Noel, Alabama

by Susan Sands

  So far, Joella hadn’t mentioned Seth. Maybe she was walking on eggshells, considering this was all uncharted territory. What were the odds of Bailey’s dad and ex-boyfriend’s mom becoming an item?

  Probably better than normal due to the low number of single men like her father. And he and Joella had known one another forever.

  Seth was an issue for Bailey, so maybe Joella wasn’t mentioning him to tread lightly there. Seeing him today had rattled her even though she’d hoped it wouldn’t, and she’d tried to prepare for it. If their parents were getting serious, it meant more exposure to Seth for Bailey. Something she’d intentionally avoided for a long time.

  Bailey wanted to believe she was beyond their shared past. That he no longer mattered. But he’d been part of the tapestry of her childhood and teen years. The years and their mutual experiences had woven them together. Being back here meant he was unavoidable, even if she never saw his face in person. Everywhere she looked, he was there.

  Now, he was figuratively sitting across the dinner table, via Joella, his mom.

  Might as well get this over with. “So, how long have the two of you been dating?” Bailey asked, trying for a smile and an upbeat tone.

  Instead of appearing guilty, Daddy grinned and reached for Joella’s hand, and she blushed like a young girl. “A few months now. I’ve been wanting to tell you, but it worked out better to tell you in person.”

  Joella laughed. “Well, Aames, you didn’t tell her, did you? You kind of let her figure it out by herself.”

  “I should have been a little quicker on the uptake. The place is spotless and there’s white wine and olives in the fridge.” Bailey relaxed a little. “Dead giveaways in my book.”

  “I hope you’re okay with this.” Joella’s gaze was questioning.

  “It’s clear that you’re making him happy. Of course I don’t mind. In fact, I’m happy for you both.” Bailey said it, and she meant it—mostly.

  Daddy let out a pent-up breath. “Thanks, baby.”

  “How’s Seth taking it?” Bailey asked because she truly wondered what his reaction might be.

  “He’s getting used to the idea,” Joella said, but sounded slightly uncomfortable with the topic.

  “So, he’s not okay with it?” Bailey asked.

  “Not against it, maybe slightly skeptical. You know how he can be.”

  Yes, she knew how stubborn and overprotective he could be. Especially with his mother. And with Bailey. “Yes. I do.”

  “You’ll have to stop by the Pizza Pie. Anytime. And make sure you send some of those Hollywood folks in for a slice. That would be great for business.” She changed the subject from Seth. No wonder she hadn’t mentioned him right away. Joella was avoiding the topic.

  Bailey nodded. “Sure thing.” The Pizza Pie would likely be a hit with everyone from the studio. They usually liked sampling foods wherever they went. And Bailey could say for sure that the pizza was excellent.

  Daddy cleared his throat and asked, “Do you think you might want to go through the stuff from your childhood up in the attic while you’re here?” He pointed upward. “And your momma’s things too. I thought you might want to have a look through them, honey.”

  Bailey stared at him as if the aliens had brought him back after replacing him with one of their own. He’d never offered her anything of her mother’s. Never even mentioned that there was anything left. Bailey hadn’t known Momma had anything in this house.

  “Momma’s things are in the attic?” she asked, her tone hollow.

  “Well, sure they are, Bailey Bean. I kept them for you. When you were younger, it never seemed like a good time.”

  “I don’t remember your offering,” she said, trying not to sound accusing.

  Daddy frowned and ran a hand through his hair. “I gotta be honest, I don’t remember if I ever did. I struggled for a long time after she passed, honey. I know that made it harder on you.”

  “And now you’re telling me her things are up there, waiting for me to go through like it’s no big deal?” Bailey fought tears. Her mother’s death was the single most impactful thing besides leaving Seth that Bailey had endured. It had defined her.

  “Oh, sweetie.” Bailey noticed Joella reaching out a hand to her across the table. Part of Bailey wanted to take it—needed the comfort she offered. But she couldn’t. This was between Daddy and her.

  Bailey stood from the table. “I’ll leave the two of you to enjoy your Netflix. I’ve got a lot to do tomorrow.” She picked up her plate, carried it into the kitchen, and rinsed it out in the sink as the tears welled in her eyes. How does a thirty-year-old woman still cry over her momma who’d died when she was six?

  Chapter Four

  Seth had to admit he’d hung around the office longer than normal hoping to catch Bailey as she returned to Mrs. Wiggins’s place for the evening. Word had it that they’d struck a deal for lodging. Word being that Mrs. Wiggins herself had squeaked over in her black orthopedic shoes and given him the lowdown. The lovely woman was a wellspring of information regarding the happenings in Ministry.

  “She’s grown into a real beauty, hasn’t she now?” Mrs. Wiggins asked, referring to Bailey, but continued before he could respond, “They’ve rented the entire place until a few days before Christmas. I mean, can you believe they can shoot a whole movie in under a month’s time?”

  Seth listened and made the appropriate nods and noises. “I don’t think they have a whole movie to shoot, just the outdoor scenes. Their other location fell through about halfway into filming.”

  Mrs. Wiggins nodded, as if she’d learned something essential. “Thanks for keeping me posted, Mrs. W. It’s always good to know what’s going on around town. I’ll catch up with Bailey later.”

  “Oh, I imagine the two of you will have a lot to talk about while she’s here.” Mrs. Wiggins clapped her tiny hands together. “I can’t wait to see how this all shakes out. You know I’ve seen your momma and her daddy together around town lately. Joella appears as happy as I’ve ever seen her since your poor daddy passed, God rest his soul.”

  Seth tried hard not to roll his eyes. “Thanks for bringing the news about Bailey and the movie folks, Mrs. Wiggins. I’ve got some work to do before I leave for the day, so—”

  She grinned. “Alright, my boy, we won’t discuss your momma. I’ve got baking yet to do and I’m finishing up the lease paperwork for Bailey. I’ll see you soon.” She winked at him and exited the office.

  Cheryl, from over on the police department side of the office, snickered.

  “Not a word, Cheryl.”

  She’d ignored his command. “Oh, come on, Sheriff. You’re gonna have to come around about your momma and Aames Boone. He’s a good citizen, despite the fact that he’s Bailey’s daddy.”

  He gave her a hard stare. “She’s my mother.”

  Cheryl relented. “Okay, okay. I’m just sayin’, you don’t get to pick who she spends her time with. And she could do a lot worse.”

  He knew that was true. Aames Boone was a good person and his character couldn’t be questioned. And he and Aames were friends. But seeing his momma around town, out to dinner, on dates with him didn’t sit well. Yes, Seth wanted her to be happy. Of course he did. It simply made Seth grumpy to watch her behaving like a giddy teen with Aames.

  Now, as Seth waited for Bailey, Cheryl was long gone for the day. The lights were on in Mrs. Wiggins’s house across the street. From his desk, he could easily see the entrances to her home. If he were paying attention, there was no way Bailey could approach without him noticing. No, he wasn’t being creepy. He just wanted to make certain she made it home safely.

  Seth knew she’d gone to Aames’s house for dinner because he’d been notified of the plan by his mother earlier in the day. It wasn’t his fault that he was apprised of her movements. He understood that might sound a little creepy so he’d need to not go out of his way to keep tabs on her.

  But she was back. It gave him such an amazing feeli
ng of relief to know she was out of harm’s way from the big city, if only for the time she was here. Knowing she wasn’t out someplace in California alone, walking in the dark, putting herself at risk did something to relieve the low-level anxiety he’d carried for her since Bailey had left Alabama.

  That’s how much he’d worried for her, thought about her over the years. Maybe it was too much; not his business, for sure. The thinking of her, and the concern about her. Seth understood he wasn’t the person Bailey intended to spend her life with, but he couldn’t help the way he felt about her. Still.

  And surely they could talk to each other without it being too weird. He would like that. At least they could be friends since they’d be forced to work out the movie schedule details together. Both were adults now, right?

  He spotted Bailey moving from a parking spot in front of the inn toward Mrs. Wiggins’s house across the street. She had a duffel bag and her purse slung over her shoulder. He imagined she’d had a long day since flying in from L.A. with a connection in Atlanta, then to Huntsville, with an hour-and-a-half drive from there.

  Seth quickly locked up the office and hurried across the street. He caught up with her as she rang Mrs. Wiggins’s doorbell. It was barely seven thirty, so not too late that she’d wake the woman.

  “Hey there. I was hoping to catch you,” he said from behind her.

  By the way she jumped, and stifled a scream, Bailey plainly wasn’t expecting him to appear out of nowhere in the dark, even though the lanterns lit the streets pretty well. “You scared me half to death. Are you stalking me?” She didn’t seem pleased to see him.

  “No, sorry. I was working late and saw you. I thought I would say hi and make sure everything went okay on your first day back.”

  “I’m fine. Just tired.”

  “I apologize for scaring you.” Seth realized then that she lived in L.A., and she had every right to jump when a man approached her in the dark.

  *

  Seth appeared sincere. But his showing up right as she was ringing the doorbell did seem slightly shady.

  Mrs. Wiggins opened the door then. “Oh, hi, kids. Come on in.”

  The creepy cats stood sentinel. She would have to get used to that.

  “Hi there. I hope I’m not showing up too late,” Bailey apologized. She knew older people often went to bed early.

  “Honey, I just took out the last batch of shortbread. No early to bed for this old gal.”

  They laughed.

  Seth came right on in with Bailey. “Hello again, Sheriff.”

  “Hi, Mrs. Wiggins. I wanted to check in with Bailey. I imagine she’s had a long day.”

  Bailey had had a long day. In fact, all she wanted was to collapse in the clawfoot tub upstairs up to her neck in scented bubbles. It’s what she’d been thinking about nonstop for the last hour or so.

  “Yes, I’m exhausted. Thanks for checking on me, but I’m good, as you can see. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow and we can discuss some details about getting the Christmas schedule ironed out.” That was pretty loud and clear.

  “Here, Sheriff, you can carry Bailey’s suitcase upstairs for her.” Mrs. Wiggins motioned toward her carry-on that she’d left there earlier.

  Bailey relied again on her acting skills to not stomp her foot like a child at being thwarted out of her immediate bubble bath. “Thanks.” Her smile probably wouldn’t win her an Oscar.

  Seth grinned and grabbed the handle. “Lead the way,” he said.

  The last thing Bailey wanted was Seth in her private area where she slept. But it would sound silly to protest his help. So they climbed the ancient staircase, and Mrs. Wiggins led them down the hall from the apartment she’d used to freshen up in earlier. She unlocked the door to the lovely apartment. It smelled like roses and beeswax simultaneously. “I decided to put you in the same unit that my sweet former tenant Rachel, the town photographer, lived in before she married. There are such great vibes in here.”

  “It’s lovely,” Bailey said. And it was, with more feminine furnishings and draperies than the other one she’d seen earlier in the day. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”

  “I’ll leave this in the bedroom.” Seth started toward what was obviously the bedroom.

  “No. Leave it here,” she might have said a little too forcefully.

  “Oh. Okay. Sure.” He released the handle of the suitcase but looked her in the eye as he did so. Something passed between the two of them, and she experienced a slight electrical sensation throughout her body. It was something familiar from a time long past.

  Seth moved to the window instead of the door leading outside, his big, man-body taking up space in her apartment. “Wow, what a view of the town you’ve got from here, Bailey. You can wave at me while I’m in my office anytime.” He grinned, those white, straight teeth still so appealing.

  “Remind me to keep my curtains drawn,” she replied, half-joking.

  “I was kidding.” He might not have been kidding.

  “I need to go check on my shortbread now,” Mrs. Wiggins interrupted their banter. “Bailey, I left the lease paperwork on the kitchen table. There’s a spare key to the side entrance as well, but feel free to use the front door anytime you see the lights on. Good night, all.”

  “Thanks so much,” Bailey said. “I’ll drop the documents by tomorrow.”

  Seth didn’t walk out with Mrs. W as she’d expected.

  “I’m pretty tired, so—” she hinted yet again.

  He sighed. “I know you’re trying to get rid of me. And I know I make you uncomfortable. I wanted the opportunity to tell you again how glad I am that you’re home—even if it’s only for a few weeks. The town’s never been the same since you left.”

  Bailey felt the familiar heart tug at his confession. The one she’d avoided by staying away from Alabama. “Thanks, Seth. That’s kind of you to say. It should be fun being back for a little while. I’ve missed Daddy so much. And I was surprised to see Joella at dinner tonight.”

  That should back him off a little, seeing how this was a topic he didn’t approve of, based on what she’d learned earlier this evening.

  He frowned. “Uh, yeah. I guess you saw they’re all lovey-dovey, huh?”

  “Yes. My daddy had white wine in his refrigerator. It was a clear sign something was up.”

  “I guess they could both do worse,” he said and shrugged.

  They were standing in her tiny kitchen, where he seemed to take up a great deal more space than he should.

  “They definitely could. Especially with the casserole brigade around here. I vaguely remember when my momma died how many women brought casseroles and how Daddy had to politely call the phone number taped to the bottom of the dishes and thank them after we ate the food. I learned years later they were the single women trying to lure him with their best dish, or so the story went.”

  “The casserole brigade is definitely still a thing. I sprained my ankle a few years ago and was inundated with them. I didn’t get to a few of the dishes and forgot to call with the proper thanks. Let me tell you, I heard about my rudeness afterward.” His shoulders relaxed and he became animated as he told his tale. This was how she remembered him. Talkative and funny.

  Bailey laughed despite herself. “Oh, I can see it now. What a lame excuse to come at you.” The idea that the single women in town had descended on Seth due to a sprained ankle tickled her.

  “It doesn’t take much. I’m hoping that online dating will catch on here as a means for options. There’s nothing wrong with meeting someone in a town or two over,” Seth said.

  “It’s a shame they don’t go elsewhere and find lives and happiness instead of being so competitive and vulturish here in this town. Women should and can do better,” Bailey said. This was one reason she liked living in a bigger city. The idea of competing with other women for a few men sounded sad.

  “I agree. I just think they are so used to thinking the same as their mothers’ generation. It’s like we’re twenty
or so years behind here in some ways.”

  Gosh, how had they gone this far on a tangent? Time to redirect or she’d never get him out of here. “Okay, back to my having a long day,” she said and shook her head, smiling. It had always been like this with them. They’d been involved romantically, but still were friends who could talk about things—anything—for hours.

  “I’m leaving. But it’s been great seeing you, Bailey.” He flashed her that million-dollar smile again. The female director would want him in the close-up crowd scenes once she got a look at him. “I promise not to stalk you. Obviously we’ve got movie stuff to talk about starting tomorrow morning, but besides that, this is Ministry and things are bound to come up, so call me anytime.”

  They both understood the odd characters and happenings around their tiny hometown. Bailey nodded and opened the door for Seth. “No doubt. Thanks for your help with housing ideas for the cast and crew. This is a great place to stay while I’m in town.”

  “Anytime.” He nodded as he removed himself from her apartment. She could still smell his aftershave. How could he smell so good this many hours after he’d applied it?

  As his boots thumped down the stairs, Bailey decided that maybe she’d need to try a little harder to defend herself against Seth McKay’s charms.

  *

  Seth made his way in the low light of the downtown’s snazzy new lanterns toward the front of his office. His four-wheel-drive SUV with large tires was equipped to handle any terrain or weather that he might need to navigate the backwoods of rural Alabama. It bore the seal of the sheriff’s department emblazoned on both sides, back and front. Seth drove it proudly because it meant he’d earned the trust of the people in Ookaloosa County. But he didn’t have to climb inside to drive home. He was home.

  Upstairs was a loft almost as large and fine as Bailey’s apartment at Mrs. Wiggins’s house. The city and county had worked together and created a living space above the office for the local sheriff or the chief of police, should either require lodging during their tenure.