Liam felt bad about losing the game, especially when he could see how much Danielle wanted to win. Playing the games with her had been fun, and he’d been able to read even more about her. She was highly competitive but had a sort of people-pleaser attitude about her.
He’d set up a certain ringtone for the hospital, and when it had sounded, he’d lost his focus, hoping nothing had gone wrong with his sister.
“Mr. Pearson, this is Dr. Grant over in Grand Junction. The radiation helped get rid of some of the cells, but we found a few more tumors in her leg. It’s not safe to do surgery again just yet, but we think it will be best to do another round of radiation to see if we can reduce their size.”
“Do it.”
“These tumors are usually resistant to this kind of treatment, but we can try—”
“We know. Just do it. My sister wants whatever time she can have with her daughter. If this will help her get better faster than waiting another several weeks or months for the tumors to grow, do it.”
Liam ran his hand over his face. He hung up the call, wishing they’d been able to tell him a date they could work toward for Kara’s release. Cari was doing okay, but it would be nice to have her mother back.
He looked back at the party where Colton and Becca were opening presents together. A dull ache formed in his chest, the feeling that had come more and more often over the past several weeks. The engaged couple had a bright future ahead of them. All Liam had wanted was to have someone at his side, but the chances of losing her were higher than he was comfortable with. After losing his parents, his brother-in-law, and possibly his sister, he wasn’t sure he could take any more heartbreak.
On that thought, his eyes turned to rest on Danielle, his curiosity triggering several alarm warnings in his mind. Was she worth the risk? His brain kept telling him he didn’t want to find out.
Chapter 10
Danielle wished she had wings to fly all over town on Friday as she was busy finalizing last-minute details for the wedding. They’d successfully convinced the wedding planner to have the wedding ceremony up near the reservoir above the town hall, and Danielle smiled as she remembered the look of dread on the woman’s face. She didn’t seem to be one for nature, and anytime they were outdoors, she would look around for birds, afraid they’d poop on her.
The bridal shower had been a huge success, and what Becca didn’t already have, there were gifts to cover it. The fact that Liam had left suddenly caused Danielle to wonder what had happened. There was still a lot to learn about him, but hours later, she could still feel the electricity in her hand from when they’d been tied together for the game.
Friday morning had been spent helping Colton and Tanner with the gazebo they’d put together up by the pond. The only large section of flat ground big enough to hold chairs for the guests was to the left and tucked up into the mountain a bit. But as the few decorations were set out and the gazebo decorated, Danielle grew excited for the wedding to take place. She just hoped all went well for Becca this time around.
“Do you think the weather will hold out?” a familiar deep voice asked behind her.
Danielle turned slowly, coming face to face with Liam. “We can only hope. What are you doing up here?” Danielle didn’t mean for the remark to sound so harsh, like she was shunning an outsider.
It seemed as though the comment just rolled off the man standing in front of her. “I closed the store a bit early. Thought I’d come up and see if the guys could use any more help.” He motioned to the gazebo. “That’s impressive. Sometimes I wish I had those kinds of craftsman-like skills.”
Danielle studied his face, the strong jaw and piercing blue eyes. A tingle zipped through her chest, and she shook it off, knowing it was best not to start down that road. The guy was handsome but irritating, and if she could just remember that, she’d leave this town in a few weeks without any more trouble than she’d arrived with.
But her curiosity got the better of her, and her journalistic persona emerged. “What brought you to Sage Creek?” She glanced at the long-sleeved fitted tee accentuating a trim figure. Runner, maybe?
Liam shifted his weight to his back foot and looked her in the eyes, those blue irises making it hard to look away. “I lived in New York for a few years and just needed a change of pace. My mother always had this dream to open up a bookstore, so my sister and I decided to do that here, in her memory.”
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.” A stab of guilt hit her chest. The loss of a parent had been hard for Danielle, and this piece of information drew her in, making her want to know more.
He shook his head and waved off the comment. “It’s been a while. Our parents were older when they got married and had the two of us, so it wasn’t completely out of the blue when they passed. My dad would be seventy-seven and my mother seventy-five now.”
“That’s mind-boggling. My mom had me at twenty, so she’s only forty-seven now. Although she sometimes acts like she could be retired.” Her mother had done a lot to help support Danielle ever since her father walked out, taking jobs at weird hours in order to put food on the table. It aged her much faster than she should have, but Danielle was grateful for it. She just needed to show that gratitude a bit more.
Colton and Tanner grabbed the last of their tools after setting up some of the signs and lanterns needed for the ceremony. Danielle took a few steps to follow and was surprised when she found Liam walking in sync with her.
“Did your sister live here before you moved here?” She took a glance at his face, again feeling some kind of spark in her chest at his profile. She was beginning to see there were many layers to the man next to her, and that kept her intrigued.
“Yeah, she’s been here for about seven years. Kara Plumfield.”
Danielle stopped and turned to him. “Wait, Kara is your sister?”
He nodded, and they continued on, with Danielle’s thoughts racing faster than they had in days. “How is your sister? I haven’t seen her in so long.”
Kara had always been so kind to Danielle, especially when they’d worked together on one of the holiday events the small town put on. Danielle had come home for a long break from college and had loved getting to know and work with Kara. She’d been horrible at keeping in touch and hadn’t reached out as often when her husband passed away.
The look of sadness that crossed his face for mere seconds made her wonder what had happened. He glanced at Danielle again, his mouth open to say something but hesitated as he kept moving down the trail back to town. “She, uh, well, she’s got a form of cancer. She just had the bigger tumors removed a few days ago. I got a call while at the shower yesterday that they’ve found several other places where the tumors spread, so they’re going to try and reduce the size with radiation.”
Danielle rested her hand lightly on his forearm, pulling him to a stop. She felt that spark between them increase as she gazed into his eyes. “Again, I’m sorry. It seems I’m the last one to know everything that happens in this town anymore. Is there anything I can do to help?”
The corner of Liam’s mouth rose, and he shook his head. “We’re just waiting to see what else we can do.” He leaned forward a bit, causing a woodsy scent to fill her nose. His voice dropped lower before saying, “And you’re not the last one to know. She didn’t want the whole town to hear of it.”
Danielle took a step back, swallowing hard. She was supposed to be keeping her thoughts to a professional level, knowing she couldn’t get attached. She’d never wanted to before, but there was something invisible pulling her toward Liam, and the idea of even giving him an inkling of emotion caused her mind to go haywire.
Once they reached the side of the fountain in front of Town Hall, she said, “It was good to talk to you. I better run and see if Becca needs anything before the big day tomorrow. If you need me to watch Cari at all, please don’t hesitate to ask. See you later.”
The wide grin and short nod from Liam sent her insides flipping, and she nearly r
an to get away from him. Staying neutral was going to be harder than expected.
Chapter 11
Danielle headed down the street, catching herself before she face-planted, and Liam had to bite his lip to keep from laughing out loud. He’d seen a pothole in the asphalt earlier and wondered if that’s what she’d tripped over.
He strolled down the road, taking in the sights and sounds of the fall weather. It had been interesting to watch as the journalist in Danielle had taken over, interrogating him, and yet, as he’d mentioned several little details, it was as though that façade had cracked, showing the more vulnerable side of her. As much as he would’ve liked to say he felt nothing when she touched his arm, it wasn’t that easy. He still felt a warmth where her palm had been, even through the soft cotton of his t-shirt.
And the fact that she’d volunteered to watch Cari for him spoke volumes. His ex-girlfriend, Tawnee, had basically been afraid of any and all children. Looking back now, it was amazing Liam had dated her for as long as he did. But he wanted children, and he just had to find someone who wanted the same thing. Would Danielle be that person?
He walked down the first street on the left and continued a few houses down, where he knocked on the McCready home.
Mrs. McCready’s smile dropped as she answered the door. “Oh, Liam. That was short. Cari and I just set up Battleship to play. Are you sure you don’t need to do anything else this evening? We can watch her for a few more hours if you need a break.”
Liam smiled. “I appreciate that, Mrs. McCready, but we’ve got a long day of wedding activities tomorrow, and I don’t want Cari to be grumpy.”
Cari came to the door, her hands clasped together and her begging face on again. “Please, Uncle Liam. Can’t we just play this one game?”
Glancing at his phone, Liam frowned. “I would love to stay, but it’s already late. We’ve got to get you in the tub and in bed. But maybe we can call and see how your mom is doing. Does that sound good?”
Nodding, Cari hopped up and down. “When can we go see her again? It’s been forever.”
“Soon. Help Mrs. McCready pick up the game, and we’ll head home.” He gave Cari a gentle push toward the living room.
“It’s fine. I can put it away. You two head on home, and we’ll see you at the wedding tomorrow.” Mrs. McCready grinned, pulling Cari in for a hug. “You’ll have to come sit with us while Liam gets ready for the wedding.” She looked up at Liam. “Send her over if you need to help with anything tomorrow. Cari’s no trouble with us.”
Emotion clogged his throat, and he could only nod as he stepped back onto the front porch. The people of this town never ceased to amaze him with their kindness. He just hoped he could be like that for someone someday.
“What’s wrong?” Cari asked, slipping her hand into his as they strolled back down the road. She scrunched up her nose, pushing her glasses back up a bit.
Squeezing her hand, Liam grinned at her. “Nothing. I just like this town.”
“You don’t have to cry about it,” she said, now using her pointer finger to slide the glasses onto the bridge of her nose. “But Mom will like hearing that you like living here. She’s been worried you’ll be bored and want to move back to the city.”
“She said that?”
When Cari nodded, he asked, “When?”
“A couple of weeks ago. I just heard her say she hoped you liked it here and didn’t regret coming here for us.” The way Cari said it, Liam wasn’t sure she completely understood the meaning behind it.
He pulled her to a stop and bent down so he was at eye level with his niece. “Just know, I’m not going anywhere, okay? No matter what happens, I’m going to stick around here and bug you all day.” He grinned at her as she giggled.
“I’m okay with that. As long as you keep making me pancakes.” She gave him a sly side-smile and pulled him up so they could continue walking.
“Deal. Now, let’s go see how your mom is doing, shall we?”
“Hey, sis. How are you?” Liam stared at the pale form on the screen of his phone. Cari had finished talking to her and had headed upstairs to get ready for bed, leaving Liam the ability to speak more freely than if she were still in the room.
It was hard seeing Kara like this, and he wished there was something more proactive he could do. Taking care of Cari helped Kara feel more comfortable, but if only some procedure could speed up the whole process, he would find a way to afford it.
Kara’s weak smile looked as though it took all the energy out of her as she dropped it moments later. “I’ve been better. But they’ll start a round of radiation on Monday. Let’s just pray my body decides to cooperate.” Her chest heaved like she’d spoken too much.
“You’ll do great. I’ll come to the hospital and be with you through it.” He’d just leave the shop closed for the day.
“No.” The word was short but said with force. Determination spread over Kara’s face.
“It’s not a big deal. I can ask someone to watch Cari after school—”
“No.” Kara took another big breath before she could speak more. “Stay with Cari. If something happens—”
“We’re not going there, Kara.” Liam swallowed, trying to block out the emotion that was surfacing. “We’re taking this one day at a time. Don’t even talk about leaving us.”
The room was silent for several moments as tears streaked down both their faces.
“Whatever happens, it will be for the best.” Kara’s voice was just a whisper.
Liam heard Cari’s voice from the stairs asking where the toothpaste had gone. Wiping at the tears, he turned back to the screen. “I’ve got to help Cari. Don’t give up, Kara. Just don’t give up. We’ll find a way to get you home.”
Once he hung up, he sat for an extra few seconds, controlling his emotions. She had to live. He stood, sending up a prayer that they’d find a way to beat the cancer.
Chapter 12
Saturday morning felt like a whirlwind. Danielle had come down with a migraine the night before and had gone home before karaoke night, and even though she was in pain, she’d never been more grateful to miss something in her life. Most of the activities Becca had on her list hadn’t taken place because of the surprise shower, but karaoke had been a must.
Tara Jones and Carissa Ashby were the two bridesmaids, and they’d all gotten manicures and pedicures at seven Saturday morning, followed by an elaborate hairstyle that made Danielle do a double-take when she looked in the mirror. She’d fallen asleep a few times while Brielle, one of the hairdressers, did her hair. How she’d be able to make it through the ceremony and reception that afternoon and evening without a nap was going to be interesting.
After placing the veil in Becca’s half updo, Danielle smoothed it out and then spread the back of the dress out, inspecting every part of it to make sure nothing was amiss. They’d set up a makeshift dressing room in the courtroom at Town Hall, and Danielle stepped back, admiring her friend in her princess-style ball gown. She saw Becca’s tears forming and stepped forward again, wrapping her arms around her.
“Shhh. It’s all right. Your family is here with you, looking down on this amazing day. And this town is basically kin anyway, so we’re all excited to share this with you. Got it?” Danielle pulled back and looked into Becca’s eyes.
Becca sniffed, wiping at the corner of her eyes delicately. “Thanks, Dani. I’m glad you came. I don’t know what I would have done without you these past few days.”
Danielle grabbed a tissue from a box on one of the desks and handed it to her friend. Then she grabbed a few more and stuffed them under her bra strap, hidden in the sleeve of the dress she was wearing. If Becca was already crying, there would definitely be some tears later.
Grinning, Danielle said, “Don’t thank me yet. We’ve still got to get you up the hill with all this fabric.” She waved at the length of the dress, and the two of them laughed.
They made their way out the door and started up the trail. Susie had
been on her way up to the wedding and volunteered to help hold up the dress, avoiding any mud and dirt.
“How was the out-of-town wedding?” Danielle asked her as they struggled up the hill. While she was grateful Becca had gone for gold flats instead of heels, it was still difficult to find a grip on the trail.
“I survived it. The mother of the bride went a little crazy at the reception last night, but the rest of it went off without a hitch.” Susie laughed a bit, and Danielle joined in, wondering what other odd situations the girl had been through as a wedding planner. That could be something interesting for the town newspaper. But that wouldn’t work as a two-part article. She’d have to come up with something else she and Liam could write about. She’d almost forgotten about the article after all that had transpired over the past three days.
As they inched their way up, Danielle wished she’d thought to add some stepping stones or something to the trail yesterday when they’d brought the gazebo up to the pond. At one point near the top, Becca slipped but recovered before falling down.
Joking, Danielle said, “Why did you want to get married up here again?”
“Because of that.” Becca’s arm moved over the scenery as they made it to the crest of the hill. Danielle hadn’t taken the time to get a good look at the landscape the day before, as she’d been focused on getting everything ready. But as she looked up at the reds, oranges, and yellows, she couldn’t help but feel a measure of peace.
It was idyllic for a wedding, even if that wedding wasn’t Danielle’s.
They left the bride at the end of a trail of white petals. Dottie Watkins handed Becca and Danielle bouquets of lilies, and Mayor Watkins extended his arm to the bride. Susie found a seat toward the middle of the rows of chairs, and Danielle stepped down the aisle behind the two bridesmaids, the sound of the portable keyboard someone had brought out to play music helping her rhythm.
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