Savoring the scent of aged leather and ink, Penny unabashedly brought the frayed spine to her nose, inhaling deeply.
Beverly’s lips arched in an appreciative smile. “I do the same thing and always get the most humorous stares.”
“People don’t know what they’re missing.” After checking in the worn copy of Great Expectations, Penny moved on to the next book in the tall stack of returns.
“You don’t have to help, you know. As much as I appreciate the company, you’ve already done me an enormous favor by taking over my article for the guidebook.”
“I don’t mind. Sorting the return pile always soothes me. Besides, Bree keeps begging me for more hours at the shop so she can bulk up her savings before leaving for college.”
Plus, Penny missed spending time at the library with Beverly, soaking up the bewitching energy of a thousand stories yet to be explored.
“And why do you need soothing?” Beverly asked. “Is something troubling you?”
Penny shrugged. “Nothing specific. Just a general malaise.”
As she shuffled through the old-fashioned card catalog, Beverly cast a sideways glance in her direction. “It wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain handsome young gentleman who’s prolonged his stay in town, would it?”
“Who, Colt?” Penny pulled a face. “No. Although, if I were to find his presence stressful, it would be perfectly understandable. You remember what a terror he was.”
“He was certainly a spirited child,” Beverly admitted with a soft chuckle.
“You’re being nice. I think corralling all of Bill Tucker’s chickens in the high school auditorium right before graduation was a little more than spirited.”
At the memory, Beverly burst out laughing. “My heavens! I’d forgotten about that!”
“Well, I haven’t,” Penny mumbled. One of the hens had laid an egg on her chair. A fact she hadn’t noticed until she heard the unpleasant crunch when she sat down.
After wiping a tear of laughter from the corner of her eye with an embroidered handkerchief, Beverly tucked it inside the pocket of her lightweight cardigan before handing Penny the appropriate card. “At least there’s never a dull moment when he’s around.”
“I’d prefer dull over deadly. Remember when he set off firecrackers in the gazebo? He almost lit the entire town on fire.” Tension crept up her shoulders at the memory. Gritting her teeth, she roughly slid the card into the sleeve secured on the inside cover.
“Yes, that was a rather dangerous prank,” Beverly conceded. “Although, that was quite a long time ago. People mature with age. I’m sure most of his shenanigans have remained in the past.”
“Maybe….” Penny trailed off, still skeptical.
“Why don’t you spend some time with him and find out?” Beverly suggested, her tone a smidge higher-pitched than usual, as though she had a hidden agenda.
“Not a chance.” Penny slammed the book shut a little harder than necessary. “Spending time with Colt is pretty high on my list of things to avoid.” Right before poking a sleeping grizzly bear with a stick.
“If you insist,” Beverly said with unveiled disappointment. “I only thought with the shortage of available men in town…”
Penny grimaced. She’d hoped to avoid this topic for another few months, at least. After all, it always went the same way.
“I appreciate your concern. Honestly, I do. But you know I’m not interested in dating anyone. Let alone someone as abysmally wrong for me as Colt Davis. The man is a menace.”
Beverly’s brow pinched together as she formulated a response. Finally, she laid a hand gently over Penny’s. “Sweet girl, I love you as though you were my own daughter. And if I meddle, it’s only because I care.”
Penny nodded, tears suddenly pricking the backs of her eyes.
“And because I care,” —Beverly continued softly—“I don’t want to see you miss out on your own happily ever after.”
“Most happily ever afters only exist in here.” Penny flipped the pages of a well-thumbed romance novel. “They’re make-believe.”
Beverly’s pale-blue eyes filled with sadness. “I wish I could change your mind.”
Forcing a more lighthearted tone, Penny said, “I’m rooting for you and Frank. Really, I am. But in my experience, I don’t see that many couples make it all the way to until death do us part. And I just don’t think the heartache is worth it. At least, not for me.”
With a resigned sigh, Beverly relented. “You always did have a stubborn head on your shoulders.”
Penny flashed a playful grin. “Dad taught me to be a woman who speaks my mind.”
“Yes, and I’m very glad he did. I just wish you’d speak what’s in your heart, too.” Beverly reached out and swept a strand of hair behind Penny’s ear, a tender, motherly gesture that nearly moved her to tears again.
While Beverly usually understood her innermost thoughts, they would forever be at odds on this particular topic.
And even more so when it came to Colt.
As Colt turned off the main road onto Frank Barrie’s driveway, he eased off the throttle, the engine of his sleek, all-black Triumph Bonneville simmering to a gentle hum. Lifting the visor of his gunmetal racing helmet, he did a double take.
In high school, Old Man Barrie’s place was the stuff of legends. The entrance, shielded by thorny blackberry brambles and sycamore trees choked by mistletoe, frightened away prospective intruders. Colt and his friends would dare each other to sneak onto the property, placing bets to see who could get closest to the dilapidated farmhouse without getting caught.
Once, Colt had made it all the way to the run-down barn behind the house, dumbstruck when he caught sight of Frank roasting coffee in a strange metal contraption with smoke billowing out the top. Tall, five-gallon mason jars filled with dark, velvety beans had lined a wooden table like soldiers keeping guard.
When the crotchety miser spotted him, Colt’s fear surpassed his desire to impress his peers. Pivoting on the spot, he’d sprinted toward the road as though he were carrying the winning touchdown on homecoming night. Until this day, he’d never even considered returning.
Now, more than a decade later, Frank’s property looked unrecognizable. The trees had been eradicated of mistletoe and neatly pruned, while the once wild blackberry brambles were carefully trimmed, ready to be picked at the end of summer.
Skidding to a halt in the driveway, he scattered loose gravel at Luke and Cassie’s feet.
His brother arched an eyebrow, and Colt muffled a groan.
It figured Luke would be waiting to make sure he showed up. When would people realize he wasn’t a foolish, irresponsible kid anymore?
“Fancy meeting you here,” Colt drawled as he peeled off his helmet.
“We thought we’d help you settle in.” Cassie greeted him with a warm smile. “Frank isn’t exactly the most exuberant welcome committee.”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” Colt said with a wry grin. Unhooking the safety strap, he hoisted his duffel bag off the back of the bike.
“He really is a lot better than he used to be,” Cassie assured him. “But…” She toyed with a strand of her long dark hair, a tentative expression stretched across her face. “There’s something I should tell you before we go inside.”
Uh-oh. Colt didn’t like the sound of that. “What’s up?”
“Well…” She glanced at Luke before returning her gaze to Colt. “I may have told Frank a tiny fib, so he’d agree to this arrangement. As you might suspect, he’s not great at accepting help. Even when he needs it.”
“What kind of fib?” Colt shifted the duffel to his other shoulder, wondering what he’d gotten himself into.
“I told him that you were the one who needed help,” she admitted sheepishly.
Colt blinked in surprise. “Me?”
Cassie nodded, biting her bottom lip.
“What kind of help?” he asked tentatively.
“Well…” Once again, her gaze darted to Luke, and Colt wondered just how big of a role his brother played in all of this. “I told Frank that you’re… a little aimless. And he’d be doing us a huge favor if he took you in and taught you a trade.”
“A trade?” Colt repeated, reality sinking in. “I suppose you mean like coffee roasting?”
“Yes,” Cassie confessed with an apologetic grimace. “I’m sorry. It seemed like a good idea at the time. But if you’d rather I tell him—”
“It’s fine.” Colt waved away her concern. “If that’s what it takes for him to agree to this whole thing, I’m cool with it.”
“Thank you, thank you! You have no idea how much this means to us.” Her voice thick with emotion, Cassie threw her arms around Colt’s neck, hugging him tightly.
“No problem,” he mumbled, awkwardly patting her back.
While he didn’t relish the idea of roasting coffee, it was good for Frank to have a purpose—something to focus on besides his ailing health.
Besides, in a way, Frank was doing him a favor by giving him a reason to stick around. While he’d never admit it—even to himself—Colt wasn’t ready to leave town quite yet.
Something about being a part of a community again compelled him to stay. Even though he knew it couldn’t last.
Not if he wanted to fulfill his father’s dying wish.