Hometown Hope

by Laurel Blount

  But he was going to tell it now. Because somehow, in spite of all his arguments about how long ago this had all been, he wanted Anna to know the truth.

  “Dan Whitlock’s dad was tough to handle when he’d been drinking.”

  “I knew that.” Anna’s response was immediate. “Everybody knew that.” She paused, and he could see her weighing her words. She finally took the plunge. “So was yours.”

  “Yeah, well.” Hoyt shrugged. “I was a lot bigger than Danny. By the time I was a senior in high school, I could hold my own with my old man.” Mostly. It depended on what impromptu weapon his enraged father happened to pick up. “Danny was better at getting in trouble than he was at defending himself. Besides, my father didn’t care two beans about school. If I screwed up on the football field, sure. I was in for it. But the rest of the time, school wasn’t even on my father’s radar.”

  He hoped Anna wouldn’t look too closely at that particular argument. The football scholarship to UGA had definitely been on his father’s radar, and Hoyt had gotten the beating of his life when his hungover dad had blearily clued in on the fact that he wouldn’t be bragging down at the bar anymore about his son playing college ball.

  “I had less to lose. Besides, Dan was one of the guys on my team. It was my job to look after him, if I could.”

  “You had less to lose? You can’t be serious. That was a full-ride scholarship you threw away, Hoyt! To the University of Georgia.” He could see that Anna was gearing up to bluster at him about how wonderful a college education was and what a golden opportunity he’d blown. He’d heard it all before, and he didn’t have the time to listen to it all again now. He cut her off.

  “I was never going to go anyway. I had to put food on my mother’s table, Anna. I had to run the construction business. My father’s drinking was off the charts by then, and there was no way he could have done it without me. If I’d gone to Athens, Mom would have been all alone. She’d have starved. If Dad didn’t beat her to death first.”

  Anna’s eyes widened, and Hoyt winced. He probably shouldn’t have been so blunt. There was a good bit of innocence mixed in with Anna Delaney’s spunk; there always had been.

  “Why didn’t you tell me it was Danny who stole the tests, Hoyt? I guess I can see why you did...what you did. But I don’t understand why you didn’t just tell me the truth.”

  Because you never would have stood for it. Everything was so black-and-white to you...you never could see all the shades of gray I had to deal with.

  “I guess I didn’t think you needed to know.”

  “But Bailey Quinn needed to know?”

  “I didn’t tell Bailey.” He paused. “But yeah. She probably did need to know. She and Danny—” He cut himself off. “I didn’t tell her.”

  “Who did you tell?” Anna was watching him intently as she waited for his answer. The woman should have been a lawyer. She could pin you down like nobody he’d ever seen.

  “I told the people who did need to know. The seniors on the football team who’d planned on buying the keys from Danny. I let them have it, I’ll tell you that. And then I told them I’d take care of it as best I could. I didn’t mean any insult by not telling you. I just knew it would put you in a hard spot, knowing the truth. Your dad being the principal and all. I figured you’d have felt like you had to tell him, and you wouldn’t have understood what was at stake. You came from a whole different world than Danny and I did.”

  “A different world.” She spoke so quietly that he had to bend closer to catch what she was saying. It was as if she’d forgotten he was even in the truck and was talking to herself. “I guess maybe you’re right.” She considered him silently for a second or two. “You know what? I wish I had been the kind of person you could have told back then, Hoyt. I really do.”

  He didn’t know quite how to answer that. He cleared his throat and glanced at his watch. “I’d better drive you home. It’ll be Jess’s bedtime pretty soon, and Mitch is probably wondering what happened to us.” And waiting to help set up the surprise Hoyt was planning for Anna. Of course, after everything that had happened tonight, there was no telling how that would turn out.

  Anna blinked several times and then nodded. “I’d forgotten Mitch was waiting at the store. You’re right. We should go.”

  They didn’t talk for the rest of the short drive. At first, Hoyt tried to think of something to say, something that might bridge over the gap that had opened up between them. But Anna stared out her window, her face blank. She didn’t seem to want to talk, so in the end, Hoyt just let things be.

  When they pulled up, the bookstore lights were gleaming, and he could see Mitch hunched over the checkout counter scribbling some notes on the pocket-size notepad he always carried. The electrical contractor looked up when the door opened.

  “There you two are. I was just finishing up.” He smiled, but his eyes cut over to Hoyt’s, telegraphing a message that made a prickle run up Hoyt’s backbone.

  He’d worked with Mitch for years, and he knew that look. It always meant the same thing.

  Bad news.

  “Smoke alarm installed?” Hoyt kept his voice casual.

  “You better believe it.” Mitch turned to Anna, and his expression gentled. “I’ve installed three, and they’re the best we have. They react to both heat and smoke, and they’ll call the fire department for you if they go off. You’ll be perfectly safe until we get the wiring repaired.”

  Hoyt could read the warning beneath Mitch’s reassurances, but Anna didn’t seem to pick up on it. She set her purse down on the top of a handy bookshelf and took a deep breath.

  “Thank you very much. So, now that you’ve looked around, what do you think, Mr. Connor? How much will it cost to get the building up to code?”

  “First of all, please call me Mitch. We’re all friends here.” His gaze flitted briefly to Hoyt’s and then back to Anna. “And I’m sorry, but I don’t know the answer to that yet. I have to price the material and do some figuring.”

  Anna’s shoulders relaxed. “Of course. I should have realized. Will you call me when you’ve worked it out?”

  Mitch’s gaze never once flicked in Hoyt’s direction. “I never like to have meetings over the phone. Why don’t you come to my house for dinner this Friday night, you and Hoyt, and we’ll talk it all through? Chloe—my wife—is a fabulous cook, and I think she’d really enjoy meeting you.”

  The man was smooth. If Hoyt hadn’t been in on the plan he’d never have taken it for anything other than a spur-of-the-moment invitation.

  Anna didn’t seem to suspect anything, although he could see she was a little taken aback by being asked to visit the home of someone she barely knew.

  “We really do need to get this all worked out as soon as possible,” Hoyt pointed out quickly. “Friday’s good for me. What about you, Anna? Are you free for supper on Friday?”

  Anna hesitated. Then, to Hoyt’s relief, she nodded at Mitch. “All right. Thank you. If you’re sure it wouldn’t be too much trouble.”

  “No trouble at all.” Mitch flipped his notebook closed and shoved it down in the pocket of his dark blue jeans. “Hoyt, I’ll walk out with you. I have a question about the wiring for the medical annex.” The electrical contractor nodded again at Anna. “Chloe and I will look forward to seeing you Friday, Anna.”

  * * *

  When they were safely out on the sidewalk, Hoyt shot a sideways glance at his friend.

  “How bad is it?”

  “Bad.” Mitch ran one hand through his hair. “You were smart to insist on the fire alarms. I wouldn’t want my worst enemy sleeping in that building.”

  That was what he’d been afraid of. Well, rats. “It’ll be expensive then.”

  Mitch shrugged. “It’s going to take a lot of material. The labor’s no problem. I can give you that for nothing, as long as it doesn’t interfere
with our paying jobs.”

  They were talking about a lot of work. Hoyt shook his head. “Nobody expects you to donate your time, Mitch.”

  “I’m glad to do it.” Mitch halted at his truck, one hand on the door handle. “I’m not blind, Hoyt. I see how you look at Anna.” The easy smile faded from the electrician’s face, and he reached out one hand to clench Hoyt’s forearm in a brief, hard clasp. “And you’re sure going to a lot of trouble to make her happy. It’s obvious you care a lot about this girl. So you’re both welcome to whatever help I can give.” Mitch shot a careful look back toward the bookstore and lowered his voice. “By the way, I wasn’t lying when I said Chloe would be glad to see Anna. Chloe’s about ready to wring your neck over that little surprise of yours.”

  Uh-oh. He’d better send Chloe some flowers. “Sorry about that.”

  “Nah, don’t worry about it. It’s worth it to see that gooey look on your face again, man. Chloe and I are really happy for you both.”

  Hoyt shook his head. “You’re reading way too much into this, Mitch. It’s not like that.”

  “No?” Mitch chuckled as he opened the door of his truck. “Not yet, maybe. We’ll see what happens on Friday.”

  Chapter Ten

  “Owls have three eyeballs!” Jess announced from her booster seat as they drove to the Connor home on Friday evening.

  Hoyt exchanged an amused glance with Anna. “I think you mean eyelids, baby.” Today had been all about owls at preschool, and Jess had been talking birds nonstop since she got home.

  Probably because she hadn’t spoken to anybody else all day. Jess still wasn’t talking to anybody other than him and Anna, and in spite of Jacob Stone’s warning, some troubling what-ifs were niggling around in the back of Hoyt’s mind.

  The truck tire slammed hard into a pothole. “Sorry, ladies. I should’ve been watching out for that one. This road is rough.”

  “Owls swallow their food whole!” Jess was wearing a lopsided construction-paper owl mask over her face so her words were muffled.

  But they were still words. Beautiful, perfectly understandable words, and although he’d already pretty much had his fill of owl trivia for the day, he’d never get tired of hearing Jess’s voice.

  He needed to do what Jacob had suggested. Focus on his blessings and leave outcomes in the hands of the Lord.

  “I have a great book about owls back at the store, sweetie.” Anna had one arm draped over the seat and was smiling back at Jess. “It has wonderful photographs in it and lots of interesting facts. Maybe we could read it together.”

  Jess hooted approvingly and kicked her tiny feet against the base of her seat. Anna laughed and hooted back. There was an affectionate sparkle in her green eyes as she listened to Jess’s chatter. The endless parade of owl facts didn’t seem to bug Anna at all.

  In fact, she seemed downright fascinated. He didn’t think Anna had given him more than a quick glance since she’d climbed into the truck.

  That was bugging him just a little bit, and he found himself wishing she’d throw a few of those smiles in his direction.

  Come on. Was he actually feeling jealous here over the attention Anna was showering on Jess? Because that was just...ridiculous.

  His feelings for Anna had been all over the map lately, sure. But that was because of how much she’d helped Jess. He was grateful.

  At least that’s what he’d been telling himself.

  What had Mitch said? I see how you look at Anna. Hoyt shifted on the truck seat. Connor was just putting stupid ideas in his head. He and Anna were friends. Really good friends. At least he hoped they were. But that was all.

  He wasn’t looking for anything else.

  He’d only dated once since Marylee’s death, and it hadn’t gone well. The whole night he’d felt so uncomfortable that he’d never even considered trying it again.

  But now, hearing Anna’s soft laugh, watching her gently prodding Jess to speak more, seeing how her face lit up when she really smiled...

  This didn’t feel uncomfortable at all. It felt right to him, relaxing and familiar, the way a man felt when he finally made it safely home at the end of a long day.

  Then again there was that spice of unexpectedness to Anna that kept him on his toes. He liked that about her.

  He liked that a lot.

  Hoyt stared through the smudged windshield, but he wasn’t really seeing the road in front of him. Did all these feelings he’d been having about Anna really just boil down to gratitude? Or was Mitch onto something?

  “Daddy!” Jess stopped hooting long enough to mount a protest. “You’re going past the gate to Uncle Mitch’s!”

  Lost in his thoughts, Hoyt had missed the turn into the Connors’ gated driveway. When Jess spoke, he stepped on the brake and geared down automatically in order to reverse, but his mind wasn’t on what he was doing. He turned to look at his daughter.

  Uncle Mitch. Mitch had given himself that honorary title as soon as he’d met Jess, but Hoyt hadn’t heard those once-familiar words come out of his daughter’s mouth in years.

  “Uncle Mitch is a ’lectrician,” Jess informed Anna cheerfully. “And Aunt Chloe teaches fifth grade. I love them, and I love their whole big family. And Aunt Chloe makes the best food in the world. You’re going to love them all, too, Miss Anna!”

  “I’m sure I will!” Anna’s voice was still bright, but now her enthusiasm sounded as fake as the owl tattoo on Jess’s arm. “So, the Connors have a lot of children?”

  “They have four. All boys.” He paused, but he knew Anna might as well be prepared. “But Mitch has three brothers living within driving distance who also have kids, and they’re a close family. There might be a crowd.”

  Hoyt put the truck back in first gear and turned down the rutted road that led to a simple metal farm gate. He stole a look at Anna’s face as he stopped the truck. Just like he’d figured. The relaxed smile he’d been admiring had vanished the minute he’d said the word crowd. Hoyt felt a prickle of uncertainty.

  He’d been so intent on setting up his surprise for Anna that he’d forgotten something about the Connors. To Mitch and Chloe, anything fewer than forty people was just another family dinner.

  It would be fine, he reassured himself. The Connors, all of them, were the warmest and friendliest people Hoyt knew, and Jess was right. Chloe’s cooking outclassed that of any restaurant in a fifty-mile radius of Pine Valley. They’d set Anna at ease in no time, and Hoyt’s secret make-Anna-happy plan would be a roaring success.

  At least, he hoped so. He sure didn’t want his newest bright idea to backfire like the airplane ride had.

  Please, Lord. Help a guy out here.

  “Hoyt? Is something wrong? Why are we just sitting still?” Anna was looking at him, one dark eyebrow raised.

  Hoyt refocused. “Hang on just a second. I have to open the gate. The Connors have cows in this pasture.”

  “Moos!” Jess announced happily from the back seat. “I love moos and owls!”

  “I’ll open it.” Anna hopped out before he could argue. He watched her unhook the chain on the gate, then his gaze skimmed over to where the Connors’ brick home sat on the crest of the hill. He counted at least three extra vehicles. The Connors had turned out in full force to witness the surprise he was about to spring on Anna.

  Oh, brother.

  What was that other thing Mitch had said?

  We’ll see what happens on Friday.

  They’d see, all right. One way or the other, things were definitely about to get interesting.

  * * *

  Anna was ready to run back to the car before she even made it to the door of the two-story brick home. She’d expected a quiet dinner, and she’d been nervous enough about that. This was shaping up to be something altogether different. Several cars were parked around the house, and at least half a dozen children
were swarming around the shaded yard, chasing each other and screaming with glee.

  As they reached the semicircular steps leading up to the porch, a small, sturdy boy jogged in their direction. He was looking over his shoulder and laughing, his attention focused on the two bigger girls who were pursuing him. Just when he was about to mow Jess flat, Hoyt stepped in front of his daughter and caught the boy midstride, swinging the little fellow up in his arm.

  “Careful there, kiddo!”

  “Uncle Hoyt! You’re finally here! Boy, is Mom going to be glad to see you! You’re in big trouble. He keeps getting out, and he chewed a hole in the—”

  “Sh!” One of the bigger girls spoke up as she skidded to a stop. “That’s a secret, Logan! You’re not supposed to talk about it!”

  A worried look creased the boy’s face as he looked at Anna. “Oops. Sorry, Uncle Hoyt. Hey, Jess. We’re playing tag. Come on!” He grabbed Jess’s hand, and the children ran off together toward a huge oak tree that seemed to be functioning as home base.

  Anna looked up at Hoyt. He was smiling as he watched his owl-masked daughter joining in the game. “What was that all about?”

  Hoyt suddenly looked evasive. “Nothing much.” Ignoring the doorbell, he eased the large oak door open a crack. “Chloe? We’re here.”

  “In the kitchen, Hoyt!” a woman’s voice called back. “Come on in.”

  They stepped inside a cool entryway with a gleaming wooden floor and a jumble of family pictures crowding the cream-colored walls. Through an arched entryway to her right Anna could see a living room decorated in cozy shades of rust and pumpkin, where several people were intent on a baseball game playing on a flat-screen television. Something important must have happened because the group erupted into loud cheers and started high-fiving each other.

  The decibel level was off the charts, and Anna fought the urge to clap her hands over her ears. How many people were in this house?

  “Come on.” Hoyt put a reassuring hand on the small of her back, ushering her past the polished staircase hugging the wall. Anna’s nerves were jumping like raindrops hitting a puddle, but she could still feel every one of the warm, strong fingers against the base of her spine. “Trust me. You’re going to love Chloe.”