Then Came You: A Lake Howling Novel

by Vella, Wendy

  “And I’d know this how?”

  “I noticed you were looking at her differently, and Jake told me you know her.”

  “I was not looking at her differently and I don’t know her any more than you do,” Noah denied.

  “Sure you were, and I can see what you like about her. She’s pretty, even though she tries to hide it with clothes. There’s something else about her. Vulnerability, maybe?”

  Faith made an agreeing sound, and Noah thought about walking away from them, but knew they’d follow. His friends could be ruthless when in the pursuit of information.

  “She’s smart. Mrs. C told me that,” Newman continued, and Noah thought about simply punching him to shut him up. “Really smart. She had the shop in shape day one, which is a relief. I went in there a week ago and couldn’t find anything.”

  “What did you want to find in a cake shop?” Noah asked, hoping to change the subject.

  “A thing for piping stuff.”

  “A thing?”

  “Bag thing with a nozzle.”

  “Why?”

  “I wanted to write something on Hope’s morning toast.”

  “For fuck’s sake, will you man up already,” Noah growled. “Who does shit like that?”

  “People in love, I think,” Faith added. “And I think it’s sweet, Newman. Hope is lucky to have you.”

  “Thanks, I try.”

  Noah gagged.

  “The point here is, Noah, that Lani has done a great job in there. It all kind of flows now,” Newman added.

  “You’ve met her for a total of an hour and barely talked to her,” Noah said. “You know nothing about her, but think she’s smart because she can put a shop into order?”

  “You tell us about her then.” Newman folded his arms and braced his legs slightly apart.

  “Don’t do that corporate raider pose with me, bud, I’m immune,” Noah snarled.

  “She’d be good for someone with your habits,” his friend continued. “Clearly not a label wearer like you. You know, the whole opposites attract thing.”

  “What?” Noah backed up a step. “Just because you’re all loved up, don’t start in on matchmaking me again.” Just the thought made him sweat. Him and Lani, a couple? Hell, no.

  “How was he looking at her?” Faith demanded.

  Newman put a look on his face that had her laughing. “All gooey-eyed, do you mean?”

  “Exactly.”

  “Really? That is interesting.”

  “No, it’s not, because there is nothing to get interested about,” Noah denied.

  “Any chance we can play ball here? I have a niece or nephew about to arrive and I need something to occupy my mind.”

  “We’re cleaning up after the party first,” Faith replied to Brad, “and Newman was just demonstrating the gooey-eyed way Noah was looking at Lani.”

  “You people have far too much time on your hands. Seriously, just because your lives are over, it doesn’t mean you have to fabricate stuff into mine.”

  “He’s protesting,” Brad Gelderman said over Newman’s shoulder. “It’s a dead giveaway that he’s guilty.”

  Noah raised his hands, then turned and walked away.

  He’d fallen in love with Samantha the first day he’d seen her. He’d left the Howler in the capable hands of Faith and gone away to study business for a year in Colorado, where they had family.

  He’d sat down next to the sweet-looking blonde, sharing a park bench and a sandwich. He’d fallen hard and fast from the start, believing she felt that way about him too. They’d shared dreams and passion, and after three months he’d asked her to marry him, convinced she was the one. She’d agreed, and then everything changed when she fell pregnant.

  The day he’d walked into her office and found her bleeding had been the most terrifying of his life. The child couldn’t be saved and as it turned out neither had their relationship. Samantha’s job had taken her to France, and he’d returned to Lake Howling.

  Noah knew it wasn’t rational, but now when someone close to him was pregnant he panicked easily. He’d often check in on Annabelle and Willow to make sure they were resting, and quizzed their husbands over their progress. His friends knew some of why he behaved the way he did, and allowed it… until now. Suddenly he was everyone’s business, it seemed.

  “Uncle Noah, will you play parcel parcel with me? We didn’t get to do it ’cause everyone had to leave.”

  Rose McBride pulled Noah from his thoughts. She looked sad, which he knew was totally fake, as the child was hyped up on sugar and had been playing with all her new toys just minutes before.

  “Pass the parcel, sweetheart, and yes, I’d love to.” Anything to keep his thoughts from Annabelle and what was going on inside. Plus, this would stop the others from asking him any more questions.

  Turning, he waved them over. “We have a game to play.”

  They sat in a circle.

  “Wait! Lani will want to play,” Rose said.

  “She’s gone, honey, she had stuff to do.”

  “I like her.” Rose looked up at him. “She’s lonely, so we need to make her our friend.”

  “How do you know she’s lonely?”

  “She has the same look that this boy Peter had when he first came here. He’s all good now because we made him our friend.”

  He wasn’t sure why those words formed a large lump in his throat, but they did.

  “We gonna start now?” Billy, Macy’s boy, asked.

  “I’m on music, and no cheating,” Patrick O’Donnell said.

  Each wrapper was removed and the parcel passed on.

  “How many pieces of paper are on this gift,” Faith hissed, wrestling with it.

  “The kids are better behaved than you,” Noah teased her.

  “We have a baby!” Everyone turned as Branna appeared. “It’s a girl! Both mother and daughter are doing great.”

  The relief would have dropped him to his knees, but as he was sitting he just unclenched his muscles and smiled. “Excellent.”

  “The father, however, is a bit peaky.”

  Everyone laughed.

  Champagne was opened, and they toasted the as yet unnamed babe. Ethan staggered out an hour later, still looking green, and accepted hugs. He slugged down a glass of bubbles, then went back to his wife and daughter.

  Would he ever want that again? Noah wondered. Somehow, he doubted it. Going through the pain that came with loss was something he didn’t want to contemplate any time soon. No, the single life was for him; that, and playing uncle to his friends’ and sister’s kids.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The temperature dropped overnight, and Lani woke pressed to Buddy, shivering.

  “Time to pull out the heavy blankets,” Lani said, rolling the dog to one side so she could climb out of her sleeping bag. Slipping her feet into boots and her arms into a sweater, she then climbed outside and looked around.

  It was peaceful here. No one but Lani and Buddy around. She washed quickly, as it was cold, and dressed. Today she was having coffee at the Hoot again rather than boiling her own water. She wanted to be inside and warm when she drank it.

  “Buddy!” Whistling for the dog got her nowhere, so she headed off in the direction he’d taken.

  “Buddy!”

  She heard a bark. Making for that direction, Lani stopped when she came to a large camouflage net suspended from the trees above. Buddy was there, sniffing around and making a wining noise.

  “What have you found?” She patted his head but he didn’t calm.

  Lani walked around the net, then lifted an edge. Under it was a huge greenhouse, but she couldn’t see inside.

  “Why do I think this is not something we should stay around and inspect, Buddy?” Lani felt a trickle of unease as she looked at it. “Okay, this is not our business, let’s go.” The dog whined, but Lani got a firm grip on the collar she’d bought him and headed back to the Bronco. Maybe she should sleep somewhere else tonight.
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br />   But then maybe she was wrong and someone lived in there? She should just forget she’d seen it; no reason at all to tell anyone about it. Lani was big on minding her business; it kept her out of trouble. No way was she approaching the sheriff with this.

  “Better to put it out of our heads, Buddy.”

  Reaching her Bronco, she opened the door, and he jumped in and sat in the passenger seat. “This is not a permanent thing,” she told him as she had yesterday and the day before. “Let’s go, I need a coffee.”

  Putting the greenhouse out of her head, Lani reminded herself about what she’d decided last night after returning home from Rose McBride’s birthday. No more personal contact and involvement in people’s lives here in Lake Howling. She didn’t need to make connections, even if the people here seemed determined she did.

  One day, she’d stop running and live in a home again. “But not yet, Buddy. I need to plan for that.”

  Pulling out of the narrow track, she had to brake as a car slowed and stopped in front of her. Noah got out.

  Crap.

  She thought about driving around him but then he’d simply follow her, and it was not like she had anywhere to hide. He knew where she worked. No, she’d just have to stay here and bluff her way out of this. Winding down the window, Lani watched him approach with long, easy strides. He wore jeans and a sweater, and his face looked like it was carved in granite. The man was angry. He braced his hands on the roof above her window and leaned in.

  “Hi.” Lani eased back so her face wasn’t too close to his, especially as their eyes were now level.

  “What are you doing here, Lani?”

  “I got up early and took Buddy for a run.” Nice, she thought. That sounded plausible and came out smoothly.

  He didn’t speak, just looked at her and then Buddy. The dog’s tail thumped on the seat.

  “I need to go to work now, Noah. Mrs. C is expecting me.”

  “I thought she said you started at nine. It’s only eight.” He made a show of looking at his watch. “You could leave in fifty-five minutes and still be on time.”

  “Oh, right. I mean I’m going for coffee and then to work.” The words came out squeaky and high-pitched. “So, bye.”

  “Where are you staying here in Howling?” He didn’t move when she revved the engine.

  “In a cabin that way.” Lani waved right. She hated lying but had become good at it over the last few years. In fact, her entire existence was now a big fat lie.

  “They didn’t have grass outside there, or tracks for you to walk him?”

  “No.” She’d found that keeping her answers small was good; that way she didn’t get caught out.

  “So who owns the cabin?”

  “What?”

  “Not a tough question, Lani. Who owns the cabin you’re staying in?” He said the words slowly.

  “I forget.”

  “I don’t think so. In fact, I think you’re lying.” He pushed off the car and walked to the rear doors of her Bronco before she could stop him.

  “Hey, that’s private!” Damn, she’d forgotten to lock it.

  He slammed the door hard enough that the vehicle rocked and returned to lean on her window.

  “You slept in your car down there, didn’t you?” He nodded to the track behind her.

  “What? No. Don’t be silly, why would I do that?” She kept her eyes forward, focusing out the windscreen. “I told you, I was just walking Buddy.”

  “You have a bed in the back and all your things. Don’t lie to me, Lani.”

  “Look, I don’t have time for this, I need to go to work.”

  “We just discussed that you have an hour.”

  “Whatever. Go away, Noah, I’m leaving.”

  “You are not sleeping in your car here again, Lani.”

  Something in his tone made her look at him. His eyes were narrowed, and he looked just a little bit mean.

  “What I do is none of your business. I travel around, this works for me. Besides, people sleep in their cars all the time.”

  “That may be so, but it doesn’t work for me. You are not sleeping in your car again while you are in Lake Howling.”

  “You can’t stop me.”

  “Think again.” He leaned in, and Lani fought the need to slide closer to Buddy. “I’ll be checking, and believe me, there are not many places to hide your Bronco that I won’t find you.”

  “I don’t answer to you, so go and play big brother to your sister or one of your friends.”

  “I don’t want to be your big brother.” The words were softly spoken and had a spike of heat traveling through her. “I want to be your friend, and friends don’t let each other sleep in their cars when they have spare beds.”

  “We are not friends, and what I do is none of your business. So you just concentrate on those people in your life who have that label and leave me alone.” Lani pressed her foot down on the gas. Okay, so it wasn’t in gear, but he got the point. Noah took his time standing upright and then stepped back. She maneuvered around his car and drove away.

  “I should keep driving, Buddy, really I should,” she said, speeding back into Howling. Deciding to pass on the coffee because she had no wish to run into Noah again, Lani was soon parking behind the shops in the space allocated. She let herself in the back door of the Howlery. Buddy wandered off, sniffing the ground. She knew he’d be back, because for some reason he’d attached himself to her, and she shouldn’t like that as much as she did, because there was absolutely no room in her nomadic life for a dog.

  Mrs. C was in the shop on the phone. She saw Lani and raised a hand. Today’s outfit was candy-apple-red leggings in velvet and a matching top. A black velvet band twisted her hair into a cone shape. Her eyes were painted with pale green glitter, and her lashes were long and curling behind her glasses.

  “Okay, I’ll see it done, bye now. Morning, Lani.” Mrs. C pocketed her cellphone.

  “Do you get your nails done daily, Mrs. C?” Lani looked at the long forest-green talons. The tips had small diamonds stuck to them.

  “Nancy Dwyer’s daughter Millie is learning to be a beautician. I let her practice on me.”

  “Nice.”

  “If you come on by, I could get her to do yours, and maybe a facial?”

  “I’m not really a facial kind of girl, but thanks for the offer.” But she had been once. In fact, most weeks had seen Lani getting a massage or visiting a beauty parlor in her old life.

  “And there he is, the love of my life!” Mrs. C said as Hank entered.

  About her height, he was the exact opposite of his wife in appearance. His hair was cropped military short and he wore beige cords and a beige-and-black flannel shirt. Nothing bright or overly ostentatious.

  Mrs. C grabbed his cheeks and gave him a smacking kiss on the lips that had Hank’s face turning red.

  “You left a box at home,” he said in a soft, gruff voice.

  “And you brought it right on over. Is he not the best man you ever met, Lani?”

  “The very best,” Lani said, tying on her apron. “Morning, Hank.”

  “Lani. Hope you don’t mind, but I fed Buddy a bone we had left over from dinner. He’s out back gnawing on it now.”

  “He’s not really my dog, but sure, he’ll be happy with that.”

  “Sure looks like he’s yours.” Hank gave her a gentle smile as the doorbell rang again.

  “Don’t you come in here with that sour face, Millicent Lawrence. You’ll curdle my frosting!”

  Where Mrs. C was happy and vibrant, and yes, over the top, Millicent, or Militant as the locals called her behind her back, was the opposite. The two women glared at each other.

  “I need a cake.” Ms. Lawrence’s mouth formed a tight line.

  “Well, who for?”

  “They’ve been friends for years and always speak this way. Tomorrow night they’ll abuse each other at bridge,” Hank whispered to Lani.

  “Henrietta is having a birthday, and because
finally you’ve found someone who doesn’t decorate every cake you make in bright pink and purple flowers, I want one.”

  “People love my flowers!” Mrs. C leaned closer so they were eyeballing each other.

  “No, they don’t.” Ms. Lawrence didn’t back off. It was an interesting battle of wills.

  “Once, they actually slapped each other,” Hank whispered.

  “No way. Really?”

  “Yup. My girl was in the wrong that day and had to apologize.”

  “Well, what do you want on it?” Mrs. C snapped.

  “Birds. Henrietta likes them. I want it for Saturday. Tea will be at my place at 2:30 p.m. Don’t be late!”

  Ms. Lawrence stomped out of the shop.

  “That woman’s face could curdle milk,” Mrs. C muttered.

  “Shall I put the order in the book?” Lani went behind the counter and opened it. “What flavor?”

  “Henrietta likes apple and cinnamon, and maybe add some arsenic in a single slice and I’ll serve that to Militant!”

  Deciding now was a good time to change the subject, Lani asked about the window display. “With Thanksgiving so close, shall I change the window now to fall colors?”

  “Would you?” Mrs. C clapped her hands, and her bracelets collided. “I have things I’ve bought. Be a dear, Hank, and grab the box from upstairs marked Thanksgiving, will you, sweetie.”

  Hank dutifully did as he was told.

  “We have two dozen cupcakes to ice for the seniors home this morning, Lani. It’s Mrs. Harris’s birthday, so they wanted them delivered for afternoon tea.”

  “Okay, I’ll do the window, then get on to them.”

  “I’ll make the mix and pop them in the oven. I like what you’ve done with shop. Looks more open somehow.” Mrs. C spun on her heel as she took in the changes.

  “If you’re sure? I’m happy to put it back—”

  “I just said I liked it, didn’t I?”

  “Thanks.”

  “You put that down on the counter, sweetie,” Mrs. C said to Hank when he walked back in carrying a large box.

  Lani went through it and was surprised to find some nice things. She then stripped the window and started working on the display.

  A tap on the glass made her look out. Macy, Brad, and Billy stood there. She waved, but they didn’t walk away. Brad pointed to the bunch of burnt orange silk flowers she’d put to one side. Lani picked them up; he pointed to another place. She lowered them there and got the thumbs-up.