by Joan Kilby
“Four roast beef, four chicken, and four ham and cheese, please,” Brianna said to the girl behind the counter, then remembered she needed to eat, too. “Make that five chicken.”
“Whole wheat, white or rye?” the girl asked.
“A mixture,” Brianna said. “Surprise me.”
While she waited, she browsed the shelves of exotic tinned goods. Stuffed grape leaves sounded interesting but would she actually eat them?
“Hello, Brianna,” a familiar woman’s voice said.
“Hi, Audrey,” she said warmly to Angus’s mother. “How have you been?”
“I’m just fine,” Audrey said. “I told Angus to bring you over for dinner sometime but he’s been so busy on the hall.”
“I know, it’s crazy,” she said. “I’ve been super busy, too, organizing the cherry blossom festival.”
“I met the Japanese delegation the other day at your parents’ place,” Audrey said. “Your mother had a few of us from the book club over for coffee.”
“Oh, good,” Brianna said. “I’ve been worried that she wouldn’t find enough things for them to do.”
“Don’t worry about them,” Audrey said. “They’re having a ball. They’ve been up to the Antique Barn, hiking with Garret Starr, and out to Cody’s bull ranch. Yoshi Suzuki, your dad’s friend from Kalispell has been so helpful.”
“That’s a relief.” Brianna touched Audrey’s arm. “I ought to apologize to you. Angus came home to see you, and I roped him into working the whole time.”
“I don’t mind.” Audrey paused, and smiled slyly. “I think he really came home for you.”
“It’s wonderful to see him again—” Brianna broke off, feeling her cheeks grow warm. Audrey must know that she’d been the one to break off the relationship. “I’m sorry he’s leaving again so soon.”
“I agree,” Audrey said. “If only he had a good reason to stay.”
Brianna was wracking her brain, trying to come up with an answer to that when thankfully, the deli girl called her order. She headed to the counter to pick up two bags of wrapped sandwiches.
“Got to keep the crew well fed,” she told Audrey.
“I’ll make a cake and bring it down,” Audrey said.
“I’m sure they would love that.” Her phone pinged. “Excuse me.” She set one bag down to check it. “Oh, no!”
“What is it?” Audrey said.
“The after-build cleaners that Blake uses to clean up after construction are overbooked and can’t get there until next week. It’ll be too late.”
“I’ll do it,” Audrey said.
“Oh, no, I couldn’t ask you to,” Brianna protested.
“I don’t mind. In fact, I’ll call the girls in book club.” Audrey got straight onto her phone and tapped in a message. Within seconds she got two replies. “Linda Starr and your mom both said they’re happy to help. When do they want us?”
“I’m not sure. I’ll let Angus know and he can tee that up with you. Thank you so much,” Brianna said. “This hall is truly going to be a community effort.” She started to leave and then paused. “Make sure you’re at the ceremony on Saturday. Angus is getting an award. But don’t tell him, I want it to be a surprise.”
“I won’t say a word.” Audrey beamed.
Brianna said goodbye and headed down to the building site where the hungry men fell on the food with grateful smiles and a few winks at Angus as if to say, you’ve got a great girlfriend. Brianna pretended not to notice.
“Thanks for doing this,” Angus said, when he and Brianna were sitting on a patch of sloping lawn overlooking the lake. “It saves time and is a nice treat for the guys.”
“I had an ulterior motive,” Brianna said, nibbling on half a sandwich.
“Getting the hall built on time?” he suggested.
“Eating lunch with the foreman,” she said, smiling. “By the way, I saw your mom in the deli. She’s bringing a cake down later this afternoon. And the cleaning crew canceled while I was talking to her so right there on the spot she arranged for her book club to do it.”
“That’s good.” Angus lay down on the grass and covered a yawn with his fist. “I’ll be glad when these long days are over.”
“Me, too.” At the same time, she didn’t want to wish away a minute of his stay in Sweetheart.
His eyelids were fluttering shut, the last quarter of a sandwich forgotten in his hand. In less than a minute, he was asleep, his chest rising and falling softly.
Brianna lay on her side next to him, her head propped in her hand. Gently, she brushed aside a lock of dark hair that had fallen across his forehead and ran the backs of her knuckles down the rasp of his angular jaw. It was only a matter of days now before he had to go to Sacramento. Would they ever get a chance to talk about what was next for them? Maybe in his mind there was nothing to say. He was going to Sacramento and that was that.
He’d kissed her, though. Would he have done that if it didn’t mean anything? Unless it had been a spur-of-the-moment impulse, one he later regretted. When he first came home, he’d hinted at getting back together, but he hadn’t said a word about that in a long time.
Movement over at the building site made her look up. The men were going back to work after only twenty minutes downtime. She should wake Angus, but he was so tired, and she had no doubt that he worked longer and harder than any guy on his crew. He would feel badly, though, if he slept while they carried on.
She was about to gently shake his shoulder when he shifted and she noticed a small circular bulge beneath his T-shirt. The hard thing she’d felt the other day. It was attached to a thin gold chain around his neck. In all the years she’d known him, he’d never worn jewelry, so what was this?
None of her business, that was what.
Her hand hovered. She bit her lip. Finally, curiosity got the better of her. Slowly, carefully, she pulled on the chain, drawing the object out from inside his shirt. A bright sparkle in the sunlight made her gasp, and she clapped her hand over her mouth.
A diamond engagement ring!
Whose was it? Had he been engaged while he was away? Was it intended for another woman somewhere? It wasn’t his mother’s. Audrey still wore hers even though she’d been a widow for decades. Possibly his grandmother’s, but it looked modern and anyway, why would he wear his grandmother’s engagement ring?
He stirred. Heart racing, she quickly tucked the ring back inside his shirt.
His eyes opened. Looked straight into hers as she leaned over him. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She smiled. “I was about to wake you. The guys have gone back to work.”
“Did I fall asleep?” He sat up, blinked. Noticing the sandwich still between his fingers, he threw it to the ducks paddling in the reeds. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. You must have needed it.” She got to her feet and brushed off her skirt. Her gaze kept returning to the lump beneath his shirt. “What happens tomorrow?”
“The turf people are coming in the afternoon. When did you say my mom and her friends are coming to clean?”
“She’s waiting to for you to tell her when you’ll be ready for them.”
“I’ll figure that out and let her know. If it’s before the turf is down, I’ll lay down some planks so the women can get in to clean without getting muddy.”
“Saturday it will all be over and we’ll have fun,” she promised as she walked him back to the build site. “No more work, just enjoying the festival.”
“Let’s go together,” he said.
“Sounds good.” She smiled.
He touched her hand. “Thanks again for lunch.”
“It was my pleasure.” She was about to leave to go back to her car when she noticed that his smile faded as he looked at the hall. “What is it?” she said.
“Even with the additional workers, finishing is going to be touch and go. We still need to hang the doors, and tack the cedar shakes on the roof, plus a dozen other odds and ends. A
nd just before we broke for lunch Coates’s guys told me they can’t come on Friday because they’re booked elsewhere.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Work all night?”
“Don’t even think of it,” she said. “It’s not safe.”
“I would, but you’re right, I can’t ask the guys to. We’ll just have to work around the cleaning and the laying of turf and the million other things that need to be done.”
“It’s going to be a madhouse.” Brianna smiled.
“I’m glad you think my crisis is funny.” Angus gave her a sidearm hug that turned into a gentle shove. “Get out of here before I put you on the tools.”
“I’m going, don’t worry. I’ve got my own work to do.”
“See you tomorrow.” Brianna’s gaze drifted again to the ring hidden beneath his T-shirt. He was not leaving Montana without telling her who it was for.
Chapter Twelve
By Friday morning, Angus was down to Bill and Tony, the remnants of his original crew. They started early at six a.m. and Angus went into laser-focus mode, refusing to think about what would happen if they didn’t get finished on time.
Then just after nine o’clock, a black BMW rolled up and parked, followed by a gold Lincoln Continental. Tourists, most likely, unaware that there was public parking a half a block away.
To Angus’s surprise, John Coates eased his bulky frame out of the BMW. Instead of his usual flashy suit and silk shirt, he was wearing a pair of brand-new work pants and an ancient Polson Broncos sweatshirt.
Gordon Renton emerged from the Lincoln Continental dressed in a flannel shirt and faded blue pants that looked as though he worked in them every day. A cap covered his thinning gray hair and a pair of leather gloves were stuck in his back pocket.
John and Gordon gave each other the stink eye and then marched over to where Angus was standing, scratching his head at the unlikely sight of his two bosses, past and present, come to help.
Being in better shape, Gordon arrived first. “Brianna called me last night and said you were shorthanded.”
“She called me, too,” John Coates said, puffing a little from walking fast to catch up. “Said I could crown Miss Cherry Blossom if I came out to help.”
“I don’t need a reward for helping,” Gordon said. “Sweetheart Log Homes gets the job done.” To Angus, he said, “Put me to work, whatever needs doing.”
“Me, too,” John added quickly, glaring at his rival. “Except for the roof. I’m not good at climbing.”
“Afraid the breeze up there will mess your hair?” Gordon said, eyeing Coates’s carefully coiffed silver hair. “At the rates you charge out your guys, I guess you can afford to have it blow-waved every day.”
“I’ve decided to foot the labor bill myself,” John growled. “You’re not the only civic-minded businessman around.”
Angus hid a smirk. He was tempted to put these two to work together just to watch the fireworks, but he needed them to be productive. “John, you can give Bill a hand with the chinking. Gordon, Tony is tacking on the shakes. He’ll tell you what to do to assist.”
“I was building log homes when these kids were in diapers,” John said to Gordon as they walked toward the building. “I don’t fancy being bossed around by a kid half my age.”
“I know what you mean,” Gordon said. “Youngsters these days think they invented log homes.” After a moment, he added, “Not Angus, though, he’s okay.”
“I taught him all he knows about commercial builds during his summers in Sacramento,” John said proudly.
“Where do you think he learned the basics?” Gordon countered indignantly. “Right here in Sweetheart, at my factory.”
Chuckling, Angus sent Brianna a text. “You would not believe who I have on my crew today.”
Quick as a flash the reply came back. “I ought to, I sent them! Hope they’re behaving.”
“I predict they’ll join forces before this is over and put the rest of the crew to shame.”
Angus was tucking his phone back in his pocket when John was back.
“By the way,” John said. “I’d like you in Sacramento Monday or Tuesday at the latest. I have a new project I want you to bid on.”
“That’s kind of short notice,” Angus said, stalling. The first of the month, his original start date, wasn’t until next Thursday. He’d planned to spend a few days with his mom, and he couldn’t leave town without a heart-to-heart with Brianna. “I don’t have a place to stay lined up.”
“I’ll put you up in a hotel and get your PA to scout out some apartments for you.” John clapped him on the shoulder as if it was decided. “The project is a sporting goods mega store, not a rinky-dink cabin like you’re building here.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” His own personal assistant? Where else would he get that kind of perk so soon after graduating?
The morning passed in a blur. Angus brainstormed a workaround with the plumber, picked up a hammer and helped on the roof, then drove out to the factory to pick up an extra stack of shakes.
When he got back, it was clear the word had gone out around town that a working bee was happening at the community hall. The women from the Sweetheart Ladies’ Historical Society arrived at noon with homemade sandwiches and cakes. Late in the afternoon, the local Scout troop arrived to go over the grounds and clean up offcuts and rubbish before the turf people came.
Angus was touched at the level of support. Each time he asked, “Who sent you?” the answer was Brianna. She was calling up every group in town to help, and getting tasks lined up in the correct sequence, almost before he knew he needed it.
“How are you doing this?” He texted her while taking a break to wolf down a sandwich.
“I did more than answer phone calls when I worked for Dad. I was in charge of coordinating before and after builds. Oh, and did I mention I’m project manager?”
“You’re a legend.”
“Takes one to know one.” Smiley face emoji.
Around midafternoon his mom’s book club arrived. Angus was humbled. These women belonged to the oldest families of Sweetheart and they were here to clean. Linda Starr, Anita Renton, and others, including Joyce Stevens, who was Hayley’s mom. The ladies waved gaily to the men and headed inside with their buckets and cleaning supplies.
“Mom,” Angus called, and she hung back. “Thanks for coming. The electrician is still working so watch out for wiring. The kitchen is finished so you could start in there. Do you know about removing the protective film from the new cabinets—” Catching her indignant expression, he quickly amended, “Sorry, of course you do.”
“Who’s the one toting the industrial vacuum cleaner?” she asked with an indulgent smile. “You forget I did after-build cleanup for Sweetheart Log Homes for years when you were in high school. I got you your first job at the factory.” Her gaze softened. “You and I have come a long way from those days, kiddo.”
“We sure have.” Angus pulled her into a hug, his throat swelling on a surge of emotion. “It’s wonderful that the women you used to clean house for—” He broke off, uncertain now of what he wanted to say.
She cocked a questioning eyebrow. “Go on.”
“You know what I mean. Now you’re in a book club with them.” He floundered under her steady gaze.
“You mean it’s nice of them to accept me socially,” she said, taking pity on him.
Angus breathed out. “Yeah.”
His mom rested her hands on his shoulders, the way she used to when he was young and she was imparting a lesson. He felt about ten years old.
“Linda and Anita have been my friends since way back in high school,” Audrey said. “After your father died, they came to my rescue and were caring and supportive. I had you when I was very young, before I had a chance to train at anything. Then suddenly I was a single mom with no source of income. They knew I wouldn’t take charity so they employed me to clean their homes, something they’d always done themselves. No
t for one second did they make me feel lesser because I was scrubbing their toilets. They would work alongside me and afterward we’d have coffee.”
“Oh.” Angus blinked. “I didn’t know.”
“You were just a little tyke. No reason you should know. You played with their kids while we cleaned.”
“But…” He frowned. “I remember coming to whatever house you were doing after school and waiting for you to finish. You were doing it all by yourself.”
“That was later, after the other gals had gone back to work in their professions or had developed new ones,” Audrey said. “They tried to convince me to do the same, but I was all you had. I didn’t want to put my needs ahead of yours while you were still at school.”
“I had no idea.” He shook his head at the assumptions he’d made, and the huge gap in his understanding. “Mom, you shouldn’t have sacrificed for me.”
“It was no sacrifice.” She laid a loving hand on his cheek. “You are my greatest achievement. I’m so proud of you.”
“You’re the best.” He hugged her again.
“Maybe I should have told you this a long time ago, but it didn’t seem important,” she said. “I guess I thought you knew.”
“I always thought…” He looked away, over the lake.
“That we were looked down on in this town because we were poor?” she said. “Oh, Angus, no. Did you get teased as a child? You should have told me.”
“It was only one or two boys,” he said. “No one we’re friends with. I didn’t say anything to you because I figured you had too much on your plate without worrying about me, too.”
His mom sighed, touched his arm. Then she stilled as a thought seemed to occur to her. “Does this have anything to do with why you and Brianna never got married?”
“I left to go to college,” he said. “We weren’t even engaged.”
“I thought you loved her. I was so surprised when you two broke up.”
“She broke up with me.” He rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “I shouldn’t have left without telling her how I felt.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“First I had to be worthy of her.”
