The road to hell might be paved with good intentions, but when it came to dealing with Patricia Boudreau, all bets were off. Jill Monroe couldn’t quite figure how she’d become embroiled in Ms. Patti’s latest scheme, or even why she’d shown up on the other woman’s radar. Since nobody said no to the town’s matriarch, here she was, waiting outside a desolate building in the rapidly approaching twilight.
Huffing out an exasperated breath, she cupped her hands around her eyes and leaned in closer, peering into the darkness beyond the huge plate glass window of the storefront. Dirty and grimy, and streaked with a greasy film she really didn’t want to touch, she couldn’t make out much. The building’s interior sat shrouded in inky blackness and appeared more than a little spooky.
Guess nobody’s here.
Taking a step back, she pulled the note from her pocket and checked the address again. She’d found it slipped under her apartment’s front door when she’d gotten home from her job, the stark whiteness of the envelope standing out against her worn and faded chocolate-brown carpet.
Yep, she was in the right place, right time, but so far no sign of the woman who’d summoned her.
Wonder what Ms. Patti’s up to now?
At least the interminable heat wave petered out overnight, and the temperature, while still warm, didn’t feel like it was going to broil the skin from her bones. Texas in late summer meant rarely being outdoors during daylight hours—not even on a bet. Having the stifling heat of industrial-sized ovens cranked up high all day didn’t create the same sensation as Texas humidity in the summertime. It’s a lesson she’d learned working for a restaurant during her summer hiatus from school. She’d long ago decided she enjoyed her creature comforts far too much, which meant air conditioning running twenty-four/seven.
Today had been onerous, overly long, and she’d hated every minute of it. Driving over an hour each way for her day job ate up a huge chunk of her morning and evening hours, not to mention the wear and tear of her on-its-last-legs car. It was a used one she’d bought after graduation from college. She’d scrimped and saved, and sacrificed meals to scrounge up enough money for the down payment on an already eight-year-old rust bucket. She crossed her fingers every morning, praying it didn’t give up the ghost and die on her daily commute. Add in the fact she felt like a glorified pencil pusher at the insurance company where she worked, with chances of advancement zilch, and her life was pretty much in the toilet. The only bright spot: her friend Tessa had moved to Shiloh Springs, and would be sticking around since she was engaged to the town’s sheriff, Rafe Boudreau.
The edge of twilight ate away the remnants of what little daylight remained, cloaking the world around her in deepening darkness. Arms wrapped around her midsection, she tried her best to ward off the goosebumps spreading along her skin, ones that had nothing to do with a chill, but more an uneasy feeling of being outside alone. Almost all of the shops along Shiloh Springs’ Main Street closed earlier, all their doors shuttered by eight p.m. Daisy’s Diner down the street closed early on weeknights and the bookstore closed at eight sharp. Farther down the main drag, Jill saw the outside lights from the sheriff’s station, so she didn’t feel totally abandoned. If only Ms. Patti would get here and tell her why she’d wanted to meet in the first place, maybe she’d get over the eerie feeling riding her.
After what seemed like an eternity, headlights brightened the darkness, headed straight toward her, and Jill shielded her eyes against their sudden glare. Recognizing the highly-identifiable white Cadillac Escalade everyone in Shiloh Springs knew Ms. Patti drove, she breathed a sigh of relief. She watched it pulled to a stop in front of her, taking up nearly two parking spaces.
Ms. Patti’s car was as distinctive as the woman herself. It seemed a strange dichotomy, this behemoth of a vehicle, wrestled into submission by the diminutive dynamo. But while she might be small in stature, her will and determination more than made up for her size. There wasn’t a soul within a good fifty-mile radius who didn’t recognize the pearly white gargantuan SUV as belonging to the town’s unofficial matriarch.
The Boudreau family, a fixture in town for more years than Jill had been alive, was presided over by Patricia Boudreau. Deceptively tiny, she was a powerhouse in a petite package, and knew everybody and everything that went on in their little burb. She kept a watchful eye on the comings and goings around Shiloh Springs, and provided gentle nudges when needed. Ms. Patti was one of those women who got things done, and heaven help you if she decided you needed help, or if she believed you could accomplish things she felt would benefit her town. A force of nature, there was no stopping her once she got an idea in her head. It would be easier to stop a Texas tornado than try to ride rein on the Boudreau matriarch.
“I hope you haven’t been waiting long.” The smile Ms. Patti bestowed on Jill made all the waiting seem inconsequential. Jill couldn’t hide her smile as she climbed out of the car, full of life and energy, even at the tail end of the day. Personally, her backside was dragging after a long day dealing with the idiots she worked with, clients who didn’t have a lick of common sense, coupled with detours and construction on her homebound commute. All she wanted was a hot bath, a good book, and maybe a pint of her favorite chocolate-covered cherries ice cream. Yum.
“Not too long, Ms. Patti. What’s going on?” Jill gestured toward the dark window behind her.
Instead of answering, Ms. Patti lifted the lock box attached to the door and punched in a code with an efficiency that bespoke familiarity. Standing aside, she gestured for Jill to precede her. Once through the door, Ms. Patti flipped a light switch, bathing the front part of the space in light. Overhead, the fluorescent bulbs buzzed and popped.
The space had seen better days. An air of tiredness clung to the white walls, which had yellowed with age and neglect. The terra cotta tiles on the floor were in pretty good shape, though a few had superficial cracks. Acoustic tiles covered the ceiling, although a few of the panels sat askew, giving it a forlorn, abandoned vibe.
Kinda like how I’ve been feeling recently.
But beneath the neglect, beneath the lack of cleanliness, there was…something…about the space that called to her. Something Jill couldn’t put her finger on, but it seemed to whisper in the back of her mind she needed to be here. This raggedy, unkempt, hadn’t been occupied retail space, which had sat empty for longer than she could remember, was meant to be hers.
“So, dear, what do you think?”
“Are you looking to insure the place? I can put you in touch with somebody at my office—”
“No. What do you think of the space for your bakery?”
A jolt of shock whipped through her, and she spun to face Ms. Patti. “I don’t understand. What do you mean, my bakery?”
“I know you’ve wanted to open your own place for a long time. You’ve got the skills, the talent, and the drive to make a success of it. I can feel it in my gut, and my gut is never wrong.”
“Ms. Patti, the location is perfect, but I can’t. I don’t have enough money to afford the rent on a place like this, or to buy or even rent all the equipment and supplies I’d need to make a go of it.”
Closing her eyes for a second, she wanted to scream. She’d been so close. Scrimping and saving every penny for the last three years, foregoing every luxury and sometimes even the necessities, and living on a shoestring budget, to make her dreams a reality, and one stupid decision wiped away everything. If she had it to do over again—she’d probably still give her brother the money. Having a deadbeat, always-falling-for-the-latest-scam brother alive and kicking was better than visiting him in the cemetery. Which is what would have happened if she hadn’t bailed him out of his current jam, and wiped out her savings account in one fell swoop.
“I know, honey. I’ve got a business proposition I want to discuss with you, but I wanted you to see the place first, get your opinion. I might know my way around real estate, but I don’t have your eye for what will work for setting up a viable, working bakery.” Ms. Patti strode past her, walking with purpose and determination toward the back of the shop, and Jill followed along in her wake. A thousand questions tumbled around in her brain. What in the world was Ms. Patti up to now?
She flipped on another light switch, and pushed through a swinging door, revealing the back of the space, and Jill’s mouth opened in shock. It was…it was perfect. Several long aluminum tables were pushed against one wall. They needed a good cleaning, but they’d make perfect work stations for mixing and kneading. A turntable for decorating cakes could fit on the far table. Two large racks were shoved into one corner, but they’d work for holding trays of pastries and cookies, or even loaves of bread. There weren’t any ovens or cooktops, but she could picture them in her mind.
“Think this would work?”
“Ms. Patti, it’s—it’s perfect. It’s almost like this whole space was made for a bakery. The front half could hold display cases, filled with cookies, doughnuts, and pastries. Maybe pies, too. You could set up a couple of small tables in front of the big picture window, where people can sit outside and eat. Maybe have a coffee station. If the weather’s nice, maybe have a few tables and chairs out there. Add an overhang, an awning or canopy of some kind, for when it’s really hot.”
Ms. Patti’s smile grew with every word, and Jill realized that the older woman hand suckered her right into her delusion. Because it was nothing but a pipe dream, always out of reach. Quashing down her feelings into a tiny ball, she shoved it deep inside, the way she did every time it seemed like it might happen. She was a realist, and she’d learned the hard way dreams didn’t always come true, and not everybody got their happily ever after. Especially not her.
“Ms. Patti, I can’t—”
“You know, I’ve never liked that word. Can’t. It’s like giving up without trying. If we don’t make the effort, then can’t wins.” Ms. Patti studied her, her gaze intent, and Jill bit back the urge to run. She knew Ms. Patti didn’t mean to hurt her, but she was, because dangling her life’s dream before her right out of reach, was breaking her heart. Like her brother, Dante, had mere weeks ago.
“Before you say anything, there is a reason I wanted you to see this place. I wanted an honest appraisal of whether this location, this interior, could or should be utilized for a much-needed Shiloh Springs bakery.”
Jill drew in a deep breath before answering. “The location is great. It’s right in the heart of town, not far from Daisy’s Diner, the bookstore, or any number of other great shops on Main Street. The back can be converted fairly easily to accommodate everything you’d need for a fully functional kitchen. The sales floor area has the potential for walk-in customers and even a small counter space where custom orders could be placed. You could have a shelf with pictures of wedding cakes, special occasion cakes, and specially designed orders. It’s exactly the kind of place you’re talking about.”
“Excellent. That’s what I wanted to hear.” Ms. Patti reached forward and wrapped her arm around Jill’s shoulder, and started leading her toward the front. “Tomorrow’s Saturday. You don’t have to work, do you?”
“Um, no ma’am.”
“Perfect. Be at the Big House at noon. We’ll have lunch and then talk about a proposition I’d like to share with you.”
“Proposition?”
She stepped through the doorway and out into the humid night air. Ms. Patti turned and placed the lockbox back on the front door handle and pivoted to face Jill.
“We’ll talk tomorrow. Now, I need to get home. Douglas is waiting for me.” Ms. Patti’s grin was infectious and Jill found herself responding. “He’s cooking dinner, so I’m sure it’s going to be an adventure.”
“Sounds like fun.”
Ms. Patti hefted her purse further up on her shoulder, and Jill wondered, not for the first time, how someone so tiny managed to carry around a bag that was nearly as big as she was, but somehow she always made it work.
“Do you need a ride home, hon?”
“No, thanks, Ms. Patti. It’s only a couple of blocks, and I think I’ll walk.”
“You sure, I don’t mind giving you a ride. After all, you came to meet me.”
Jill shook her head. “The walk will do me good. Help me clear my head from crunching numbers and writing policies all day. You head on home and have dinner with Douglas. Tell him I said hello.”
“Good night, Jill. See you tomorrow.”
She watched Ms. Patti drive away, and shook her head, before heading toward home. She couldn’t help wondering what the other woman had in store for her tomorrow. Because once you found yourself on Ms. Patti’s radar, she’d bowl you over like a tumbleweed in a thunderstorm, and you’d never know what hit you.
“Guess I’ll find out tomorrow how my life’s about to change.”
Bad weather delayed Lucas’ homecoming by a couple of hours. After leaving Fort Worth, he’d had to pull over a couple of times because the torrential rain made visibility impossible. His wipers hadn’t been up to the job, even on the highest setting, but it wasn’t like he was on a deadline, so he could take his time.
The decision to head home had been spur of the moment, even though he’d been back a few weeks ago to celebrate with Ridge and his pretty new lady, Maggie, and catch up with the rest of the family. Rafe and Tessa’s wedding was still a few months away, but he’d never seen his brother happier. Antonio and Brody also seemed to glow, especially when around their newfound ladies.
Exhausted from investigating his latest story, the one he’d turned in the day before, he’d crashed for twenty-four hours straight. The investigative work for the story had turned ugly early on, and the more he dug, the harder it became to stay objective. He had to hand it to his brothers, because they had to deal with the scum of the earth on a regular basis. As an investigative reporter, he only came in contact with slimy characters when he was researching, making sure he had his facts straight, and that his sources were impeccable. This story, though, it got to him, crawled beneath his skin until he saw it, lived it, and breathed it even in his sleep.
Shaking his head, he realized he’d been so engrossed in his thoughts he’d missed his exit off the interstate. He backtracked through the south part of Shiloh Springs instead of heading straight to the Big House.
Everything looked the same as it had when he’d been a boy. Not a whole lot changed in the small town, and that’s the way he liked it. He liked knowing even if he wasn’t living here full time, when he came back home, everything stayed exactly as it had been when he’d left. Oh, sure, a few things changed. Shops closed. New ones opened. Folks moved away and new ones took their places. But the essence, the heart, of Shiloh Springs remained.
Silhouetted in his headlights, he spotted a woman walking, and immediately his chest tightened, his breath caught in his throat, because he recognized her.
Jillian Monroe.
Jill, the woman he’d known most of his life. They’d grown up together. Gone to school together. Shared a first kiss together. She’d been his first crush, all the way back in the sixth grade. He’d hated it when she’d gone away to college back East. Hated every minute she was gone, though he never admitted it to anybody. But when she came back, she was different. He couldn’t put his finger on it. The laughing, friendly, loving Jill disappeared underneath a layer of silence, withdrawn and missing the spark that had always seemed to burn deep inside.
And she wouldn’t talk to him. Oh, she never went out of her way to deliberately avoid him, but the spontaneity, the joie de vivre, her zest for life, disappeared. Slowing, he rolled down the passenger-side window, and called out to her. “Jill. Want a ride?”
In the dim light from the street lamps, she looked beautiful in an ethereal way, her skin glowing. Golden blonde hair framed the beautiful face he still saw in his dreams. He felt a tug inside his chest, the instinctive pull toward her that never went away.
“Lucas! You’re home. I mean, welcome back.”
“Thanks. Folks don’t know I’m here, thought I’d surprise them.”
She smiled. “You just missed Ms. Patti. She’s headed home for date night with your dad.”
“Huh. I forgot it was Friday night. Unless there’s an emergency, they have a standing Friday night date. Been doing it for years.”
“She mentioned Douglas is cooking tonight.”
Lucas chuckled. “Well, unless he’s fired up the grill, I bet he pulled a casserole or something out of the freezer and heated it up. I love my dad, but he can’t cook.”
“I kinda got that impression from your mother.”
Tired of talking through the open window, Lucas put the car in park, and left it running while he climbed out. He stood in front of Jill, giving her a quick grin, and shoved his hands into his pockets. On the soft breeze, he caught the subtle scent of vanilla, and couldn’t help wondering if she’d been baking up one of her wickedly delicious desserts.
“What has you walking down Main Street all alone on a Friday night?”
“I had a meeting with your mother, and I’m headed home.”
“Momma didn’t offer you a ride?”
She speared him with a glare, and he raised his hands. “Of course she offered. I decided to walk, clear my head. It’s been a long day. Heck, it’s been a long week.”
“Yeah, it has.”
“I should probably get home.”
Before he stopped to think, he blurted out, “Why don’t we go and get a drink? Catch up on what you’ve been up to. Like we used to—come on, Jill, say yes.”
“Lucas, we really shouldn’t…”
“Why not? Last I heard, there’s nobody waiting for you at home. Me either. What’s wrong with two old friends grabbing a drink and reminiscing?”
A long rumble of thunder rolled, loud enough to rattle the window in the shop beside them. A brilliant flash of lightning followed, illuminating the sky, filled with dark, ominous clouds.
“I need to get home before the storm lets loose.”
Lucas sighed. He’d hoped she’d say yes. It had been far too long since they’d spent any kind of time together. The thought saddened him. They’d been closer than thieves when they’d been growing up, it hurt that they’d drifted apart.
“Yeah, you’re probably right. But I insist you let me drive you home, otherwise, you’ll be soaked before you get there.”
Jill gave a shaky laugh, and ran a hand through her hair. “Okay, I give up. Take me home.”
Lucas opened the passenger door and helped her in, then jogged around the front of the car and climbed behind the wheel. Her apartment wasn’t far, only a few blocks. Before he’d made the turn off Main Street, fat raindrops were splattering against the windshield, increasing in ferocity with every second that passed. Soft country music played on the radio, almost a white noise in the background. He couldn’t have said who was singing or even what song, his attention riveted on Jill sitting beside him.
She’d changed since the last time he’d seen her. His momma and dad held a get together at the Big House. Nothing special about this one he could remember. They did it all the time, because with a family the size of theirs, there was always something to celebrate.
He remembered Jill sitting together with his momma on the back patio. Dad had been manning the grill, ruling his domain with the determination of a general, and nobody got between his father and grilling meat. Jill wore a pretty yellow sundress with little straps on the shoulders. It had pretty blue and white flowers around the bottom, and he’d thought she looked beautiful. Like a breath of sunshine in an otherwise dreary afternoon. Of course, he’d been neck deep in an investigation for the story he’d just turned in. The one about human trafficking. Thinking about it turned his stomach, and he knew he’d barely scratched the surface.
By the time he’d pulled up in front of her apartment building, the rain was coming down in torrents. He could barely see the front end of the car through the windshield. No way was he letting her get out, she’d be soaked to the skin.
“Let’s sit here for a minute or two, until it eases up.”
Jill peered through the windshield, a tiny line appearing between her eyes as she squinted. It was cute. He chuckled, and she turned to face him.
“What’s so funny?”
“You have the cutest little thing right here when you squint.” He ran his fingertip lightly across the bridge of her nose, watching the tiny line disappear.
“Cute? Lines on a woman’s face aren’t considered cute.”
“Hey, I’m telling it like I see it. I guess cute is in the eye of the beholder.”
“You’re nuts, you know that, right? Only you would tell a woman she’s got wrinkles and think it’s cute.”
He pulled back and placed his hand over his heart, feigning outrage. “I never said you had wrinkles. I said you had a tiny cute little squiggle mark. It’s adorable.”
Jill gave a playful slap at him, and he caught her hand and pulled it against his chest. Her gentle smile reached her eyes, and reminded him of the Jill he remembered, the laughing, bright light in his life. With a jolt that struck deep, he realized that he missed her. More than he’d realized, until this moment. When he’d made the choice to leave Shiloh Springs, he’d never once thought about what he left behind, instead focusing on his goals of writing, being the best journalist. Digging for stories, searching for the truth, and looking for his sister.
Instead, he’d left behind something precious, that intangible missing piece, and like a bolt of lightning, he realized what he’d been unwittingly searching for sat right in front of him. The silence lengthened as he studied her, noting the exact moment she withdrew from him. Not in a physical way. Sure, she pulled her hand away. But it was more, an almost invisible wall, erected brick by brick, and the twinkle left her eyes. An almost painful distance yawned between them, one that hadn’t been there moments before, and he wondered what happened to make the once vivacious and heartwarming woman he remembered become this almost aloof stranger.
“The rain is letting up. I’d better get inside. Thanks for the ride, Lucas.” She reached for the door handle, and he started to open his, ready to escort her to the door. “No, don’t. No sense in both of us getting soaked. Let your momma know I’ll see her tomorrow.”
Before he could stop her, she climbed out of the car, and raced toward the apartment building’s front door, and within seconds was out of sight. Lucas sat there with the engine running, watching the entrance and wondering why she’d darted like a scared rabbit.
Jill had made her first mistake. He was at heart an investigator, loved digging into a problem and coming up with the answers. There wasn’t a challenge out there that he’d run away from, and whether she realized it or not, she’d thrown down the gauntlet.
Let the games begin.