The Devil Wore Sneakers (33 page)

“Everyone?” Lucy stared up at him.

He shrugged. “Sorry, once a bar owner, always a bar owner.” He leaned toward her ear and whispered, “I spotted Gage. We can make a run for it.”

“No more running for you or me.”

He grinned and slipped his arm around her shoulders, and they plowed forward.

When they reached Barley, people trickled into the Moose. Word spread about Liam’s party, and the guests increased as work let out. He shook people’s hands and thanked them for caring. The day was a whirlwind of visitors, customers, and reporters. Cheers and toasts were sprinkled through the day and evening.

Teagan called Lucy and wished Liam a happy life when she passed the phone to him.

Lucy sat beside him in the booth while the town residents asked them to repeat their stories of today. He held her hand, wanting her close.

Near eleven pm, the gathering still had not thinned. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the high seat.

Liam bent toward her. “Luce, are you okay?”

“I’m sorry. I have to head upstairs. The day has wiped me out.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“No, these people are here for you. Enjoy.” She rose.

He placed a hand on her arm, wrestling with the desire to convince her to stay. While in the county jail, he’d made plans he needed to share with her, but not surrounded by a crowd.

“I’ll grab Target from your office,” she said. “Tomorrow, when the celebration is finished, we’ll talk.”

“I’m certain I’ll be celebrating for days, Luce.” He rose and kissed her. “I’ll walk you up.”

“If you don’t mind, I enjoy these small moments when I’m alone, but not afraid.”

He nodded. “Tomorrow.”

* * *

Morning arrived, bright and sunny. Lucy lay in her bed replaying images of Liam and questioning what she should do next. Her reasons for living at the Mad Moose were gone except for one: Liam. Today was decision day. She swung back and forth between leaving and staying.

If only she could be certain he wasn’t like the other men and that he meant it when he said he’d always loved her. After life returned to normal, would he still treat her as the woman he wanted? Too bad she didn’t believe in miracles or signs. Okay, maybe she trusted them a little.

She closed her eyes. “Dear God, please help me understand my relationship with Liam.”

She opened her eyes. No reply floated into her head. Disappointment speared her. Oh, she was acting like a child. She needed to concentrate on her job and earning a living, not declarations of forever devotion. That type of love existed in fairy tales.

She showered, dressed in her jeans and azure blouse, and hit the number for Teagan. Lucy would soak up her friend’s level-headed calm before speaking to Liam.

Teagan answered on the first ring. After the greeting, she added, “I’m proud of you.”

“I didn’t do that much.”

“Yes, you did. Why don’t you visit Hawick Falls and stay with me and Lisa? I have big news, too, but I’m not telling until I see you.”

“Can you give me a hint? Is it about Noah?”

“When you visit, you’ll find out. What about you and Liam?”

Pain gnawed at Lucy’s stomach. “That verdict is still out.” She tried to keep her tone light, but her voice sounded tired.

“I love you, my friend.”

Teagan always knew what to say. “I love you, too, Teagan. Take care.” Lucy disconnected as a knock sounded on the door. She unbolted the lock to find Mr. Carlyle.

The teacher stood with a bouquet of daffodils in his hands.

“What a lovely surprise. Come in.”

“Sorry to intrude,” he said, stepping into the living room. “I brought these for you fresh from the store. Ours won’t be blooming for a while yet.”

“How thoughtful.” The yellow flowers prompted visions of green grass, warm spring days, and walks with Liam.

“Their blooms will brighten your sad days and add to the happy ones.”

“The flowers are beautiful. Are you sure you can’t stay for a while?”

“Thank you, but I can’t. Every Saturday, I meet a friend for an early lunch, but I wanted to let you know how glad I am that you can put these horrible times behind you.”

She gave him a hug. “You’re kind.” She lifted the bouquet and inhaled their fragrance.

“I will come again when I am free of obligations.” He turned and paused in front of the painting on the wall. “You have a picture of the castle.”

“What?” She squinted at the scene. “No.”

“We’re looking at an earlier version, before they boarded up the place, but that’s the main door with the pink rosebush. Look, Mount Washington is in the background.”

She peered closer. He was right. “It is the castle.” Why had she never noticed? Because the picture reminded her of Liam’s short marriage, she had avoided it. But the canvas wasn’t about his wedding.

“Such a shame the structure has been allowed to erode. The building was such an unusual home and rather magical.” He smiled. “They used to say a wish made at the castle would always come true. I hope they can save the dwelling and restore it to its former beauty.”

“Me too.” The spot of her first date with Liam had been right in front of her all along. She stepped closer and froze. Was this her sign?

She turned to Mr. Carlyle with her heart pounding. “I need to speak to Liam. I’ll walk you out.”

She left the daffodils in the kitchen and followed the teacher down the stairs, where he wished her well and left. Lucy continued onward to Liam’s office, her mind grasping at the truth. She paused outside the room. Her nerves jangled. Now or never. She ran a hand over her hair and entered without knocking.

He glanced up from his paperwork. “Luce. Are you okay?”

“Fine,” she lied, tapping her fingertips against each other. “You’re alone?”

“Unless someone is hiding under the sofa. I have been working on clearing up last-minute business. Then the day is ours.” He rose and crossed the floor to her. A slow smile lit his face. “I’m glad you’re here.”

He looked as handsome as ever in his flannel shirt and jeans. She swallowed. “I’ve a few things to talk over.”

“Talk? That’s right.” He walked back to his desk and picked up the piece of paper. “I read your note about cleaning out the top floor. What’s up?”

Not the conversation opener she’d wanted, but she’d go with it. “I’ve got a deal for you. Gage suggested it yesterday while you were busy with other guests, and I left the memo to remind myself.”

“You’ve grabbed my attention.”

He was standing a foot away. The scent of his soap lingered around him and distracted her. Refocus. “Okay, here’s the idea.” On the off chance he hated her proposal, she’d say it quickly. “Gage’s nephew is moving to town to work for him. He needs a place to live and wants to rent the smaller top-floor apartment. The income will help pay the Moose’s expenses, and Gage has agreed to store your belongings at the garage. Good news? Huh? Oh, in case you didn’t know, he towed your truck and is working on it.”

“Excellent on all accounts.”

“I have more.” She glanced from the papers next to his computer to Liam’s expectant expression. Her courage faded. “You’re busy. Do you want to meet later?”

“Now works. Should we sit down first? You look upset.”

She shook her head and clasped her hands together in front of her. Her mind whirled with questions and ideas, but she forced herself to start at the beginning. “When I came back to Barley, I wanted nothing to do with you.”

His forehead wrinkled in uncertainty. “Go ahead.”

“Then you crashed the funeral. You rode in on your truck and offered us lunch. I didn’t want to go.”

“Are you sure
I
shouldn’t sit?”

She swallowed to clear her tightening throat. “I’ll skip the rest and get to the point. Here goes. I figured out your wish at the castle.”

“All right.”

“And mine was the same.” She searched his face.

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“You wished we’d be together, always.”

“I did.”

She wasn’t wrong. “Will you, Liam McAllister, my unexpected business partner, do me the honor of—?”

“Wait.” He pulled her to his chest and kissed her until her legs threatened to give out. “Don’t upstage me, Luce,” he said, releasing her. “I’ve thought a lot about us since you returned, and I know what I want to say.”

“Wouldn’t dream of stealing your lines. Seize the day, McAllister.” Was this it? Her body shook. She was about to learn the truth about their relationship.

He dropped to one knee and held her hand. Her heart did cartwheels in her chest.

“Lucy Watson, I’ve made mistakes and learned there might not be do-overs, but there are new opportunities. Today, I’m grabbing my chance before it’s too late. Will you, the woman I’ve loved forever, make me the happiest man in the universe and marry me?”

Her feet were floating off the floor. She cleared her throat, which was thick with emotion. “I definitely will.”

He slid his hand into his pocket and held up a ring. “It belonged to my grandmother. I thought you’d like something that’s been in the family. If you want a new one, we can drive south and shop.”

“No way, McAllister. Make the proposal official.”

He slipped the ring onto her finger.

Claps came across the room. Liam rose and turned to their audience.

Sadie, Chip, Gage, and Flo piled into the room.

“Show us the diamond,” Sadie yelled.

Lucy raised her hand to gushes of delight. Was she dreaming? She and Liam were getting married?

“Sorry to interrupt,” Sadie said. “We were near the bar and saw Lucy enter the office. You looked like you were going to deliver bad news. So we listened at the door.”

“We’ve been waiting for you two to come to your senses since Lucy showed up in town,” Flo said.

“Especially after you spent the night together,” Gage said.

Flo elbowed him and shook her head.

Sadie approached them. “Before you get angry, I want to congratulate you both and Liam, we’ve already collected a thousand dollars in raffle tickets for the Mad Moose.”

He raised a brow. “What are you talking about?”

“We were trying to get over how bad we felt about Hank and Bella and all,” Flo said. “We heard you had financial problems and discussed how to save the bar. The four of us decided to hold a raffle. That’s why Gage and I were here. We were reporting our sales.”

“Yup,” Sadie said, “the prize is a weekly free lunch for a year. We printed the tickets and have been selling them. We figured if it didn’t work, we’d be out of a job and if it did, you couldn’t be mad at us.”

“Everyone is buying them,” Chip said.

“They’re hot sellers at the salon,” Flo added.

Gage nodded. “Some of my customers get one with each fill-up.”

Liam stood staring at his crew. “I don’t know what to say.”

“I do,” Sadie said. “Set the date. We have a wedding to plan for the Moose. Spring is best.”

The group broke into arguments over the season for the ceremony.

Liam pulled Lucy to his side. “Maybe we should elope.”

“I don’t think they’d let us.” She nodded to their arguing friends.

He slipped his arms around her shoulders and searched her face. “What about work and going home?”

“I’m already home, Liam. I love you.”

“Welcome, home, Luce.”

Epilogue

One Month Later

Lucy perched on the hard seat and picked up the wall phone to speak to Matt Hastings. Her diamond caught a shaft of light from the barred window and sparkled in the dim visitors’ room of the prison. Two other people sat in the lineup of chairs, speaking to inmates behind the glass.

“You look well, Lucy,” Matt said in a calm voice. “Thank you for agreeing to visit me. Congratulations on your engagement.”

Discussing her personal life was not why she’d come. In fact, avoiding him was what she wanted to do. But she could do this. Talk to him for the missing girls who were out there somewhere. The ones in his picture album found hidden at the Hawick Falls rectory. She swallowed hard and lifted her chin to meet his gaze.

He nodded to her hand. “Your ring looks antique. Is it a family heirloom?”

Except for the fading bruises on his face, he looked like her former priest. His silver hair gave him a distinguished appearance in his orange jumpsuit. His polite, gentle persona had returned. The weight had magically disappeared from his form. He’d turned into the Matt who had counseled her with patience and tender words and had professed to love her. He was also the man who lured people into trusting and believing in him and then tortured and killed them.

“What did you want to tell me that was urgent?” she asked, avoiding his last question. “I only have a few minutes.”

“Then what happens? McAllister runs in and drags you away?” Matt leaned closer to the window between them, and a chill rippled up her spine.