One Day in Apple Grove (10 page)

“You make it hard to say good night,” she said when he eased her back. “All I want to do is keep on kissing you, but you tempt me to want more, to do more, and I don’t think I’m ready to rush into anything. I want to savor every moment—”

The urge to pull her back into his arms was so strong, he had to look away and then back, asking, “So you’ll be back then? I haven’t scared you off?”

She laid a hand on his arm and said, “I promised to help with Jamie. Besides,” she said. “I don’t scare easily.”

“I can be a patient man, Caitlin.” He slowly smiled and added, “I’ll give you a couple of days to think about whether or not you want to do more than share a few heart-stopping kisses.”

She tilted her head to one side. “My heart’s still beating. Maybe you should try one more time before I go.”

He tugged on her arm until she fell against him. When she gasped, he poured everything he was feeling into the kiss. Mouth, lips, teeth, and tongue gave and gave before finally, finally taking pleasure for himself.

Drunk on the heady taste of her, he set her away from him, held up his hands, and backed away. “Go now, or consider yourself shanghaied.”

“Aye, aye, Cap’n.” She gave a mock salute, turned, and sprinted for the driveway.

“Avast, ye coward!” he called after her. Then had to laugh at the way she turned around and grinned at him, all the while running backward toward the safety of her car.

“See you tomorrow?” she asked, holding the driver’s door open.

“If you wait for me to get home. I have office hours until six o’clock tomorrow.”

“Do you want me to bring dinner again?”

“No,” he told her. “It’s my turn to cook for you.”

Her smile glowed from within. “What are we having?”

“I don’t know yet…but I can guarantee it will be edible.”

“Sounds perfect.” She waved, climbed into her car, and was gone.

Watching her back out of his driveway, Jack felt as if the night air had cooled. She’d taken all of her warmth and sweetness with her.

He scrubbed a hand over his face. He couldn’t wait until she came back.

“Anything new on the water tower?”

Caitlin smiled at her older sister. “Nope. It’s been declared off limits since the younger Smolinsky brother fell off the ladder and dislocated his knee.”

Meg sighed. “I know, but I keep hoping someone will brave the sheriff’s wrath and climb up the ladder and paint a heart with their initials in it, or better yet, propose marriage.”

“Like Dan did for you?” Cait asked.

Her sister stared into space. “I waited a long time to see my name painted up there in John Deere green. Never thought I would.”

“Well, no one new up there yet. And definitely not Dad and Mary, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

Meg shook her head at her sister while Cait centered the bookshelf she’d built for Meg and Dan’s nursery. Taking a step back, she eyeballed the piece and ran the tips of her fingers along the top of it. “It looks good, doesn’t it?”

Meg slipped her arm around her younger sister and sighed. “You build beautiful things, little sister.”

Cait felt her face heat at the compliment. “Coming from you, that’s high praise.”

“Come on downstairs. Mrs. Winter stopped by yesterday with a cherry pie.”

“Hah! I knew she wouldn’t be able to hold out,” Cait said. “She talked to Grace the other day but said she’d wait until you were feeling better and could stop by.”

“I’m not sick, you know,” Meg grumbled. “It’s just hard since I didn’t have morning sickness with the twins.”

Cait nodded. “Maybe God gave you a break because he knew you’d need your strength to take care of those little hooligans.”

Meg chuckled. “They are, aren’t they?”

If her soft smile was any indication, her sister loved every minute of it. Cait walked over to her toolbox and started to clean up. “Can I take a rain check on that pie? I’ve got to head out. Gracie is keeping me busy these days.”

“I’m hoping to be back up to speed—”

“You need to get plenty of rest and take it slowly so that the precious little Eagan growing inside of you is healthy…and so you are too. I don’t envy you riding herd on three boys.”

“Who said it would be another boy?”

“Is it a girl?”

Meg’s expressive face had Cait sending up a silent prayer that it would be. “I want to be surprised this time.”

Cait laughed. “Danny and Joey weren’t a surprise?”

Meg teared up. “They’re the light of my life—so is Dan.”

Cait watched her sister’s eyes fill. She groaned and handed Meg a tissue. Her sister wiped her tears and blew her nose. “Sorry, but lately everything seems to make me cry.”

A sound from the other room caught Meg’s attention. “Let me check on the boys. They never sleep for very long.” Pregnancy softened Meg’s attitude and her tongue, but Cait and Grace were still taking bets that this new baby’s first word would be a four-letter one, just like his—or her—older brothers’.

Which reminded her of the bet going over at the diner. “Hey, Meg,” she called out walking to the boys’ room. “Have you talked to Peggy or Kate lately?”

“No,” she said, walking out of her bedroom. “Why?” Meg picked up Danny while Cait picked up Joey and held him close and kissed his cheeks, then traded with Meg so she could kiss Danny too. “Funny thing, that you and your best friend would be expecting right around the same time—again.” She wasn’t ready to tell her about the bet…yet.

“What’s so funny about it?”

“Never mind that, it’s what’s going on at the diner that you’ll probably find out about if you’re going to be visiting with your pal Honey B. today.”

“I am and I need to change these two before we go downstairs.”

“I’ll help.” Cait put off telling her sister until the boys were changed and running toward the top step.

“Wait for mommy!” Meg beat Cait to the stairs and scolded. “Mommy goes first.” She shook her finger at her toddlers. “Now, turn around and climb down.” They did as they were told and as soon as their little sneakers touched the bottom, they were laughing and running toward the kitchen.

“Juice!” Danny hollered.

“Cookies!” Joey echoed.

“Soooo,” Meg said, settling her sons at the table with their snack.

Cait paused to marvel at the ease with which her sister cared for her twins and kept them from squabbling. Finally she said, “I think it was actually old man Sweeney talking to Mr. Weatherbee who started the betting.”

Cait could feel the heat of her sister’s glare and the sharp edge of Meg’s temper when she asked, “Betting?”

“Yep,” Cait said as cheerfully as possible. “Seems he’s not the only one in town who decided it would be a good thing to bet on who delivered first…you or Honey B.”

Meg’s mouth opened and closed twice before any sound came out. “Is he crazy?”

“No, but he sure does have an affection for you, Sis.”

As the boys finished, Meg and Cait wiped their hands and faces and set them down. “Play nice,” their mother warned. The boys ran to the playroom and were chatting in their own dialect—a mix of English and twin-speak. Meg watched her darlings playing. “How’s the betting going?”

Caitlin followed and told her, “I haven’t talked to Peggy in a few days—”

Meg laid her hand on Cait’s cheek. “You don’t feel feverish.”

Cait chuckled. “I’m not.”

“Did you and Peggy have an argument?”

“No.”

“Then why haven’t you talked to her yet today?” Meg asked.

“Because I’ve been otherwise occupied.”

“Ahh,” Meg said softly. “So Pop’s right.”

“About what?”

“Hmmm?” Meg asked. “Oh nothing.”

Cait rolled her eyes. “Come on, Meg. Have a heart. What did Pop say?”

“That you were sweet on my pal, Doc Gannon.”

Cait’s face heated beneath her sister’s perusal. “I don’t know that I’d use that exact expression.”

Meg folded her arms in front of her. “Just exactly how would you describe what’s been going on out there for the last few nights?”

Cait didn’t know where to start. “I’ve been helping take care of Jamie, stopping by on my way through town.”

“Then you haven’t been having dinner with him, alone, every night for the last three nights?”

“Is nothing sacred in this town?”

“Not when it’s newsworthy. The fact that Doc is keeping company with a female, who just happens to be my sister, is definitely that.”

“It’s not like we’re dating or anything like that.”

Meg reached for Cait’s hand and squeezed it before letting go. “How would you describe what it’s like?”

Cait sighed. “He makes my stomach fill with butterflies. My heart beats faster when he looks at me, and his eyes change from a gorgeous lake blue to dark and desperate sapphire right before he kisses me.”

Meg’s eyes rounded and then promptly filled with tears. “Oh, Cait,” she sniffed. “You’re in love with him!”

“I’m not…at least I don’t think I am. How would I know?” she demanded. “I’ve never felt like this before.”

“What about that landscaper over in Newark?”

“Steve? He was nice, but it’s not the same.”

“What’s different?” Meg asked softly.

“It’s the way I feel when he looks at me, as if he sees right into my heart and knows what I’m thinking.”

“And?” her sister prompted.

“The way he laughs…he’s got a great laugh…when he’s tossing a ball to Jamie. He really loves that dog…we both do, but—”

“You’re so far gone over that man that you don’t even know it.”

“I am?”

“Yeah.”

“What am I going to do?”

“What do you want to do?”

When Caitlin just stared off into space, Meg sighed. “There is that. Have you used protection?”

“Jeez, Meg, I’m twenty-six, not sixteen!”

Meg sighed. “I know, I know. Old habits die hard. I care about you, Cait.”

Cait frowned. “That’s fine, but how about treating me like an adult?”

“I do…most of the time.”

“Unless you’re preoccupied.” Cait smiled at Danny and Joey as they both tugged on the blue truck, ignoring the red one.

“Sorry. I’ll work on my interrogation tactics. I’m going to need them in a few years.”

It was Cait’s turn to laugh. “OK, but you don’t have anything to worry about. We aren’t that involved yet.”

Meg waited a heartbeat before asking, “Why not? Doc’s a handsome man with a heart of gold, but—”

“I know. When he kisses me…” She lost her train of thought remembering the feel of being held in the protective circle of his arms, leaning against the strength of his powerful chest, feeling the pounding of his heart.

“Earth to Caitlin.”

“Hmmm?”

“You were saying?”

“I was?”

“You’d better stock up on supplies over at the drug store.”

Cait frowned. “Maybe I already have.”

“It’s hard to concentrate,” Meg said. “Isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Cait whispered. “Sometimes, I’ll be on the job and then my mind drifts off and starts thinking about something Jack said or did and I’ll lose track of where I am and what I’m supposed to be doing.”

“Add in the element of danger—really sharp power tools—and it gets even trickier.”

“Did you feel this way about Dan from the moment you met him?”

Meg smiled. “Yes. He’s the best thing that ever happened to me—even though I ended up with stitches in my hand because I was thinking about him instead of paying attention to what I was doing.”

Cait nodded. “I remember, and for what it’s worth, he says the same about you.”

“Nice to know,” Meg said, packing her diaper bag and gathering the boys. “Honey B. will have little Mitch at the shop today. If you have a minute, maybe you can stop by.”

“Sounds great. I need to get a few things from the shop before I meet you at Honey B.’s. I’ll go grab my toolbox—I left it upstairs.” She stopped and looked over her shoulder. “Hey, do you need help getting the boys in the car?”

“No thanks. I’m a pro.”

A few minutes after Cait left, Meg had the boys strapped in and was on her way to town.

Cait walked into Honey B.’s and into bedlam. Danny, Joey, and little Mitch were playing together…at least it looked like they were playing.

“Hi, Honey B. Hey, Sis. Hi, guys!”

“Cait!” All three toddlers latched on to her legs and started babbling at once.

“So did you tell Meg?”

Honey B. shook her head. “It’s been a little crazy since the boys got here.”

Cait helped her sister get the boys settled again. Once they were playing nicely, she said, “About that bet. Just so you know, the money’s going to a good cause.”

“Really? Tell me more.”

Cait shook her head. “Honey B., why don’t you?”

“Well, it all started when that man stormed into my salon and carted me off on his shoulder.”

Meg sighed. “I still remember the flinty-eyed look and determined set of Mitch’s jaw when he came in loaded for bear.”

“Quaint expression, Sis,” Cait mumbled.

“He was so forceful,” Mrs. Doyle chimed in.

“He swept our Honey B. up like she was a sack of potatoes.”

“It’s true,” Meg chuckled. “Dan and I wished we’d thought to take a picture…the look on her face was priceless.”

“What are friends for if not to humiliate one another?” Honey B. said. “I thought Dan was more forceful than Mitch.”

“Oh really?” Cait asked, looking from Meg to Honey B. and back again. “Do tell.”

“That good-for-nothing Van Orden boy waltzed in like he owned the place, grabbed Meg by the hand, and was all set to kiss her,” Mrs. Hawkins said.

“When Dan stormed in and demanded that Van Orden let her go,” Mrs. Jones added.

“But it was the way Dan kissed Meg that had all of us cheering for him,” Mrs. Doyle said. “He was so obviously in love with you,” she said to Meg. “It did our hearts good to hear him tell Van Orden that he had his chance and blew it.”

“And it was right after you two declared your love for one another that handsome sheriff stormed in and all hell broke loose,” Mrs. Hawkins said with a smile.

“Now the eligible men in Apple Grove will have a higher standard of proposing to live up to,” Mrs. Doyle added.

Meg and Honey B. shared a smile. “Sometimes it takes some doing, but if a man’s in love, he’ll eventually realize it,” Honey B. said.

“And do something about it,” Meg added.

Tears filled Meg’s eyes and Honey B.’s. Meg sniffled and hugged her friend close. “How do you feel?”

“Crappy, how about you?”

“Better,” Meg admitted.

“Maybe that news will sway the betting,” Mrs. Doyle said, moving to stand closer. “Everyone knows that if you feel poorly, but look great, you’re going to have a boy…and if you feel great, but lose your looks, you’re going to have a girl.”

Meg looked at Honey B. “So, if you win, you’ll split the winnings with me?”

Honey B. shook her head. “Sorry, no can do.”

“Why not? I’d share with you,” Meg pouted.

Caitlin put her arm her sister’s shoulder and confided, “We forgot to tell you that whoever picks the woman, the date, and the time can choose who to donate the winnings to.” Meg’s eyes filled with tears again waiting for Cait to continue. “You know how some of our neighbors are in bad shape financially right now.”

“Does Mitch know about it?” Meg asked.

“He does,” Honey B. said quietly. “And he’s all for the idea. He and Dan are the driving force spreading the word and are one hundred percent behind the idea that the winner donate the money to one family, possibly two, depending on how much we collect.”

“Dan didn’t say anything,” Meg rasped.

“He promised he’d let me tell you,” Honey B. said, but your sister already let the cat out of the bag.”

“We’re in this together,” Meg said. “Let’s see if we can rustle up some more donations for the cause.”

Honey B.’s eyes filled with tears. Cait couldn’t remember ever seeing her sister’s friend cry. “What’s the matter now?” she asked, grabbing a paper towel and handing it to Honey B.

“The gown I bought for our vow renewal ceremony isn’t going to fit,” Honey B. said, changing the subject.

“Is that all?” Mrs. Hawkins asked.

“Since we didn’t get to have a real ceremony the first time, I wanted it to be perfect. I’ve loved Mitch for so long that I lost my head after he scooped me up into his arms and didn’t come back to reality until morning sickness hit me between the eyes.”