*Cam lifted one end of a huge oil painting and with his cousin Eli on the other end, they hauled it up the stairs to the second floor of the arts center. Jazz waited at the top of the stairs to direct them, baby Leo snuggled against her.
“This room.” She showed the way and then pointed to a large blank wall. “Right here.”
The two men set the piece down on the wood floor, and Eli swiped a hand across his brow. “Holy cats, this thing is huge.”
“And what the hell is it?” Cam stood back to gaze at it.
“It’s an abstract titled The River at Midnight.” Jazz looked at the painting affectionately. “Isn’t it gorgeous?”
Cam wrinkled his brow. “It’s a bunch of shades of dark blue and some stars.”
Jazz tossed him a disgusted look. “You philistine. Look at the reflection of the River Walk lights and the bridge lights. Post-impressionist style. A touch of Van Gogh.”
Cam shrugged. “Whatever.”
Eli turned from drilling three holes and setting wall anchors to install the work. “So, did she agree?” He was continuing a line of questioning that had started downstairs when Jazz had asked Cam about Harper Gaines. “Is she going to paint the chest?”
“Nope. Not yet.” Cam helped him hang the painting as Jazz stood at the doorway, offering instructions—a little higher on your side, Cam, not that high, and ah, there! “I’m not giving up.” The two men moved back to admire their efforts and Cam had to agree that at a distance, the painting was intriguing. “Who’d even have room for this huge thing?”
“I’m hoping the town will buy it and hang it in the foyer of city hall. I’ve been trying to get Meg to come take a look so she can get it done before her term ends in January.”
“Can you believe this town elected another female mayor?” Eli grinned over his shoulder as Cam followed him and Jazz back downstairs. “Sorta gives you hope, doesn’t it?”
“Jane Ross will be great. She loves this town.” Cam plopped down in a chair at the kitchen table watching as Jazz unwound the carrier. “Give me the kid. He’s got that I want my Uncle Cam look.”
The baby gurgled and grinned as Jazz handed him off and tossed the carrier over a chair. “You do know that one day you’ll have to explain the whole second cousin or first-cousin once removed or whatever the heck you actually are to this poor kid, right? I know it’s early for lunch, but you want some turkey vegetable soup, Cam? I was going to heat some up for Eli and me.”
“Yeah, but not for several years yet, and by that time, Uncle Cam will be so firmly imprinted, he won’t care how we’re actually related, and sure, I’d love some soup.” Cam snuggled little Leo against his shoulder. “But after we eat, I gotta head over to the showboat and help Aidan and Matt decorate. He’s late this year because he was on location until right before Thanksgiving, so now he’s pushing to get the old tub set up for the holidays. Bren and Joe and I are all gonna help get ’er done. It’s been awful not having the Queen lit up for Christmas. Then I gotta go work on the cabinets for the Yoshidas’ kitchen.”
“Dude, you are Christmas crazy.” Eli shook his head. “You sure live in the right town for that.”
Cam breathed in the scent of Leo’s soft dark hair. “Did you get your stuff up? I can come by and help you after I get done at the boat. The cabinets can wait another day.”
“Thanks, but we got it done.” Eli held out his hands. “Here, hand over my son.”
Reluctantly Cam handed the baby over, his heart swelling at the sight of Leo’s little face shining as he grinned and cooed at his dad. He rested his chin in his palm, enjoying the warmth of the kitchen, the smell of soup, and the clear devotion of his cousin to his family. This was one of his favorite things about Christmas—family. His mom and dad were due back from their European tour on the day before Christmas Eve, and Cam had already ordered a ham and a fresh turkey at Deke’s grocery for the big dinner he and his parents, his brother Joe, and his sister Annabelle would make on Christmas Day to celebrate their parents’ return. The rest of the Walker clan would come for dessert and an evening of board games and fun.
Dad had texted a couple of days ago saying they were contemplating spending the holidays in Paris, but Cam had shut down that idea. The Walkers had always been together at Christmas. They even had what they called orphans’ Christmas, an open invitation to any of their friends, who might not have any family nearby, to join them for the day. For the last couple of years, their family Christmases had included Dot and Mary Higgins, Judge Harry Evans, and Noah Barker.
Noah’s son lived in Alaska and rarely made it home for the holidays. Judge Harry’s wife had been gone for years, and they’d never had kids. Dot and Mary did a booming business at their quilt shop between Christmas and New Year’s while folks were off work and looking for projects, so they never left town at Christmas. Cam had already issued invitations to the three older folks before Harper had arrived in town. He was planning on extending an invitation to her as well; he only had to find the right time.
“So did you invite Harper to Christmas dinner?” Eli cuddled Leo to his chest. “What exactly is her deal anyway?”
That was creepy. It was almost as if his cousin had been reading his mind. Heat rose from the neck of Cam’s red-and-green plaid flannel shirt. Ignoring the first question, Cam went for the second. “Whaddya mean?”
“I stopped in at the hardware store this morning to grab the wall anchors for that giant-ass painting.” Eli gave him a knowing look over Leo’s head. “Noah said things got interesting at Mac’s last night.”
Chewing his lower lip, Cam debated. Eli certainly knew enough about the pain of grief. He’d lost his fiancée to a brain aneurysm several years before. In fact, it was Jazz who’d brought him back to the land of the living, and now they were as happy as any two people could be. “She’s…” Cam searched for a word to describe the impact Harper had made on him. “Extraordinary. Smart and talented and beautiful and—”
Eli raised one brow. “Hot?”
Oh, yes, definitely hot. But that wasn’t where Cam was headed. “I was going to say sad. She lost her husband a while ago in a Humvee accident in the Middle East. Army guy. I-I think I want to… I mean I’d really like to…” He knew exactly what he wanted to do with Harper Gaines.
He simply wasn’t sure if he was the right person to break into her mourning. To bring her back from losing the love of her life. But, oh, how wanted to be that person—even if all he was to her was a friend.
Eli reached down beside his chair for the infant carrier that doubled, tripled actually, as a car seat and a stroller seat. He lay a now-snoozing Leo in it and buckled him in. “Do you have a crush on her?”
Cam rolled his eyes. “I’m thirty-one, Eli. I think I’m pretty much past crushing on someone. I am attracted”—an understatement if there ever was one—“to her. But I also want to get to know her better because I think she needs friends. We should all try getting her into life here.”
Jazz poured soup into three bowls and set them and a package of saltine crackers on the table. “He has a crush.” She set spoons on the table, glanced down at her sleeping child, and sat down. “Grown-ups get crushes, too, Cam. Look at your cousin Jack. He fell for Maddie so fast, his head was spinning.” She snickered as she crunched crackers into her soup. “Still is, I think.”
Cam ate thoughtfully for a moment. Maybe Eli and Jazz were the right people to open up to. After all, he was Jazz in this Harper Gaines scenario. “Here’s the thing, she’s still in mourning. I don’t know how to get through that grief or around it or over it to reach her.” He gazed at his cousin—so very happy in his new life with Jazz and little Leo. “Eli, how did Jazz find you? I mean … after Amy?”
Eli’s gray eyes darkened a little at the mention of his late fiancée, but he set his spoon down and folded his hands on the table. Finally, he gave Jazz a long look and said, “She started as my friend.”
Jazz put one hand over Eli’s, offering a smile filled with so much love that Cam felt its warmth across the table. “We both needed a friend—Eli because of Amy and me because I was mourning the loss of my life in DC.” She squeezed his cousin’s hands, then went back to her soup. “Be her friend, Cam. Start there.”
*
The fully furnished apartment was perfect. Harper wandered around opening drawers and closet doors, admiring the warm cozy comfort of the space above Mac Mackenzie’s garage. The artist in her was drawn immediately to the colors—bright reds and yellows and teal blues accented every room from the dishes in the kitchen to the bright throw pillows on the bed. It was cheerful without being overdone, and she couldn’t help wondering who all had lived there before. She asked Carly, who was checking kitchen cabinets when Harper ambled back into the living area from the bedroom.
Carly chuckled. “Since I’ve been here, Kitt Lange, Jasmine Walker, and—most recently—Maddie Ross, who moved out a couple of weeks ago. I think a Flaherty before that and, of course, our Megan. Graham actually built the apartment for her—a place for her to land after she graduated from college. He’s never owned this, but I think it was his attempt at keeping her in the country.”
Harper furrowed her brow. “Keeping her in the country?”
“Her mom lives and works in Paris. Megan seriously considered moving there after college, but Graham did his level best to hang on to her.”
“It worked, huh?” Harper glanced around the apartment.
Carly smiled and her lovely face lit up. “River’s Edge is hard to resist. Trust me.”
“I’m discovering that.” Harper inhaled a deep breath. She had no idea how she was going to pay the rent, but this apartment had welcomed her with open arms. It was hers. There was enough left in her savings account to pay first and last months’ rent and take her through the holidays. After that … well, she’d just have to find a job. There’s always the life insurance money, her conscience nudged. She batted the thought away. “I’ll take it. Can I Zelle you what I owe you?”
Carly put the lease agreement on the bar between the kitchen area and the living room. “Here you go. Read through this while I run downstairs and grab a couple things I forgot. When I come back, you can sign. We’ll do the money thing, and then we’ll”—she shrugged—“celebrate.” She opened the door. “Be right back.”
The lease was boilerplate, except that it was only for six months with an option for another six if both parties agreed, which surprised her. Mac covered all the utilities—another pleasant surprise—even Wi-Fi was included as part of the deal. For the first time in nearly two years, she was certain about something—this apartment would be her home for whatever time she stayed in River’s Edge.
Harper picked up the pen to sign just as Carly opened the door and came in on a rush of cold December air.
She was carrying a large basket and couple of recyclable grocery bags. “Okay, here we go,” she announced, setting the hamper on the kitchen table. “You ready to sign?”
“On it.” Harper held up the pen, perusing the three-page lease as Carly pointed to the places where she needed to initial and then the two lines for her signature. “Why only six months?” She took up her phone, prepared to electronically send the money she owed to Mac’s rental account, which was listed immediately below the last signature line.
“Seems we’re a landing pad for people. Everyone who’s ever moved in here inevitably falls in love. Always move out within a year or less. So, six months at a time works.”
Harper’s heart stuttered at Carly’s inscrutable smile. “No worry there for me. Not a chance.”
Carly merely raised one perfect brow, started to say something, but then shrugged and gestured toward the stuff on the table. “Got welcome-home goodies for you, including a bottle of Four Irish Brothers sparkling Traminette. Shall we open it and toast your new digs?”
Harper finished sending the money. “I’d love to.”
Carly’s generosity amazed her as she pulled orange juice, a quart of milk, a loaf of bread, and assorted other staple food items from the grocery bags—even two pints of ice cream from Sycamore Hills Dairy. “How did you know I love butter pecan and rocky road?”
Carly pulled the foil off the bottle of Traminette and applied the corkscrew. “Honestly, I went with what I love. You really can’t go wrong with any ice cream from Sycamore Hills. Have you been to their farm yet? It’s a treat.”
“No.” Harper set the ice cream in the freezer and began putting away the rest of the groceries. “I haven’t been anywhere.” She searched through the cabinets looking for wine glasses.
“To your right,” Carly directed as she eased the cork out of the wine bottle. “I’ll make a list of must-sees in the area. When I first came to town, Sam, my daughter, and Allie, my granddaughter, showed me so many fun places around town and beyond.”
Glasses filled, Harper and Carly sat down at the table. As Carly uncovered the large flat basket to reveal a charcuterie board filled with delectable treats, Harper suddenly realized she was starving. Mac and Carly seemed to have that effect on her, and she said as much.
Carly chuckled as she placed a square of Gouda onto a slice of warm French bread. “I confess Graham turned me into a foodie. I’ve had to completely change my wardrobe—I’ve gained a good ten pounds since I moved here.” She raked her glance over Harper. “Eat up. You could use a few pounds yourself.”
The warm bread smelled heavenly so Harper dug in, devouring cheese, summer sausage, fresh strawberries, crisp crudité with avocado ranch dip, and bread—wonderful crisp-on-the outside-tender-on-the-inside baguette.
“Try this.” Carly opened a small container of butter and offered a small spreader.
“I love butter.” Harper slathered her slice of bread while Carly eyed her. “What? This is butter, right?”
Carly’s smile turned mischievous. “Oh yeah, it’s butter.”
When the first bite hit her tongue, Harper realized it wasn’t just butter… She didn’t recognize the flavor but it was amazing. “This is … so rich and… What am I tasting?”
Carly chuckled. “It’s truffle butter. Graham’s specialty. It’s only on the menu on Tuesdays, but sometimes I sneak some out for a treat.”
Harper closed her eyes, savoring the warm, nutty mushroom taste of the truffle butter and bread. How long since she’d truly tasted her food? Mostly, since Drew’s death, she ate for fuel, barely distinguishing one dish from another. But since meeting Mac Mackenzie and Carly Hayes, food was suddenly interesting again. She savored the meal, already feeling as if this little apartment above Mac’s garage was home. “Thank you for this, Carly. For the apartment and the food and the groceries and well, for everything.”
“You’re very welcome, sweetie.” Carly suddenly sobered. “Would you accept a word of advice from someone who’s discovered the wonder of River’s Edge?”
Harper took a sip of sparkling wine, which was as delicious as the food—sweet without being cloying, crisp and citrusy. “Sure,” she said cautiously.
“I know you’ve been through a terrible tragedy, but maybe it’s time to open your heart and mind again”—she held her index finger and her thumb about an inch apart—“maybe just a little.”
Harper toyed with her nearly empty wine glass before allowing Carly to top it off. “You sound like my aunts.”
“Wise women.” Carly smiled as she drained the last of her wine, rose, and set the glass in the sink. “I came here all closed up and ready to haul Sam back to Chicago, even though she was in the midst of planning her wedding to Conor. Instead, I found myself here.” She raised one finger. “And not because of Graham, although I confess, he is a big part of the reason I stayed. But it wasn’t only him … it was this place. The people, the river, the hills.” She walked past the table and gently squeezed Harper’s shoulder. “Don’t close yourself off to the magic. It’s real.”