don’t you invite Caroline to mamma’s place for lunch on
Sunday? She will be missing a home-cooked meal by then. That’s just under a
week’s time, Caroline. If you’d like, we can all take a drive through to the
house to have a look at it, after lunch? Even if the sales not through yet, it
won’t hurt either of us to have a preliminary chat about things.”

Seeing where her brother was going with this, Faith just
grinned and nodded. “Well, you heard him.” She looked at Caroline. “Would you
like to come to my parent’s place for lunch on Sunday? Luke and I stay on our
own and mamma and pop get pretty lonely by themselves, so Sunday lunch at their
house has become a tradition. My parents love the extra company and you must be
so tired of take out and hotel food. I’m sure you’d appreciate a home cooked
meal.”

Her eyes sparkling with mirth, she saw an opportunity to get
one in on her brother, “In fact, Bess, why don’t you and Ronald come too?
Rachel was joining us anyway. I’m sure you’re both dying to see the place as
much as I am.” She enjoyed the way her brother’s eyes narrowed perceptively at
her.

Not seeing the byplay between the two siblings, Caroline
thought of the opportunity to meet more Promise residents and further integrate
into the town. Besides, she did really miss a home cooked dinner. When she was
married, she enjoyed cooking simple meals for herself, preferring that over the
complicated French dishes that James favored. Restaurant meals were great but
lacked something that only home-cooked meals had. That’s probably why the
phrase, soul food, was coined. A meal at home fed the soul unlike any other.

So, she agreed, “That would be lovely. Thank you. But, I
can’t cook anything to bring along. Can I come help prepare?” Caroline
remembered reading novels where people did that in small towns.

“Mamma doesn’t need the help. She’d be angry with me for
inviting a first time guest and then making you cook. You just bring yourself
and a good appetite. It’s Sunday lunch and mamma’s pot roast is legendary. I’ll
give you the address at the inn, closer to the time.”

“Okay. Thank you. I’ll chat to Suzy and see if I can get the
key so that we can have a better look inside the house as well. I’d like your
opinions of the house. I bought it on such a whim and don’t feel at all sorry
for it. I know that’s not how people normally by houses, so I’ve been wondering
if I’m crazy.”

Luke satisfied with the result, decided to leave them on a
high note. “There’s nothing crazy about trusting your gut and it sounds to me
like you did just that. I have to go before Nate drinks all the beer at the bar.
Ladies, I bid you a good night. Faith, stop being nice to slime balls.” And
with that he sauntered off, feeling that it wasn’t a bad night at all.

Seeing Nate at the bar as her brother walked to join him,
Faith sighed dramatically. To irritate Rachel, she said with exaggerated
longing, pointedly looking at Nate, “There’s only one slime ball I’m interested
in.” Everybody but Rachel and Nate saw that they were hot for each other.
They’ve been that way since high school. Yet the two idiots did nothing about
it. Why, she didn’t know. Whenever they got to be in the same room together
they regressed to toddlers and squabbled the way she and Luke did when they
were kids. And admittedly still did. 

“There’s no account for it. It must be that vitamins you’re
so fond of. I think it’s muddled up your brain cells. Because…” Rachel fought
to keep the jealousy down, not wanting to acknowledge it, “If you had any you
would see that Nate is the least interesting man in the room, after Brady of
course. He’s fine enough to look at but he’s also an irritating, arrogant,
patronizing ass. Now that,” she pointed towards a sexy blonde that just walked
through the door, “is another matter altogether. I won’t mind him irritating
me. In fact, I don’t mind him doing anything as long as it’s me.” This created
more laughter, the poor blonde, sensing people looking at him, frowned in
puzzlement.

Later that night, even alone in her bed, Caroline felt less
alone.

The week went by in a blur of activity. There were a
multitude of tasks to attend to in order to finalize the sale of the house. She
had to meet with lawyers a few times, the real estate agent as well as the
local bank manager to arrange for the transfer of funds to the Whittlesea
estate. She also decided to move her bank accounts to the local bank in
Promise, thinking that it would make any further banking transactions easier.

When not busy with these tasks, she visited the garden
center, delighting in the surprising variety of indigenous plants available.
Promise, though a traditional town was also progressive in its efforts to be
kinder to the environment. The Promise Chamber of Commerce encouraged local
businesses to go green, with a tax deduction serving as an incentive. For the
garden center and its clients, indigenous plants meant that less water and
maintenance would be required. Because this flora grew naturally in the area,
they knew how to flourish and survive in its gardens. This appealed to Caroline.
She was aware that she would have to maintain the gardens herself and planting
things that required less time suited her.

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Caroline was meeting Bess, Rachel and Faith at a sushi bar
at the waterfront. It didn’t seem odd to have a sushi bar in such a small town
as the locals and tourists enjoyed the seafood, readily available from the
harbor to any number of restaurants.

“So, how’s it going?” Faith asked her as she sat down at the
table, contemplating the offerings from the menu.

“It’s going okay. There’s just one snag though. I don’t know
if you guys can help me?” Rachel and Bess had joined them. They both worked in
Main Street and had come together. “I’ve never furnished a house before, the
closest I’d come to that had been through consultations with interior designers
who saw to all the details and left me to enjoy their efforts.”

“We could help you,” Bess offered but with work, it would
have to wait until Saturday and I think that you’re in more of a hurry than
that.”

“Faith, can’t you get her an inventory list Tess’s
apartment?” At Faith’s confused frown, Rachel described, “The one she rents out
to holiday makers? It gave will give Caroline a good indication of the basics
that she will require as the apartment is fully self-catering and kitted out.”

“That’s a good idea, actually, Rachel.”

“Thanks, I’ve been known to have those at times.”

Looking at Caroline popping a California roll into her
mouth, Faith explained, “It’s a simple list that lists everything from the furniture
to the crockery and appliances.” Faith’s eyes lit up at the thought of a well
done list.

“Look at those sparkling eyes, dancing with passion at the
thought of a list. Faith, it’s a pity we can turn a list into a man for you.”
Rachel teased her.

“I wish!” Faith’s dramatic response had them rolling in
laughter.

Further efforts to ready the house, found her at a number of
stores offering furniture, appliances and other household items. Caroline
referred to the list often and it was now covered with notes she’d made when
visiting the stores. She was comfortable buying the crockery and cutlery in
Promise but wanted an eclectic mix of old and new furniture for the house and
thus far, had only seen stores selling new furniture. Already attached to the
town, she was unmotivated by the thought of looking in other towns nearby,
having had her fill of exploration on her recent adventures. So, she was
delighted to come across a second-hand store as well as an antique store along
side streets off the main street. She found everything she wanted there to
complement the new furniture she’d already bought in Main Street. Concerned
that she would lose what she wanted to another purchaser, she paid for the
items and, like the rest of her purchases, arranged for their storage until she
could confirm a delivery date.

She also bought a few things for herself, without any
purpose other than bringing her pleasure. She loved the wind chime made of
shells, hardened with a special varnish, which she bought from the store she
saw on her first day at the waterfront. She bought a vase to put on the
semi-circular antique mahogany hall table, so that she could fill it with
flowers from her garden when it bloomed. A brightly painted, wide ceramic fruit
bowl was purchased to sit on the big pine table she had found for the kitchen.

Through all of this, she found that Rachel’s prediction came
true in that many people greeted her by name as they walked past her in town.
Shyly returning the greetings, she came to feel a sense of familiarity with the
residents of Promise. Her many visits to the various stores afforded her with
an opportunity to meet more people. She’d even had tea at the nursery with the
resident botanist and owner, Shelly, who was glad to find someone interested in
planting an indigenous garden. Shelly, a Promise native, and a married woman
close to her own age, provided her with an encyclopaedia’s worth of information
and offered to come over and look at the garden when she was ready to tackle
it. She found that she ate less often at the waterfront restaurants, preferring
the diner located along the main street that was primarily frequented by
locals. Here, too, she made a few acquaintances, hoping to cultivate more
friends.

Once she’d literally bumped into Luke while exiting the
doors of the diner. She was walking through the door only to crash into a hard,
muscled chest. “I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there.” She could feel the strength
in his arms holding her waist in an attempt to stop her from falling. She felt
the same buzz again that she did at the diner. I must be hungry; she
concentrated on ignoring the feeling.