Ticket To Ride (Passing Through Series Book 2), page 15
Peg blew her whistle, and up came the megaphone. “I specified organza, Kathy. Organza.”
“I thought you might be up here,” Poppy said from right behind her.
Claire started and turned. “Guilty as charged.”
“I need team two to begin preparations to the dining room. Team two, report to the dining room for further instructions,” Peg boomed.
Poppy joined her at the window. “Mind if I hide with you for a few minutes?”
“I don’t think the bride gets to hide.”
With a snort, Poppy nudged her. “If anything, you should be the one down there. As owner of the house.”
“Where is Horace, by the way?”
Poppy giggled. “He locked himself in the carriage house and won’t answer the door.”
“Wise man.” Kathy was standing at the base of a ladder instructing Finn, who was valiantly fighting the breeze and trying to drape white organza.
“How long have you been up here?” Poppy giggled as organza wrapped around Finn.
Claire joined in and laughed at the poor guy as well. She might have to stage a rescue. In a bit though, because this was funny as hell. “Peg sent me up here to look for more dinner plates.”
Poppy gave her a hard stare.
“About an hour ago.” Claire didn’t even attempt to look sorry about it. “Hey! They don’t like me, and everyone is ready to tell me why I’m such a bitch.”
“Ignore them.” Poppy moved away from the window and peered around the attic. “They mean well, but they can have a bit of hive mind sometimes.” She turned in a circle. “Would you look at all this stuff?”
“Amazing isn’t it?” Claire had actually found more dinner plates and moved the boxes closer to the door.
“Donna!” Peg blew her whistle again. “Donna, you are needed in the kitchen.”
“I better get down there.” Claire picked up her box of plates. “Wish me luck.”
“Good luck.” Poppy laughed and fell into step with her as the descended the stairs. “I came to find you to tell you I’m wearing the dress.” Poppy grinned at her. “Cecily’s dress.”
If Claire hadn’t been holding a box of plates, she would have hugged Poppy. “I’m happy to hear it.”
Claire went to the dining room.
“There you are.” Peg pounced as she walked through the door.
Putting the box down on the sideboard, Claire said, “There are a couple of other boxes in the attic. I’ll go and get them.”
“Huh.” Peg gave her a hard stare. “Saw you been putting the pictures up around this place.”
“Yup.” Claire wouldn’t have thought Peg would notice. “I think I saw someone in one of them who could be related to you.”
“Probably.” Peg shrugged. “My people have been here for as long as yours.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“Of course, my people didn’t make all the money and build a grand house like this.”
Claire let her gaze roam the room. “She certainly is a grand old girl.”
“She’s a great house.” Peg’s gaze bored into her. “The sort of house that should be part of this community for generations to come.”
And that was her cue to leave. “I’ll get the other boxes.”
“I’d like to see that picture some time,” Peg said. “The one who looks like me.”
Claire felt like she’d won a war. “And I’d love to show it to you.”
“Huh.” Peg looked thoughtful. “That would be…nice.”
Peg looked as uncertain as Claire felt. “I’ll get those plates.”
“Good.” As she scuttled away, Peg had the megaphone working again. “All available prayer chain members please report to the dining room. Report to the dining room immediately.”
Claire almost ran into Rachel and Ann as they scurried down the stairs in response to Peg. About Poppy’s age and young mothers, they gave her looks of death as they passed.
“I hope she doesn’t do anything to ruin Poppy’s day,” Rachel said, loud enough for her voice to carry.
Ann responded at the same pitch. “She’d better not. If she knows what’s good for her.”
She could have reassured them, but they probably wouldn’t have listened anyway, so Claire carried on up the stairs.
“Claire!” Donna hurried up the stairs after her. “Peg sent me to help you bring some plates down.”
“Thanks.” Claire waited.
Donna was another of the young mothers in Twin Elks, and another member of her hate club. She drew abreast with Claire, and they climbed together. “Didn’t think you’d still be here.”
“Me neither.” It was the truth, but now that she was there, she was looking forward to Poppy and Ben’s big day. If she survived the prayer chain.
She and Donna carried the remaining boxes of plates down to the dining room in silence. Claire liked to think it was a slightly less hostile silence than the one before.
“Hey!” Kelly nodded to her and almost gave her a smile. “Do you know where Poppy is?”
“She was in the attic when I last saw her.”
Kelly bristled. “What’s she doing in there?”
“I locked her in.” Claire had reached her limit for one day. “I locked her in the attic so I could shave her head later. Just in time for her wedding.”
Kelly looked taken aback, and then she grinned. “Then it’s a good thing I brought the Elmer’s, because we might need to glue the veil to her bald head.” She caught sight of something behind Claire, and her grin widened. “Hey, hot stuff. If all this wedding fever is giving you ideas, I’d be happy to let you make an honest woman of me.”
All the women in the room turned to look at him.
Donna blushed and batted her eyes. “Hi, Finn.”
“Hi.” He gave Donna a warm smile, then bent and kissed Kelly’s cheek. “Don’t get my hopes up like that. It’s not fair.”
“God, you’re so fine.” Kelly got her hands on his shoulders and squeezed. “Why can’t I get all hot and bothered over you?”
Claire had no idea why Kelly couldn’t, because she was having no such trouble, and neither were a couple of other women in the room from the looks of things.
Finn turned to Claire, and she liked to think the smile he gave her was warmer than the ones he gave everyone else. The look in his eyes certainly was. “I’ve been sent to Grover’s for supplies. I was looking for a sidekick.”
“I could sidekick.” She took the hand he held out to her. Her heartbeat tripped into a rapid tattoo, and her skin heated.
Because she wanted out of the house and away from the prayer chain.
Yeah, right!
*
Claire climbed into Horace’s old boat of a car beside Finn. Apparently, it was all that hadn’t been seconded into service yet.
It only had a lap belt, which Claire clicked into place. “He should sell this old thing.”
“Bite your tongue.” Finn turned in the key. “You are speaking of a vintage lady here.”
Claire snorted. “A bit like his house.”
The engine gargled and chugged to life, the V8 engine making a reassuring tonk, tonk, tonk. “So, how brutal was the inquisition today?”
“The prayer chain had opinions.” With Finn, she didn’t have to hide. “And they all felt comfortable sharing them.”
He winced and put the car in reverse. “Ouch.”
“It’s okay.” She made light of it. “I’ve got a tough skin.”
Finn backed up, stopped and looked at her. “No, you don’t, babe. You walk a good talk, but underneath those come-fuck-me shoes is pure marshmallow.”
“Come-fuck-me shoes?”
“Figure of speech.” His grin was pure mischief. “But those shoes do give me thoughts.”
Claire wasn’t touching that one, and the remainder of the drive passed in silence.
They pulled up to Grover’s and took up one and a half parking spots.
Peering through the windshield, Claire wished he’d gone to one of the big chain stores on the town outskirts. “I hate this place.”
“Why?” Finn peered with her. “It’s a great family store, and Ben always supports this place. I think he’s right.”
“Yeah. I get all that.” Claire’s judge-o-meter was all full up thanks to the prayer chain. “But this is a town store and this town doesn’t like me.”
Finn winked at her. “I’ll protect you.”
If Bart and his daughter, Mia, didn’t look at her as if she was Satan’s instrument of destruction on earth, Claire would have loved Grover’s. It was an old school town grocer serving the needs of its community, and it was a healthy member of a dying herd.
“Finn!” Mia Grover materialized in front of them and went pale and then pink before giggling. “I didn’t expect to see you today.”
Finn gave her a kind, but avuncular smile. “Hi, Mia. Yup, we came in to pick up some supplies for the wedding tomorrow.”
Mia’s brown eyes went huge, and she wrinkled her nose. “Ooh, Chief Crowe’s wedding to the widow Williams.”
The widow Williams conjured up images more Gunsmoke than Poppy.
Mia glanced at her and came back for a longer look. “Miz Winters.” She stressed the Winters. “We haven’t seen you here in a while.”
“Probably because I haven’t been here in a while.”
Sticking her adorably freckled nose in the air, Mia sniffed. “What can I do for you, Finn? How can I help you? Finn?”
“I have this list here.” Finn did helpless as he handed over the list.
Claire resisted the urge to hit him. He was totally taking advantage of what looked to be a monumental crush.
“Finn.” Bart Grover bustled over, hands on either side of his growing belly. “Getting a few last-minute things for the wedding? Great.” He rubbed his hands together. “Whole town is looking forward to it.”
“I’m looking forward to it.” Mia sailed past with a grocery cart. She gave Claire a hard stare. “I’m invited.”
Bart cleared his throat. “That’s good, Mia honey, now get Mr. Williams his order.”
“Finn.” Mia smirked. “I call him Finn, and I am already halfway done with Finn’s order.”
Bart laughed, a little forced and too loud. “Spirited girl, my Mia.” He looked at Claire. “How’s your dad?”
“Good.” Horace was her dad, and it didn’t sting as much as it had in the past. “He needs to get his hip done.”
Bart tapped his belly. “You’re right there. My mother got it done. Know what the first thing she noticed was?”
“No.” She’d play along.
“No pain.” Bart held his hands up. “No more pain. Made her wonder why she hadn’t done it years ago.”
“Da…Horace is being stubborn about it,” she said. “But after he walks Poppy down the aisle, I’m going to see it done.”
Coming past again, Mia gave them a meaningful glance. “I plan to dance at the wedding. With whoever asks me.”
“Seems a solid plan.” Claire gave her a smile. And then she relented. “A pretty girl like you will have lots of people asking her.”
Mia did a double take, almost tripping over her shopping cart.
“Throw a couple of those cookies Mr. Winters likes in with the order,” Bart called to Mia. “On us.” He beamed at Claire. “Your dad started ordering those for your mom when she first got here. I guess he got hooked on them.”
“For Mom?” Another way Horace kept refusing to fit into her idea of him.
“Oh, yes.” Bart rubbed his palms together. “He would order all sorts of fancy stuff for Naomi. Of course, the store was my dad’s then, but he’d come home and tell us all about quail eggs and caviar. Once he had lobster brought in. Fresh out of the ocean that morning.”
Finn twined his fingers with hers. “We’ll take that order and get going. I’m sure Peg is working on a list for me as we stand here.”
“You know Peg.” Bart rolled his eyes and chuckled. “I’ll get that all rung up for you.”
“You okay?” Finn whispered.
Not even a little. “I would be, if Horace would stay being an asshole.”
Chapter Fifteen
Claire arrived back at the house with Finn to find the number of people doubled. Claire might not have spent much of her childhood in Twin Elks, but she had no trouble spotting Ben’s siblings.
In amongst her tall, broad sons, Dot glowed like a small sun. She even forgot to glare at Claire as she and Finn carried the groceries into the kitchen.
“Finn! Claire!” Dot flapped her hands at them. “Come and meet the boys.”
The boys looked a whole lot more like men, and to a one, they were a heap of eye candy to take in. It was enough to totally fluster a woman.
“Did you all arrive together?” Finn held out his hand to a darker brother, who shared Ben’s deep brown eyes but was tanned like he spent a lot of time in the sun.
“Hi, I’m Gabe.” He shook Finn’s hand. “I flew into LA a couple of days ago, and Mark and I came here together.”
“Gabe has been working in Australia.” Dot beamed up at him. “With great white sharks.”
The brother Gabe had indicated stepped forward. He looked vaguely familiar to Claire.
“Mark.” He shook Finn’s hand.
Finn chuckled. “I know who you are, man. You guys are having a slow start to the season.”
Hair of a paler brown than Ben’s and Gabe’s, Mark also had soulful hazel eyes surrounded by thick lashes and a pair of shoulders that screamed a physical job of some sort. Based on what Finn had said, she guessed athlete.
“Yeah.” Mark shrugged. “But it’s not where you are in November that counts.”
Finn finished for him. “It’s where you are in April.”
“Hi.” Gabe had turned his attention to her. “You must be Claire?”
“Hi.” It came out a bit strangled.
Then Mark smiled at her, and she didn’t trust her voice, so she inanely grinned in response to his hello.
“Over here is my New York highflyer.” Dot tugged another son, this one even lighter haired than Mark but combined to devastating effect with Ben’s coffee dark eyes.
Dressed in what Claire would lay money on were designer jeans and a custom-tailored button-up, his voice was poured cream over ice. “Otherwise known as Luke and not a highflyer, but certainly a New Yorker.” He shook her hand and then Finn’s.
Dot poked Luke’s arm. “You’re not a New Yorker. This is still your home.”
Looking at his mother, Luke gave her a noncommittal smile.
“And this is my baby.” Dot had another son by the arm and dragged him forward.
Dot’s baby was even taller than Ben and built broader than Mark. He also had the most perfect bone structure Claire had ever seen. His face was saved from pretty by a pair of piercing hazel eyes. He was also tanned like he spent hours in the sun. Worn cropped close to his head, his hair appeared dark like Ben’s.
“Rafe.” He held out his hand to her and then Finn.
Dot tucked her arm through his. “Rafe is a doctor, and he’s been working in Mozambique.”
“Doctors without Borders isn’t it?” Finn glanced at Dot and then Rafe.
Dot nodded enthusiastically. “But I’m very glad to have him back.”
“She’s glad to have all of them back.” Ben appeared at the back of his brothers and smiled at his mother.
“Yes, I am.” Dot vibrated with energy. “And I’ve already warned them I’ll do everything I can to make them stay.”
Gabe put an arm around Dot’s shoulders. “How about we start with a wedding?”
“Yeah.” Mark looked around the kitchen. “Where are you hiding the bride?”
“I’m here.” Poppy appeared in the doorway dressed in a pretty blue and white wraparound dress. As her normal attire was jeans and T-shirts, she must have made an effort. She held up one hand like a child in school and then clasped both in front of her so tightly the knuckles turned white.
Claire wanted to reassure her she looked exactly like Poppy, sweet, pretty and adorable.
Luke got to her first and bent and kissed her cheek. “I’ve been wondering who would shake my brother up. I can see why he couldn’t let you go.”
Poppy blushed and laughed. “Ben said you were a charmer.”
The brothers greeted Poppy one by one. Ben stood beside her, his arm around her waist, and smiling like he’d won the lottery, singlehandedly brought about world peace and declared every day Christmas.
The happiness in the kitchen was infectious and reached out and included Claire and Finn.
By the time Horace stormed in thirty minutes later the atmosphere was relaxed and jovial.
“Is that woman in here?” Horace sidled closer to the table.
Dot chuckled. “No, Peg went home a couple of hours ago.”
“Thank you, God.” Horace took a seat and dropped his head into his hands. “She’s going to drive me crazy.”
“Never mind.” Dot patted his shoulder. She looked at Claire and winked. “You’ll only have to do this one more time.”
“Oh.” Claire flushed under all the curious gazes pointed her way. “I’m not getting married.”
“Ever?” Mark blinked at her.
“Of course, you aren’t.” Dot smiled. “Let’s get everyone fed.”
Claire worked, under Dot’s supervision, to get a family dinner on the large kitchen table.
Maybe it was her happiness over having her family back together, but Dot was warm and inclusive with Claire. She couldn’t help hoping it was because Dot maybe liked her a bit now. Dot radiated the sort of warmth you wanted to get close to.
Brinn and Ciara wandered in and were immediately swept into a sea of new uncles. Seeming less impressed, Ryan hung back and stayed by Ben’s side.
