Now And Always (Crown Creek)

by Theresa Leigh

  But the turkey piñata was new. And possibly a fire hazard.

  The door opened, followed by a muffled, “Oops!"

  I turned. “Yeah. Watch out for the turkey," I deadpanned, grinning at my boss.

  Cole Granger stood in the doorway with his mouth turned down in defeat. "When did this happen?" he moaned as he rubbed his turkey-battered head.

  "After I left, I promise you." I gave the turkey a nudge to set it swinging again. "It's festive, right? Hopefully the clients will like it?"

  He shrugged. "One can only hope. Speaking of which, are you here this early because of the meeting with Banks & Till?”

  “I’m not here early. You’re just late."

  Cole laughed. He was only a few years older than me, a fact that was a constant reminder to keep my nose to the grindstone. He used to work for a developer in New York City and was a millionaire by the age of twenty-four.

  But after returning to Reckless Falls and reconnecting with his high school sweetheart, he'd put down roots in his hometown. Now he was working to build this small, lakeside resort into a premier luxury destination.

  I liked him. He was driven. Goal-focused. A power broker with a firm handshake who knew his way around a fine Scotch. When I vision boarded my future husband, he looked a lot like Cole.

  Not that I wanted my boss that way. He was handsome, no doubt, but he did nothing for me. It was just good to know his type existed. I would like to have a husband like him sometime in the future.

  Way, way in the future.

  "You know I'm not going to promote you again just because you keep beating me in to the office, right?” Cole reminded me as he set his bag down and started the coffee maker.

  "No, you're going to promote me again because I'm going to kick ass at today's meeting," I shot right back at him with a smile. "Speaking of which," I said, gesturing down at my sleek new suit so he’d notice the effort I’d made in dressing this morning, "I should hurry down. Wouldn't want to keep our number-one client waiting."

  Cole laughed again. "Go get ’em killer," he said, raising his fist as I lifted my chin and squared my shoulders, then headed out the door. "And nice suit," he called approvingly.

  I smiled and smoothed my hands down the matte wool. I’d bought it online last week just for this occasion. It was a little snug around the waist, which surprised me since it was my normal size. But then again, I'd hit the Halloween candy pretty hard these past few weeks. And Thanksgiving was only a week away. I needed to cool it with the sweets, especially if I wanted to keep this suit in my arsenal.

  It was exactly the kind of armor I loved. A white wool pantsuit and a slick of my favorite red lipstick were all I needed to take on my first client meeting in my new capacity as head of PR.

  It wasn't exactly an angel costume. Or maybe it was. Just a little.

  I grabbed the keys to my Jeep out of my purse, then drove the short distance to the waterfront. A few years ago, this whole span was nothing more than a rusted-out marina. But Granger Development had built it up into a dizzying array of fancy little shops and artist studios. The biggest draw was Indigo, a five-star restaurant run by New York restaurateurs. I'd worn them down until they agreed to open their doors early, so I could give my prospective clients an amazing breakfast to start the day before I took them around town.

  I practiced my pitch as I pulled into a space along the newly built pier. I was plenty early. I had time to sit down and go over my notes one more time before Banks & Till would arrive.

  But when I pushed the door open into the empty restaurant, I was greeted by shouts of, "Miss King! Over here!"

  Bill Banks unfurled his long body from the booth. He was nearly seven feet tall, and with his narrow frame, long skinny arms, and permanent slouch, he looked like a walking sapling. His partner, Doug Till, was built completely opposite. When he stood up to shake my hand, he had to crane his neck to meet my eyes. He had the small features and roly-poly build of a garden gnome. All he needed was the pointed hat.

  "Gentlemen, thanks for waiting for me," I said, trying to recover from the surprise of arriving second. "I hope you haven't been waiting long?" Sweat prickled along my hairline, and I had to resist the urge to reapply my lipstick to compose myself.

  “No, no, you’re right on time," Bill chortled as he folded himself back into the booth. "We just got here early. The chef brought us some stuff to nibble on, help yourself." He waved at the array of small plates in front of him. "The food here is amazing.”

  I nodded and silently thanked him for handing me the perfect opening line. “Yes, it is, isn’t it? And you know,” I segued smoothly into my rehearsed pitch, “having a restaurant of Indigo’s caliber in town makes this a huge draw for foodie types. They come specifically to eat Jackson Nye’s food, but are then drawn to the ambience and natural beauty of the area. Later today, I'll be taking you around to three of the world class wineries in the area, all of whom supply the wine-list here." I tapped the leatherbound wine-list included in my packet and gave them a conspiratorial wink. "Maybe you want to arrange a tasting right now? Hey, it's five o'clock somewhere, right gentlemen?"

  Bill and Doug chuckled, then scanned the wine list while making impressed-sounding noises. They made a few more as I spread the handouts Kelly and I had prepared on the table.

  Banks & Till was a luxury eco-adventure touring company we’d approached about bringing more winter tourism to the area. As the waiters brought out another round of plates for tasting, I launched into the bulk of my presentation, reminding them of the opportunities for expansion already built into the area. “Lake Country Tours is right up the road from here,” I wound up, once we’d finished our food. “If it’s okay with you, I’ve arranged for us to meet next with Callum Reese, the owner, so he can walk you through what tourists are looking for in terms of amenities.”

  “That sounds wonderful,” Bill said through a mouthful of truffled eggs.

  I nodded, pleased.

  And then my stomach growled. Loudly.

  Both men kept their gazes fixed politely on their plates. But they’d heard. There was no way they hadn’t heard.

  The tips of my ears heated. I pasted on a bright smile. “My stomach is upset that the tasting is over. The food is so good, it wants more.”

  As if agreeing with me, it growled again, this time a low, cavernous sound, like a monster rising from the deep. I looked out the window, pretending to wonder if there was a downshifting semi-truck in the area, and discreetly clutched my abdomen.

  I had a belly full of the most amazing breakfast I'd ever tasted, and I felt like I hadn’t eaten in days. It made no sense

  Another grumbling growl had me gathering up my things. “Gentlemen, have you left any room for dessert?” The plate glass window gave me a glimpse of my frantic smile and desperate eyes. I had never been so hungry in my life. “We have a few minutes before our meeting with Mr. Reese, and the bakery next door makes the most amazing pastries.” I wasn’t certain of this, of course, since I was usually working when Honey Bee’s was open. But I’d heard good things. And I was in full sales pitch mode. And I was freaking starving. “What do you say we duck in there for a treat?”

  Doug’s gnome-y eyes lit up at the prospect of cookies. I threw down my newly minted expense account card and then laughed loudly to cover up another beastly growl emanating from my stomach. I used to get hungry like this after running track meets in high school. This deep, to-the-bone hunger was a natural consequence of burning thousands of calories. But not of sitting in a restaurant booth stuffing my face. How could I possibly be hungry now?

  What the hell was going on?

  Chapter Seven

  Claire

  “Jesus,” I sighed, collapsing into my desk chair.

  I had never had a day kick my ass the way today had.

  After lunch, we’d ducked into the bakery. The sparkly-eyed baker must have had some kind of sixth sense when it came to hunger, because she took one look at me and immediately
recommended her specialty honey buns.

  One bite of those flaky bits of perfection, and I'd almost moaned aloud in front of the clients. I nearly got drool on my blouse and immediately plunked down my expense card and bought a dozen, justifying it by announcing we’d share them at the wrap-up meeting back at the offices.

  By the time we’d reached Lake Country Tours, I’d devoured three of them. Then I’d snuck bites between each winery. Then devoured one more on the drive back to Granger Development.

  But my newfound inability to control myself around carbs wasn't the most confounding part of the day.

  That happened when I reached the offices ahead of Bill and Doug and took a moment to close my eyes and gather my thoughts for the final pitch.

  Only to startle at the sound of someone knocking on my window. I’d blinked in confusion at Cole’s worried face. “They’re here,” he called. “We couldn’t find you, are you okay?”

  I’d caught a glimpse of myself in the rearview mirror. A trail of drool extended all the way to my chin.

  I had fallen asleep on the job. Literally.

  The rest of the meeting had been a nightmare of nodding off at the wrong time and needing people to repeat themselves. By the end, Bill and Doug looked worried, and Kelly stared at me in open terror.

  Once I'd retreated to my desk, I stifled a yawn behind my hand and checked the clock.

  It was five o’clock, but it felt like three in the morning.

  Was this how my days would be from now on? I never thought this new position would be so overwhelming, but today had kicked my ass from here to next Sunday.

  Slowly, I lowered my head until my forehead rested on my desk.

  “Get it together,” I hissed. I closed my eyes and tried envisioning my boards again. All my plans lined up in order. The line leading straight into my perfect future. The line started looking a little fuzzy.

  “Claire?”

  I snapped upright. “Kelly?”

  My assistant hovered worriedly at the edge of my desk. “Sorry to wake you.”

  “I wasn’t asleep.” It was a lie and we both knew it.

  “Of course not. And you got here so early too.”

  “Right, right.” I adjusted my waistband, which had gotten tighter since this morning. All those honey buns. I ate the entire dozen.

  Kelly cleared her throat. “I was just checking if there was anything you needed me to do before I headed out.”

  The idea of heading home made me want to weep with relief. All I could think about was crawling into my bed and pulling the covers over my head. But I had at least an hour’s drive ahead of me. I eyed the floor, wondering if anyone would notice if I slept here tonight. Didn’t old-time bosses do shit like that?

  “Hey, killer, nice work today.” Cole came by and rapped his knuckles on my desk. “We have to wait for official word, but they sounded pretty thrilled with the presentation overall.”

  Could have fooled me. But I smiled wanly, gritting my teeth to hold back a yawn. “Good.”

  “You look worn out.”

  “I’m fine, just need to send a few emails.”

  “Well, I’m heading out. Don’t stay too late.”

  I had no intention of staying late. In all honesty, I was so tired I could die.

  Slowly, I gathered my things, making sure not to leave until Cole’s Jaguar pulled away. Then, yawning, I made for the door.

  Inside my Jeep, I regarded the dry-cleaning I’d stowed there this morning. “Fuck it,” I declared. “I’m going to bed. I’ll drop you off tomorrow.”

  I yawned one more time as I drove past the now darkened bakery. Then jerked the wheel.

  Maybe I should stop for coffee, I wondered as I yawned again. But pushed that idea aside.

  The less time that stood between me and my bed, the better. I jabbed the button that turned off the heater and opened the window. An icy wind blasted me in the face, reviving me as I squinted into the darkness.

  I just needed to sleep. That would fix everything. Tomorrow everything would be normal again.

  Chapter Eight

  Ethan

  "I think your mommy went a little bit overboard with the extra changes of clothes," I commented to my niece. "I can barely close this thing."

  Kate watched impassively from her perch inside her car seat as I struggled to zip her diaper bag closed. "I feel like I should be able to handle this a little bit better. After all, I’m the adult here, right?”

  She gurgled, and a trail of drool escaped in a series of sweet little bubbles that collected at the bottom of her chin. "You're right," I relented. "I should just let you be in charge."

  As if it sensed I'd given up, whatever force that had been keeping the zipper open suddenly relented and the whole thing closed with barely any effort at all. "See? I just needed you to give your blessing." I grinned at her, then used the edge of her bib to collect the drool puddle that was forming in her chub rolls. "Don't want stinky neck folds, now do we?” I asked her. "We want you nice and clean for your return."

  I slid my arm through the car seat's handle. "Who said you could be so heavy?" I asked her as I hefted it under my arm. "Come on, little chunk-a-lunk, it's time to go see your mama. I bet you she's wondering if I managed to keep you alive overnight."

  Once my niece was settled safely into the car seat base in the back seat of my pickup, I drove the straight shot to my sister’s house. She lived right on the edge of town, at the border between where the street went from paved to unpaved. As the last house on her block, she had the best of both worlds for my nephews, who could walk easily into town to buy candy at the convenience store and just as easily get lost in the cornfields of Cutter’s farm.

  As soon as I pulled into the driveway, the front door flew open. Two gangly boys, all big eyes and bony elbows, jostled each other to be first out into the yard.

  I climbed out of the front seat and slammed the door shut. "Hey!" I called across the yard. “Go get your coats on. It's cold out here and I don't want your mom blaming me for you catching your death."

  "Uncle Ethan!" the smaller one yelled. "We slept over at the school!"

  "Yeah?" I replied from inside my truck. I grabbed Kate’s car seat and bulging diaper bag, and then slid back out again to smile at my nephew. "Did your big brother take care of you? Did you take care of your little brother, Asher?”

  "I don't need to be taken care of," Caleb grumbled. "And besides, we were off in the other end of the school entirely.”

  "You got scared," Asher pointed out. "You came and got me."

  "Leave him alone," I told my middle nephew, reaching over and ruffling his hair. “Caleb, you know you can always come see your brother when you need him, right?"

  "I don't need him." Caleb sighed petulantly, and as if to prove that, he lunged and tackled his older brother around the waist.

  "What are you guys doing out there with no coats on?" my sister hollered from the front doorstep. Then her eyes landed on me and she whooped. "Oh my God, sorry, I didn't see you pull up. I was too busy trying to figure out why these knuckleheads thought November was a good month to go outside in just T-shirts.” She scowled at her younger boys, who immediately obeyed, pushing past me to tumble back through the door.

  Heather rolled her eyes and sighed. "They just got here," she explained. "They had their school lock-in, and Johnny was at his friend's for some online war game thing. Kevin and I had a blissful twenty-four hours of kid-free peace." She bent to grab the car seat from my arm. "Oh my God, but I missed you, princess. How was she?"

  "I wrote it all down so I wouldn't have to remember," I said, reaching into the diaper bag and pulling out the sheet I had printed off from the Internet.

  "You tracked her dirty diapers?" my sister asked incredulously. She laughed and shook her head. "Damn, you're a way better parent than I am."

  Then the smile fell from her face. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders in an awkward hug. "Seriously though, thanks, Ethan. Having all four of t
hem out of the house on the same night? Your timing couldn't have been better. I slept for thirteen hours straight." She laughed and shook her head. "I haven't done that since I was a teenager."

  "I remember. I wanted you to come play with me but you were always asleep."

  "Now you understand, right?" she said with a grin, unbuckling Kate from her car seat and hefting her up onto her hip. “And did you notice when you came in? Kevin actually had time to paint the garage door before winter."

  "No, sorry, I'll check it out when I leave. I know he's been meaning to do that. That's great."

  "So, thank you." Heather blinked, her eyes filling for a second.

  I shuffled awkwardly in place, my neck suddenly warm. "Anytime," I said, looking away.

  "And you're staying for dinner," my sister said firmly. "I'm not taking no for an answer."

  I slid my tongue along the inside of my cheek. "You're just like mom.”

  She swatted me in the arm. "Never say that again," she complained. "Johnny! Asher! Caleb! Wash up!"

  There was a thundering sound upstairs, like two bowling balls let loose down an alley simultaneously. Then my younger nephews tumbled down the stairs, shouting to be first to get into the bathroom. Ten seconds later, Johnny's newly deep voice bellowed up from the basement. "Five more minutes, Mom? I'm in the middle of a raid!"

  Heather rolled her eyes and shrugged at me. "I never see him anymore. Wait!" she held up her hand for quiet. "Johnny?" she called sweetly. "Did you know Uncle Ethan is here?"

  The basement door squeaked on its hinges and my oldest nephew lumbered into view. "Hey," he muttered to me.

  "Hey," I muttered back, amused. We used to play together the same way his younger brothers played now. Sometimes it was easy to forget we weren't actually the same age. "Go wash up."