You Belong with Me, page 8
The bell jingled and Madison breezed through the door and walked directly back to the kitchen.
Janie held up her hand. “You can’t go back—”
Madison’s icy glare silenced her. She bit back a string of words that came to mind. The order window offered a perfect view of Madison rising on tiptoes to plant a kiss on Thomas’s neck.
She had to get out of here, but where? She eyed a side door by the cash register. Today was as good a day as any to explore where that went. Even a closet would give her a moment to compose herself.
Janie turned the deadbolt in the door and stepped inside. Light shone through butcher paper that had been taped on the front windows. Iron chairs rested upside down on their matching tables, all lined up opposite an antique-style counter. This had to be the business next door.
“Isn’t it great?” Lucy appeared in the doorway. “Don and I bought it fifteen years ago when we were considering expanding, but when the economy went south so did our plans. We’ve put it up for sale several times but haven’t had one bite.”
“I love the counter.” Janie reached out to the wood but stopped. A thick layer of dust covered every surface.
“It was a candy shop. They had the best truffles, but like many businesses in this town, they didn’t make it.” She stared at Janie, then wiped her thumb across her cheek—no doubt a smudge of flour Janie had missed. “Are you sure you can do this for the next couple months?”
Janie shifted her weight to the other foot. “I don’t know. But he’s moved on. I can too.”
“I explained to Madison she isn’t allowed back in the kitchen during hours of operation. But I can’t promise that will keep her away.” Lucy dusted her palms across her apron.
“I can do it. I will do it.” Janie forced back the tears. “Time to check the bread.”
By the time Janie returned to the kitchen, Thomas was nowhere in sight. She lifted the cheesecloth covering the dough. Her heart dropped. The dough remained in a small, dense lump. It hadn’t risen one bit. She closed her eyes and ran through the recipe in her mind. She’d measured it all right, of that she was certain.
Yeast. She’d forgotten the yeast. Janie blinked several times, forcing herself not to cry. Why did she ever think this job was a good idea?
Luke had witnessed Hannah doing some crazy things over the years, but this one outdid them all. When she’d called and announced she needed to drop by for a chat, he’d expected she’d try once again to convince him to take the dog.
He’d spent the last hour making a mental list of all the reasons he couldn’t and wouldn’t let the dog stay with him. And if the list failed, he’d shift the conversation to his birth certificate, which he still hadn’t found a way to talk to her about. But all his plans flew from his mind when she started talking about something even crazier.
He watched her across the table. Her lips were still moving, but he’d stopped listening after the words “set the middle of town on fire.” Maybe she’d finally lost her mind. Well, if she hadn’t, he was about to.
Luke raised his hand. “Hannah, stop. You can’t set the town on fire.”
“Not the whole town.” Hannah huffed and shook her head. “Just three houses.”
“That’s better?” Luke gulped his coffee. Cold. He stood, dumped the black brew in the sink, and poured himself another cup. He needed all his synapses firing for this conversation.
She pulled a piece of scrap paper from the recycling bin and a pen from the drawer. “Just stay with me.”
Like that was an easy goal.
Hannah mapped out the center of town but left out the row of condemned houses. “Just imagine the Manor standing alone in a park in all its glory.”
“Its glory?”
“Not yet. But it will be. And around it—a beautiful park.” She added bushes, trees, and a swing set to the drawing. “Every town needs a center point of gathering, like in Stars Hollow, where they had that great gazebo. For Heritage, it will be the Manor.”
He turned to offer Hannah a cup of coffee but thought better of it. The girl didn’t need caffeine right now. “Stars what?”
“The town in Gilmore Girls? The television show.” Hannah dismissed his question with a wave of her hand.
He sat and took a gulp from his steaming mug. “So, you want to knock down a bunch of condemned houses to make another condemned building the gathering point?”
“The Manor isn’t condemned. That’s a vicious rumor. The vet houses were condemned ten to fifteen years ago. The owners didn’t want to pay to demolish them and didn’t want to pay taxes, so all were eventually reacquired by the town because of unpaid back taxes. The Manor was donated to the town. The only reason the vet houses still stand is that it’s too much money and too much hassle to get rid of them.”
“I’m not surprised.” He tilted his head and lifted his cup to her. “But why would the Manor be a place to gather? Condemned or not, it’s no place to hang out.”
She leaned her elbows on the table and stared at him. “The park will be the place to hang out. And when we win the grant money we can make the Manor a community building for events. Maybe add a library or museum. With these other buildings gone, it will open the whole block up.”
“Then why not knock them down? You don’t have to set the town on fire.”
“That’s what I thought, but Derek looked into it and the closest dump is across county lines. We’d have to pay major fees due to some of it being hazardous waste.”
“What about the fees for burning hazardous waste?”
“For the fire department to burn them we have to have any asbestos removed. But the rest is controlled by the town so if the board approves, they just have to sign off that they won’t fine themselves. Trust me. The buildings need to be burned. If you think they’re bad on the outside, you should see the inside—”
“Inside?” Luke choked as he attempted to swallow. “They’re condemned. Who let you in?”
“Janie and I just walked in.”
He set down his mug and gripped the edge of the table. “The doors are locked.”
“Fine, we walked in through a window.” She crossed her arms in front of her. “Just the first one. The window is missing. It was in bad shape with nasty old furniture. They’re a lawsuit waiting to happen.”
Luke growled. “That’s why people are supposed to stay out. Including you.”
Hannah stared at him before turning back to the rough map she’d drawn. “Anyway, Derek gave me a bunch of research about other towns using such buildings for training burns.”
“That is the second time you’ve mentioned Derek. Are you spending time with him now?”
“No. The board suggested that he give me some help with my plan, and since I need the board’s approval for this project, I agreed to his input. That’s all it is.” She dismissed the idea with another wave of her hand. “Even you have said before that the Heritage Fire Department needs more training. Well, set the houses on fire and train.”
She was dead serious. She had no idea how dangerous it could prove to be. It would have to be an all-hands operation with the surrounding fire departments standing by. With so many buildings in a row, the challenge would be controlling the burn. If they got more than one hot at a time, it could end up decimating the whole town. And if she wanted to save the Manor, this wouldn’t be a walk in the park.
Luke ran his fingers through his hair and dropped his elbows on the table. “So if Ted, his father, and the town council agree—and that’s a big if—you really think this will win you the grant?”
“The article said it’s looking for towns that are ambitious and ready to do what it takes to turn over a new leaf. What’s more ambitious than burning the middle of town?” Hannah glanced at her watch. “I told Aunt Lucy I’d help them pack the car. I’m telling you this is it.”
Luke groaned and shook his head. “And here I thought I was going to have to talk you out of bringing me that dog.” He leaned back in his chair and downed the last of his coffee.
Hannah moved to the door and paused with an impish smile. “Right, the dog. He’ll be here Wednesday. See you then.” She dashed out, slamming the door before he could even swallow.
Luke bolted to it and whipped it open. Her car was already pulling away from the curb.
He wasn’t taking that dog.
Jimmy’s red rider bike lay discarded in front of his porch. Luke hopped off the steps and peered under the porch. Jimmy huddled in a ball, shivering, with tearstained cheeks and red-rimmed eyes.
“Hey, bud, what’s up?”
Jimmy brushed his wet cheeks with the backs of his hands, leaving dirt streaks behind. “Nothin’.”
“Really? Hmm. Then why are you under here? Let’s go shoot hoops.”
The boy shrugged. “Okay, somethin’. But you can’t help.”
“Try me.” Luke shifted his weight and leaned against the side of the house.
The boy stayed mute as if waiting for Luke to give up and leave. Wasn’t going to happen.
Jimmy sighed as he wiped his nose across his sleeve. “Mrs. Adams is all-ee-geric to dogs.”
“Were you hoping for a dog?”
“I asked for one for my birthday. Always wanted a dog. Mom always said she didn’t need another mongrel to feed. What’s a mongrel?”
Luke ruffled the boy’s hair. “Guess what? I’m getting a dog on Wednesday.”
Where did that come from? That was not what he’d meant to say.
The boy’s wide eyes filled with hope. “Really? Can I play with him?”
No going back now. But perhaps this was the next step in learning to be there for someone, even if it meant stepping out of his comfort zone. And this step might look like a four-legged, slobbery mess. “Yup. Anytime you want.”
Jimmy let out a whoop and jumped up. “Can we play ball now?”
“Sure thing.”
See, opening up wasn’t so hard. Luke forced down the anxiety building. He’d do it one day at a time.
six
If Luke tried to turn her away, she might have to get down on all fours with the dog and beg. Hannah opened the passenger-side door of her Volkswagen Bug, grabbed the leash, and offered a gentle tug. Nothing. With a slow hand, she patted the dog’s head and scratched by his ear. He leaned into her hand and closed his eyes. Who’d have guessed that under all that dirt the dog was almost blond with a white underbelly?
Stepping back from the car, she gave the leash another gentle tug as she patted her leg. The dog inched backward until he was pressed against the far door. The air had cooled with the setting of the sun, and the dog seemed to prefer the warmth of the car. Like she didn’t.
“Wrong way, pup.” Hannah pulled with a bit more force. “Come on, doggy.” She needed to come up with a name.
The vet had said the dog was underweight, but she’d be willing to debate that at the moment. She could control a fifty-pound dog. After all, she weighed more than twice that. Although doing this in a skirt wasn’t her best choice.
She’d set another meeting with Derek, and she had just twenty minutes to get there. She was behind on laundry, so it was a skirt or her ratty jeans and a sweatshirt. If she wanted to be seen as a professional, she needed to look professional—the skirt won out. But if she’d known she was going to have to wrestle this dog into Luke’s house, she’d have opted for the jeans.
“Come here . . . Rover? Spot?”
No luck—and a dumb name for a dog with no spots.
The door behind her creaked open, causing the dog’s ears to perk. A high-pitched whistle followed by a few claps filled the air. Really, Luke? Did he think she’d brought him Lassie, who’d just come on command?
Another whistle split the silent evening.
She glared at him, ignoring the little hop her heart did at the sight of him barefoot in jeans and a white tee. “That’s not—”
A mass of fur flew past her legs, sending her tumbling into a patch of remaining gray snow. She glanced up in time to see the mutt bound up the old porch steps and into the house.
Maybe she’d call him Brutus.
Hannah stood and brushed away the grit embedded in her kneecaps. So much for looking professional at the meeting.
She grabbed the bag of supplies, slammed the car door, and followed them into the house. The dog may be staying here, but it’d still be her dog.
Hannah dropped the bag on the table with a thud. “How’d you do that? I couldn’t get him to move an inch.”
Why did she sound so angry? Maybe because he’d done something she couldn’t. Maybe because her left knee ached. Or maybe because, if she didn’t stay just a little irritated, she’d be tempted to cancel the meeting with Derek and spend the evening with Luke.
“I have the touch.” Luke rubbed the dog’s ears and held something up to the furry snout.
“You have bacon?” Maybe she’d call the dog Mooch.
Luke offered a half grin. “Yeah, bacon helps too.”
“Cheater.” Hannah dug into the bag. Where were the pills the vet had given her?
“Resourceful.” Luke paused from scratching the dog’s ears and took in the full length of her, his gaze lingering a touch longer on her legs. “Do you normally dress up for a dog drop-off?”
That look was not going to help her state of mind. Janie’s words floated back. Just admit you’re in love with him.
She broke eye contact and focused on the bag. “I have a meeting, and you aren’t supposed to feed him people food. He’ll get overweight. I bought him this food for now until I can get to a pet store for the brand the vet recommended. I also bought a few toys.”
“A house showing?” Luke peeked in the sack and pulled out a tug rope, brushing her hand in the process.
Hannah jumped away and pulled out the medicine. “Just a meeting. He needs to take this three times a day.”
He set the rope aside, then took the medicine. “All right.”
Hannah knelt to ruffle the dog’s ears. “I really appreciate this. I’m not sure what I’d have done with him if you hadn’t agreed.”
“I don’t think I technically agreed.” Luke looked at the dog sniffing around the kitchen. For more bacon, no doubt. Spoiled already.
“Well, you didn’t disagree, so that sounded like an agreement to me.”
“Sort of like I didn’t disagree about the controlled burn?” He lifted an eyebrow at her.
“Okay, no. You really disagreed with that. But I believed—believe it is a good idea, and I’ll convince the town council I’m right. I’ll show them the figures and the plan for the space. I also have testimonies of three other small towns that handled the old vet houses in a similar way. Of course, they burned them over twenty years ago. But a fire is a fire.”
His hand tightened on a chair as he leaned on the back of it. “That’s where you’re wrong. Fires aren’t all the same, and they can be dangerous. And I don’t like the idea of starting one in the middle of town.”
“Fire is the best method since it’s free and—”
“It’s only free as long as it burns just what you’re planning on burning.” He shook his head. “And what about the asbestos removal?”
“That is a cost, but I found a company that will do it for about a thousand dollars—give or take, depending on how much is there. But it’s a small investment for cleaning up the center of town. It’s something that’s needed to happen for a long time. This is the perfect way to do it. Trust me.”
Luke’s intense gaze burned into hers as he reached for the ball she’d bought for the dog. “I trust you.”
Hannah broke eye contact and reached into the bag again, but it was empty. “Don’t forget the pills. They’re very important. And the follow-up instructions on the bottle.”
“Pills. Got it.”
Luke bounced the ball a few times and the dog came to attention. Luke tossed the ball through the doorway to the living room. Nails scraped across the wood floor as the animal scrambled after it. A few thuds followed by a loud crash. The dog bolted back into the room and squeezed between the chairs under the table. A yellow-tinted puddle spread across the floor.
“You’ve got to be kidding.” Luke’s voice shook as he flexed his hand.
Hannah’s gaze darted from the dog to Luke. If he kicked them both out, where would they go? She couldn’t take him to her apartment or they’d both be homeless.
The muscle in Luke’s jaw twitched as he drew a calming breath. “I guess potty training is first on the list.”
“So, he can stay?”
“For now. But I’m still not convinced this is the great idea you think it is.” Luke gestured to the floor. “Case in point.”
Hannah stepped over the puddle to the counter and pulled off a hefty amount of paper towels. She’d have to add that to her next shopping list. She pulled out the chairs and did her best to contain the mess.
“At least you haven’t redone the floors yet.” She offered Luke a half smile. His blank stare didn’t change.
Luke would see she was right about the dog. And eventually he’d see she was right about burning the houses too.
Thomas stretched his neck and sighed as the long hand touched the twelve. Nine o’clock. Kitchen was closed. He flipped off the grill and scraped the spatula across the surface, taking care to leave no stray bits. He grabbed a clean, wet rag and ran it over the smooth metal. Steam billowed and moistened his face.
After hanging his apron on the hook, he ran his hands under hot water and added a fair amount of soap. Overall, it had been another successful day, but he still couldn’t forget the hurt that had flashed in Janie’s eyes when Madison stopped to see him.
Thomas chalked it all up to one more reason it’d be good to get out of Heritage. The more he let the idea sink in, the more he found himself longing for it. Starting fresh where no one knew his past failures or had their own personal expectations for his future. Hannah hated the idea, but she’d see in time it was best for him, Madison . . . and Janie.
He stepped over to the soda fountain and filled a cup with Mountain Dew. A few of the regular late-night stragglers remained. Wait. And a couple not so regular. Hannah and Derek? Together?
