CHAPTER 16 
CHAPTER 16 Three and a half weeks later, Grace looked up from her list. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”
Sarah handed Grace the clipboard. “Fifty-two vendors, not counting the food and beverage area. We’ve never had so many.” They stood in the middle of McIntyre Park, the future site of the biggest Apple Festival Dove Pond had ever seen. The warm summer wind ruffled the flowers, which had settled on a lovely purple color, vivid against the grass.
Sarah eyed the flowers with a smile. They hadn’t changed colors since the day Grace suggested combining the Apple Festival with her brilliant outreach idea. And just yesterday, Siegfried had walked past the library and had only turned in a single circle. We are getting there, aren’t we?
The grassy area had just been mowed, so the scent of warm, cut grass tickled her nose. And as they watched, Lenny Smith added bags of rubber chips to the playground area so it would be extra safe for the children. Lenny saw them and grinned, showing two missing teeth. Sarah thought the maintenance man was more excited about the festival than anyone else in town.
Grace flipped through the pages on her clipboard. “Look at this list of vendors. Erma was on fire. I wonder if we should have reined her in?”
“Heck no,” Sarah said.
Grace grinned. “The Apple Festival has returned, a true two-day family event, launched with a bang thanks to Erma’s enthusiasm.”
“And Zoe and Ed have put together a masterful PR campaign, too. They’ve bought ads in every local paper within a fifty-mile radius, will be making the rounds of the local radio stations, and have flyers up in every coffee shop and library, too. Plus, almost every business and community group in town has signed up for a tent. It’s going to be huge.”
“I hope so. If we need to, we can put a few vendors near the food trucks beside town hall.”
“Food trucks from Asheville.” Sarah couldn’t wait. “That was Nate’s brilliant idea.”
“The whole committee is rocking it.”
They strolled toward the sidewalk, pausing to discuss the special electrical needs of certain vendors, and trying to decide the best place to put water stations.
Sarah handed Grace a pen so she could mark their decisions on the site map, glancing up at the sun with a grimace. “It’s hot today. They say it’s going to rain, but I’ll believe it when I see it.”
Grace wrinkled her nose. “I hope it doesn’t rain during the festival weekend.”
“It could happen. It gets wet in the fall.”
“We’ll need some of the Dove family good luck to hold it off, then.” Grace finished marking the map and then she handed the clipboard back to Sarah. “Daisy can’t wait to visit the fortune-teller. Linda told her about it. But I’m most excited about Zoe’s booth.”
“Me too,” Sarah said. Zoe and Nate were hosting the “Welcome Home to Dove Pond” hospitality tent. Zoe had invited thirty-two potential business owners and investors to stop by and pick up a gift. The committee had worked long nights putting together a high-quality investor’s packet, complete with a community profile that included a list provided by Kat of the available commercial properties. Meanwhile, Kat’s mother was busy making several dozen of her famous baskets, which featured gifts and coupons donated from various businesses in Dove Pond.
If just a tenth of the invitees stopped by the booth, Sarah thought she might weep with happiness. “I think that’s it for the day. I guess I’d better get back to work.”
Grace grimaced. “Me too.”
Sarah and Grace walked up the sidewalk toward town hall.
“What’s left on our to-do list?” Grace asked.
Sarah checked the clipboard. “You need to order the banner that will hang over Main Street. When the time comes, someone needs to oversee the hanging of it. Someone other than Lenny. The last time Lenny hung a banner without supervision, it was upside down and crooked.”
“Ask Erma to see to that. She’s a perfectionist.”
“She’s doing a kick-ass job on the thank-you cards. She’s making them herself, and they’re pop-up. I asked if I could have one to keep on my fireplace mantel.”
“She’s talented,” Grace said. “What else?”
“Just two things. We’re still waiting on confirmation of an ambulance from the county; we should have one on standby.”
“That’s just a phone call.”
Sarah looked at the list. “Security. Someone needs to talk to Blake and make sure he has a map of the event and knows where the control tent is.”
Grace stopped walking. “That’s you.”
“Oh no, no. I’ll call the county EMS. You talk to Blake.”
“Nope.”
“Grace . . .” Sarah frowned. “Come on. Blake and I are . . . It’s awkward.”
“It’ll always be awkward until you start talking.” Grace tilted her head to one side. “What happened with you two?”
“It’s complicated. We’ve had this weird I-like-you-when-you-don’t-like-me sort of relationship. First he liked me but I didn’t like him, and then I liked him but he didn’t like me, and then— You know how it goes.”
“If no one liked anyone at the same time, why is it awkward now?”
“There was this one time, just a short week, when we did like each other.” Sarah paused. “Or so I thought.”
Grace winced.
“Yup, I was wrong. And I didn’t realize it until after I’d made a total and very public fool of myself.” She scowled. “Blake didn’t make it any better, either.” She hated to remember that day. Hated it, hated it, hated it. “So you can see why you need to talk to him instead of me.”
Grace shook her head. “You should do it.”
“But I just told you—”
“Sarah, aren’t we friends?”
Sarah said cautiously, “I think so.”
Grace rolled her eyes. “Of course we’re friends. If you thought I needed to do something, wouldn’t you tell me? You’d be super honest, even if I didn’t want to hear it.”
“I suppose I might.”
Grace choked. “You know you would. You’ve done it before.”
“True.”
“So I’m going to tell you this. Sarah Dove, you should talk to Blake.”
One day, Sarah would talk to Blake. She’d say something, and then he’d say something, and it would be so far away from the day they’d hurt one another that it would be easy and painless.
But now was not the time. “I’ll do it. Just not now. And hey, if we’re going to talk about needing to talk to people, what about you and Trav? I haven’t seen you talk to him since the day after Mama G’s middle-of-the-night spaghetti heist. I thought for a minute the two of you were going to jump over that fence and go to it right there in the yard and—”
“Don’t change the subject.” Grace tapped the back of the clipboard that Sarah was now holding in front of her like a shield. “It’s time you put an end to the Blake McIntyre madness.”
“I will one day.”
“Today.”
“Why today? I don’t see you jumping the fence to tell Trav you think he’s—”
“It’s not the same. I don’t think anything about Trav.”
Sarah frowned. “Really?”
Grace flushed. “Fine. I think about him a little. There’s this weird spark thing, and I— Darn it, you changed the subject again! We’re talking about Blake. That’s gone on too long. Way too long.”
“I’m not ready.”
Grace smiled. “You’d better be.”
“Why? What have you d—”
Grace took Sarah by the elbow and spun her around.
Blake stood Right There. And by Right There, she meant that if she bent her arm at the elbow and lifted her hand, she’d have touched him.
He wore his uniform, sunglasses perched on his head, and his green gaze was cautious but not unfriendly. “Grace said you all wanted to talk about the festival. What do you need?”
Sarah didn’t have to turn around to know that Grace was already gone. Some friend. Irked, Sarah opened her mouth, but no words came out. None. Not a single syllable, a sigh, not even a squeak. Just nothing.
She hugged the clipboard, closed her mouth, and turned on her heel, head down, ready to bolt.
“Hold on!” Blake used his cop voice and she instinctively froze in place. “Let me see that clipboard.”
He reached for the clipboard, but she couldn’t seem to loosen her grip.
He tugged on it and then muttered under his breath, “Sarah!” His voice was warm with both exasperation and humor. “Let it go.”
She’d forgotten how his eyes crinkled when he smiled. And as he did so, she melted, her arms loosening. The clipboard clattered to the ground.
He sent her an exasperated look and then scooped it up. “Grace said you all are having quite an event.”
Right. She needed to talk to him about security. I’m going to kill Grace for this. Sarah cleared her throat. “We, ah . . . we wanted you to go over the, ah . . .” God save her from a man with green eyes. It was like trying to do complex math while your favorite song played in the background. “The security plan. I need you—I mean, we need you to sign it and let us know if you want anything changed and if we need to have more security present or if it’s fine the way it is.” She said the words so fast they might as well have been one long word.
“Do you have the festival map? I’d like to get an idea of where to put my people.”
She took the clipboard and fumbled through the pages, finally finding the one he wanted.
He looked at it. “Will there be any changes to this?”
She shook her head.
He studied it, tracing his finger across the page as he went.
She watched hungrily, mesmerized. He was so close. So, so close. Had his lashes always been so long? Where had that small scar on his chin come from? That was new. It had been years since she’d been this close to him. Her gaze moved down his chest, and she could see the outline of a bulletproof vest under his shirt. He’s being safe. That’s good. She wondered if he still wore the same cologne. God, how she used to dream about that scent. Right now, he was too far away for her to tell. Maybe if she just edged a little tiny bit forward . . .
He flipped the sheet over and pulled out his pen. “I’m going to mark a few things, but overall, it looks good.”
Sarah leaned forward even more and took a deep, deep breath. Oh my God, he is wearing it. The exact same cologne. She closed her eyes as she soaked it in.
It was lovely.
Heavenly.
Perfect.
She leaned forward a tiny, tiny bit more, and her balance, already made precarious by her nervousness, slipped. She started to rock forward.
Her eyes flew open and she put up her hand.
Suddenly, Grace appeared out of nowhere. She put her arm around Sarah’s waist and yanked her back upright. “Hi, Blake! Any questions?”
Blake, who’d been focused on the map, now looked suspiciously from Grace to Sarah and then back. After a moment, he shrugged and asked about the parking situation. He and Grace talked while Sarah stared. I should kiss him, she told herself.
Her good side said no. What if he doesn’t kiss me back? I’ll look like a fool.
Her bad side laughed. You can’t look like more of a fool than you already do. Go ahead! Do it!
Her bad side had a point. A kiss. Just one and—
“Don’t you think, Sarah?” Grace asked. She and Blake were now looking at Sarah.
She nodded.
“Good.” Blake handed the clipboard to Grace. “I think we’ve got you covered. I can call in some of the reserve deputies if we need them. I’ll make sure there will be two of us available at all times. I’ll keep one on standby too, in case the crowd is bigger than expected.”
“Reserve deputies?” Grace asked.
He smiled and said drily, “They’re retired officers and are service volunteers. There won’t be a cost to the town.”
“Sorry. We’re on a shoestring budget and I promised Mayor Moore I’d keep it that way.”
“I understand.” He glanced at the park. “From what I’m hearing, it’s going to be a good event.”
“Sarah was just saying that same thing, weren’t you, Sarah?” Grace pinched Sarah’s arm.
“Ouch! I mean, yes. You’re great. You and the deputies, I mean. All of you—” She nodded. “Thank you. You’re wonderf—”
“We’ve got to go.” Grace backed up, pulling Sarah with her. “Thanks, Blake. Sarah and I have a meeting, or we’d stay and talk. I’ll let you know if the plan changes in any way.”
And with that, they left. Or rather Grace left, pulling an unresisting Sarah with her.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Grace hissed, “What in the heck was that?”
“I told you I wasn’t ready.”
“That’s the understatement of the year. You were paralyzed.”
“I managed to talk. A little.”
Grace sent her a frustrated glance. “Did you make sense?”
“Now you’re getting picky. I just didn’t—”
Blake’s patrol car rolled past, and Sarah stopped walking and watched it disappear down the street.
Grace stood with her. “I saw you leaning toward him, teetering like a Jenga tower. I was afraid I wouldn’t reach you before you fell on top of him.”
Sarah’s face grew hot. “I was never in danger of falling.”
Grace raised her brows.
“Okay, fine,” Sarah muttered. “I was a little unstable. Do you think he noticed?” She threw up a hand. “No. Don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.”
Grace slanted her a regretful look. “Why aren’t your books helping you with this? Isn’t that what they’re there for?”
She lifted a shoulder. “You don’t tell books what to do. They tell you.”
“They sound bossy.”
“If you only knew.” Sarah scrunched her nose. “Maybe one day I’ll find a book that will help, but I’ve searched, and none of them seem to have a clue.”
“When you do, let me know.” Grace shook her head. “That didn’t work out at all the way I thought it would. I shouldn’t have pressed you to talk to him.”
“I told you that.”
“I know, I know. I thought that if you had to talk to him just once, it would break the ice and you wouldn’t have to keep avoiding him. I didn’t realize that in facing him, you might also jump his bones.”
“In broad daylight, too,” Sarah said miserably.
“And on Main Street.”
Sarah pressed her hands to her temples and moaned. “I’m horrible. Whenever I see him, I just lose it.”
Grace sighed. “That one was on me. What can I do to make it up to you? How about a piece of pie from the Moonlight?”
“Pie always helps.” Sarah rubbed her face and then dropped her hands. “He’s my one weakness. Well, that and worrying about whether or not our town is going to make it.”
Grace’s expression softened. “I’ve never seen anyone care about a place the way you care about Dove Pond.”
Sarah looked at Grace. “You like it here, don’t you?”
Grace gazed down the street, taking in the sun-splashed sidewalks and the faded awnings. “I do.” She sounded surprised.
“It sneaks up on you. I hope your plans help us. No, wait. I don’t hope. I know they will.”
“They’re not just my plans. The whole committee has pitched in and is doing a heck of a lot of work. They’ve been phenomenal. All of you have been.”
“Yeah, well, you’ve been a great leader.”
Grace smiled. “I’ll tell you a secret. I’ve never been completely in charge of anything before.”
“What?”
“When I worked in Charlotte, I was a member of a very large group.”
“Yeah, but you had to be in charge of something. Surely you were the boss of some sort of project.”
“Nope. I did my thing, which was straight analysis, a sort of numbers crunching, and I turned it in. And then I did it again. And again. And again.”
“Sounds sort of boring.”
“It was, but what’s weird is that I didn’t realize it. But now . . .” Grace tilted her head to one side. “Now I wonder how I’ll ever go back.”
“You’re supposed to stay here,” Sarah said firmly. “Dove Pond needs you. We need you.”
“I would if I could, but I barely make enough to pay my bills as it is. When the year is up, I’m going back to Charlotte to make some real money.” Grace caught the disappointment on Sarah’s face and she added, “Look, I have to take care of Daisy’s future.”
“I know. How is she doing?”
Grace brightened. “So, so well. She loves her jobs, as I’m sure you know.”
“She’s a great help in the library. I’m not sure how I got along without her.” Sarah smiled. “She’s always welcome there. You know that.”
Grace returned the smile. “I do. I can’t thank you all enough for what you’re doing for her.”
“Pssht. You’d do the same for any of us. But enough of that. Did you say something about pie?”
“I did and I’m buying.”
“Good, because I left my wallet in your car this morning.” Sarah slipped her arm through Grace’s and together they walked toward the café, the sunshine warm, the flowers nodding along. “Just so you know, I’m not giving up on you, Grace Wheeler. What Dove Pond wants, Dove Pond gets.”