Always For You (Always Love Book 1) (15 page)

“You’ve got a good eye. It’s a ’65. And thanks.”

“Did you restore it yourself?”

“Every last piece of rust and every single bolt. My blood, sweat and tears are in that baby.”

“Well, it was worth it, because she shines.” Meghan tore her eyes away from my car. “So what can I do for you? We’ve got some peaches in, just picked this morning, and if you need tomatoes, you’ve come to the right place. They’re coming out of my ears right now.”

I laughed. “I’ll take some of them off your hands, for sure. I have to admit, I had no idea this was your place. I thought you were an art teacher.”

Maureen smiled. “I am. The farm stand gig came to me by marriage. This is Sam and Ali’s farm, and the stand’s been running for generations. I don’t usually work here, but I’m covering for Ali today, because she didn’t feel well. And Sam’s in the fields, of course.”

“Gotcha. Well, show me what you’re selling. I’m a sucker for produce, so it’s your lucky day.”

Meghan gave me a guided tour around the small stand, and I had to admit that I was impressed. In addition to their own fruit and vegetables, they stocked locally-made jams and other delicacies as well as gift baskets that featured all those items.

Once I’d filled a hand basket to near-overflowing, Meghan carried it to the check-out table. But instead of ringing me up, she cocked her head. “So tell me, how’s everything going with Reenie? I know she went out with Tim last night. What happened?”

I hesitated. “She did go out with him. I think they had a good time. I, uh, I might’ve been a little bit of a jerk before they left, so I made her cookies to apologize.”

If I’d expected Meghan to be mad at me for the jerk part, I’d underestimated her. She only nodded. “Making cookies is always a good way to say you’re sorry. And did it work?”

“Yeah, better than it should have, probably.” I thought again of her face at the kitchen table. “She was very gracious. Of course, my cookies are damn good.”

“I guess I’d have to be the judge of that, and I’m always willing to be a test taster. Keep that in mind. Have you been doing what I suggested? Courting her? Wooing her?
Showing
her that you love her?”

“I think so.” I told her a little bit about the past week. “If anything, I may have thrown her off-balance. She doesn’t know quite how to take it. But that’s good, right? Keeping her open to the possibilities of us?”

“Sounds like it.” Meghan began adding up my purchases. “Now, you keep up the good work. I’ll see her in a couple of weekends at our girls’ night, if not before then, and I’ll find out what’s going on in her mind. Be patient, okay?”

“I guess so.” I sighed. “Patience doesn’t come that easily after ten years of it.”

She giggled. “I can understand that. Patience isn’t my strong suit, either. But trust me, in the long run, you’ll be glad you did it.”

“What about Tim? Should I be concerned about the competition?”

Meghan shook her head. “Not a bit. Ali talked to Maureen the other day, after she met Tim, and she told Ali they didn’t have any spark. I think you’re safe there.”

The spark
. No wonder she’d been so startled last night when I’d used that phrase. Grinning, I leaned over and kissed Meghan on the cheek.

“What was that for?” She looked faintly startled.

“For being my co-conspirator and having my back. Thank you. I’d probably be a wreck if it weren’t for your help. Or I’d have already screwed up my chance with Maureen.”

Meghan smiled broadly. “You’re welcome. But this is our secret, right? I’ll lose my status as a loyal friend if Maureen finds out I’ve been aiding and abetting the other team.”

I used my finger to draw a cross over my heart. “It goes with me to the grave, I promise.”

I’d just pulled back into our driveway when my phone buzzed with a text from Maureen.

I’m going right over to Ali’s from the office. She’s not feeling well, so I’m going to make dinner for them. Don’t wait up for me.

Well, there was no missing that for the brush-off it was. Clearly Maureen wasn’t ready to face me yet. I felt a little ashamed, yeah, but mostly I was glad that I’d provoked at least some reaction, even if she was pulling away from me. Avoiding me.

Frowning, I unloaded the car, carrying my bags of produce directly upstairs to my own kitchen. I put everything away according to Meghan’s instructions—tomatoes didn’t go into the refrigerator, as I’d always thought; instead, they sat on my counter—and was contemplating what to make for dinner when I heard a knock at the kitchen door.

I jogged down the steps and opened the door when I saw Cory Evans on the stoop, holding some kind of box. She greeted me with a smile.

“Hey there, Boston! I figured if you weren’t going to come around to say hey, I’d have to hunt you down myself.”

“Mrs. E!” I wrapped Maureen’s mother in a quick, tight hug. “Good to see you. I’m sorry I didn’t come see you yet. I’ve been trying to get up to speed at the clinic. Actually, I just finished unpacking the last boxes here this morning.”

She waved one hand as she walked past me into the kitchen. “Oh, don’t worry about it, honey. I was just giving you a hard time. I take it my daughter’s not here, since I don’t see her truck in the drive.”

I shook my head. “She’s over at Ali’s, making dinner. I guess Ali’s sick.”

“Hmmm.” Cory raised one eyebrow. “Well, that’s all right. I mostly came to see you, anyway.”

“I’m flattered.” I slid my hands into the back pockets of my jeans. “Want something to drink? I think Reenie’s got some sweet tea made up in the fridge. Oh, and I just got peaches at Meghan’s stand, if you want some of those.”

“Thanks, but I’m fine.” She slid the flat brown cardboard box onto the counter. “I made you my specialty macaroni and cheese. It was a favorite of my husband’s, and I thought it might be something you’d enjoy.”

“Thanks.” I peeled back a corner of the aluminum foil and sniffed appreciatively. “This smells incredible. I think I just found dinner.”

“Good. Now, I want to know what you intend to do with my daughter.”

“I . . .” Surprise took away my ability to speak. “Not sure what you mean.”

“Oh, come on now, Smith. You’re a smart boy. I’ve known you since that first day on the steps, and I happen to think you’re not nearly as clueless as Maureen might think. I’ve known she’s been half-way in love with you since she nearly pushed you down the stairs. And I believe you are . . . let’s say, not indifferent to her, either. So I want to know when you’re going to ante up.”

My shoulders slumped, and I released a long breath. There wasn’t any use in wasting time playing dumb. “I’m trying, but she’s not making it easy. Meghan says I have to woo Reenie, because she’s not going to believe me if I just tell her how I feel.”

“Meghan is an astute young woman. No, I think she’s right. Direct is usually a good idea, but Maureen is so used to assuming that no one could ever fall in love with her, she’d blow it off. Wooing’s a good idea.” Cory cast her eyes up, as though she was trying to decide how to phrase her next words. “Reen’s a typical middle child. She had Iona, an over-achieving, confident older sister, and then she had Flynn, the baby brother who got all the attention. She was quiet, unless it was just the family. And she was very close to her father. He was the one who really understood her.”

I thought of her hesitance to believe she was part of our group of friends in college and of her willingness to accept that I’d never want more than friendship, despite all the evidence to the contrary. “So do you have any advice for me?”

She shrugged. “Keep at it. Don’t give up on her. Follow through on what you tell her.” Cory planted one hand on her hip and fastened me with a look. “And be very sure that you really do want her, Smith. Because if you break my daughter’s heart, I promise you, it won’t go well for you.”

I was pretty certain I felt my balls crawl up into my stomach, but I made a good show of staying calm, nodding. “I’ve been sure of that for ten years, Mrs. E. I liked her back then, and now, it’s even stronger. I never knew how
she
felt, but I’ve been damn sure about my own feelings.”

“Language.” She tapped my cheek, but her smile softened the blow. “I’m glad to hear it. Now if you—”

In my pocket, my phone rang, interrupting Mrs. Evans. I held up one finger. “I’m sorry. I’m on call and I need to answer this.”

The answering service was calling me to a sick pig, my very first farm call since arriving in Burton. I took down the information and the address of the farm before hanging up.

“Don’t you worry, sweetie pie. I’ve been living with a veterinarian for a while now, remember? Go, do what you need to. I’ll put the mac and cheese in the fridge, and you can heat it up whenever you get back.”

I kissed her cheek, checked my bag to make sure it was well-stocked, which it was, turned on a few lights in the likely event that I didn’t get back home until after dark and calling goodbye to Mrs. Evans, I climbed into my car.

Before I left the house, I texted Maureen, out of courtesy, I told myself. It was only decent to let my partner know what was going on, even if I did suspect she was avoiding me after our conversation last night.

Called to the Watson farm for pig with probable cystitis. Will keep you informed. Have a good dinner.

And having done what I felt was right, I headed off to take care of a pig with a bladder infection.

F
OR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS
after my first date with Tim, I somehow managed to avoid being alone with Smith for any extended period of time. I made sure I left for work before he was up, or I waited to get out of bed until I heard the Corvette pull away. When we did see each other, I pretended that he’d never shaken me with his description of how he’d kiss me. I forced myself to treat him as a casual friend.

Because that was all we were ever going to be.

I still didn’t understand what had happened that night in the kitchen. If it had been anyone else saying those words, I would’ve sworn he was coming onto me. And oh, yeah, it would’ve worked.

But once I’d gotten a little distance, I’d begun to wonder if Smith had been playing with me. Or if he was jealous of the attention I was paying Tim by going out with him. Smith had never been cruel to me, even when he was teasing, so I knew he hadn’t meant any real harm. Had he not realized how much his words affected me? I wasn’t sure. It had taken me hours to settle myself back down to sleep, and even then, I’d been restless, hyper-aware of my body as well as even the slightest noise from upstairs. Half-asleep, I willed Smith to come down, climb into bed with me and act out the kiss he’d described earlier. Of course he didn’t.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I saw him again, and uncertainty made me delay that from happening. I left early for my Saturday hours at the clinic, and then at my lunch break, I called Ali and asked if I could come over that night.

“Ugh, Reen, I’m sick. I don’t think it’s contagious, I just feel crappy.” She’d sounded awful.

“Then why don’t I come over there and make dinner for Flynn and Bridget? I promise, I won’t make a fuss, and you don’t have to be sociable. I’ll pick up everything on my way over.”