Charmed by His Love (18 page)

“Are we gonna make a campground, Mom?” Jacob asked, walking backward in front of her. “And have campfires every night?”

“Nope. Because we’re not going to run out of gravel for a long, long time if the amount of land Mr. Duncan is clearing is any indication.”

Jacob realized they’d reached the trestle and immediately scurried back and took hold of her hand. Peter refused when she held out her hand to him, but he did grab the hem of her jacket as they walked across. And even though Peg would have liked to stop and watch the sixty-foot falls cascading down in a thundering roar just a stone’s throw away, she knew neither of the twins were comfortable lingering on the bridge. She often wondered if maybe they’d heard her talking to someone about Billy having been working near a bridge when he died. It’s not like it was a secret or anything, but maybe she should have a conversation with all four of her children about exactly what happened—since it appeared they obviously thought about it, judging by Jacob’s talk with Duncan last night.

They finally reached the post office, and Peg handed the key to Peter since it was his turn, making him read the number on their box before he opened it. “Mom, look! We got another special delivery,” he whooped, pulling out two lollipops and handing one to Jacob. “They’re grape ones this time, Repeat. We’re gonna have purple tongues.”

“What is all the caterwauling out here?” Thelma Banzhoff asked as she came through the door from out back. “Oh, it’s Pete and Repeat,” she said in mock surprise, only to suddenly frown and bend down to peek in the open box. “Did that mail fairy sneak in here again and leave you two little heathens another special delivery?” She shook her head, making a
tsk
ing sound. “I warned the little imp that it’s illegal to mess with a United States post office box, but it seems she’s powerfully determined to make her deliveries. And sneaky, too, because I made sure all the doors and windows were locked when I left here yesterday.”

“Locked windows and doors ai—isn’t gonna stop no fairy,” Peter said. He held his thumb and finger almost together. “’Cause she can fit through a crack this big.”

Thelma pointed at the prize in his other hand. “Then how does she get the lollipops through a crack that small?”

“By magic,” Jacob piped up around the pop already in his mouth. He pulled it out and grinned up at her. “Just like the tooth fairy. See, I lost my tooth this morning and tonight she’s gonna bring me a quarter. But only if I’m asleep, right, Mom?”
he asked, looking up at Peg. “You told Pete when he lost his tooth that if he tries to stay awake all night she won’t come.”

“That’s right.” Peg reached in the box and pulled out the few envelopes and several sale fliers. “Now thank Mrs. Banzhoff for not having the mail fairy arrested for delivering your special deliveries.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Banzhoff,” they said in unison.

“Peg, could I speak with you a minute?” Thelma asked, nodding for her to move away from the boys.

“Okay, new challenge,” Peg said, herding the twins over to the bench under the window. “Unglue yourselves from me and work on turning your tongues purple, okay, while I go over there.”

“Can we kneel on the bench and watch all the terrists?” Jacob asked.

“The what?” Thelma yelped.

“The
tour
ists,” Peg said to Jacob after shooting Thelma a smile. “You may watch the tourists, but keep your sticky fingers off the window. What’s up?” she asked softly as she walked to the other side of the vestibule with Thelma.

“Land sakes, my kid-talk is rusty,” Thelma said with a laugh. She suddenly turned serious, touching Peg’s sleeve. “You’ve heard there’s talk in town about forming a committee to fight the new resort, haven’t you?” she whispered.

“Evan just said something about it, but that was the first I heard.”

Thelma glanced over her shoulder at the boys, then turned and bent her head next to Peg’s. “Well, I’ve overheard more than one conversation in the last few days where your name’s come up.” She touched her sleeve again. “Please don’t ask me who was doing the talking, Peg, because I need to be discreet about gossiping. But it appears some people feel that you’re … Well, I just want to warn you that some folks aren’t too happy that the gravel for the resort road is coming out of your pit.” Thelma clutched her sweater closed at her throat. “I heard them saying that you’re just letting that outfit from away come in here and … and rape your land,” she whispered, “for no good reason other than to make a truckload of money.”

“Are you serious?” Peg growled, clutching her own throat
in a futile attempt to tamp down her anger. “I’ve owned that pit for nearly ten years, and nobody had any problem with it existing before now. They’re really calling it
rape
?”

Thelma touched Peg’s sleeve again, this time giving her arm a squeeze. “I’m just repeating what I heard. And you need to know it’s only a small minority that doesn’t want the resort. Most of the people in town are for it because of the jobs it’s going to bring to the area, and the shops and restaurants and cottage industries that will follow. Some of the folks are already planning to expand their own businesses. And Bunky Watts intends to open a craft co-op in that empty storefront across from the church.”

Peg was smiling and nodding despite trying to get past the idea that she was raping her land. “Those opposed to the resort should go visit Pine Creek,” she said. “The TarStone Mountain Ski Resort made that town what it is today, which is an inviting, thriving community. I can’t believe they’re saying I’m raping my land.”

Thelma snorted. “It only takes a few extremists to turn something wonderful into a big ugly fight. I will tell you this much; it’s mostly people from away who are raising the stink. But they’re the ones who have the money and clout to bring in the big guns.” She glanced at the boys, then patted Peg’s arm again. “I just wanted you to be aware that, like it or not, you and Livy Bald—I mean Livy Oceanus have made a few enemies.”

Peg was incredulous. “Because I’m selling gravel? Dammit, that pit is all I have.”

“I know that, honey,” Thelma said. “And if I were in your shoes, I’d sell every damn last rock and grain of sand out of it that I could.” Her eyes narrowed. “You know, the people who are complaining the loudest don’t seem to have a problem buying your gravel to repair the roads to their summer camps. They want to own their little piece of heaven, but they don’t want to share it with anyone.”

Peg took a deep breath to help throw back her shoulders, and shot Thelma a smile. “Yeah, well, they can just live with the potholes from now on. Even if I wasn’t in the gravel business, I’d still be on the front line to get this resort built. It’s going to be beautiful when it’s done and great for the economy for our children and grandchildren. That earthquake put Spellbound
Falls on the worldwide map, and as far as I’m concerned it was the best thing to happen to this town. And another thing,” Peg growled, trying but failing to tamp down her anger. “Mac already bought up most of the land around the lake precisely to keep the wilderness wild. Olivia told me they’re planning to cater to every walk of life; that if someone wants five-star accommodations they can stay at the resort on top of the mountain, but if they want back-country hiking there’s going to be a trail system with rustic campsites, and everything in between.”

“I know,” Thelma said, her features relaxing into a smile. “Olivia was in here just yesterday and mentioned some of what they’re planning. The Grange women are already raising funds to redo the town park, and if they raise enough they want to include a trail up to the top of the falls and a viewing platform.”

“Wonderful,” Peg growled. “It sure beats raising money for their widow’s fund.”

Thelma’s face reddened. “They came in about a month ago wanting to put a collection jar here at the post office, and they told me it was going to have a picture of your children on it.” She snorted. “I told them that one, it was illegal to solicit in a federal building, and two, I hoped you sued them if they did that to you and your kids.”

“Thank you for that,” Peg said. “I swear I was tempted to brain Janice and Christine with the loaf of bread I was holding when they cornered me in the Trading Post. You know, Thelma, maybe we should form our own
pro
-resort committee, if for no other reason than to show our support to Olivia and Mac.” She shook her head. “It would crush Olivia to be accused of ruining the wilderness.” Peg gave Thelma as bright as smile as she could muster, considering she was still angry as hell. “She and Mac are taking the kids on a cross-country trip for two months, and we could be fully organized by the time they get back. Heck, we might even have the anti-resort group on the run by then, if we get enough people together to outshout the extremists.”

“Mom!” Jacob called, frantically waving her over. “We just seen Mr. Alec and the other man go into the Moose. Can we go have our cheese sandwich with them?”

Peg’s anger turned to horror in half a heartbeat. The last person she wanted to run into today was Mr. Kiss-stealing MacKeage. “Was Duncan with them?” she asked, rushing to the window to look out.

“Nope,” Peter said around what was left of his lollipop. “Just Mr. Robbie and Mr. Alec. Can we hurry, Mom?”

Peg leaned forward to look up and down the road, trying to spot Duncan’s truck, sighing in relief when all she saw was Robbie MacBain’s pickup parked in the church dooryard. “We still have to go see Ezra first,” she said, straightening away. “And if the men look like they’re talking business, we can’t bother them, okay? We’ll just say hi and sit on the stools at the counter.”

“Gosh-dang it, Mom,” Peter muttered, making Peg rear back with a gasp. “I don’t see why we can’t talk business with them.”

“Peter Thompson!” she snapped over Thelma’s laughter as the postmistress slipped through the door leading out back. Peg gave him a nudge. “You do not say that word. Ever. You hear me?”

Peter gave Peg his worried yet defiant look. “Mr. Evan says it all the time, so what’s wrong with
gosh-dang
?” he asked, using the word again just to push her buttons.

She nudged him again, a little less gently this time. “Because it’s one step away from cussing, is why. And people will put up with cussing from adults, but not from ill-mannered children. It makes you appear uncivilized.”

“I told Mr. Duncan he’s gotta remember to take his worry stone outta his pocket to rub it,” Jacob chimed in, smiling smugly, “so people won’t think he’s unsevralized by playing pocket pool.”

Peg clutched her chest on a gasp. “You told Duncan that? You actually said
pocket pool
?”

Jacob nodded. “And he promised he wouldn’t forget to take it out to rub it.”

Oh God, the man must still be laughing. Peg stuffed her mail in her purse and headed for the door. “We’re back to being glue,” she growled, leading them outside.

Not wanting Peter and Jacob to think they could just walk out into traffic, it took Peg two full minutes to find an opening to cross the road, and they were just reaching Ezra’s store when Alec and Robbie came out of the Drunken Moose carrying boxes. They spotted her and the boys and headed over.

“Hello, Thompson tribe,” Alec said. “Pete, Jacob,” he added with a slight bow, addressing each boy correctly. “What are you gentlemen up to today?”

“We was gonna have cheese sandwiches at the Moose,” Peter informed him, “and eat with you if you weren’t talking business, ’cause we seen you go inside when we was at the post office.”

“It’s standing room only in there, so we decided to eat on the tailgate of my truck,” Robbie said. “And we’d be delighted if you would join us.”

“But we gotta go see how much money to give Mr. Ezra this month.”

“Or, your mom could go talk with Mr. Ezra while you boys sit with us,” Robbie said. He held out his box. “I bought a bit more than I can eat, so we could share.”

Peg pulled in a breath and held it, uncertain what to do,
especially when she saw both boys’ eyes light with excitement as they looked up at her.

“Can we, Mom?” Peter asked. “We promise we’ll stick to them like glue.”

“We’ll take good care of them, Peg,” Robbie said, his warm gray eyes obviously reading her concern. “We’re in no rush, as we’re waiting on a special delivery,” he added, that warmth turning amused—although she had no idea why.

“You’re getting a special delivery, too?” Peter cried. He stuck out his tongue. “See, ows wus gwape.”

Peg gave him a nudge. “Don’t talk with your tongue out,” she said with a laugh. She looked from Robbie to Alec, then down at her boys. Oh God, she’d never left them with virtual strangers before. “Um, do you want to go sit on the tailgate of the pickup with the men?”

Both boys vigorously nodded, and Peg didn’t know if she was excited that Jacob wasn’t even hesitating or worried that she was hesitating instead.

“And just as soon as you’re done with your business,” Robbie continued to her, “you could also join us while we wait for our delivery.”

Jacob tugged on Robbie’s pant leg. “The fairies don’t deliver in the daylight,” he said with great authority, adding a nod for effect. “’Cause you’re not supposed to see her, or she won’t leave nothing in the mailbox or under your pillow.”