Katie was patting the dirt around a new hydrangea plant when Lisa Robinson’s Tahoe pulled into the driveway. Sitting back on her haunches, Katie swept the back of her gloved hand across her forehead. She’d put her hair up in a messy knot and dressed in her gardening clothes. But when Lisa gave a hearty wave, Katie felt a rush of delight at the woman’s beaming smile.
“Hey, sweetie. I was going to call, but I was in the neighborhood so I just decided to pop by. Hope that’s okay.”
“More than okay. You’re welcome anytime. I’d get up and give you a hug, but I’m covered with grime and sweat.”
Lisa’s gaze drifted over the two other hydrangea plants sitting off to the side. “Need some help? I’m no plant whisperer, but I know how to get one in the ground.”
“If you don’t mind getting dirty. The game comes on at seven, and I’d like to get these planted before that.”
“Jeff’s already got the chips and dip out. Cooper and Gavin are coming over.” Lisa squatted and grabbed one of the plants. “Where were you thinking of putting it?”
Katie pointed. “Right about there, I think.”
“Good choice.” Lisa grabbed the spade and went to work on the hole, and Katie moved to her other side where the last hydrangea would go.
“Your new picket fence looks great. Really makes for nice curb appeal.”
“Thanks. Honestly, it was more of a project than I’d anticipated. I was planning to fence the whole yard, but after spending an entire afternoon on this one stretch, I decided a section of decorative fencing would be just fine.”
“It’s the perfect touch. You should’ve had Gavin put it up for you. He’s very handy.”
“I’m too independent for my own good.”
“Well, there’s nothing wrong with that either.” When Lisa was finished with the spade she handed it to Katie. “I just love hydrangeas—the blue ones especially. Mine are white though.”
“The pH of the soil determines the color of the bloom. Hydrangeas grow purple in acidic soil—at least they should.”
“Well, aren’t you clever. I had no idea.”
Katie warmed under the woman’s praise. “Well, we’ll have to see if it actually works—they won’t bloom for a year or two.”
A breeze whispered across Katie’s skin, cooling her flesh and stirring the fine hairs at her nape. The wind chimes tinkled out a pleasant melody.
Lisa looked over her shoulder. “I just love wind chimes. They’re so . . .”
“Soothing,” both women said at the same time, then laughed.
“The kids got me those wind chimes I have hanging on the back patio. When I hear them tinkle I pray for them.”
She was such a great mom. Katie’s heart squeezed. “I just love that.”
“Well, once your kids are grown, that’s about all you can do for them. Of course I’d love to give them advice at every turn, but unless they ask my opinion I try to keep my big mouth shut.”
“I’m sure you’re being too hard on yourself. You seem to have a great relationship with all your kids.”
Lisa’s eyes twinkled. “That’s only because I’ve learned to butt out and let them make their own decisions.”
“Well, you seem to handle it with great aplomb.”
Lisa waved away her words. “Jeff’s always nudging me under the table when I’m about to blow it. He’s the savvy one. He does this thing—when the kids are sharing a problem with him and he has something to say, he pulls two pennies out of his pocket and sets them on a table. If they want to hear his two cents, they pick up the pennies. If they don’t, they just move the conversation right along, no harm no foul.”
Katie’s mouth spread in a smile. “That’s genius.”
“My husband is a wise man.” They worked in silence for a minute, then Lisa spoke again. “Well, how was your day, honey? The clinic seems to be holding its own.”
“Business is down a little, but it’s been pretty steady despite the bridge closure.” She gave Lisa a sidelong glance. “Last Friday someone tried to convince Avery to treat their dog.”
“What? How did I not hear about that? For heaven’s sake, we have a perfectly good vet in town.”
“I guess the lady doesn’t get along with him too well. Avery sent her packing though.”
“Well, I should hope so. Goodness.”
“How’s the planning for Trail Days going on your end?”
“Well, that’s actually why I came by. The online marketing is going great, but we’re a little late getting the flyers up in a few of the nearby towns. I’m trying to get a group of people to do that on Saturday. Interested?”
“Sure. I don’t have anything better to do.”
“Terrific. So far I have you, Avery, and Cooper. If I can get a few more, you can split up and hit different towns.”
“Sounds good.” Katie’s bright smile belied the sudden tension in her shoulders. Katie, Avery, and Cooper. After the awkward moment in Lisa’s kitchen two days ago, that sounded like a fun afternoon. But maybe it was a chance to show Avery there was nothing to worry about.
Her conscience twitched at the thought.
By the time they finished planting and watering the new shrubs, it was ten minutes till game time. Lisa gave her a good-bye hug, and Katie waved as she left. She loved that the woman felt comfortable dropping by her house. That might annoy some people, but Katie had always wanted a family that was close enough for impromptu visits.
As she put away her gardening supplies and took a quick shower, it wasn’t the game she was thinking of. It was Cooper. How had his confrontation with Megan gone this afternoon? Would he let Katie know, or should she reach out to him?
She’d no sooner settled in front of the TV than her phone rang. Cooper.
“Hello?”
“It’s me. Are you busy?” His rapid speech revealed agitation.
“No, I was just watching the game and wondering how things went with Megan.”
“They didn’t. She wasn’t there. Worse than that, she won’t be around for another week—she went on vacation.”
“Vacation? How convenient.”
“Isn’t it? She starts a nasty rumor and leaves town.”
“I’m sorry, Cooper. What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. They wouldn’t tell me where she went, of course. But the rumor is spreading. My mom knows everything now. I called Avery a while ago and told her. Gavin is next. I’m on my way to Mom and Jeff’s to watch the game. Gavin will be there.”
“I’m so sorry this is happening. I know what your reputation means to you.”
“And Megan knows what this run for sheriff means to me. A small-town rumor may not seem like much, but most of my votes will come from Riverbend—I hope.”
“Sabotaging your campaign seems so extreme.”
“Mom thinks she must’ve had deeper feelings than she let on.”
“Someone who really cared about you wouldn’t want to hurt you.”
“I’m guessing Megan doesn’t think like you do.”
“Then she doesn’t know that caring for someone means you put their needs ahead of your own.”
“I suspect that’s true.”
“Should you make some kind of public statement?”
“Avery and I talked about that, but we don’t want to blow it out of proportion or give the rumor more credence than it’s due. I really can’t see it spreading outside of Riverbend, so there should be minimal damage to my campaign. But I’d like to avoid dragging my family’s name through the mud if I can.”
“Maybe it’s not as bad as you think. Pregnancies outside of wedlock happen all the time.”
“It’s not the pregnancy that’s so damaging. It’s the fact that I’ve supposedly turned my back on Megan—never mind that it’s not true.”
“There’s a DNA test—but of course we’d need the mother for that.”
“Yeah, Avery mentioned that.” The heavy sigh on his end of the line conveyed that this burden was weighing him down.
Katie didn’t know what to say, so she whispered a quick prayer. There must be some reason God was allowing this to happen. It was always confusing when bad things happened to good people. When bad people happened to good people. Her stomach was in knots for Cooper.
“I shouldn’t be calling you,” he said quietly. Honestly.
His words ushered in a new kind of tension. The kind that existed because they were tiptoeing around the feelings growing between them. But with that one little statement, he’d stepped right on a land mine. Maybe he regretted it now.
She threw him a lifeline. “There’s no crime in needing to talk to someone, Cooper.”
“We both know I could be talking to my mom or Avery right now. I should be.”
Then why aren’t you? The words gathered in her throat, the question begging for release. She wanted the answer more than she wanted her next breath. Wanted to hear him admit he had feelings for her. After all, she’d offered him a lifeline, and he hadn’t taken it . . . But it wasn’t a fair question when she was dating his brother.
Silence lengthened between them, and the line buzzed with tension. It had always gone unmentioned, this thing simmering just under the surface. If she’d thought she was imagining it or the feelings were one sided, that idea had just been obliterated. Because at the moment, that thing between them wasn’t just simmering—it was boiling.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’ve put you in a difficult position. I won’t call you again, Kate.”
His words made her insides shrivel up tight and hard. She opened her mouth to rebut his statement. Because as much as she hated that this rumor was tearing him up inside, she loved being the one he counted on. The one he called.
But his family could take it from here. They should take it from here. As much as she wanted to get closer to Cooper, this thing between them was a disaster waiting to happen.
She closed her eyes and squeezed out the words. “Whatever you think best. I’ll be praying for you. I’m sure God will work all of this out.”
“Thanks, Kate.” A beat of silence followed. “I guess I’ll . . . see you around.”
Her chest tightened at the despair in his voice. She pressed a palm to her heart. “See you, Cooper.”