SADIE RAN THE evening’s events through her mind as she drove home.
After dinner, James and Maddie had invited her to stay and sit by the lake for a bit around their fire pit. As much as she wanted to say yes to that, she was exhausted. And she didn’t like leaving JoJo for so long in the evening.
Besides, the evening took an odd turn after Maddie spilled the beans about the trap door. Sadie shook her head as she turned into her drive. Was that really what they’d found? And if so, what in the world did it mean, if anything?
She turned off her truck and went inside the house.
“I’m home!”
“In here, Loves.”
Sadie made her way into the living room and plopped down onto the sofa near her aunt’s chair. JoJo was relaxed in her recliner, a movie playing on the television. The remote was in her hand and she paused what she was watching. Her cheeks had good color and she looked more content than tired.
“Don’t stop watching on my account,” Sadie said.
“Oh, I have a feeling hearing about your date this evening is going to be way more interesting than anything I’m watching on TV.”
Sadie had to laugh. If only JoJo knew. Actually, JoJo needed to know. She was the one person Sadie might be able to get answers from about the shop.
“It was not a date, Aunt Jo. Not even close. His daughter was with us.”
JoJo shrugged as if that made no difference.
Sadie leaned against the arm of the sofa and curled her legs up beside her. She grabbed a throw pillow and hugged it to her chest. “It was a nice time. I gave his daughter, Maddie, a ride home from the store – I told you she’s helping go through those books.”
JoJo nodded. “You did. And God bless the girl for that. That’s a big job.”
“Agreed. Anyway, I took her home and delivered a dresser James had bought for her and as a thank you they asked me to join them for dinner. Simple as that.”
“Hmmm.”
“Don’t hmmm me. It was.”
“Continue,” JoJo said. “I can tell you want to share more.”
The memory of James coming out of the workshop came into her thoughts. As well as how he stole glances at her all through dinner. And how he went into protective mode the minute he heard about the secret passageway. Rather than be bothered by his response, Sadie found it endearing to have him care about her welfare and his offer to help her figure it all out.
Leaving out any emotions or attraction she had toward James, Sadie chose to stick to the topic of the store.
“I do want to share more. Maddie found a trapdoor with stairs that lead down under the building. Do you know anything about that?”
JoJo shifted in her chair to sit up a bit. “Well, that’s interesting. I’m sure I have no idea.”
“Grandpa and Grandma never said anything to you?”
“Not a word.” JoJo shook her head.
“Hmph.” Sadie picked at a thread that hung off the throw pillow in her lap.
“Are you sure that’s what it is? Some secret passageway?”
“No. Not really. But it is a trapdoor in the floor and when we opened it, we could see a staircase that led down into a dark cellar below.”
“I’m assuming you were wise enough to not go down there.”
Sadie shook her head. “No. We didn’t. Maddie sure wanted to, though. She still wants to.”
JoJo narrowed her eyes a bit, a small smirk on her lips. “And so do you.”
Sadie lifted her eyes upward and pinched her mouth together. “Maaaayyybee……”
JoJo laughed. “Well, you should. So do I!”
Sadie held back a laugh thinking of how James would respond to all of this. A group of curious women wanting to go down beneath a building with grandiose ideas of what story or adventure they could find.
“Does our handsome Deputy Sheriff know about this?” JoJo asked.
“Yes. Thanks to his over eager daughter who let it spill he now does.”
JoJo chuckled. “Ah, to be that young again. Little to no thoughts of caution. Just jump right into things.”
Sadie had never felt that way, younger or currently, and she certainly didn’t see JoJo that way. She was solid. Dependable. A person who thought through every step of life, not taking risks or chances. It was safe. And Sadie liked safe.
“What did you jump into when you were younger, JoJo?” Sadie searched her aunt’s face as she asked the question. She didn’t know much about JoJo before Sadie came along and she felt bad that it was only now she thought to ask.
JoJo shrugged. “I can’t say I actually jumped, but I considered it.” Her hands were folded in her lap, her thumbs rubbing together. She took a breath in and let it out with a sigh. “And I’m glad I didn’t. Leaping would have not been the right decision. I’m happy with my feet firmly planted.” She smiled at Sadie, but her eyes held a sadness Sadie hadn’t seen before. Regret? Something she had wanted in the past but wasn’t able to have?
It was clear there was more to that story than JoJo was telling, but Sadie could see her aunt’s energy fading. It wasn’t time to push her for details.
“I think we both need to head to bed,” Sadie said. She uncurled her legs and stood. She put out a hand for JoJo who put her recliner into a sitting position and stood, taking Sadie’s hand.
“I agree. It sounds as if you’ve had a big day, and I am definitely tuckered out.”
Sadie hugged her aunt goodnight then waited to turn off lights and lock up the house until JoJo was back in her room and settled.
Climbing the stairs each evening used to be something Sadie loved. The promise of a long, hot bath, a good book tucked under her covers, and a night of sleep in her own bed the perfect ending to each day.
More and more that climb was beginning to feel like a heavy slog. Stacks of bills awaiting her on her desk in the office, as well as not so peaceful nights worrying about how she was going to make it all work. And now she had this secret staircase in the floor of the store. What in the world could that mean?
Yes, she was curious. Yes, she entertained fun stories in her mind. But the reality couldn’t be as exciting as what she imagined. And with her luck could bring even more things or worry about.
As she washed her face and crawled into pajamas, she thought of the look on Maddie’s face, the energy from the young woman. And she laughed a bit at the look on James’ face when he found out about all of it. He’d turned from relaxed to protective cop mode in mere seconds and Sadie found she liked it. She liked it a lot.
She pulled back her covers and crawled into bed, snuggling down under the plush comforter she loved. White with yellow flowers on it, it was just the right weight and softness to burrow under and get lost in sleep.
As her eyes got heavy and she began to drift off, it wasn’t bills or secret passageways that were foremost in her thoughts. It was the look in James’ eyes when he asked her what kind of man he was to her. Words like gorgeous, thoughtful, and safe were the last things she remembered before drifting off to sleep.
* * *
Although the nights tended to give Sadie time to worry about the problems she had no idea how to solve, the days were busy enough to keep her distracted. Not so distracted that she didn’t have moments where James’ smile entered into her thoughts, or that her curiosity didn’t get piqued when she passed the stack of books that covered the floor where the trapdoor was, but any of those thoughts were fleeting. More and more of the Homecoming crowd came in, causing business in the store to pick up. Something Sadie would never complain about. Not only was the extra business good for the balance sheet, she also enjoyed seeing old friends as well as making new ones with the tourists who came to see the leaves change color and the vibrant hues of the season.
Before she knew it, it was time to clean up and lock up for the day. As promised, Kenny had come for a bit in the afternoon and seemed to enjoy helping customers carry items to their cars when he wasn’t helping Moira dust. It didn’t take long to see her first impression was right: Kenny was a good kid, just one who made a mistake – a mistake Sadie had a feeling many young boys make in their lifetime when it comes to playing catch near glass windows.
And Maddie had texted earlier that day saying she felt terrible about it but couldn’t come by that afternoon. There had been an issue with the class float they were building for Homecoming, and she needed to stay at school to help get things fixed.
That wasn’t an issue for Sadie. She had a feeling Maddie would be more focused on what she’d found under the carpet than actually going through stacks of books. As much as she enjoyed Maddie’s company, she felt she would have spent a lot of her day keeping the girl on task.
“Goodnight, Sadie,” Ned said, pulling Sadie from her thoughts.
“Have a good evening, Ned.” She returned a wave as he walked out the back door. Ned had come to her about a year ago asking if she needed any help. A retired fireman, he said he was bored and volunteered to help her around the shop, whether it be loading deliveries or small handyman things that needed to be done. She insisted on paying him, but he said he lived a simple, comfortable life and just wanted something to do, as well as give back to his community. His wife was a schoolteacher and he teased that we would be doing her a favor, getting him out of the house, as well as keeping him from turning into a bored, old grump. Moira said they just don’t make ’em like Ned anymore and Sadie agreed.
“You good if I head out?” Moira asked. She came up beside Sadie who was behind the counter near the register. “Most everything is cleaned and prepped for opening tomorrow.”
“Of course. I get any paperwork settled then lock up.”
The two women hugged and said goodnight to one another.
Moira went out the back door as Sadie gathered up all receipts and papers she needed to take to the office. She stacked them on the edge of the counter so she could grab them after she locked the doors before tucking herself away to do the bookkeeping.
As she made her way to the front door to lock it, the stack of books caught her eye. She turned her attention to where the trapdoor was. Making her way over, she looked around to be sure Moira was gone and she was alone.
Her heart began to beat a little faster as she moved the stack of books then knelt down to peel back the rug. The sight of the trapdoor almost surprised her, as if it might not still be there. As if the whole situation had been a figment of her imagination, just some strange dream she’d concocted.
She pulled the handle up from where it was tucked in and pulled. The door creaked as it opened. It looked exactly as it had when she and Maddie had peered down into it the day before. Was that really just yesterday? Sadie shook her head. She looked over toward the counter, a vague memory of a flashlight being in one of the drawers but feared she would chicken out if she got up to look for it. It wasn’t as if she was going to go down the stairs anyway.
Or was she?
Taking her phone from the back pocket of her jeans, she flipped on the flashlight and pointed it down into the hole in the floor. It illuminated the wooden staircase, but that was about it. It couldn’t hurt to just see if the steps were stable, right? Maybe just flash the light down whatever passageway was down there, if any?
She put a bit of weight on the first step it and it held. She did the same with the next one and then the next as she slowly made her way down one step at a time.
Her feet met the dirt and with her heart pounding in her chest, she held up her phone to light her way. It was a passageway of some kind, but with the short range of her phone flashlight, she couldn’t see how far it went. She would just take a few steps, just to see if she could tell how long a passage it might be.
Gravel crunched under her boots as she stretched out her hand that held her phone, trying to get light to shine further. After about six steps, it seemed there was a turn up ahead maybe?
A rumbling sound from above caused her to jump, her phone falling to the ground and landing so the light shone down. The passageway became almost black, the only light was a faint sliver coming from the store through the trapdoor.
Adrenaline raced through her system as she squatted down, her hands scrambling along the ground to find her phone.
“Ouch!” She cried out as her hand scraped against something on the ground.
“Sadie?”
James.
“Sadie!” His voice was behind her as her hand found her phone and she turned it over. A sweep of light from the flashlight illuminated what looked like broken glass.
“Are you hurt?” He helped her stand then pulled her into his arms.
“I’m fine.” She wiped strands of hair away from her cheek that had fallen forward as she’d searched for her phone.
James had a small flashlight in his hand. He turned it face up like a torch so she could see his face. His eyes were wide, filled with concern. “No. You’re not. You’re bleeding.”
“What? I’m…what?” She looked down at her hand.
James cupped her face with his hand, his thumb rubbing across her cheek. The other still held the flashlight. “Your face. There’s blood on your face.”
“Oh. It’s my…hand. I wiped my hair away…”
He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear so he could see her cheek better, his hand still gently moving across her skin.
“I’m fine, really. I…”
Before she could finish her sentence, his lips were on hers. The hand that held the flashlight came around her waist, the other still cradling her face. The warmth of his lips on hers, the intense bolt of electricity that moved through her made all else around them disappear. She was no longer in some dirty passageway beneath her store. She was floating on air, the tenderness of his touch, the warmth of his arms around her all she could notice or feel.
He pulled back and put his forehead against hers, his eyes closed. His breathing was rapid, as was hers, but from the kiss or the adrenaline she wasn’t sure. Maybe both.
“You scared me to death.” He turned so she was beside him, his arm holding her close to his side. “Let’s get you out of here.”
She nodded, words failing her for a myriad of reasons.
She went up the stairs first as James held up his flashlight to show her the way.
Sadie reached the fresh air of the store and sat down, leaning against the wall nearby. Her mind raced. After finding a legitimate passageway under her store and having James Larsen kiss her, she wasn’t quite sure what emotion to address first.
James emerged from the opening and sat beside her, their backs against a nearby bookshelf. Both of them were still breathing hard.
“I thought you said you would wait to go in there.”
She shrugged. “I was curious.”
James ran a hand through his hair then rested his hands on his bent knees. “The women I care about will be the end of me.”
His voice was almost a whisper, but Sadie heard it all the same. She covered a smile with her fingers. The movement reminded her of her of the cut on her hand and she winced.
James turned at the sound. He held her hand gently in his. “Do you have a first aid kit?”
She nodded. “Behind the counter.”
He retrieved it and sat beside her again to tend to her cut. Thankfully, it wasn’t too deep, a bit of ointment and a bandage all she needed.
James boxed up the kit and set it aside.
“Sadie.”
The tenderness in his voice made her ache for him to kiss her again, not to mention the look in his eyes when they met hers.
“Yes.”
“I need you to promise me two things.” He held up a finger. “One. Don’t ever scare me like that again.” He held up a second finger. “And two. Do not tell my daughter there is actually a secret passageway. I don’t get enough sleep as it is worrying about that kid. If she knows for sure she found something underneath this building…” he shook his head.
Sadie chuckled. “I promise.”
He took her non-bandaged hand in his and linked their fingers together then rested them on his outstretched leg. “And one more. Promise me you will not go down there again without me.”
“I promise.” She laid her head on his shoulder and sighed. At that moment, Sadie didn’t want to go anywhere or do anything without James nearby, a thought that warmed her heart.
Maybe the idea of letting love into her life wasn’t so scary after all.