Making His Way Home (5 page)

On the way to Mirror Lake, he’d spent several hours mentally preparing himself for the moment he walked through the front door of his grandfather’s house. When he would relive those first few weeks following his father’s death.

But nothing had prepared him to see Grace again.

Should he apologize for not saying goodbye? For not contacting her again after he’d left town?

Or would she think he was crazy for bringing it up? Or even worse, that he was arrogant enough to believe that she’d actually thought about him over the years?

“I’m meeting with my grand—
Sloan’s
—attorney Monday morning at nine o’clock,” he finally said, reluctant to talk business in front of Grace.

Although she, of all people, should understand why he felt no sentimental attachment to the property.

“Then stop by my office at ten.” Sissy poured a glass of lemonade. “I’ll try to take a drive out that way before we meet. Is the place in pretty decent shape?”

“No.”

Cole and Sissy both turned toward Grace. Her eyes widened a little, as if she hadn’t intended to join the conversation. But then she raised her chin, daring him to disagree.

He couldn’t.

“It could use a little TLC.” Cole refused to feel guilty about its run-down state. Forty-eight hours ago, he hadn’t even known the house and land belonged to him.

Sissy’s gaze bounced between him and Grace. “That’s right. You two are neighbors.” She flashed that bright smile again. “I’ve tried for years to convince Grace to sell. She could find a nice little place in town instead of living way out in the woods like that. It isn’t exactly the most practical home. And all those rooms. It’s waaay too big for a single woman. Unless—” Sissy tossed a sly glance in Grace’s direction “—there’s something you aren’t telling us.”

Cole couldn’t help but notice that Grace didn’t deny it. And was she...
blushing
?

“You look a little flushed, sweetie,” Sissy said. “It
is
warm in here.” She picked up a paper napkin and fanned herself. “Oops, I told Doug I’d be right back. I better scoot over there before Mayor Dodd draws the names for the competition tomorrow.”

“Competition?”

“The 1800s’ version of
Survivor
.” The Realtor smiled. “You didn’t hear about that?”

“No.” Cole glanced at Grace, but she wasn’t looking at him. Her gaze was fixed on something over his shoulder. And every drop of color had drained from her face.

Cole’s emergency response team training kicked in and he was at Grace’s side in an instant. “Do you need some fresh air?”

“Yes,” she whispered. “Can you get me some, please?”

“That might be kind of difficult.” In spite of his concern, Cole wrestled down a smile. “Maybe we should go outside.”

“Right. Outside.” Grace lurched toward the door, but the wall of people shifted, effectively blocking her escape. Her frantic gaze bounced from person to person, looking for a space large enough to squeeze through.

“Excuse us.” Cole took a step forward, but a teenaged girl cut them off.

“You can’t leave now.” She flashed a smile and the light reflected off the row of metal braces on her front teeth. “You won’t be here if the mayor calls your name.”

The expression on Grace’s face made Cole wonder if that hadn’t been her plan all along.

“Is there something else you forgot to tell me?” he murmured.

Grace nodded.

“Run.”

Chapter Five

G
race tried not to groan when she saw Mayor Dodd making his way to the platform.

“If I could have everyone’s attention!”

“You go ahead without me,” she gasped. “I’ll be out in a minute.”

Cole didn’t budge. “You’re the one who needed some fresh air.”

What Grace needed was divine intervention. Because she’d assumed Cole would be long gone by now. Blissfully unaware that when he’d bid on her basket, he had inadvertently set a whole new chain of events into motion.

Which might explain why she was feeling a bit nauseous.

“Welcome, friends.” The mayor pitched his voice above the hum of conversation. “First of all, I’d like to thank Daniel and Esther Redstone for generously allowing us the use of their barn for the square dance this evening.”

Enthusiastic applause followed the statement and the attractive, middle-aged couple who attended Grace’s church smiled and waved to the crowd.

“Our little community has a lot of big things planned for the weekend and trust me, you won’t want to miss out on a single one of them,” Mayor Dodd continued. “Our first event starts bright and early tomorrow morning with a special competition that pays tribute to the brave men and women who settled Mirror Lake.

“Eight couples will face a series of challenges that will help everyone appreciate how difficult life was a hundred and twenty-five years ago but—” the mustache rustled along with his smile “—we also wanted to make it entertaining.”

A knot formed in Grace’s stomach, because she hadn’t expected Cole to be at her side during this particular announcement.

“All the lovely ladies who took part in the social today agreed to have their names placed in this basket. From that group, we will choose eight participants.” Mayor Dodd held up an old fishing creel. “Will the eight women—and their escorts—please join me on the stage when I call out your names?”

The fiddle player’s bow danced across the strings as the mayor dipped his hand into the basket and retrieved a slip of paper.

“Our first contestant is...Sissy Perkins!”

The Realtor’s shriek cut through the whoops and hollers that echoed through the barn. As she made her way toward the platform, Doug, the burly truck driver who’d won her basket, took her by the hand.

“Kate Nichols! Come on down.”

Kate grinned and bobbed a curtsey at the crowd. Alex followed at a more leisurely pace as she bounded toward the stage.

Grace could feel her heart pounding in her ears, muffling the sound of the mayor’s voice as he shouted another name.

What were the chances she would be chosen to participate? Over two dozen women had made baskets for the box social and only eight would be required to take part in the competition....

“Contestant number three—Haylie Owens.” The mayor had pulled out another slip of paper.

The teenagers in the far corner of the room cheered and nudged Haylie and Rob Price, her blushing date, toward the other couples.

Grace held her breath as several more of her friends took their place in line. Abby and Quinn. Emma and Jake.

“And last, but certainly not least—” the mayor paused and Grace closed her eyes as he reached for the final slip of paper in the basket.

“Grace Eversea!”

Heads began to swivel in her direction, but Grace’s feet were glued to the floor. Delia Peake bustled up, brandishing her pink-tipped walking cane like a sword.

“Go on, Gracie. They’re waiting for you.”

Grace stumbled forward as the crowd parted, clapping and shouting words of encouragement. Halfway to the platform, she realized she wasn’t alone.

“I think you forgot something else.” A familiar voice murmured in her ear.

“What?” Grace pushed the word past the lump of panic that had lodged in her throat when the mayor called her name.

“Me.” Cole’s low laugh wrapped around her heart and squeezed.

Why was he being such a good sport?

Because he had no idea what he was getting into.

Which was why, Grace decided, it was up to her to get him—
them
—out of it.

As quickly as possible.

“Each of the couples will be required to complete three different challenges, which I will announce right before the competition begins.” Mayor Dodd smiled when a rumble of disappointment stirred the air and Grace realized the omission had been deliberate. The competition had been advertised as one of the highlights of the celebration, but a little mystery would fan the people’s curiosity and guarantee a good turnout the following day.

“But—” the mayor motioned to someone across the room “—this might give you a hint as to what is in store for the couples.”

Happy, the lanky mechanic who was almost as old as some of the buildings featured on Grace’s historical tour, stepped out from the shadows, weighted down with tin buckets that clinked together like wind chimes as he ambled toward them.

“Inside the buckets that Happy is handing out is a coupon our couples can exchange for one item at the beginning of the competition tomorrow morning.” The mayor’s eyes twinkled. “
Agreeing
on that item just might be the first challenge some of them will face.”

Laughter followed the statement, which Grace knew had been his intention.

She didn’t dare look at Cole. A private picnic lunch under a shady tree was one thing, a competition in full view of the entire community was another.

“Andy will play one more song and then you can all go home and get a good night’s sleep.” Mayor Dodd grinned at the couples lined up in front of him. “You’re going to need it!”

The fiddler began to play another lively jig as Happy paused in front of Grace.

Cole reached for the bucket at the same time she did, and their hands touched. Grace’s heart began to flop around inside her chest like a freshly caught trout.

She could only hope the mayor would let her exchange her coupon for another partner.

* * *

Grace had vanished.

The last time Cole had seen her, she and the mayor had been deep in conversation.

He had a hunch what the topic of that particular conversation had been. It had occurred to Cole as he’d followed Grace to the front of the crowd, prodded by the elderly woman with a helmet of salt-and-pepper curls who resembled a swashbuckling gnome, that he’d messed up. Big time.

“I thought you might want to take a look at this.” The mayor stepped in front of Cole as he was making his way to the door to find Grace. “We printed up some brochures so people could learn a little history of the town. It mentions Samuel Merrick, your great-great-grandpa. If it wasn’t for him, this town wouldn’t exist. But I suppose you’re familiar with the story.”

As a matter of fact, Cole wasn’t. His dad hadn’t talked about Mirror Lake very often, and Sloan wasn’t the kind of man who’d propped his grandchildren on his knee and entertained them with stories about the family genealogy.

“Thanks.” Cole folded up the brochure and stuck it in his back pocket, anxious to intercept Grace before she left.

“If you’re looking for Grace, you just missed her,” a young woman pointed to the side door.

Sometimes, Cole thought, being in a small town where everyone was privy to everyone else’s business was a good thing.

As he jogged down the row of cars parked along the road, it occurred to Cole that he had no idea what kind of vehicle Grace drove. Other than a horse-drawn wagon.

“Grace’s truck is the third one from the end,” someone called. “Silver Ford.”

“Thanks,” Cole called back, unable to keep the smile out of his voice as he dodged an abandoned stroller.

A hundred feet away, he saw the silhouette of a woman with her back against the door of a compact pickup truck, the vehicle of choice in this area of the state. Grace’s head was tipped toward the sky, eyes trained on a band of moonlight that spilled through a seam in the clouds. Her lips were moving, and Cole knew she wasn’t talking to herself, she was talking to God.

Her strong faith had both mystified and challenged him when they’d first met. After his father died, Cole wasn’t sure whether to blame God or ignore Him completely. Grace was the one who’d said it was okay to be honest and simply tell Him that.

Cole felt something inside him shift and break loose from its moorings. What would his life be like if he’d told Grace the truth about his family? Would she have waited for him? Or run in the opposite direction?

Not that it mattered now. He’d made the decision for them and never looked back.

Cole took another step forward, feeling very much like the intruder that he was.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly.

Grace started at the sound of his voice but didn’t look at him. The gravel crunched under Cole’s feet as he made his way to her side.

“It’s not your fault.” She sighed. “I should have told you the box social was the kickoff for the other events this weekend, but...”

She hadn’t thought he’d stick around.

Cole was tempted to apologize, except he wasn’t sure he was sorry things had worked out this way. A plan slowly began to take shape in his mind.

“So, what’s the next step?” he asked.

“The next step?” she repeated cautiously. “I’ll call Kate when I get home, and we’ll figure something out.”

“What’s to figure out?”

Grace blinked. “If it’s too late for me to drop out of the competition. Or if I need to find someone to take your place.”

For some reason, neither one of those choices sat well with Cole.

“It’s my fault you don’t have a partner for this little competition tomorrow,” he pointed out.

“The fact that you used the words ‘little competition’ only proves you have no idea what you’re getting into,” Grace said. “People have been talking about this for weeks. It’s one of the highlights of the celebration.”

“And you’re trying to talk me out of competing tomorrow because?”

“You aren’t going to be here.” Grace’s eyes met his. “Are you?”

That had been his original intention, but things had changed and Cole decided to go with it.

“You didn’t plan on any of this,” Grace went on. “I don’t want you to feel obligated.”

Obligated wasn’t quite the word Cole would have chosen.

“I’ll be your partner tomorrow.”

The moon slipped behind a cloud and Cole could no longer see Grace’s expression.

“What made you decide to stay?” she asked after a moment.

Cole smiled.

“You did.”

* * *

The next morning, Grace took a slow lap around the living room, coffee cup in hand, and glanced at the clock for what had to be the hundredth time since the alarm had gone off.

Maybe Cole wouldn’t show.

It wasn’t like she hadn’t given him an opportunity to back out of the competition.

After
she’d given him a more compelling reason to stay.

Fragments of the conversation they’d had the night before circled through her memory.

What made you decide to stay?

You did.

Grace was still kicking herself over that one. She shouldn’t have made the comment about Sloan’s place needing a little TLC. But she’d been so rattled when Sissy announced that Cole planned to sell it that she hadn’t been thinking clearly.

But because she’d brought it up, Cole had decided to stick around and tackle a few minor repairs after the competition. A win-win situation, he’d told her right before he’d left.

But even though Cole had claimed it was his fault if she were left without a partner for the competition, Grace wondered if he would have stayed if he hadn’t scheduled two meetings for Monday morning.

To
sell the land, as Sissy had so boldly pointed out, that had been in his family for over a hundred years.

As soon as the thought swept through her mind, Grace knew that she was being unfair. Cole’s father had grown up in the brick house next door but moved away from Mirror Lake after he married Cole’s mother. It had caused a rift in the family; Sloan blamed Debra for taking his son away and had never forgiven her.

Why would Cole feel any sentimental attachment to the property?

Or anything else, for that matter.

She set that thought firmly aside. She and Cole would be together for a few hours and then part company. Grace had tours scheduled in the afternoon, and Cole would be busy sprucing up the house he couldn’t wait to put on the market.

He might have felt obligated to be her partner for the competition, but that didn’t mean he had to accompany her to the bonfire and fireworks at Abby’s bed-and-breakfast that evening or to the outdoor worship service that Matt, her pastor at Church of the Pines, planned to lead on Sunday morning.

On her way to the kitchen, Grace caught a glimpse of her reflection in the oval mirror and cringed. The white shirtwaist paired with a simple, ankle-length cotton skirt provided more freedom of movement than the gown she’d worn the day before, but the men definitely had an advantage over the women during the competition. The men didn’t have petticoats to deal with. Hopefully no one would notice she was wearing her cowboy boots.

“Grace?” A tap on the front door accompanied the low rumble of a masculine voice.

She froze. Maybe she could pretend—

“I know you’re home. You’re too cautious to leave the house with a candle burning.”

Grace scowled at the votive in the windowsill, not sure whether she should be insulted or flattered by Cole’s description.

“Maybe I’m not cautious anymore,” she muttered, petticoats hissing as she strode to the door.

Cole chuckled.

Because he’d
heard
her.

To make matters worse, he looked...great. Hair still damp from a recent shower. A white T-shirt that stretched across his muscular chest and accentuated the broad shoulders.

If Grace were honest with herself, she knew it wasn’t Cole’s presence that had her emotions tied in knots. It was her
reaction
to his presence. Rapid pulse. Flushed cheeks. Weak knees. The side effects were so dangerous, the guy should come with a warning label from the surgeon general.

Cole’s gaze swept over her and his smile widened. “Cute.”